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date: 10 September 2008
Hello, Gary! How are you? With fans everywhere roaring with excitement, how does Exodus feel on European grounds?
Totally awesome! Festival season is always a lot of fun and the shows have been amazing.
Could this year's tour still be considered as a promo-tour for ?Exhibit A?, or is it more like a preliminary for the next exhibit?
We are still touring for Atrocity, and will continue to do so, there are still a lot of markets in Europe we haven't hit yet.
Almost three decades since the pinnacle of Bay Area Thrash metal, Exodus still has its sails up and you seem to be the one that kept the ship afloat. How did you manage to remain in this position?
We still love doing this, we still love the style of metal we play, and quite frankly, it's all I know how to do anyway!
But with one tumultuous background, the band's line-up has experienced a lot of changes. Have the die-hard fans ever complain?
Maybe at first, but I think they realize this isn't an instance of kicking guys out and not caring. It's the opposite. Caring so much that I won't let adversity stop this band from what we are trying to accomplish.
Numerous skillful musicians took their turn in Exodus, but probably the greatest controversy was when Kirk Hammet left to join Metallica. Did you feel that you suffered a loss then?
No way, we had a party for him! It put me in control of the band and its direction, and that's when the Exodus we know now came into being.
Back in the day, when tape-trading was popular and people everywhere were banging their heads to fresh thrash, Exodus had already taken shape, and it still stands today among the reigning kings. Do you think your music influenced the metal scene's evolution?
Sure. It's an honor for anyone to say we have influenced what they are doing now, and we still try to influence what is going on in thrash, but many great bands have given that influence right back to us as well.
After releasing Force of Habit in 1992, you put on hold many of your projects until 2004, when you released Tempo of Damned, what happened during this gap?
Just spent time at home as a stay home dad, getting to know my daughter, watch her grow.
Although many important metal zines acclaim your music and rate you among the top five best thrash metal bands out there, some fans think that Exodus is still underrated. What do you think is that due to?
Who knows? Maybe all the delays and hardships over the years. But it's what my peers say that mean the most. And they seem to think we are still kicking major ass!
With all the fuss with the upcoming elections in November, have you thought about incorporating this aspect into your lyrics? What do you think about the impact these political changes will have on the United States??
Exodus is unique band in that we have every aspect of the political spectrum in this band, Republicans and Democrats. But as I tell Jack and Lee, the right wingers, when they start writing lyrics they can make their own points! Haha!
But our country has been run into the ground the last 8 years, I for one am ready for a change.
Thank you for this interview, and we're still waiting for you to play in Romania one day. Until then, good luck with the tour!
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
Sandra, Andreea, Cristina
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