'We'll Delete You' - Exodus' Gary Holt Addresses '3111' Video Controversy

Exodus hit hard with "3111," the first song to come from their new Goliath album, but when it came time to do a video for the track, they ran into some issues with YouTube over the clip. Being flagged for its violent content, the band was forced to come up with another way of promoting their song and video.

In speaking with Full Metal Jackie on her weekend radio show, Exodus guitarist Gary Holt addressed his primary beef with the decision and the reaction it caused within the group.

Holt says he and Rob Dukes worked on the lyrical idea surrounding the narco killings in Juarez, while Lee Altus took the musical lead. But when it came time to do the video, the violent nature of the clip caused YouTube to flag it. According to Holt, while researching the topic he watched videos on YouTube to get a better understanding of the subject matter. But then the same platform where he had done his research had an issue with including some of the violent things he learned about from YouTube.

"Most of this stuff came from YouTube, which are parent companies and it's okay to host these photos and stuff on your websites, but not with us on your same website. That makes no sense," said Holt. "YouTube flagged it and they flagged it again and flagged it to the point that in the final warning they threatened to take away our channel entirely. Like 'We'll delete you.' We don't want that. So we did an edited version."

However, wanting to share their initial vision and then being told no, the guitarist says they shot another video with "really, really, truly horrific photos and stuff" and then created another website to host the clip without YouTube's interference.

In addition to speaking about "3111," Holt offers insight on the inner workings of Goliath. He digs in on why "The Changing Me" might be his favorite track on the new record. And he speaks about the amazing talent they are sharing the stage with in a near non-stop schedule to start the year. Plus, Gary gives us an update on where things stand with the follow-up to Goliath that was being recorded at the same time.

Check out more of the chat below.

It's Full Metal Jackie and we're back with one of my favorite guests. Always a pleasure to welcome back Gary Holt of Exodus. Obviously Gary's been hard at work for a long time now with the band on their 12th studio album, Goliath. This truly feels like it's been a labor of love for the band and it shows up in being one of the most collaborative efforts from the group. Can you speak to the overall vibe of putting this album together and the wealth of everyone coming to the table with something?

The vibe was awesome. Every album, we've rented vacation homes and built studios in them or, this time we used a regular studio but we had a rental Airbnb nearby and we lived together and we created the whole time.

We went in and I think I had like four songs finished and we recorded 18. Lee [Altus] really was super motivated and he wrote almost half the album. And Rob [Dukes] wrote lyrics, Tom [Hunting]wrote lyrics, Lee wrote some lyrics and I wrote the rest. And Jack [Gibson], his input's as valuable to me as anybody even if not as a songwriter but as a sounding board.

He's usually the first person I ask their opinion. Everybody just was so motivated and into it and it was awesome. It was so much fun. We still like each other's company, so that helps.

That says something after two months together and then we left on tour two days later, We've been grinding and we're about to grind harder.

Exodus, "3111"

Gary, let's talk about that song. Inspiration can come from many places, but what brought you and the band to writing about the narco killings in Juarez for "3111"?

As Exodus is wont to do, we're always looking for something twisted to write about.

That was Rob's idea and Lee wrote the music to that and I just co-wrote the lyrics. I did a bunch of research and Rob and I put it together and it's just an awesome song. It's just, "All right, this is gonna be the lead-off song of the record." And the video, the difficulty of getting that on YouTube is a whole other story.

But considering most of the footage came from Google and YouTube, it makes no sense at all, but that's an argument I'm having with myself. But the song is killer and we actually did a third version of the video now.

Since YouTube denied us the finished one, we decided to make one that truly has every reason to be banned. It's like super gross, disgusting.

You can find that version at exodus3111.com.

Gary, we were just talking about the lead-up in releasing "3111" and where you ran into a bump in the road for the video with YouTube initially rejecting it over the violence.How much of a surprise was that? Did it give you any pause in eventually being able to find a way to share the original vision with fans?

Our director, Jim Louveau, he said from the beginning, "I think this might get flagged by YouTube." You know, all right. Most of this stuff came from YouTube, which are parent companies and it's okay to host these photos and stuff on your websites, but not with us on your same website. That makes no sense.

Once again, I'm arguing with myself 'cause I don't have anyone there to argue with. But YouTube flagged it and they flagged it again and flagged it to the point that in the final warning they threatened to take away our channel entirely.

Wow.

Like "We'll delete you." We don't want that. So we did an edited version. The original version's on a X account and because they banned it, which it wasn't so bad, you know,  I decided to make one that was really bad. So we found some really, really, truly horrific photos and stuff. Once again, check out exodus3111.com to see that version of the video.

Gary, another standout song on Goliath is "The Changing Me," which featured a guest turn from Peter Tägtgren from Hypocrisy. How did Peter come to be part of this album?

That's another one of Lee's songs and it was Lee's vision all along. Peter's one of our best friends since we first toured together I think back in 2006 and I did a solo on a Hypocrisy song, the song "Scrutinized," way back when and he did some background vocals on "Exhibit B" on The Sun Is My Destroyer.

Lee knew what he wanted. It was his vision. He wanted these clean vocals on the chorus, and Peter sent back several tracks. It's just lush and beautiful. And Tom Hunting also contributed cleans. And Peter and Rob are having the screaming fest at the end and that was entirely Lee's vision.

It's one of my favorite songs. It's so sick. And Peter just put it over the top, made it just rad.

Exodus (with Peter Tagtgren), "The Changing Me"

Gary Holt of Exodus on the show with us, celebrating the release of the new Exodus record, Goliath. Gary, a few years ago, you got to take part in Slayer's farewell tour. Now, with Exodus, you get to join Megadeth for a tour leg as they're on their final run. Having been through this, any words of wisdom you'd share with the band? And what are your thoughts on seeing another of your peers from the '80s thrash scene calling it a career?

Well, we're also doing the Sepultura farewell U.S. Tour.

Right, of course.

So, a lot of guys calling it quits. But I'm not going anywhere. I'll just say that right now. I'm gonna keep doing this until I can't, you know? That's what I love doing. I can't retire. I'd have to go get a job. But I'm glad to be a part of it.

We're all super longtime friends. I've toured more with Anthrax than any band on Earth between Exodus and Slayer. Toured with Dave [Mustaine], known Dave since the beginning and Sepultura are some of our closest friends, so it's gonna be a good time. I can't wait. I'm looking forward to it.

Gary, it's looking like quite the year of touring ahead. Shows with Megadeth, Anthrax, Kreator and Sepultura's final North American run, all before we even hit summer. You've been in this long enough that these are just your friends and it's a hang. But as a music fan, what does it mean to you to be able to play with the quality of bands you're getting to share the stages with this year?

Oh, it means everything. It's gonna be amazing. Every band's just top of their game. We're going so hard out the gate for this album. We really believe in this record. And so we're starting off with a touring schedule .... We didn't do this when I was 25. We're doing the Megadeth tour, we're home eight days and then nine weeks straight.

Wow.

I never toured nine weeks. That's crazy talk. But these are great tours and we don't have to carry the whole bill. And I like playing punk rock clubs for a few 100 people. It's awesome. But we're going out with all big shows and it's gonna be a great way to launch an album to us that is so near and dear to us.

We really believe in this. So we're going hard. We got a little break after in the early summer, but we're just gonna hit it and run.

Gary, the last time we spoke, we talked about this a little bit, the idea that you're essentially writing and working on multiple albums. We've got Goliath, but just because a record is coming out doesn't mean the creative side stops. Can you give us an update on where things stand musically beyond this Goliath album? And have you noticed something lyrically, thematically or style-wise that made this next collection of songs that you've worked on at the same time be targeted for the follow-up album instead of Goliath?

Well we recorded 18 songs. We came two songs shy of our stated goal of finishing the follow-up so that we could have a break. We're getting older. We could prepare the release of it while still touring for this one without having to head back into the studio. But we will have to do that. And probably by the time we get to there, Lee and I have written more than two songs.

It was a hard decision to pick the songs for this album. The other ones, they're not throwaways. I have full-on anxiety attacks about which songs we chose because some of my favorite stuff is on this next album. But we felt we were really into this collection.

For instance, I wrote two epics, two long, dramatic songs. I didn't wanna put them both on this album. So we put "Summon of the God Unknown" on this and the one on the next album is just like an eight-minute hammer to the head. It's bludgeoning. It's criminal how heavy it is. But we're like, "We're gonna put these away."

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Some of my favorite solos are on the other songs, you know? It's just the way it worked out. And lyrically, every song is independent of itself, so that's never an issue. But yeah, we have a little work to do, but we have a huge head start on the follow-up already.

Gary, with all this touring ahead, I'm gonna guess there's probably gonna be some Goliath songs making the set. But might you also road test some of the new material for the next record?

No, that stuff won't be heard or seen until it's released.

All right.

If we put it out now, it's just there forever.

Yeah, but it's nice that you have so many songs that even that would have been a possibility.

We even joked about like, "Well, maybe we'll make this a double album." But without sounding greedy, you don't get paid a penny more for your record deal for giving them two albums in one.

Right.

It doesn't count as two records. Yeah, Metallica can put out two albums because they're their own record label now.

Right.

But there was nothing in it for us to do it. Plus that wasn't our goal all along anyway.

The new Exodus record is called Goliath and Exodus is gonna be on the road for a very long time. Be sure to see them on these many tours. Gary, always a pleasure to catch up with you. Thank you so much.

Thanks to Exodus' Gary Holt for the interview. Goliath is available now. You can keep up with the band via their website, Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube. Find out where you can hear Full Metal Jackie's weekend radio show here.

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