Gary Holt (Exodus, Slayer) announces his memoirs with a foreword by Kirk Hammett (Metallica)

Exodus and Slayer guitarist Gary Holt to release memoir titled A Fabulous Disaster: From The Garage To Madison Square Garden, The Hard WayApril 8, 2025 via Hachette Books. The book’s foreword will be written by Kirk Hammett, current guitarist for Metallica and former founding member of Exodus.

A dive into the history of thrash metal

In this book, Gary Holt recounts in a personal and engaging way the central role he played in the rise of Thrash Metal, from Exodus’ beginnings on the San Francisco Bay scene to their worldwide recognition. He also talks about his journey strewn with pitfalls:

• A promising start with Exodus, but hampered by haphazard management and unfortunate decisions.
• His battles with alcoholism and methamphetamine addiction, which nearly destroyed his career.
• His redemption and surprising integration into Slayer, where he took Jeff Hanneman’s place and contributed to the album Repentless in 2015.

Holt, who wrote the book in collaboration with award-winning Music journalist Adem Tepedelen, promises a read that combines emotion, introspection and memorable anecdotes: “This book made me laugh, cry and grimace. It’s everything you can expect from a good story,” he confides.

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A career marked by ups and downs

Holt reflects on the highlights of his career, including:

• The creation of Exodus and the album’s impact Bonded By Bloodoften cited as one of the pillars of thrash metal.
• Tours with Anthrax, Helloween and other metal greats, followed by difficult years off the stage.
• His artistic rebirth with Slayer and his return to the forefront with Exodus, notably at Madison Square Garden.

The book, whose title refers to the album Fabulous Disaster of Exodus, offers a reflection on redemption and resilience in an often unforgiving environment.

Foreword by Kirk Hammett

Kirk Hammett, who co-founded Exodus before joining Metallica, wrote the foreword to this book. A collaboration that testifies to their friendship and their common roots in thrash metal: “Gary Holt has always been a pillar of thrash, an exceptional guitarist and an outstanding storyteller. This book is a fascinating dive into the history of Metal,” Hammett writes.