Gary Holt On Slayer's Final Show: "I Never Wanted This. Jeff Should Have Been There"
Slayer guitarist Gary Holt posts a touching tribute to his band, his loved ones, and his fallen predecessor.
This Saturday saw metal history taking place, as thrash legends Slayer played their last show ever at the Forum in Los Angeles. Now, guitarist Gary Holt as posted a lengthy goodbye on his Instagram, thanking his loved ones and bandmates -- and also paying homage to late Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman, who he replaced.
Gary posted the following statement:
“Now that the final show has come and gone, I just want to send a heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported me stepping into this monster called Slayer. Last night was a whirlwind of emotions for all four of us. I want to thank @tomarayaofficial , @paulbostaphofficial and KFK, Kerry Fucking King. I will miss so much more than just sharing a stage with you guys.
"I’ll miss the jokes, the penalty shots for our onstage fuck ups, the philosophical discussions, the fart jokes,the millions of laughs, the songs, the bus ride movies and more shots. MASSIVE love to all three of you. All at RSE, Rick Sales, @sassys8n , @ehgon , and @ndrewstuart . Always made me feel like part of the family. Our stellar crew, especially @sai_lhung_ , one of my best friends on this earth. RESPECT!"
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Gary went on to thank dozens of people who made his work possible, but gave a special shout-out to the band's fans:
"And to the Slayer fans, thanks for making me feel welcome, it’s been a special and magnificent metal journey. Three epidurals, seven cortisone injections, trigger point injections, all to keep me in raging mode. Worth every second of the pain. Forever honored to have been a part of this band."
Most touching, however, might be Gary's final send-off, in which he calls out Jeff Hanneman, his wife Lisa, and his bandmates in Exodus:
But I never wanted this. Jeff should have been there. I just held down the fort for him. And @lisaholt777 , your support meant everything to me. Love you after forever. And all my boys in Exodus you are my family, and this wayward son is coming home! New Exodus is a world destroyer. See you in Europe in February!”
In honor of Slayer's grand goodbye, here's the band playing Angel Of Death one last time before Tom Araya says goodbye to his fans: