Gary Holt shared his thoughts on Steve ‘Zetro’ Souza‘s departure from EXODUS during an appearance on the “Rock And Roll Geek Show” podcast, hosted by Michael Butler.
“ People ask [why we fired Zetro] — everybody wants to know because we’ve chosen not to tell anybody. All I ever tell people is, marriages don’t often work,” Holt said (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). “And just ’cause you saw a married couple out in public that seemed happy, you don’t know what’s going on at home. I don’t know if the wife’s throwing frying pans at his head or he’s f**king drunk out of his a*s, f**king screaming at him and slapping the kids. You don’t know. Just ’cause they go out in public and they put on a happy face.
“We’ve got nothing but respect for Zetro, and we’ve got love [for him] and I’m honored to have made some great music [with him]. But I’m also 60 years old, and the five of us need to be on the same page. And now we are.”
Building on Butler‘s point about personality conflicts, Holt noted: “It’s not even a matter of [anything] like that because we all get on each other’s nerves. It’s just as you get older, this job, either you still love it or it becomes incredibly difficult… For me, [it’s] f**king not [difficult] at all. And so, for whatever our reasons, four guys had a reason to do what we did.”
When asked about whether he personally informed Zetro of his dismissal, Gary replied: “I don’t really wanna go into all that. [Laughs] There’s no hate involved. It’s just the f**king marriage didn’t work. Sometimes you get along with your ex. Sometimes you don’t hate your ex; you just can’t be married to them anymore… Sometimes the wife still likes him and he’s a good father, but God, what a f**king crappy husband. Or what a bad life. But she was good with the kids and she’s a member of the PTA. Who f**king knows?
EXODUS announced that Rob Dukes will be replacing Souza on January 15, with the following statement on their social media: “EXODUS have parted ways with Steve “Zetro” Souza. We thank Steve for his years fronting the band and all the killer music we made during that time. We wish him only the best in the future and much success with anything he does.
“And please help us welcome Rob Dukes back to EXODUS! We are beyond stoked to have Rob back ripping up the stage with us and he’s looking forward to crushing everything like only he can.
“Next chapter begins, new record rolls along as planned and the beatings will continue.”
Dukes joined EXODUS in January 2005 and contributed to four of the band’s studio albums: Shovel Headed Kill Machine (2005), The Atrocity Exhibition… Exhibit A (2007), Let There Be Blood (2008—a re-recording of their classic 1985 album Bonded By Blood), and Exhibit B: The Human Condition (2010).
In June 2014, the thrash metal icons announced Dukes‘ departure and the return of his predecessor, Steve “Zetro” Souza, who had previously served as EXODUS‘s frontman from 1986 to 1993 and again from 2002 to 2004.
EXODUS released their latest studio album, Persona Non Grata, in November 2021.
Source: metaladdicts.com
