A Fabulous Disaster

From prolific metal guitarist and songwriter for Exodus (and formerly Slayer) Gary Holt comes an entertaining and deeply personal memoir of Holt's "destruction-laden" life, along with a firsthand account of the genesis of the Thrash Metal scene, from its origins in the Bay Area to its world domination

Since exploding out of the Bay Area heavy metal scene in the 1980s, thrash metal has made its way to every corner of the globe, conquering worldwide charts with every passing year. As the guitarist and primary songwriter of Exodus, and as an originator of the subgenre and one of its fiercest proponents, Gary Holt watched as his peers-Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax-soared to superstardom. As his fellow artists amassed millions of fans and record sales, Exodus' albums received critical recognition and inspired generations of listeners but struggled to reach the same heights of success, as the band was plagued by years of bad management, bad luck, and bad decision-making.

In A FABULOUS DISASTER, Holt shares a deeply personal account of what it was like to "live fast, play fast, and crash hard" as thrash metal dominated the globe. Holt's "destruction-laden farce" follows our narrator through the highest of highs and lowest of lows as he and his bandmates juggle major label contracts, MTV-sponsored tours and festivals, growing addictions to alcohol and meth, and the loss of key founding members. In the throes of addiction, Holt's own fall from grace is swift; one year, he's playing on the MTV Headbanger's Ball Tour with Anthrax and Helloween, and the next, he's struggling to find minimum wage jobs as he battles drugs, divorce, and the dissolution of his creative prospects. Ultimately, after the tragic death of one of his closest friends and former bandmates-Holt decides that enough is enough and realizes the only one who can save him is himself. Newly sober and determined to resurrect his career, he commits himself to Exodus, pushing the band to new heights. He then joins Slayer, one of metal's biggest bands, and plays massive venues around the world, including Madison Square Garden. After Slayer's unexpected retirement, Holt devotes his attention full-time to Exodus once again, recording and playing with more passion than ever before.

An "unadulterated odyssey through decades of insanity," punctuated by Holt's unique insight and knack for storytelling, A FABULOUS DISASTER is a thrill ride from start to finish. His story proves that redemption-even from the pits of rock 'n' roll excess-is always possible.

"A Fabulous Disaster is a harrowing, compelling and, hilarious read. Like Breaking Bad with riffs!"--Scott Ian of Anthrax, author of I'm the Man and Access All Areas
"Always savage, always inspiring, it was a great read. Couldn't get off the shitter. Please send help."--Jason Momoa, actor
"An epic tale of regrets, perseverance, and gratitude framed by a true love of the craft. A Fabulous Disaster is thrash metal's Get in The Van, as told by one of the genre's most beloved and respected pioneers. Holding nothing back, Gary candidly delivers his unique perspective of finding redemption through riffs."--Frank Iero of My Chemical Romance
"An incredible book from a real Bay Area legend. I was hooked from the first paragraph. Gary's one of the most authentic dudes out there. His book definitely proves that."--Lars Frederiksen of Rancid
"Gary is one of the most fiery and wickedly recognizable guitarists of thrash metal, and he was one of the first musicians to welcome me into the Bay Area when we debuted Megadeth there in 1984. He's a thrash metal OG--he's lived it, he helped build it, and his name is firmly on the door of our genre. This book is not for the faint of heart, as it tells it like it was, warts and all of a young man who learned the ropes of our business from the ground up and became a true superstar."--David Ellefson, co-founder of Megadeth and author of My Life with Deth
"I'm completely absorbed in this book right now--it's impossible to put down. It's not just the life story of one of thrash metal's greatest icons, it's also a detailed account of the birth and evolution of the entire genre. Gary Holt's raw energy and insane talent have kept thrash alive and kicking for decades, cementing his status as a true pioneer. The guy's an absolute legend, but what makes him stand out even more is how humble and genuine he is. I'm lucky to call him a friend."--Adam Nergal Darski of Behemoth, author of Confessions Of A Heretic
"It's very rare to find someone in the music business so willing to expose themselves through vulnerability, humility, and purity of spirit in order to share their truth. Especially when that someone is a creator and pioneer of a history-changing musical genre that no one saw coming and is now impossible to deny. Gary Holt's story is uncompromising and unique in its brutal honesty and willingness to display all of the warts and scars that ultimately lead to redemption. With an unmatched work ethic, he's traversed the minefield of making (and not making) music for a living and all the triumphs and tragedies that go along with that, to ultimately find himself become the man he was always meant to be. I've always had mad respect for Gary as a musician and I've always really liked him as a person. Now I love him!"--Dave "Snake" Sabo, Skid Row guitarist
"One of the best books I've read in years from cover to cover I could not put it down. It's a must read."--John 5, Mötley Crüe guitarist
"One of the first people I met in San Francisco, and my oldest friend in metal, we truly are blood brothers. I've always thought Gary was one of the best guitarists of the five bands: the Big 4 and Exodus. Actually, I was surprised he could spell! Love ya, Gary."--Dave Mustaine of Megadeth, author of Mustaine and Rust in Peace
"What an amazing read. Gary has seen his share of the good, the bad, and the ugly in this business. And he's one of the sweetest cats you're ever gonna meet. Much Respect. Read on!"--Rex Brown of Pantera, author of Official Truth, 101 Proof

Gary Holt is the guitarist and main songwriter for the heavy metal band Exodus and was a member of Slayer from 2011 to 2019. He's based in the Bay Area, California.

Adem Tepedelen is an award-winning journalist covering metal for over thirty years for Decibel, Revolver, Rollingstone.com, and many other mainstream and underground magazines. He's also written and cowritten numerous books, including The Brewtal Truth to Extreme Beers and Mud Ride: A Messy Trip Through the Grunge Explosion (with Mudhoney guitarist Steve Turner).

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