Metal might be a pretty accepting place now, but back in the ’80s, it was a musical warzone. Evidence of this can be seen in the wrist of then-EXODUS vocalist Paul Baloff. In a recent interview, EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt revealed that if someone showed up to their concert wearing a shirt of the Glam band RATT, the band would cut strips off it and tie the scraps around Baloff’s wrist.

Gary Holt vividly recalls and explains:

“In the Paul Baloff era of EXODUS, if someone showed up wearing a RATT shirt, we’d pull out the pocket knife and cut strips off the shirt. If you look at some old photos of Baloff, he’s got all these pieces of cloth, about three inches long, tied around his wrist. Those are pieces of a poser’s shirt!

But at the same time, we guitarists secretly admired every riff by Warren DeMartini, as if he was the most incredible guitarist in the world, with the best tone, along with Robbin Crosby. So, we were actively listening to them, as well as George Lynch.

At the same time, though, the divide between the two genres was inevitable. We were mutual enemies. We needed one another. It seems like we both “died” together at the end of the ’80s. We were mutually beneficial enemies.”

Paul Baloff was the lead singer of EXODUS from 1981 to 1986 and briefly from 1997 to 1998. In 1986, he was replaced by Steve “Zetro” Souza, who came from LEGACY, the band that would later be renamed TESTAMENT. Baloff also participated in EXODUS’ reunion in 2001 but passed away in 2002 shortly after suffering a stroke.