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Earlier this year, Billy Corgan defended Taylor Swift and called her “one of the most gifted pop artists of all time.” In a new interview, Slayer and Exodus guitarist Gary Holt also unexpectedly sang the pop star’s praises, exclaiming he doesn’t understand the animosity toward her.
On the Scandalous Podcast, the interviewer brought up a “Taylor Swift problem,” to which Holt responded with confusion. “I love Taylor Swift! Why all the hate? She’s an extraordinarily hardworker, she’s super fuckin’ nice to everybody, and people hate her. She’s just the biggest pop star on the earth and more power to her. I like the songs,” he said. He continued:
Beyoncé will put out a song and there’s 30 fuckin’ people on [the credits]. How can 30 people write a song all gathered together? It’s like you’re not a songwriter, Beyoncé. I mean, her daughter got a songwriting credit and a Grammy because she probably threw some kindergarten rhyme on one line and like, ‘Yep! Give her a Grammy.’ She now has 1/7th the Grammys Prince — the greatest artist that ever was or ever will be — ever got. But Taylor writes everything. So I give her credit. She’s a songwriter. And some of these other people require massive teams — just like a factory of songwriting. Who even knows who did what anymore?
He added that Swift tipped her truck drivers a hundred grand (it’s true), saying, “Beyoncé, the ball’s in your court. What are you tipping your drivers? Probably fuckin’ nothing. I don’t know. Maybe she’s super generous. I think Beyonce is the most overrated talent on earth. I think she’s marginally talented.”
He also revealed his love for Adele while on the topic of AutoTune. “I saw a comment the other day of someone accusing Adele of using AutoTune. She’s like the greatest singer of the last fuckin’ 30 years,” he said. “She’s my favorite. Love Adele.”
Later on, he was asked what his favorite pop song is. “Any of the early Madonna stuff means everything to me,” he said. “The early Katy Perry stuff, I love that shit. Fuckin’ Teenage Dream — what a great record. She literally tied Michael Jackson for most #1 songs. People don’t realize that because she’s kind of a ridiculous person. Anybody who’s watched American Idol is like, ‘She’s just trying so hard. It’s kinda cringe.’ But, you know, great songs. I love that shit.”
Earlier this year, Holt was in the news when he came to support 10-year-old viral guitar sensation Maya Neelakantan and helped her with her preamp on America’s Got Talent, which he discusses in the beginning of the interview. Watch below.