“That we managed to do it this long is a feat in itself”: Mastodon’s Bill Kelliher on Brent Hinds’ departure
Mastodon‘s remaining guitarist, Bill Kelliher, says it’s “amazing” that the band lasted 25 years with its four original members prior to Brent Hinds‘ recent departure.
Now, in a conversation with Guitar World, Kelliher has commented on the split. “What can you say about the legacy of Mastodon’s first 25 years with Brent?” he ponders. “It’s been a fun, wild fucking ride, that’s for sure. We achieved a lot of things that I never in a million years would have imagined. There’s been Grammys, touring with our heroes, like Iron Maiden, Metallica, Motörhead, and Tool. I cherish all of that.
READ MORE: “The biggest mainstream moment in the history of heavy metal”: Spiritbox singer on Gojira’s Olympics performance
“Like a marriage, sometimes people grow apart, and they get interested in other things. We wish nothing but the best for Brent in chasing his dreams. You know, it’s amazing that we made it 25 years with the four of us. I mean, it’s like being married to three other dudes, traveling the world, trying to stay the course, and having everybody agree.
“That we managed to do it this long, I feel like that’s a feat in itself. You could never replace any of us because we [are the] sum of four parts.”
Kelliher is keen not to rule out a new permanent member joining the band though. “That doesn’t mean there’s not someone else out there that has stuff to offer in a new direction,” he explains. “I think I’ll just leave it there, you know? It was a hard decision we all had to make… it was just time.”
The news of Hinds’ exit was made public only days before the band were due to appear at the Tool in the Sand festival, hosted by Tool themselves, in the Dominican Republic. Promising to stick to their touring commitments, Mastodon recruited YouTuber Ben Eller to fill Hinds’ parts.
Mastodon are currently writing the follow-up to 2021’s double album Hushed and Grim, though they haven’t spoken publicly about how far through that process they are just yet. Kelliher adds, “We look forward to a new chapter of Mastodon.”
All eyes weren’t just on the heavy metal titans at Tool in the Sand though, as its namesake band faced boos for not performing two unique sets, as promised – a decision that could see them facing a class-action lawsuit.
The post “That we managed to do it this long is a feat in itself”: Mastodon’s Bill Kelliher on Brent Hinds’ departure appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Source: www.guitar-bass.net
