“We’ve got to make sure they’re Mastodon material”: The search for Brent Hinds’ successor is still on – here’s what Bill Kelliher says the band is looking for
Mastodon’s Bill Kelliher has opened up about the band’s search for their next guitarist following the recent departure of longtime player Brent Hinds.
Even though YouTuber Ben Eller was drafted for the group’s recent set at the Tool in the Sand Festival, it looks as though his appointment might not be a permanent one.
Speaking to Guitar World in a new interview, Mastodon founding guitarist Bill Kelliher reveals the search for Hinds’ successor is still on, and sheds light on the qualities the members are looking for in their next bandmate.
READ MORE:“That we managed to do it this long is a feat in itself”: Mastodon’s Bill Kelliher on Brent Hinds’ departure
“Someone who is easy to get along with, and who really has a desire to play – and can play well,” he says.
However, the criteria go beyond just musicianship. Finding someone who is the right fit for Mastodon’s dynamic is just as important: “Obviously, you gotta be somebody who we all get along with and can stand the true test of time,” Kelliher explains. “Like, living together in a little tour bus on the road for fucking days and months at a time, it’s got to be someone who can do all that.”
“And that’s another variable,” he adds. “Like, ‘Oh, this person is a great guitar player, why don’t you hire them?’ It’s like, ‘Well, they gotta stand the test of time.’ We’ve got to be able to sit down and have a beer with them, go out to dinner with them, you know, feel them out, and make sure they’re Mastodon material.”
“Like, can they hang, for sure, but it’s got to be someone who has a unique style, and is very serious about it.”
For Kelliher, Mastodon is more than just a band – it’s a lifelong commitment.
“I’m as serious as a heart attack with Mastodon,” says the rhythm guitarist. “It’s my life. It’s all I really know. I’ve got all my eggs in this basket – and I’m not ready to give it up yet. So, we’re going to keep looking, and who knows? We’ll find the right person when the time is right and ready.”
As for Eller’s future with the band, Kelliher remains tight-lipped: “We do have some more shows coming up. We have a tour with Coheed and Cambria coming up in May, which, you know, we’re still going to fulfil,” he says.
“We’re going to finish up our new record; I’m not sure what our future is with Ben or if we’ll try a couple of other people out. Not really sure yet; it’s too early to say.”
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Source: www.guitar-bass.net
