Brent Hinds Speaks Against Mastodon After His Departure “I Won’t Miss Being In A Shit Band With Horrible Humans”

Photo credit: Boston Lynn Schulz

The long-standing partnership between Mastodon and founding guitarist Brent Hinds came to a dramatic end on March 5th of this year, when the band officially parted ways with the musician. Hinds’ exit marked significant shift for the Grammy-winning progressive metal act, which has enjoyed over two decades of success.  Only days later, Mastodon performed their first show without Hinds on March 9th at Tool’s “Live In The Sand” event with YouTube guitarist Ben Eller stepping in.

Since then, the band has brought in acclaimed guitarist Nick Johnston for live performances, though they have yet to confirm permanent replacement. According to Metal Injection, Hinds has remained silent, until now. Responding to a fan on Instagram celebrating the 10th anniversary of Once More ‘Round The Sun, Hinds fired back with a blunt comment,“I won’t miss being in a shit band with horrible humans.” His words suggest the split may have been anything but friendly.

On the other hand, in a recent interview with Guitar World, Mastodon guitarist Bill Kelliher reflected on Hinds’ departure and the band’s journey. “What can you say about the legacy of Mastodon’s first 25 years with Brent? It’s been a fun, wild fucking ride, that’s for sure,” Kelliher said. “Like a marriage, sometimes people grow apart.”

He mentioned a few of their achievements including a Grammy win and touring alongside legendary acts like Iron Maiden and Metallica. Kelliher also noted the rarity of the band’s original lineup enduring for 25 years, “It’s like being married to three other dudes, traveling the world, trying to stay the course.” While he emphasized that every member was essential, he admitted it was time for a new direction.