The news that guitarist Brent Hinds was leaving Mastodon came as a shock to many. Making the split official on March 5, the band performed their first post- Hinds show at Tool’s Live In The Sand festival.
There, guitarist Ben Eller filled in, but as fans processed the news, one big question remained—why now?
Mastodon’s Bill Kelliher has since shed some light on the decision, though he is keeping the details vague. Speaking to Guitar World, he acknowledged the difficulty of the choice but ultimately framed it as inevitable.
“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. “We achieved a lot of things 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. 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.”
For Kelliher, the longevity of the original lineup is a feat in itself. “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.”
As for what comes next, Mastodon haven’t confirmed a permanent replacement. Eller handled the Live In The Sand set, but Kelliher kept things open-ended. “That doesn’t mean there’s not someone else out there that has stuff to offer in a new direction. I think I’ll just leave it there, you know? It was a hard decision we all had to make. It was just time.”
Mastodon will hit the road in May alongside Coheed and Cambria and Periphery. Whether Eller—or someone else—becomes a permanent fixture remains to be seen. One thing’s certain: Mastodon are moving forward, with or without Hinds.
You can catch some footage of Mastodon’s first show without Hinds below.
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