Mastodon Get Brutally Honest About Losing Brent Hinds in New Video: ‘We Were Exhausted’
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- Mastodon released "The Mastodon in the Room," a 36-minute video in which Troy Sanders, Bill Kelliher, and Brann Dailor reflect on their relationship with former guitarist Brent Hinds, who died in a motorcycle accident nearly a year ago.
- The trio described Hinds as battling addictions and mental health issues, with Dailor saying his drinking worsened over the past five years and that in his "very, very drunken states" he would "cross the line" with bandmates and crew.
- The band compared their dynamic to a "battered housewife" relationship, saying Hinds would act out before staging "redemption shows" that came with lavish gestures — Dailor recalled, "He bought us diamond rings."
- Sanders read Hinds a letter of grievances at a band meeting; Hinds walked out mid-letter, and that was the last time Sanders saw him before his death.
- Mastodon finished recording their ninth studio album without Hinds' involvement, with Dailor telling Blabbermouth in May that the record was "a hard record to make" and "a very emotional time for us."
- Nick Johnston has joined Mastodon as their new lead guitarist following Hinds' departure.
Why it matters: The video is Mastodon's first extended public reckoning with Hinds' exit and death, and lands as the band prepares their ninth album — recorded entirely without him — meaning it precedes the first Mastodon record with no Brent Hinds contribution. The trio's explicit exhaustion underscores that the split, however painful in hindsight, was years in the making.
