MASTODON’s BILL KELLIHER On Split With BRENT HINDS: ‘It Was Just Time’

After 25 years, Brent Hinds has left MASTODON, a departure that has resonated deeply within the metal community. The band’s announcement came last Friday, March 7th, and while Hinds has not directly addressed the split, his social media posts indicate a strained relationship.

MASTODON‘s Bill Kelliher has shed some light on the recent events, discussing the situation with Guitar World, though concrete answers are still elusive.

“What can you say about the legacy of MASTODON‘s first 25 years with Brent? It’s been a fun, wild f**king ride, that’s for sure. We achieved a lot of things that I never in a million years would have imagined,” Kelliher said. “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.

“You know, it’s amazing that we made it 25 years with the four of us,” he continued. “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] the sum of four parts.”

“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’s just… it was just time.”

MASTODON took their first steps as a changed band this past Sunday, debuting at “Tool Live In The Sand” with YouTuber/musician Ben Eller replacing Hinds.