MASTODON guitarist Invoice Kelliher has paid tribute to his bandmate Brent Hinds, who died final week after being injured in a motorbike accident in Atlanta. He was 51.
Earlier at this time (Monday, August 25),Kelliher took to his Instagram to jot down: “It has been exhausting to get a grip on my feelings this week.
“We had our good and unhealthy occasions identical to in any relationship. All that we achieved after that first fistfight within the van 25 years in the past.
“I did not assume you’d be taken from us like this, absolute lack of a real one in every of a form guitar wizard extraordinaire.
“Maintaining with you taught me so much. You had been a brother, we had been a household, you had been a wild man to not be tamed, you possibly can f*ck up bowling ball with a feather.
“You were not good however you had been all the time DIRTY-B!! Your vagabond/gypsy/wild baby lives on by your music, I’ll miss your loopy ass Manimal”.
Hinds was reportedly using a Harley-Davidson motorbike late Wednesday (August 20) when he collided with an SUV on the intersection of Memorial Drive SE and Boulevard SE, lower than two miles from downtown Atlanta, based on Atlanta police.
Brent was discovered unresponsive by officers who responded to the crash round 11:35 p.m. and was pronounced lifeless on the scene by emergency medical staff.
Police stated a lady driving a BMW SUV was making a left flip when she did not yield and struck the motorbike, which was headed west on Boulevard. The lady remained on the scene and spoke with investigators.
MASTODON drummer/vocalist Brann Dailor paid tribute to Hinds on the finish of the band’s August 22 live performance on the Alaska State Truthful as a part of the ConocoPhillips Alaska Live performance Sequence on the Borealis Theatre in Palmer, Alaska, Dailor stepped out to the entrance of the stage and informed the gang:  ”We misplaced any person very particular to us yesterday. Brent Hinds, 25 years with us as our guitar participant, one of the crucial artistic, lovely people who we have ever come throughout on this world, tragically left us. Very, very unlucky. We liked him so, so, so very a lot. And we had the ups and downs of a 25-year relationship. You already know what I imply? It isn’t all the time good, it isn’t all the time superb, however we had been brothers to the tip. And we actually liked one another and we made so much, loads of very lovely music collectively. And I feel that that is gonna stand the check of time, evidenced by you individuals right here tonight.”
Brann continued: “So we are going to proceed to play Brent‘s lovely, lovely music that he helped us make, that we shaped this band collectively and traveled the world collectively, slept in a van collectively, laid our heads down on beds of fucking kitty litter, received approach too drunk to recollect something the subsequent day a couple of thousand, million occasions time and again with the love that we shared and the wonder, all of the audiences that we performed, for all of the phases we stepped on.”
He added: “I do not know. We’re simply perplexed. We’re completely devastated and crushed to lose him and to have the ability to by no means have him again once more. However you guys made it okay for us to return on stage and do that tonight. In order that was for fucking Brent, okay?! Thanks guys a lot. We’ll see you actual quickly. Okay? I am gonna offer you guys some fucking items of wooden, okay? We love you.
“Thanks, Alaska, for having us. It is the fiftieth state for us to cross off of our bucket listing. So thanks for the superb milestone and thanks for serving to us get by that one. It was fucking powerful for us, however you guys are fucking superb, so thanks, thanks, thanks as soon as once more. We’ll see you actual quickly, okay?! We love you, we love you, love you, love you a lot. Good evening.”
Just a few hours after Brent‘s demise was made public, MASTODON commented on is passing in an announcement on social media, writing: “We’re in a state of unfathomable disappointment and grief… final evening Brent Hinds handed away on account of a tragic accident. We’re heartbroken, shocked, and nonetheless attempting to course of the lack of this artistic drive with whom we have shared so many triumphs, milestones, and the creation of music that has touched the hearts of so many. Our hearts are with Brent‘s household, mates, and followers. At the moment, we please ask that you just respect everybody’s privateness throughout this troublesome time. RIP Brent.”
In March, MASTODON revealed that the band and Hinds had “mutually determined to half methods” after “25 monumental years collectively.”
Since 2000, Hinds had served as lead guitarist and vocalist for MASTODON, alongside bassist/singer Troy Sanders, Dailor, and guitarist Invoice Kelliher.
MASTODON‘s lineup had remained the identical for 25 years, recording eight studio albums, starting with 2002’s “Remission” till the band’s newest LP, 2021’s “Hushed And Grim”.
When MASTODON introduced Brent‘s departure from the band on March 7, they wrote in an announcement: “Pals and Followers, After 25 monumental years collectively, MASTODON and Brent Hinds have mutually determined to half methods.
“We’re deeply happy with and past grateful for the music and historical past we have shared and we want him nothing however success and happiness in his future endeavors.
“We’re nonetheless very impressed and excited to point out up for followers on this subsequent chapter of MASTODON. As we transfer ahead, all 2025 touring plans will stay intact. We sit up for seeing you on the street.”
Hinds later claimed he had been ejected from MASTODON and known as his former bandmates “horrible people” in a social media submit.
Hinds was concerned with a number of music tasks aside from MASTODON, together with the group GIRAFFE TONGUE ORCHESTRA — alongside members of THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN and ALICE IN CHAINS — in addition to LEGEND OF THE SEAGULLMEN and the long-running challenge FIEND WITHOUT A FACE.
Extra not too long ago, Hinds had a tour, “An Night With Brent Hinds”, set for November and December all through Europe.
“I am a free spirit,” Hinds stated within the MASTODON documentary “The Workhorse Chronicles”. “I get pleasure from life and I reside it to the fullest.”
Brent performed his first present since exiting MASTODON on March 21 along with his band FIEND WITHOUT A FACE at 529 in Atlanta, Georgia.
MASTODON has had 9 Billboard 200-charting albums and has been nominated for a Grammy Award six occasions. The band gained a “Greatest Metallic Efficiency” Grammy for “Sultan’s Curse” in 2018.
MASTODON‘s newest album, “Hushed And Grim”, was a double LP recorded on the band’s Atlanta studio, West Finish Sound.
MASTODON recruited Ben Eller, a guitarist recognized for his well-liked YouTube channel, to step in for Hinds when the band performed at TOOL‘s “Instrument In The Sand” competition within the Dominican Republic in March. For MASTODON‘s spring 2025 tour and different latest exhibits, the band enlisted Canadian musician Nick Johnston. Johnston has six solo information underneath his belt, and has additionally labored with POLYPHIA, Guthrie Govan, PERIPHERY and plenty of others.
