BILL KELLIHER: What MASTODON Is Looking For In Replacement For BRENT HINDS

In a new interview with Guitar World magazine, MASTODON guitarist Bill Kelliher spoke about what he and his bandmates are looking for in a replacement for their longtime axeman Brent Hinds. "Someone who is easy to get along with, and who really has a desire to play — and can play well," he said. "Obviously, you gotta be somebody who we all get along with and can stand the true test of time. Like, living together in a little tour bus on the road for fucking days and months at a time, it's got to be someone who can do all that. And that's another variable. Like, 'Oh, this person is a great guitar player. Why don't you hire them?' It's like, 'Well, they gotta stand the test of time.' We've got to be able to sit down and have a beer with them, go out to dinner with them, you know, feel them out, and make sure they're MASTODON material. Like, can they hang, for sure, but it's got to be someone who has a unique style, and is very serious about it."

Kelliher went on to say that he doesn't know if YouTuber and session musician Ben Eller, who performed with MASTODON on March 9 at "Tool Live In The Sand" festival in the Dominican Republic, will be a permanent addition to the band.

"We do have some more shows coming up. We have a tour with COHEED AND CAMBRIA coming up in May, which, you know, we're still going to fulfil that. We're going to finish up our new record.

"I'm not sure what our future is with Ben or if we'll try a couple of other people out. Not really sure yet; it's too early to say."

Since 2000, Hinds had served as lead guitarist and vocalist for MASTODON, alongside bassist/singer Troy Sanders, drummer Brann Dailor, and Kelliher.

MASTODON's lineup had remained the same for 25 years, recording eight studio albums, beginning with 2002's "Remission" until the band's latest LP, 2021's "Hushed And Grim".

Kelliher previously told Guitar World about Hinds's exit: "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. We achieved a lot of things that 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," he explained. "We wish nothing but the best for Brent in chasing his dreams."

Touching upon the musical and personal chemistry between MASTODON's longtime members, Bill said: "You know, 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. 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."

Eller is a guitarist and bass player from Tennessee who has gained popularity for his awesome chops on his guitar lesson series "This Is Why You Suck At Guitar".

When MASTODON announced Brent's departure from the band on March 7, they wrote in a statement: "Friends and Fans, After 25 monumental years together, MASTODON and Brent Hinds have mutually decided to part ways.

"We're deeply proud of and beyond grateful for the music and history we've shared and we wish him nothing but success and happiness in his future endeavors.

"We are still very inspired and excited to show up for fans in this next chapter of MASTODON. As we move forward, all 2025 touring plans will remain intact. We look forward to seeing you on the road."

MASTODON has had nine Billboard 200-charting albums and has been nominated for a Grammy Award six times. The band won a "Best Metal Performance" Grammy for "Sultan's Curse" in 2018.

MASTODON and LAMB OF GOD's collaborative single called "Floods Of Triton" was released in September 2024. The track, which was recorded prior to the launch of the two bands' "Ashes Of Leviathan" summer 2024 tour, was made available via Loma Vista Recordings.

MASTODON's latest album, "Hushed And Grim", was a double LP recorded at the band's Atlanta studio, West End Sound. The effort was produced by David Bottrill (TOOL, RUSH, MUSE, PETER GABRIEL) and was MASTODON's most expansive song cycle to date, featuring 15 distinct tracks. It achieved the band's third consecutive No. 1 debut on the Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart and earned MASTODON a Grammy Award nomination for the track "Pushing The Tides". Additionally, the album's single "Teardrinker" secured a top 10 position on the rock radio charts, a further testament to the band's widespread acclaim.

"Floods Of Triton" was recorded at MASTODON's own West End Sound in Atlanta and was produced by MASTODON and Tyler Bates, highly regarded in his own right for his scores for "Guardians Of The Galaxy", "John Wick", "MaXXXine" and more.

In December, MASTODON and COHEED AND CAMBRIA announced "The Infinite Arc" tour with special guests PERIPHERY. Produced by Live Nation and FPC Live, the 20-city trek kicks off on May 10 in Salem, Virginia, spanning the East Coast and Midwest before wrapping up in Waukee, Iowa on June 8.