MASTODON Drummer Talks Influences And Touring

Video footage of Vater artist Brann Dailor of MASTODON talking about touring, his drumming influences, background and why he has used the Vater 5B drum sticks for so many years can be viewed below. The clip was filmed during the band's fall 2009 North American tour with DETHKLOK.

In a recent interview with Ultimate-Guitar.com, MASTODON guitarist Bill Kelliher was asked if there is a lot of pressure on the band with album number five to outdo its predecessor, both commercially and creatively. "For me, I think it is all over if you don't top your last record," he replied. "To have a healthy band and be a healthy artist, as you really need to keep out doing yourself on every record otherwise. You don't want to plateau, so you have to keep interesting ideas coming. And so far we've done that. It seems that with every record we've done, even as far back as 'Remission' [2002], when that record came out people were saying, 'How are they going to top that?' Looking back now that record was good, but that was when MASTODON was just a baby and growing. We're only ten years old now so I think the sky's the limit with ideas. I think we still have a lot of good ideas in us and a lot of fire under our asses. We have a lot good things going for us so we definitely want to keep the band alive and keep charging forward."

MASTODON's latest album, "Crack The Skye", sold 41,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 11 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's fans responded with manic enthusiasm to the LP, snapping up every available copy of various limited-edition artifacts, including the deluxe tunnel book CD+DVD package, both color and double-disc 180gm gatefold vinyl pressings, plus a pair of CD single/T-shirt bundles.