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The Latest Breaking News from Brent Hinds

Mastodon recruit prog fusion virtuoso Nick Johnston as surprise new stand-in guitarist following Brent Hinds’ departure

The Canadian instrumentalist – known for his rock and fusion chops – has linked up with Bill Kelliher and co for the start of Mastodon's 2025 Infinite Arc tour

Guitar World

“Brent had an Iron Maiden jacket on so I went over to him to talk to him and he was like, ‘Hey you’re that crazy drummer dude’”: The chaotic birth of prog metal giants Mastodon

How Mastodon crawled from the Atlanta underground metal scene to become one of the most important bands of the 21st century

Metal Hammer

System Of A Down’s Shavo Odadjian: “I never knocked out Brent Hinds”

System Of A Down’s bassist dispels the widely circulated story that he punched Mastodon’s ex-guitarist/vocalist after an awards ceremony in 2007

Metal Hammer

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“If you’re youngish, cute-ish and can play that axe, you’re for me”: Chaka Khan is holding open auditions to find a new guitar player – but she’s got some very specific requirements

The legendary disco vocalist has announced a worldwide audition to find an additional guitarist

Guitar World

“She was looking at her pill bottles. I knew she was going to die so I was like, ‘Put it down. Live right now’”: Mastodon’s Bill Kelliher wrote songs for Emperor Of Sand at his mum’s deathbed

A cancer tragedy and other real-life dramas inspired Mastodon’s seventh album Emperor Of Sand, which they believe was 17 years in the making

Metal Hammer

Brent Hinds plays first show since leaving Mastodon – and he has plenty more lined up

Since departing the metal giants after 25 years, Hinds has already taken to the stage with his “psychobilly surf” outfit – and three of his bands will play the same show in April

Guitar World

Mastodon add headline shows to their summer tour in the UK and Europe, but there's still no news on who's replacing Brent Hinds

Good news for European metal fans

Metal Hammer

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“Bill, Troy and I were rocking it – I took a step back, only to clip my heel on a monitor wedge. I went ass-over-teakettle”: How Ben Eller went from Mastodon super-fan to filling in for Brent Hinds – and taking it all in his stride

Despite an embarrassing stage fall and frustrating in-ear monitor problems, the YouTuber had a blast alongside his buddy Bill Kelliher. But he can’t discuss what might happen next…

Guitar World

“My lead skills are decent enough – but whoever we get is going to be light years ahead of me”: Brent Hinds’ exit left Mastodon at a crossroads. But for Bill Kelliher, it’s an opportunity for a fresh start with a new guitar wingman

After 25 years, the metal heroes are without a lead guitarist. In his first interview since the split, Kelliher reveals what went down – and what he’s looking for from a new six-string partner in crime

Guitar World

“I went into this looking at it as one of the coolest things I could ever be part of, but knowing the backlash could be brutal”: Ben Eller was wary of the reaction he’d get for stepping in for Brent Hinds in Mastodon – but that didn’t stop him saying yes

The Youtuber and Mastodon mega-fan stepped in at the last minute for the band’s Tool Live in the Sand set, even if it risked dividing the fanbase

Guitar World

“I’m as serious as a heart attack”: Mastodon are looking for their next guitar player – and they have a very specific list of requirements

Longtime guitarist Brent Hinds left the sludge/prog metal favourites earlier this month

Metal Hammer

“I’m as serious as a heart attack with Mastodon. I’m not ready to give it up yet. So, we’re going to keep looking”: Bill Kelliher is searching far and wide for Mastodon's next guitarist – here's what the band are looking for

Esteemed YouTuber and Mastodon mega-fan Ben Eller was drafted in last minute following Brent Hinds' surprise exit, but the search for a permanent successor is far from over

Guitar World

“Playing the parts of one of my favorite guitarists ever is no easy task, but it was a joy”: YouTuber Ben Eller thanks fans and his Mastodon bandmates after stepping in to replace the departed Brent Hinds at the last minute

Will it turn into a full-time gig, though?

MusicRadar

Mastodon’s Bill Kelliher explains Brent Hinds exit: “Like a marriage, sometimes people grow apart, and they get interested in other things”

Hinds parted ways with the pioneering progressive/sludge metal act last week, ending his 25 years of service

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Guitar World

“It’s amazing that we made it 25 years with the four of us”: Bill Kelliher opens up on Brent Hinds’ surprise Mastodon departure

News of Hinds’ shock exit was shared just days before the band’s set at the Tool in the Sand festival

MusicRadar

“Can you learn 17 Mastodon songs immediately? Please give some love, stage right, say hello to Mr Ben Eller”: YouTuber makes Mastodon live debut following Brent Hinds’ shock exit – but what’s next for the prog-metal behemoths?

Hinds is out. Eller is in for now. Brann Dailor has a black eye. Palace intrigue notwithstanding, “all 2025 touring plans will remain intact,” says the band

Guitar World

“Can you learn 17 Mastodon songs immediately?” Mastodon recruit YouTuber for first show following Brent Hinds’ shock departure

The band mutually parted ways with their founding guitarist just days before they were due to play at the Tool in the Sand festival – and it seems the YouTuber wasn’t given much time to learn the material

MusicRadar

“White whale! Holy Grail!”: How the epic tale of Moby-Dick inspired Mastodon’s greatest album

“The story paralleled the lives of the four dudes in Mastodon"

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Guitar World

“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”: Mastodon part ways with Brent Hinds

Hinds co-founded the band with guitarist Bill Kelliher, bassist Troy Sanders, and drummer Brann Dailor in 2000

Metal Hammer

"After 25 monumental years together, Mastodon and Brent Hinds have mutually decided to part ways." Mastodon announce shock departure of guitarist Brent Hinds

By mutual consent, Brent Hinds leaves Mastodon

Metal Hammer

“Death happens to everyone and if it hasn’t happened yet it’s going to happen. So what better way to deal with it?”: How Mastodon found light in darkness with The Hunter

With 2011’s The Hunter, Mastodon ditched the concepts and came up with something different

Metal Hammer

"He said, 'The last thing I want is you guys going on David Letterman and the freakin’ drummer’s singing." How Mastodon left sludge metal behind for cosmic prog metal on Oblivion

A drunken fist-fight, childhood tragedy and an all-star producer all helped Mastodon channel their melodic tendencies on Oblivion

Metal Hammer

"We were a bunch of dirty, stinky pirates leaving our families behind." How Mastodon reinvented themselves - and modern metal - on sludge-prog masterpiece Leviathan

Mastodon were already an underground sludge metal sensation in the early 2000s, but Leviathan turned them into a breakout success

Metal Hammer

"I got high on mushrooms with Brent Hinds from Mastodon." How Zeal & Ardor went from grotty squat-punks to one of the most innovative bands in extreme metal

Zeal & Ardor's new album Greif continues Basel's fine tradition of flashing their backsides at power and authority

Metal Hammer

“It’s dangerous when you’re a kid shooting up drugs. Me and two other guys made it out alive. The others are dead or in prison”: How Mastodon transcended tragedy and trauma to make Crack The Skye

The story of Mastodon’s 2009 prog metal masterpiece, Crack The Skye

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