RIP Brent Hinds
 

I don't know if anyone here even knows the band Mastodon. I've been a huge fan for the last 20 years and have seen them in concert several times. Their former lead guitarist Brent Hinds died in a motorcycle accident last week after he had been dismissed from the band earlier this year.

The guy was a wild force, erratic, often violent and plagued by several addictions (maybe someone remembers a story from 2007 when he got hammered and into a fight with people after the VMAs and fell into a coma afterwards). But when it came to shredding the guitar, there were few in his generation who could compare to his country-influenced chickenpicking style. Coupled with his distinctive, Ozzy-like voice and his complex progrock/metal songwriting, he was one of the defining personalities of this century's metal scene (especially remarkable for someone who infamously expressed his hatred for Heavy Metal in 2015).

A very good example of how nuanced human beings can be. Rest in peace!

I know Mastodon. Haven't heard much about their ongoing relevance in... a long time but I respect the staying power. It's like Don Dokken still out doing his thing.

I know a guy who's really into bands like "Accept" and "Man 'o War" who could probably get me appreciating the Mastodon catalog more than I do at this point.