Mastodon’s Bill Kelliher Discusses Ideal Brent Hinds Replacement

Mastodon fans have had a stressful time recently following the news that co-founding lead guitarist/vocalist Brent Hinds has left the band (with YouTuber Ben Eller subsequently filling in). During a recent chat with Guitar World, rhythm guitarist Bill Kelliher discussed the band’s future with Eller, as well as what Mastodon are looking for in an ideal replacement for Hinds.

What Bill Kelliher Said

In the interview (published online on March 15), Kelliher explained that the perfect person for the role would be “easy to get along with” and have “a desire to play – and can play well.”

He elaborated:

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 added: “I’m as serious as a heart attack with Mastodon. It’s my life. It’s all I really know. I’ve got all my eggs in this basket – and I’m not ready to give it up yet. So, we’re going to keep looking, and who knows? We’ll find the right person when the time is right and ready.”

As for Eller’s tentative role in Mastodon, Kelliher briefly revealed:

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.

So, would you want Eller to join the band permanently, or would you prefer that Mastodon keep looking for someone who’s a better fit? Let us know!

READ MORE: Setlist + Video – Mastodon Play First Show Without Brent Hinds, Reveal Fill-in Guitarist

More About Hinds’ Departure and Eller’s Role

On March 7, Loudwire reported on the official separation between Mastodon and Hinds, with the group issuing the following statement on social media:

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.

Two days later, Mastodon played their first show with Eller at Tool’s (now controversial) inaugural Live in the Sand Festival. Specifically, the 17-song setlist included several rarities (namely, five tracks that hadn’t been performed live in at least have a decade, such as “Ghost of Karelia” and “The Motherload”). Naturally, it also featured fan favorites such as “Blood and Thunder,” “Tread Lightly” and “Crystal Skull.”

On March 12, Loudwire reported on Kelliher’s initial statements regarding the departure of Hinds. “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,” he reflected.

Kelliher continued:

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, Motorhead and Tool. I cherish all of that. Like a marriage, sometimes people grow apart and they get interested in other things. We wish nothing but the best for Brent in chasing his dreams

As for who Eller is and how he got the gig, he’s best known for his successful YouTube channel (which includes a series called “This is Why You Suck at Guitar”). He’s also filmed several videos in which he breaks down the guitarwork of his favorite bands, and unsurprisingly, Mastodon were among them. Eller even stated that Mastodon’s sophomore LP – 2004’s Leviathan – is one of his favorite records, and in 2020, he showed viewers how to play “Fallen Torches” (from 2020’s Medium Rarities compilation) with help from Kelliher!

He’s also collaborated with Whitechapel, and when considering Eller as a fill-in for Hinds, vocalist/bassist Troy Sanders asked him: “Can you learn 17 Mastodon songs immediately?”

Evidently, he could.

Mastodon’s Plans for 2025

As already alluded to, Mastodon are embarking on a U.S. co-headlining tour with Coheed and Cambria (who recently released their latest studio LP, Vaxis – Act III: The Father of Make Believe). It’ll begin in May, and they’ll be supported by Periphery. They’ll also stop by the Sonic Temple festival and the Back to the Beginning concert – with Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath – in the U.K.

You can see the full list of shows, and purchase tickets, here.

According to Kelliher, Mastodon are working on a follow-up to 2021’s Hushed and Grim, too!