BEN WEINMAN (DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN) Says That BRENT HINDS Was “Born A Rockstar” In Emotional Tribute

Ben Weinman of The Dillinger Escape Plan and Brent Hinds played in the supergroup Giraffe Tongue Orchestra back in 2016 and were due to tour that year before the tour was cancelled due to a non-fatal motorcycle accident. And now, 9 years later, Weinman is unfortunately writing a tribute to his dear friend and former bandmate, who died in a motorcycle accident this past week, which he was determined not at fault for.

Taking to Instagram to post an array of photos and videos of Weinman and Hinds‘ time together, Weinman didn’t hold back his sentiments:

“I had to wait a day to write this because even accepting the news of Brent’s death has been really hard. Just a few days ago I told my bandmates I felt [Hinds] didn’t have long. I knew I needed to see him when I got home from Australia. I didn’t get that chance.

Here’s the truth: I saw lots of trolls talking shit online about [Hinds] after he departed Mastodon, and it made me sick. How quickly people turn. [Hinds] was born a rockstar. Loved not just for his talent, but for being a wild, untamable free spirit, bigger than life itself. The flood of tributes from people we never heard of to legends we never could imagine even being in the same room with is proof of that.

When [Hinds] walked into a room, the whole place shifted. Even the most “larger than life” celebrities melted into the background when his presence took over.

I was friends with [Hinds] for 25 years. People used to wonder how a guy like me was so close to a guy like him. I always tell them this story: one day we were backstage, and drugs were going around. I thought maybe I should just let go and join in. [Hinds] stopped me. He said, “No… that’s not you. I love you as you are.” That was him. When [Hinds] called so many of us his best friend, you believed it because it was true.

I love you, [Hinds]. I’ll always hold on to the memories, the music, the [Hinds] signature guitar you left at my house so we’d always have a reason to jam, the tiki statue you started carving for me out of a backyard log, and all the little pieces of you that are still here. I woke up to a flood of messages asking if I was okay because everyone knew how much I loved you, brother.

And Dirty B… AJ asked me to reunite GTO and do a big tour of Australia. Of course, the second GTO tour gets canceled because of your motorcycle bullshit. But honestly, I wouldn’t expect the mighty Brent Hinds to travel any other way. I get it, buddy. I really do.”

It was announced on Wednesday, the 20th of August, that Brent Hinds had been involved in a fatal motorcycle accident, and confirmed by Mastodon on Thursday, the 21st of August. Mastodon then went on to play a performance on the 22nd of August, Friday, which they dedicated entirely to Hinds. A plethora of tributes have also poured out in the meantime.

As stated earlier, Atlanta News First reported that Hinds was killed in an accident in which he was riding a motorcycle when a driver of a BMW SUV failed to yield while making a turn at an intersection.