Mastodon’s Troy Sanders and Bill Kelliher recently shared their reactions to the death of their former bandmate Brent Hinds, who was killed in a motorcycle accident several months after leaving the band, in an interview with Louder.
Sanders explained his immediate feelings upon hearing the news and how he had tried to support Hinds over the years.
“I was immediately shocked and saddened,” Troy Sanders said. “But unfortunately, I wasn’t surprised. I don’t mean that in any distasteful manner, whatsoever. I’ve done everything I could as a friend and as a bandmate over the years. I don’t know what else I could’ve done, so I’m kind of forced to just let go.”
Kelliher also reflected on the tragedy, noting that while he was shocked by the event, the outcome itself did not come as a surprise.
“I wasn’t surprised that it happened, but I was shocked,” Bill Kelliher said. “I just didn’t think it was going to happen like that.”
Kelliher further described his memories of Hinds and the lasting impact Hinds had on his life.
“Whenever someone rides by on a loud motorcycle, I think of Brent first,” Kelliher continued. “He was omnipresent in my life. Even though we didn’t always see eye-to-eye – more times than not we did – I cared about the guy. I always thought he would outlive us all, because he had nine lives and got away with everything.”
The comments came as Mastodon and Hinds’ former bandmates continued to process the loss of a musician who played a central role in the band’s history.
Mastodon announced Hinds’ departure on March 7, 2025, after 25 years with the band. The original statement described the split as a mutual decision and said the group wished him “success and happiness.”
Hinds later disputed that account, telling Billboard that the departure was not mutual. “They kicked me out,” he said.
Hinds died in Atlanta on August 20, 2025, at the age of 51 after a motorcycle crash. Police said he was riding a Harley-Davidson when he collided with a BMW SUV at the intersection of Memorial Drive SE and Boulevard SE.
Hinds was also a founding member of Mastodon, which he co-created in Atlanta in 2000. As one of the band’s main guitarists and vocalists, he helped shape its sound throughout its 25-year career.
His death came only months after his departure, adding another tragic chapter to the band’s long and complicated history with its founding guitarist.
