Mastodon took the stage at the Alaska State Fair on August 22, just days after the tragic death of their former guitarist and co-founder, Brent Hinds. During the emotional performance, drummer and vocalist Brann Dailor delivered a moving tribute to his late bandmate, with whom he shared 25 years of history.
Hinds, 51, died on August 20 following a motorcycle accident in Atlanta. His death sent shockwaves through the music community, prompting tributes from fellow artists and fans.
At the conclusion of the show, a visibly emotional Dailor addressed the crowd. He spoke about his friendship with Hinds and their shared history of creating music and touring the world together. “We lost somebody very special to us yesterday. Brent Hinds, 25 years with us as our guitar player, one of the most creative, beautiful people that we’ve ever come across in this world, tragically left us,” Dailor said.
Dailor acknowledged the complexities of their long-standing relationship, saying: “We had the ups and downs of a 25-year relationship. You know what I mean? It’s not always perfect, it’s not always amazing, but we were brothers to the end. And we really loved each other and we made a lot, a lot of very beautiful music together.” He expressed his belief that the music they created “is gonna stand the test of time.”
He continued by reflecting on their time together on the road. “We traveled the world together, slept in a van together, laid our heads down on beds of f**king kitty litter, got way too drunk to remember anything the next day about a thousand, million times over and over again with the love that we shared and the beauty, all the audiences that we played, for all the stages we stepped on,” he recalled.
Dailor confessed that the band was still in a state of shock and grief. “We’re just at a loss for words,” he said. “We’re absolutely devastated and crushed to lose him and to be able to never have him back again.” He concluded his tribute by thanking the audience, saying their presence helped the band get through the night. “You guys made it okay for us to come on stage and do this tonight. So that was for f**king Brent, okay?! Thank you guys so much. We will see you real soon. Okay?”
