Brent Hinds says that playing in Mastodon is “the most brutal job” he’s ever had.
The guitarist was speaking with the Let There Be Talk show in an interview where he took aim at the music industry and revealed he needs to take time away from music to “regather” himself.
Asked when Mastodon would start work on a new studio album, Hinds responds (via Ultimate Guitar): “What I really want do, and what I hope people will let me do, is take some fucking time off and let me breathe.
“That's how shitty the music industry is, because you've got to work your dick into the dirt before you can see any worms.
“This is definitely the most brutal job I've ever had. I would definitely rather frame houses again. Like, 'Stop looking at me just because I fucking play a goddamn show on the stage.'
“I don't give a fuck. Honestly, I just don't care. Never have cared.”
He continues: “But when the opportunity's there and you strike, it happens and then they milk you. I feel like I'm being milked like a dry hyena titty. I have nothing left for anyone. They've worked me to my fucking soul, it is almost gone.
"My next thing that's going to happen for me is I'm not going to play music for a year or two. I need to go regather myself.”
Asked if that would happen following their next scheduled show at the Adult Swim Festival in Los Angeles in October, Hinds replies: “Never said that. I said that's what's next for me.
I have nothing left for anyone. They've worked me to my fucking soul, it is almost gone.
Brent Hinds
“What's next for me in my job? I couldn't tell you. They’ve probably got tours booked up. I don't know. They’ve got me booked as long as they need to eat – or as long as they need to shop. Or whatever they do with their money.
“I don't care. All I care about is my peace of mind, which is leaving me. So I need to stop and recalculate myself. I need to decompress from all this and I need to press the restart button and just kind of reboot myself in a way.”
Hinds adds: “I got married about a year or so ago. I’ve got to go down and meet all her family. I've been on tour constantly. It's just not healthy. My next thing to me is to go and get healthy and just get away from the music business for hopefully over a year.
“It'll be okay. I can still play music. If people want me to play good music, they need to let me go for a year – if anyone that had half of a mind that was in charge of anything that I did would listen to what I say and not ignore what I say. Which happens a lot."
Last month, Mastodon drummer Brann Dailor said while the band had some ideas for the follow-up to Emperor Of Sand, they wouldn’t focus their attention on it until 2019.
