It was Bill Hicks, who, in a moment of unrelenting truth-telling, said something that combined two of my favorite things in life: music and drugs. Check it out …
I think drugs have done some good things for us. I really do. And if you don’t believe drugs have done good things for us, do me a favor. Go home tonight. Take all your albums, all your tapes and all your CDs and burn them. ‘Cause you know what, the musicians that made all that great music that’s enhanced your lives throughout the years were real fucking high on drugs.
I’d also point out that, in most cases, these artists not only created their art while high, but unapologetically owned that messaging, too. From Cab Calloway’s “Reefer Man,” to Black Sabbath’s “Sweet Leaf,” drugs – particularly cannabis – are about as integral to the creation of popular music as Les Pauls and Baby Grands.
To be sure, most of my favorite musicians are (and were) unashamed weed smokers. Willie Nelson, David Bowie, Ozzy Osbourne, Miles Davis. I don’t think I can name a single musician I like that hasn’t enjoyed the plant. One in particular is Brent Hinds, the former guitarist of one of the most intense metal bands to ever exist, Mastodon.
He was a hurricane
I had the privilege of meeting Hinds in 2004 while I was on tour with Mastodon and Slayer. Having been a long-time fan of Hinds’ magnificent guitar prowess, I was stoked to share the stage with him. And while we didn’t become BFFs, I had the opportunity to swap stories with Brent, who I found to be quite humble and really, just an all-around fascinating guy.
Smelling of weed, alcohol and the kind of body odor that comes with touring in a van with 5 other unshowered dudes, Hinds was no delicate flower. He partied harder than most of the musicians I ever toured with, and musically, could throw down with the best of them. I’d actually argue that he’ll go down as one of the most influential metal guitar players of the 21st century. He was that good! So when I heard he had passed away last week, I was saddened by the news. After all, Brent was not only an incredibly talented guitarist; he also really embodied the attitude and lifestyle that drew me to the world of heavy music in the first place. Indeed, he was the real deal.
I suspect a lot of people remember Hinds as a bit of a wild man, but he was much more than that. Randy Blythe from Lamb of God described him as a hurricane, writing that he was a wild and uncontrollable force well known for wreaking havoc wherever he touched down.
Like a hurricane, Brent could be destructive at times. But also just like a hurricane, he produced rare things of pure beauty; these massive, gorgeous waves of sound that provided people so much joy. Anyone who ever met him has a Brent story, because he was uncompromisingly himself, with a take it or leave it attitude.
While I may not have an exciting Brent story of my own (other than just hanging out with the guy a few times while on tour and him asking me if I knew where we could get some weed in Cleveland), I wanted to share one story in particular with you, as it’s one of my favorites.
According to Dillinger Escape Plan guitarist Ben Weinman, at the 2015 Grammy Awards, Hinds dumped a bag of weed, money and underwear on the floor. As a result, security asked him to leave. When asked why, they said, “Because you don’t know how to behave.” I wish I had been there to see that interaction.
Ironically, Hinds’ behavior was sheer perfection. This wasn’t some flashy guitarist molded by a major record label to sell millions of albums. This was Brent Hinds, a wild, uncontrollable, pot-smoking Guitar God with a level of talent and charisma that most folks could never come close to imitating. His actions at the Grammys were exactly what most of us who knew him would expect.
As far as I’m concerned, the best rock stars aren’t the ones that sit pretty for the cameras and lobby for a nine-inch, gold-plated trophy. The best rock stars are the ones who have an unrelenting spirit of chaos and dissent running through their veins. They get high, say wild shit, and mock the shackles of conformity – all while creating the kind of art that makes us feel something magical. Something that moves us. Something that cuts through our superego and shakes loose the chains of mediocrity so we can, even for just a moment, feel like giants. This is how Brent’s music affected so many people. And he will be remembered for that.
Indeed, Brent Hinds was a force. A pot-smoking, untamed, rowdy beast with a beautiful soul and a strong middle finger. He embodied everything rock & roll music should be. And he did it, not because he was trying to conform to such an image, but because it’s just who he was.
Alfred Nitsch, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
