Mastodon - Running up that Hill

Georgia quartet Mastodon's second album, Leviathan, was smart heavy metal - so extraordinary that jaded rock critics, the New York Times and even indie kids couldn't resist. Their latest, Blood Mountain, has gone one step further and convinced the Cartoon Network as well as Grammy judges. The Skinny recently touched base with guitarist Brent Hinds in snowy Ohio to talk about the pros and cons of escalating fame.

How does a Grammy nomination for best metal performance feel for you?

"I haven't thought about it that much. I don't think any of us are going crazy about it, it's not like our heads are inflated. I know the musicians there like Slayer and I don't know if we'll win but we're all excited to see what happens."

Blood Mountain has been talked about as though it's a story. Does a concrete linearity exist or is it more abstract?

"Blood Mountain is vague and abstract but it has got a context of sorts. We tried to think of some interesting stories that could happen when you're climbing this mountain. They're just crazy ideas: you're searching for a crystal skull which you need to bring to the top, there's a colony of Birch men and cannibals chasing you through the forest and there's a [cross between a Cyclops and a sasquatch] Cysquatch who might give you directions. You're struggling through blood sweat and tears. It's what happens if you're climbing a mountain and being chased by wolves and you start to self-cannibalize. But that could be how you feel about some days of your normal life or about going to your job."

Does it allude to the difficulty in following up to an album as acclaimed as Leviathan?

"I don't know about the other guys but that's kind of how I felt about it. It could be, like now we're out to really work hard, now that we're on a major there are a lot of things going on. We're trying to climb this mountain of success, or get out of it alive."

What do you hope is at the top of this mountain?

"A chest full of gold would be nice."

Is it true that your albums are intended to centre on elements, with Blood Mountain representing earth?

"Well we can kind of call Remission a fire album with titles like March of the Fire Ants and Burning man and the burning horse on the cover. Leviathan had a Moby Dick theme with mermaids and that was our water element, so we thought 'Now we need to find the earth'. The next one will be the cosmos, space."

Has this sudden rush of success, sales and dealing with major label figures affected your outlook as a band?

"I think all of us are still in our heads. You've got to remember who you are and that without the fans you're nobody. You've got to treat the fans well and play the best show you can. Of course you get backlash from kids about selling out but it's like whatever, you can't survive and keep making music if you're not making any money, not that any of us are monetarily that much different. When popularity grows, the operation gets bigger, you start hiring people and living on a bus, it costs a lot of money. It's not all the fame and fortune that people think it is. There's the appearance of 'Those guys must be living high on the lamb' but it's like 'No, not really'. You tour the world but still come home to peanuts."

Mastodon tour heavily, does that take a lot out of you?

"It's hard to be away from families, we're all in relationships. I have two kids and a wife, that's the hardest part. Sleeping in your own bed and not having to travel would be nice. We're used to it, now we have a tour bus.
Just being out there puts you in front of a lot of people. You've got to keep on top of it, you can't be half-assed. We wouldn't be where we want to be if we stayed at home for half the year. If this goes away I don't have a backup plan, I'm not a doctor so I can't say 'Oh yeah if the band doesn't work out I'll just go back to that'. I've got to give it my all and write some really good music while we're still young."

Has your crowd changed now that you're reaching a wider audience?

"I still see a lot of people who were there from the beginning but now there are a lot more kids with Slipknot and Korn t-shirts, it's a younger crowd I guess. Before, it was just a bunch of dudes but now there are also chicks. Seeing girls in Mastodon t-shirts in the front row is amazing."

Are you excited about playing the theme song for Aqua Teen Hunger Force?

"We love the show, it's hilarious, it's one of the funniest things we've seen. They're based out of Atlanta and got in touch with us. We just happened to have a couple of days off. I think they're going to animate us [as a bucket of popcorn, a soda, a hot dog, and a candy bar]. I can't wait to see it."