Marcus King has opened up about his longtime friendship with the late Brent Hinds, describing the former Mastodon guitarist as a brother and recalling the bond they developed over nearly a decade.
King and Hinds became close friends during the final years of Hinds’ life, with their relationship extending well beyond their shared love of music. In a new interview with Guitar World, King reflected on just how quickly the two became close.
“Man, I had Brent in my life for the better part of a decade. We became really good friends really quickly. And something indicative of his character is that anybody who knew him knew that if you were going to be friends with Brent, you knew it very quickly [laughs.]. And we did become really good friends really quickly.”
King revealed just how important Hinds had become in his personal life, noting that the guitarist even stood beside him on his wedding day.
“He was a groomsman at my wedding, and just a good friend to talk to. He was a brother.”
Despite both being guitarists, King said their friendship wasn’t primarily centered around discussing the technical aspects of playing. Instead, they would occasionally find themselves bonding over particular guitar parts and simply enjoying each other’s company.
“…We never really spent much time talking about playing per se, but every now and then we’d nerd out about a Mark Knopfler solo. We’d just sit outside, get really stoned, and nerd out about a solo or two.”
King also expressed admiration for Hinds’ distinctive approach to guitar, particularly his ability to incorporate elements of country and blues playing into heavy music.
“But his playing style and his ability to bring chicken pickin’ into the metal realm… I was always really inspired by that. He also has a really good sense of melody and was just a beautiful composer.”
The two musicians also worked together creatively, with Hinds contributing one of his final recorded performances to King’s song “Red Door.” According to King, Hinds’ perfectionism was on full display during the recording process, as he reportedly went through 278 takes before finally being satisfied with his guitar part.
Hinds was also known for his unpredictable personality and legendary free spirit. King previously recalled an incident during a 2025 tour that ultimately resulted in him sending Hinds home early after the guitarist’s partying went too far.
Despite those stories, King’s latest comments make clear that the relationship between the two musicians was built on a genuine friendship that extended far beyond music.
Hinds tragically died in a motorcycle accident on August 20, 2025, at the age of 51. His legacy continues through his extensive body of work, as well as the memories shared by the friends, musicians, and fans who knew him.
If you’re rocking with The Mosh Network, hit the link and add us as a Preferred Source on Google. That’s the easiest way to keep our latest metal, hardcore, and alternative news, tours, and releases showing up directly in your feed.
