Brent Hinds, the guitarist of the GRAMMY-winning metal band Mastodon, recently spoke out about how constant touring is wearing him thin and making him feel like he needs some time off to breathe.
When "Let There Be Talk" podcast host Dean Delray asked Hinds in an interview last month if Mastodon is working on a new album, Hinds explains that he really needs some time off. He tells the host he's really feeling run dry by the constant touring schedule and needs a break before he can make music again.
"All I care about is my peace of mind, which is leaving me," Hinds said. "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."
With mental health and self-care becoming more openly addressed in today's music world, other artists have also discussed the demands of working in the music industry, especially the challenges that come with touring. Notably, James Blake has spoken up about dealing with depression while touring. Also, before his tragic suicide, Avicii famously retired from touring, sharing that the demanding schedule of constant shows was directly affecting his health.
“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," Hinds continues in the interview.
As Hinds and other artists point out, it is vital for musicians, just like the rest of us, to be able to take time for self-care. And, as his bandmate Brann Dailor shared, their latest album Emperor of Sand came out of a time when they were all going through challenging times in their lives, showing that making music can indeed be a therapeutic process.
"Some of the closest people to us were in the middle of some battles with cancer and some heavy-duty illness," Dailor said. "If we were open and honest with everyone about what the record was about, then we knew that it could maybe have a positive impact with someone else."
