"If I wasn't in Mastodon, this is a show I would definitely go to as a fan of rock, hard rock, bizarreness," says Mastodon bass player Troy Sanders while doing laundry at home in Florida. "It's a long tour, and I'm going to bring all my nice, clean tee shirts, so that's how I'm preparing for tour."
Grammy-winning progressive metal group -- or sludge/stoner/alternative metal ... they're kind of hard to classify -- Mastodon embarked on a co-headlining tour with rock band Primus only a few days ago, an absolute dream tour, Sanders says.
FAQ
Primus and Mastodon
with All Them Witches
WHEN — 7 p.m. May 12
WHERE — Walmart AMP in Rogers
COST — $42.50-$56.75
INFO — 443-5600, waltonartscenter.or…
"We've got some unusual moments within the Mastodon catalog of music, and we've never really been a straight-up rock band. Our fan base is all over the place -- there's prog rock people that like our band, there's metal heads, there's rock, there's some Southern rock in there. It's a little bit fresher than just a one-dimensional, straight-up rock band.
"But I think the pair [of bands on tour] together," Sanders continues, "there's going to be a lot of people that are going to come to this show for a very either eye- or mind-opening experience. It's just two bands that have really carved their own niche in what they've done musically. And I think the pairing is incredible. I never thought this would happen. I've been a fan of Primus my whole life ... [and] I would guarantee the majority of [our fan base] are aware, or appreciative, of Primus. So I think this bill, it's a borderline no-brainer for fans of interesting rock."
Now in their 18th year together, with all original members still intact, Mastodon only continues to rise in notoriety and accolades. Among others, their music has been featured in the 2015 film "The Big Short" and HBO's "Catch the Throne" mixtape promoting its television series that has taken over the world. Following nominations in metal categories in 2007, 2012 and 2015, the group won its first Grammy Award in January for the opening track of the eighth studio album "Emperor of Sand" -- which also received a nomination for Best Rock Album, further acknowledging Mastodon's cross-genre appeal.
"Most people start a band for the sole reason of connecting with people that you enjoy their company and their creative spirit and you want to make whatever kind of music you want to make, and have fun doing it. That's pretty much it," Sanders says. "As things have slowly continued to build, and are still building in our world, I believe, I think we pay a little more attention now to how to keep it fresh and positive on a daily basis."
That attitude, perhaps surprisingly to some, also seeps into their music -- their often heavy, dark, unconventional music. "Emperor of Sand," for instance, was written during a time each member of the group was confronting his own personal tragedy.
"We don't shy away from getting personal -- it only furthers the fact that we want to be a relatable band," Sanders shares. "We're not bigger or better than anyone on earth. We have the same curve balls of life hit us in the face, too, just like every single person on this earth has or will have happen to them. So we're very comfortable in just being able to relate with anyone, and ultimately sharing how we deal with bad things and attempt to be a positive influence on how people can deal with issues on their own.
"Even though it was extra heavy because it was happening to each one of us at the same time, we forged forward and we tried to build something that was very sincere -- very true and very humbling. And then [the] ultimate goal was to put a record out that had a sense of triumph in it."
NAN What's Up on 05/06/2018