Brent Hinds grew up in Pelham, Alabama and is the lead guitarist/singer for the Atlanta, Georgia metal outfit Mastodon and the lead guitarist/singer for the Surfabilly Band Fiend Without A Face. Gear Hinds uses models of Gibson's Flying V, SG,Les Paul and Gibson Explorer. Brent also has a signature model by First Act. During live performances, Brent favors his various Gibson Flying V's. He usually plays the more melodic and harmonizing parts in Mastodon, while his fellow guitarist Bill Kelliher plays the main riffs and chunky rhythms. As revealed in the "TUNE-UPS" section of the October 2007 issue of Guitar World magazine, the two guitarists use three tunings: D Standard (E standard down one whole step, D G C F A D), Drop C tuning (Drop D tuning down one whole step, C G C F A D), and a third tuning similar to Drop C, but with the low E string tuned down to A (A G C F A D) Influence And Style Originally playing the Banjo, Brent learned his "signature style" of fast hybrid picking by emulating banjo fingerings on guitar. He frequently utilises the minor pentatonic, natural minor and the harmonic minor scales in his playing as well as many hammer-ons, pull-offs and legato slides. He grew up listening to country, but when he entered his late teens he started listening to Neurosis and the Melvins, bands that would have profound influence on his musicianship. On June 12th 2007 Brent and Bill won the Golden Gods award for best shredders, Mastodon's first ever award. Brent is also in a side project named Fiend Without A Face.