Pitchfork

In case there was any question as to whether or not being in a rock band is still one of the coolest jobs in the world to have-- in a musical climate where, for better and for worse, our favorite bands are "just like us"-- Mastodon are quick to remind us that it absolutely is.

They've hung out with Borat backstage at "Late Night With Conan O'Brien". Their late-night benders have resulted in bartenders losing their jobs. Tool have even dressed up in gorilla suits and attacked them. And they somehow managed to receive a Grammy nomination for Blood Mountain's "Colony of Birchmen" in the midst of it all.

And now, more photographic evidence has appeared that proves when it's time to party, Mastodon know who to party with.

After their recent Pitchfork Music Festival set, guitarist Bill Kelliher and drummer Brann Dailor posed for the above picture with Grizzly Bear's Ed Droste and Daniel Rossen. Hmm, Mastodon vs. Grizzly Bear... what would GZA say?

Mastodon bassist Troy Sanders mentioned the band's other recent photo buddies in our Pitchfork Festival interview with him, saying the meeting of metal heavyweights resulted in "a piece of the torch [being] passed." Yes, before "drinking with Lars until four in the morning," Mastodon were kind enough to get a photo taken with Metallica at their recent gig opening for the thrash veterans at Wembley Stadium.

Totally awesome. Upon closer examination of the photo, however, we made a fascinating discovery that we have done our best to show with a pixellated, crudely Photoshopped enlargement. The discovery: there are two James Hetfields running around, and one of them is named Brent Hinds.

See for yourself: