Troy Sanders
The melodic anchor and co-vocalist of Mastodon, whose bass lines and harmonies helped propel progressive metal into the mainstream.
Born 1973 (age 53)·American bassist and singer·Birthday: September 8·Generation X
Biography
Troy Sanders operates as the steady, grounded center of the whirlwind that is Mastodon. Joining the Atlanta-based band in 2000, his bass playing provided a thick, melodic low end that tethered their complex, genre-shattering compositions. As one of the band's four vocalists, his clean, resonant singing offered a crucial counterpoint to the group's harsher tones, becoming a defining feature on albums like 'Crack the Skye' and 'Once More 'Round the Sun.' Sanders's work ethic is staggering; beyond Mastodon's relentless output, he fuels side projects like Killer Be Killed and Gone Is Gone, and has even stepped in as touring bassist for the legendary Thin Lizzy. He embodies a modern metal musician: technically gifted, collaborative, and driven by a pure, unending enthusiasm for heavy music.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Troy was born in 1973, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Troy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1973
#1 Movie
The Exorcist
Best Picture
The Sting
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Troy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1973Born
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1978Started school
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1986Became a teenager
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Could drive
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1991Could vote
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Turned 21
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2003Turned 30
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 40
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 50
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 53 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- As part of Mastodon, won a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance for the song 'Sultan's Curse' in 2018.
- Co-wrote and performed on Mastodon's acclaimed concept album 'Crack the Skye,' which debuted in the top 20 of the Billboard 200.
- Helped form the heavy metal supergroup Killer Be Killed with members of The Dillinger Escape Plan and Soulfly.
Did You Know?
He is an avid fan of the Atlanta Braves baseball team.
Before music, he worked as a postal carrier.
He is left-handed but plays bass right-handed.
His side project Gone Is Gone features members of At the Drive-In and Queens of the Stone Age.
“We never set out to be the biggest band in the world. We set out to be the best band we could possibly be.”
