On last week's No F'n Regrets with Machine Head's Robb Flynn, the bandleader discussed with fellow frontman Brent Smith of Shinedown their respective teenage sons' TikTok use and their concerns with it.
For his part, Smith said his 14-year-old son had recently deleted the video-sharing social media app from his phone. That's because, the singer added, the teen "could literally feel his brain deteriorating."
The topic came up when Flynn acknowledged his own son's affinity for the app. "If he could look at TikTok for 8 hours a day, I think he'd look at TikTok for 8 hours a day," the Machine Head rocker shared.
Smith responded, "My boy, the other day, he did something that me and his mother were kinda taken back by, but I appreciated it. He deleted his TikTok a few days ago, and he consciously did it. Because he even said, he goes, 'This is rotting my brain.' He's like, 'My brain's getting rotted' — he noticed it."
The Shinedown vocalist continued, "I was like, 'Well, at least you noticed it.' He didn't cancel his account or anything; he just deleted the app off the phone. He even said it to me — he goes, 'Dad, I think I'm stupid.' I'm like, 'Well, at least you admitted it.' So yeah, he hasn't had it for a few days, which is good."
Elsewhere in the exchange, Flynn talked about teaching his son to drive, saying he had to urge the teen to go out and practice instead of staying inside on his smartphone. The musician marveled at the difference in circumstances of his own upbringing.
Smith concurred, also remembering his youth, "We didn't have [the] internet. We had to go everywhere. As soon as we could get it, it was like, get me out of here. As soon as we had that freedom."
Later this month, Shinedown will release new album Planet Zero. The rock band is currently touring North America. Last year, Machine Head issued three songs as Arrows in Words From the Sky. The heavy metal group will tour Europe in the fall.
Hear the TikTok talk around 40:00 in the below video.
Brent Smith Appears on No F'n Regrets With Robb Flynn - April 1, 2022
