DAVE MASON

DAVE MASON, SHOWING NO SIGNS OF SLOWING DOWN 

By Rob Nagy 

To call singer songwriter Dave Mason anything less than a living legend would be selling this award-winning artist short and depriving him of much deserved praise. In a career that has now spanned nearly forty years, Mason has released an astonishing thirty-six albums including his work with recent hall of fame inductee “Traffic”. Mason has also recorded with the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and George Harrison becoming an integral part of some of their best works as well as playing on the classic Jimi Hendrix  album “Electric Ladyland”, Mason plays acoustic guitar on “All Along The Watchtower”. In spite of his own recording success, Mason is equally known for writing the rock classic “Feelin’ Alright” which he recorded in his own right but was made famous by singer Joe Cocker.  The song has gone has now been recorded by dozens of artists, used in films, TV and commercials. As Mason is quoted as saying, “The song just never goes away, it is incredible.” There isn’t much that Mason has not accomplished as he approaches the ladder part of an amazing career which symbolizes an unmatched drive and determination to do what he does best, write great songs and perform them on stage.   

As an eighteen year old unknown, Mason first met up with drummer Jim Capaldi in 1966 while working as a road manager/ roadie for The Spencer Davis Group. The two soon joined forces with Steve Winwood and Chris Wood to form “Traffic”. A cross between jazz, rock and pop, “Traffic” released three albums “Mr. Fantasy”, “Traffic” and “Best of Traffic”, while Mason was an active member, yielding some of the most interesting and prolific songs of the decade. Mason had no reservations as to the success that “Traffic” would generate. “I knew it was going to be successful”, recalls Mason, “I just didn’t know to what degree and for how long. I certainly wished it would have lasted longer than it did, but that is the way it goes sometimes” Conflicts between Mason and Winwood over the direction of the group led to Mason leaving the band in 1969. Relocating to Los Angeles, CA. Mason had a brief stint with “Delaney and Bonnie” which also included Eric Clapton. With the departure of Clapton and several members of the band, who went on to form “Derek and the Dominoes”, Mason also left to pursue his aspirations of becoming a successful solo artist.. Since that time he has never looked back enjoying gold and platinum honors as well as some hard times. Mason’s 1970 debut “Along Together”, a rock-n-roll classic and possibly his best work, went gold establishing Mason as a force to be reckoned with for many years.  In 1973 Mason signed a long term contract with Columbia/ CBS Records giving Mason the financial support and promotion of a major label that was crucial to the success of an artist. Mason’s biggest commercial album was his 1977 release “Let It Flow” which yielded the smash hit “We Just Disagree” reaching the top ten.  By the 1980’s, with the record industry buried in the new wave and punk movement, artists like Mason struggled to get the airplay and exposure they had grown accustomed to. The MTV generation of record buyers, which by now represented a staggering number, were interested in style and image as much, if not more so, than the music. New material from Mason became scarce. In spite of the changes in the industry Mason never stopped touring continuing to satisfy an allegiance of loyal fans while hoping to gain some new ones along the way. Having recorded seven albums over a seven year period with Columbia/ CBS Records and yielding only one major hit, Mason ended his often rocky relationship with the label. It is interesting to note that while Mason’s record sales were, by now, less than dazzling he still had the firepower and fan base to sellout large venues such as Madison Square Garden. This became short lived. Mason did some beer commercials for Miller and paired down his live performing to a duet acoustic show with Jim Kruger, the writer of “We Just Disagree”. It wasn’t long before Mason stopped touring all together and chose, instead, to go into seclusion at the home of his longtime friend Mick Fleetwood. The ladder part of the decade found Mason reuniting with his old “Traffic” band mate Steve Winwood recording recording two albums “Some Assembly Required” and ”Two Hearts” which featured Winwood on the ladder. By the mid nineties Mason joined Fleetwood Mac spending a couple years both touring and recording but yearned to get back to doing his own thing.  It wasn’t long before Mason was back on the road performing as “The Dave Mason Band” touring the U.S. and abroad to sold out crowds which continues to this day. “We did about 100 dates last year”, says Mason, “And I expect to do even more this year. I love playing live I just don’t like the traveling.” While Mason is most appreciative of all the success he has had and continues to enjoy, he is frustrated by the direction of the music industry as a whole. “Radio has become all corporate”, says Mason. “It is a complete disconnect and is all about selling products with the music serving as just a backdrop. You’ve got classic rock not playing the new stuff of the classic artist when they play an old song, which would serve and be really great. It doesn’t have to be that way. And then we’ve got the internet” adds Mason. “Which is a great tool but an entirely new animal with the whole cyberspace thing.  You’ve got massive theft on a massive scale of intellectual work.” 

Approaching 61, Mason is showing no signs of slowing down. With a new album in the works Mason is optimistic about what the future will bring. “I am working on a brand new album which, I think, is my best work to date. I’m trying to figure out the team and the pieces together to get it out there. I will probably release it independently” added Mason, “Because the major labels don’t want you. We are too old for them. They’re looking for the next flavor that will appeal to the fourteen and fifteen year olds without realizing I’m at my peak as an artist.” A realist, Mason is laying the foundation for the ladder part of his life when recording and touring won’t be as consistent. “I was involved in starting a new guitar company, RKS Guitars www.rksguitars.com , four years ago.” Says Mason.  “A guitar design was brought to me but I felt there was a lot of work to be done to make this a functional instrument. We took several years developing the idea with the intentions of selling it to Fender, who was buying up lots of smaller companies at the time. When the deal fell through we looked at each other and suddenly found ourselves in the guitar business. We are now building both a high end and consumer model, which will be available soon. We also have a cool guitar stand that will fold up and fit in your back pocket.  I think this will happen”, says Mason, “But it is a process. I need to have an alternative way of making an income five years from now instead of knocking myself out on the road.” When asked of where he sees his role in the overall evolution of rock-n-roll Mason has a humble outlook. “Most of the time I don’t think about it and look at what’s now and moving forward. The way I view things and how others see me is a different thing. I look at rock-n-roll as an attitude not an age.”  

Dave Mason recently played sold out shows at the Keswick Theatre in Glenside, PA and the Whitaker Center in Harrisburg, PA. Fronting an incredible four piece band, Mason played a fast paced 75 minute playing all of his standards which featured “Feelin’ Alright”, “Mr. Fantasy”, “All Along The Watchtower” and “We Just Disagree”. Mason is expected to release a new album later this year and is sure to return to the Philadelphia area before too long.  For more info see www.dave-mason.com