Nick Mason
Template:Short description Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox musical artist
Nicholas Berkeley Mason (born 27 January 1944) is an English drummer and a founder member of the rock band Pink Floyd. He has been the only constant member since the band's formation in 1965, and the only member to appear on every Pink Floyd album. He co-wrote Pink Floyd compositions including "Echoes", "Time", "Careful with That Axe, Eugene" and "One of These Days".
In 1996, Mason was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Pink Floyd. In 2018, he formed a new band, Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets, to perform music from Pink Floyd's early years. Mason collects classic cars and competes in motorsport races, and has produced books and documentaries on the subject.
Early life
Mason was born on 27 January 1944 in Birmingham to Ailsa Sarah (née Kershaw) and Bill Mason, a documentary filmmaker;<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> one of his paternal great-grandfathers was Rowland Hill Berkeley, who was Lord Mayor of Birmingham in 1904–1905.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Mason was brought up in Hampstead, London, and attended the Hall School, Hampstead, and Frensham Heights School, near Farnham, Surrey. While studying architecture at the Regent Street Polytechnic (now the University of Westminster), he formed a band, Sigma 6, an early incarnation of Pink Floyd, with Roger Waters, Bob Klose and Richard Wright in 1964.<ref>Template:Harvnb: Mason meeting Waters while studying architecture at the London Polytechnic; Template:Harvnb: Waters meeting Mason while studying architecture at the London Polytechnic.</ref> In September 1963, Waters and Mason moved into a flat near Crouch End in London, owned by Mike Leonard, a part-time tutor at the nearby Hornsey College of Art and the Regent Street Polytechnic.Template:SfnTemplate:Refn Mason moved out after the 1964 academic year.Template:SfnTemplate:Refn
Drumming career
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd released their debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, in 1967.Template:Sfn Mason has played on every Pink Floyd album since.<ref name="Mabbett-3" /> The only Pink Floyd compositions credited solely to Mason are "The Grand Vizier's Garden Party" (from Ummagumma) and "Speak to Me" (from The Dark Side of the Moon).<ref name="Mabbett-3" /> The track "Nick's Boogie" was named after him.<ref name="Mabbett-3" />
The only occasions on which Mason's voice has been included on Pink Floyd's albums are "Corporal Clegg"; the single spoken line in "One of These Days"; and spoken parts of "Signs of Life" and "Learning to Fly" (the latter taken from an actual recording of Mason's first solo flight) from A Momentary Lapse of Reason.<ref name="Mabbett-3" /> He sang lead vocals on two unreleased but heavily bootlegged tracks, "Scream Thy Last Scream" (1967), penned by original group leader Syd Barrett, and "The Merry Xmas Song" (1975–76). In live performances of the song "Sheep", Mason delivered the spoken section.<ref name="Mabbett-3" />
_(6203136479).jpg){kind=link}
Despite legal conflicts over ownership of the name "Pink Floyd", which began when Waters left the group in 1985 and lasted roughly seven years, Waters and Mason are reportedly on good terms.<ref name="Mabbett-3" /> Mason joined Waters on the last two nights of his 2002 world tour to play drums on the Pink Floyd song "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun", and he also played drums on some concerts of Waters' European tour in 2006, and during performances in Los Angeles and New York City in the United States.
In July 2005, Mason, Gilmour, Wright, and Waters played together on stage for the first time in 24 years at the Live 8 concert in London.<ref name="Mabbett-3" /> Mason joined Gilmour and Wright again for the encore during Gilmour's show at the Royal Albert Hall, London, on 31 May 2006. He also stated in 2006 that Pink Floyd had not officially disbanded, but with the death of Wright in 2008, the band effectively came to an end, as confirmed by Gilmour.<ref name=done>Template:Cite news</ref> While Gilmour and Waters continued to quarrel, Mason remained close to both.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
On 12 May 2007, Mason joined Waters on stage at Earls Court to play The Dark Side of the Moon. On 12 May 2011, Mason was featured (along with Gilmour) on the encore "Outside the Wall" at a concert by Waters, who was performing The Wall in its entirety (Gilmour also performed on "Comfortably Numb" that night). Mason worked with musicians including Steve Hillage (as drummer and producer), Robert Wyatt (with whom he appeared on Top of the Pops<ref name="Mabbett-3" />), the Damned and Gong.<ref name="Mabbett-1" /> He also drummed for Michael Mantler.<ref name="Mabbett-1" />
Mason's memoir, Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd, was published in the UK in October 2004.<ref name="Mabbett-3" /> It is also available, abridged, as a 3-CD audio book, read by Mason.<ref name="Mabbett-3" /> An updated edition was published in paperback in 2011.
Mason performed in the closing ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games on 12 August 2012. He produced and played on the charity single "Save the Children (Look Into Your Heart)", which also featured Beverley Knight, Mick Jagger and Ronnie Wood and which was released in May 2015 in aid of Save the Children's Nepal Earthquake Appeal.<ref name="StC">Template:Cite web</ref> On 17 October 2012, Mason was presented with a BASCA Gold Badge Award in recognition of his contributions to music.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Mason said in 2018 that, while he remained close to Gilmour and Waters, the two remained "at loggerheads".<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets
Template:Main In 2018, Mason formed a new band, Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets, to perform Pink Floyd's early psychedelic material.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Along with Mason, the band comprises guitarist Lee Harris, formerly of the Blockheads, bassist and Pink Floyd collaborator Guy Pratt, vocalist and guitarist Gary Kemp of Spandau Ballet, and the Orb keyboardist Dom Beken.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref> As many fans had discovered Pink Floyd with The Dark Side of the Moon, Mason wanted to bring their earlier material to a wider audience.<ref name=":1" /> The band toured Europe and North America in 2018 and 2019, with a third tour postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In September 2020, they released a live album and film, Live at the Roundhouse.<ref name="PinkFloydz2">Template:Cite web</ref>
Drumming style
Influenced by jazz and big band music, Mason embraced acoustic drums (both single- and double-headed), tuned percussion, electronic drums and Rototoms, melding all of these into a melodic whole. His snare drum sound shifted from harsh demarcation of beats 2 and 4 ("Careful with that Axe, Eugene") to a fatter and gentler timbre ("Echoes") — a change that reflected growing studio skills.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Mason's style was gentler and more laid back than that of other progressive rock drummers of the time. He soloed on a few Pink Floyd compositions including "Nick's Boogie", "A Saucerful of Secrets", "The Grand Vizier's Garden Party", "Up The Khyber", "Skins", and "Time". Due to the dynamic live performances of Pink Floyd, Mason's style was more energetic and complex live, and can be heard on such albums as Ummagumma and Live at Pompeii.
Mason began using Premier drums but changed to Ludwig drums after seeing Ginger Baker use them. He also briefly used Fibes Drums.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He currently uses Drum Workshop (DW) drums, pedals and hardware. His kit is a DW double bass kit with the Dark Side of the Moon logo on the drums. He has also used Paiste cymbals during his entire career with Pink Floyd and currently uses a mixture of Paiste Traditional, Signature and 2002 cymbals. He also endorses Remo drumheads, Latin Percussion and Pro-Mark sticks.
Motor racing career
Template:Infobox Le Mans driver As Pink Floyd's recording and touring schedule grew more sporadic, Mason had more time to pursue his favourite hobby, motor racing. This interest was documented in the 1986 short film Life Could Be a Dream.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He owns (through his company Ten Tenths<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>) and races several classic cars, and has competed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.<ref>Discovery Channel Documentary, "World's Most Expensive Cars"</ref> His racing cars include:
- Alfa Romeo 8C<ref name=OpsLock />
- Bentley 4½ Litre (his father's racing car)<ref name=OpsLock />
- BRM P30 (which he previously raced)<ref name=driving />
- Bugatti Type 35<ref name=TopGearToyBox />
- Jaguar D-Type;<ref name=OpsLock />
- Ferrari 250 LM<ref name=TopGearToyBox />
- Ferrari BB LM<ref name=OpsLock>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=TopGearToyBox />
- Maserati Tipo 61<ref name=knightfrank />
- McLaren F1 GTR<ref name=TopGearToyBox>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1998, Mason published a book, Into the Red, in which he documents his experience with his cars, along with some histories.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It was followed in 2010 by a second book, Passion for Speed: Twenty-four Classic Cars that Shaped a Century of Motor Sport.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Mason is associated with the Italian manufacturer Ferrari, and estimates he has owned 40 Ferrari cars.<ref name=driving /> His first purchase in the early 1970s was a Ferrari 275 GTB/4, which he comments would regularly wet-plug (when spark plugs are coated with unburned fuel).<ref name=driving>Template:Cite web</ref> His most notable purchase was in 1977 from his proceeds from the sale of the Pink Floyd album Dark Side Of The Moon, when he paid £37,000 (Template:Inflation) for one of only 39 Ferrari 250 GTOs. He still owns the car, valued now in excess of £30 million.<ref name=knightfrank>Template:Cite web</ref> Mason and Gilmour drove the first two Ferrari F40s back to the UK from Maranello.<ref name=driving />
Mason was invited by Ferrari to purchase one of the 399 original Enzo cars. He appeared in an episode of the BBC motoring programme Top Gear in which he allowed Jeremy Clarkson to borrow it for a review, on the condition Clarkson promote the release of the book Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Skirting BBC advertising rules prohibiting product endorsements, Clarkson referenced Pink Floyd songs and album titles in the review of the Enzo and the Stig drove around the Top Gear test track with "Another Brick in the Wall" playing, despite the fact that the Enzo does not come equipped with a stereo.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Mason later sold the Enzo,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and replaced it with a Blu Scozia-coloured LaFerrari.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Mason appeared on Season 2, Episode 8 of The Grand Tour. He won against the Police drummer Stewart Copeland for the title of "fastest rock drummer from a band that begins with a P" (driving not drumming) in the Celebrity Face Off segment.<ref name="vulture">Template:Cite web</ref>
24 Hours of Le Mans results
Personal life
Mason's first marriage was to Lindy Rutter in 1969, with whom he had two daughters, Holly and Chloe. During this time, she contributed uncredited tin whistle and flute parts to two Pink Floyd albums, More and Ummagumma.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The couple divorced in 1988,Template:Citation needed and in 1990, Mason married Annette (Nettie) Lynton, an actress. They live in Hampstead, London with their two sons, Cary and Guy. Since 1995, the family has also owned Middlewick House, the Grade II listed former home of Andrew and Camilla Parker Bowles, just outside the Wiltshire town of Corsham.<ref name="Yilmaz">Template:Cite web</ref>
Mason is an atheist.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> His wealth amounted to £75 million, according to the Sunday Times Rich List 2015–2016.<ref>Sunday Times Rich List 2006–2007, A & C Black (Template:ISBN)</ref> In addition to vintage car collecting, Mason is a qualified helicopter pilot, and flies an Aerospatiale AS 350 Squirrel helicopter in specially painted colours.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Mason is part of Football Ventures, a consortium that bought Bolton Wanderers Football Club out of administration in August 2019.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He is a supporter of Arsenal F.C.<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
In December 2021, Mason's portrait was painted by semi-finalists on an episode of Portrait Artist of the Year.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Views and advocacy
Like Roger Waters, Mason has played concerts to raise funds for the Countryside Alliance, a group which campaigned against the ban on fox hunting with the Hunting Act 2004.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2007 they both performed at Highclere Castle in Hampshire in support of the group.<ref name="Povey">Template:Cite book</ref>
Mason is a board member and co-chairman of the Featured Artists' Coalition.<ref name="Youngs">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="FAC-2010-09-20">Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref> As a spokesman for the organisation, he has voiced his support for musicians' rights and offered advice to younger artists in a rapidly changing music industry.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 2014, Mason joined Waters in expressing support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign against Israel over the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and urged the Rolling Stones not to play in Israel.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In November of that year, Mason designed a "Wish You Were Here"-themed Paddington Bear statue, exhibited outside the O2 Arena in London (one of 50 placed around the city). The statues were auctioned to raise funds for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Mason and his wife have been supporters of Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance Charity for many years,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> including opening the gardens of their home, Middlewick House, to raise money for the charity.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Honours and awards
On 26 November 2012, Mason received the Honorary title of Doctor of Letters from the University of Westminster at the presentation ceremony of the School of Architecture and Built Environment (he had studied architecture at the university's predecessor, Regent Street Polytechnic, 1962–1967).<ref>University of Westminster presentation ceremony programme, 26 November 2012</ref>
Mason was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2019 New Year Honours, "for services to music",<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> and was presented with the award by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge at Buckingham Palace on 2 May 2019.
On 24 July 2023, ahead of his Pompeii concert with his band Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets, Mason was awarded with the honorary citizenship of the Italian city of Pompeii.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Discography
With Pink Floyd
Solo albums
- Nick Mason's Fictitious Sports – 3 May 1981<ref name="Mabbett-3" />
Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets
- 2020 : Live at the Roundhouse
Box set
- Unattended Luggage – 31 August 2018<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> (No. 94 UK Albums Chart<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>)
With Rick Fenn
- Profiles – 29 July 1985<ref name="Mabbett-3" />
- Life Could Be a Dream – 1986 (soundtrack)
- White of the Eye – 1 January 1987 (soundtrack)<ref name="Mabbett-3" />
- Body Contact – 1987 (soundtrack, unreleased)
- Tank Malling – 1988 (soundtrack, unreleased)
With Michael Mantler
- The Hapless Child – 1976<ref name="Mabbett-1">Template:Cite book</ref>
- Something There – 1982<ref name="Mabbett-1" />
- Live – 1987<ref name="Mabbett-1" />
- Review – 2000
- Concertos – 2008
As a producer
- Screw – Banks of the River / Devil's Hour (1969), a 10" single, rel. on Shagrat Recs.
- Chimera – Chimera (1969/70; re-released 2002), w/ Rick Wright and Bob Weston collaboratingTemplate:Clarify
- Principal Edwards Magic Theatre – The Asmoto Running Band (1971)<ref name="Mabbett-1" />
- Principal Edwards Magic Theatre – Round One (1974)<ref name="Mabbett-1" />
- Robert Wyatt – Rock Bottom (1974)<ref name="Mabbett-1" />
- The associated non-album single, "I'm a Believer"; Mason was a member of Wyatt's backing band when he performed the song on Top of the Pops<ref name="Mabbett-1" />
- Gong – Shamal (1976)<ref name="Mabbett-1" />
- The Damned – Music for Pleasure (1977)<ref name="Mabbett-1" />
- Steve Hillage – Green (1978); co-produced w/ Steve Hillage. Mason also plays drums on "Leylines to Glassdom"<ref name="Mabbett-1" />
Collaboration
- 2008 : Robert Wyatt & Friends – Theatre Royal Drury Lane 8th September 1974 – With Hugh Hopper, Mike Oldfield, Dave Stewart, Fred Frith, Julie Tippetts, Ivor Cutler, etc.
Books
- At the Limit: 21 Classic Race Cars That Shaped a Century of Motorsport (with Mark Hales): Motorbooks International (1998) Template:ISBN
- Into the Red: 22 Classic Cars That Shaped a Century of Motor Sport (with Mark Hales) – 3 September 1998 (first edition), 9 September 2004 (second edition)
- Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd – 28 October 2004<ref name="Mabbett-3">Template:Cite book</ref>
- Passion for Speed: Twenty-Four Classic Cars that Shaped a Century of Motor Sport (with Mark Hales): Carlton Books (2010) Template:ISBN
References
Template:Reflist Template:Reflist
Sources
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Robert Wyatt & Friends* – Theatre Royal Drury Lane 8 September 1974 : Robert Wyatt & Friends* - Theatre Royal Drury Lane 8th September 1974
- Nick Mason's Saucerful Of Secrets – Live At The Roundhouse : Nick Mason's Saucerful Of Secrets - Live At The Roundhouse
External links
- Nick Mason - From the rhythm of Pink Floyd to the beat of legendary engines: An Article on Nick Mason's Car Collection
- Template:Discogs artist
- Template:IMDb name
Template:Commons category-inline Template:Wikiquote-inline Template:Nick Mason Template:Pink Floyd Template:1996 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
- Pages with broken file links
- Pages using center with unknown parameters
- Nick Mason
- 1944 births
- Living people
- 20th-century English drummers
- 21st-century English drummers
- Alumni of the Regent Street Polytechnic
- British car collectors
- Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
- English activists for Palestinian solidarity
- English atheists
- English autobiographers
- English male composers
- English male drummers
- English male songwriters
- English record producers
- English rock drummers
- Harvest Records artists
- Musicians from Birmingham, West Midlands
- Musicians from the London Borough of Camden
- Pink Floyd members
- Progressive rock drummers
- Psychedelic rock musicians
- People educated at Frensham Heights School
- People educated at The Hall School, Hampstead
- People from Edgbaston
- People from Hampstead
- Porsche Motorsports drivers
- 24 Hours of Le Mans drivers
- World Sportscar Championship drivers