Nick Mason

Nick Mason (actually Nicholas Berkeley Mason, born January 27, 1944 in Birmingham ) is a British musician, founding member and drummer of the band Pink Floyd.

Biography

Nick Mason grew up on the Downshire Hill on in London's exclusive Hampstead district. His education he enjoyed in Frensham Heights boarding. At this time he took piano and violin lessons. Later he devoted himself more and more to the drums. After his boarding school he enrolled for study architecture at Regent Street Polytechnic, where he met Roger Waters and Rick Wright. Together with them he founded in 1965 the group The Abdabs.

Although he was never considered a special technicians and virtuoso on his musical instrument, his unique style has left clear traces, especially in the early music of Pink Floyd. At first strongly influenced by the way of playing Ginger Baker of Cream his drumming was coined in the early Syd Barrett - era strongly influenced by free improvisation, which was in contrast to the linear rhythms of the Mersey Beat era. Even then, the sound of his drums played an important role. Snare drums were sometimes lined with towels, to achieve specific sounds. Mason liked to use the Toms of his set. Soon, gongs, drums and stand Filzschläger were used.

In pieces such as Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun his game was supporting. Obscured by Clouds In his drums sound was supported electronically, whereby its drum sound was similar to an electronic Rhythmusbox. Another highlight is the opening sequence of time. The 23 -minute " Echoes" shows the song relevant side of his playing style and his sense of musical atmosphere. Tight straight groove pattern as in the middle part alternate with fragile, running exclusively on cymbal rhythm figures, as they control the sacred acting organ part in the second half. The 1977 appeared Pink Floyd album Animals deemed to be another highlight. The drum parts on this album are so catchy that Graham Broad, drummer Roger Waters Bleeding Heart band on the In the Flesh tour of the Waters Drums of the piece Dogs faithfully nachspielte ( from the Animals album ).

Also known as producer Nick Mason emerged in the seventies. He produced the albums of the English folk - mime troupe Principal Edwards Magic Theatre as well as the LP Rock Bottom of the former Soft Machine drummer Robert Wyatt -. He also worked with the Anglo- French Soft Machine offshoots Gong and later also with their ex-guitarist Steve Hillage. Even the English punk pioneers The Damned took his producer services.

During the recordings of the album A Momentary Lapse of Reason Mason was partially represented as a drummer by renowned studio drummers Jim Keltner and as Carmine Appice. The long break from Pink Floyd, he had lost too much of his own opinion, to match practice to record all drum tracks himself in a satisfactory manner. Thus, Mason played only a portion of the drum parts and contributed also, as it did on some previous Floyd albums, sound effects in. Already in the last shaped by Waters album The Final Cut, he was replaced on the last album titles Two Suns in the Sunset by Andy Newmark. On tour Mason was henceforth support from renowned percussionists such as Gary Wallis. Only on the live album Pulse and most recently at the one-off reunion of the band at the Live 8 events by Bob Geldof in London's Hyde Park ( here again alone on the drum kit without any additional musicians ) the playfulness of earlier years flashed again.

After Mason and Roger Waters that were once friends since the departure of Waters from Pink Floyd barely spoke to each other, they met by chance in 2000 during a vacation in the South Pacific. In the following years both renewed their friendship and Mason has since also appeared several times as a guest drummer at concerts by Roger Waters.

In October 2004, Mason's book Inside Out. A Personal History of Pink Floyd published. While Mason says that this book is a very subjective account of events surrounding Pink Floyd, it is considered by critics as a humorous account of the history of a band.

The band played at the London Live 8 concert in July 2005 for the first time in over a decade on a stage - was also there with Roger Waters, which for the first time since 1981, the so-called again played "classic" cast together. Mason showed up then, as well as Waters repeatedly interested in more Pink Floyd activities, Gilmour refused such a request, but did not rule out further joint appearances at charity events.

In addition to his guest appearances on some of Waters ' solo concerts Mason played on 31 May 2006 ( in the context of the conclusion of the solo tour of David Gilmour, belonged to Richard Wright to tour ensemble) and on 10 May 2007 ( at a memorial concert for Syd Barrett ) again together with his two current Pink Floyd colleagues. After the death of Richard Wright is not expected to further Pink Floyd activities.

On August 12, 2012 Mason interpreted along with Ed Sheeran, Richard Jones ( The Feeling ) and Mike Rutherford ( Genesis) before millions of viewers of the closing ceremonies of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, the old Pink Floyd song? "Wish You Were Here".

Nick Mason is married to his second wife Annette Lynton, with whom he has two children. Two other children are from a previous marriage with Lindy Rutter ( 1968-1988 ).

Instruments

Mason plays double bass drum sets. In this video: Live at Pompeii he is with his Ludwig drums, color Silver Sparkle finish, consisting of two bass drums, two rack toms, two floor toms, snare, hi-hat, to see four pools and a gong. Previously, he used a Premier drums of the same size, but with a tank less.

Nick Mason's car collection

Nick Mason is a great lover of classic cars and old race car. He drives the race itself. So he took, for example, in 1993 along with David Gilmour and Steve O'Rourke at the Carrera Panamericana, a race in Mexico, in part. This event is held in the film La Carrera Panamericana, which a Pink Floyd soundtrack is highlighted. Nick Mason also launched five times as a driver at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Best position was ranked 18, 1979 on a Lola T297. Mason has a big collection of different cars, under it there is also a German Trabant, the Mason estimates as " historically very interesting vehicle ." As the name of the purchaser of the Ferrari Enzo were announced, sold the Ferrari only chosen one, Mason was among them. His favorite car in the collection, however, is supposed to be an old car a clown from the circus, in the fall, all four doors by pressing a button, the seat falls backwards and the driver tumbles backward out of the car so that the clown can run after the self constantly moving vehicle.

The mid-1980s, he and Mike Hallowes the company Ten Tenths, which takes care of various services in the automotive industry.

Le Mans results

Albums

  • Nick Mason's Fictitious Sports. 1981 ( composed and co-produced by Carla Bley )
  • Profiles. 1985 ( with Rick Fenn )
  • White of the Eye. 1987 ( soundtrack, with Rick Fenn )
  • Tank mailing. 1988 ( soundtrack, with Rick Fenn )

As with most solo albums of Pink Floyd musicians of the commercial success of Mason's solo works was relatively modest.

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