Nick Mason Appreciation Post!

Has anyone read about Nick's appearance on UK motoring programme Top Gear on Brain Damage? I wish I'd seen it it sounds hilarious.

You can read it here if you haven't seen it already.

Wow, I always thought he was the weakest part of the band. The drums always seem to hold back the really great moments in the songs. David and Roger seem to just work around him in the later albums. My opinion of course, now let the flaming begin.

Here it is:

You're a douchebag. Congratulations.

^^hahaha very nice^^

yah i get pissed alot when people underrate mason the way they do. Hes not very flashy, true, but that wouldnt fit with floyds sound. it didnt call for a lot of toms and fast stuff. what makes him good is he did what a GOOD drummer would do in that band and he did it well. he set the groove and stayed in the background while still being cool. Id have to put him up there with john bonham and mitch mitchell-together they make up the top 3 drummers of the era...though there were alot of good ones...

Yeah, I totally agree with all of you. Nick Mason is absolutely an extremely underrated drummer. I've heard people saying that PF would be much better without him, and that he drags the whole band down, and that sorts of statements just makes me wanna kick 'em in the stomach and spit on their faces. Pink Floyd without Nick is just like Pink Floyd without Roger or Rick. It just isn't the same. There's something vital missing. He's got an unique touch and style that almost can't be compared to anyone, just like Bonham, Keith Moon and Stewart Copeland (and other drummers as well, but hey, you get the picture). These are musicians who are defining styles and inspiring other drummers and to a certain extend, other generations. Like myself f.ex who's a drummer too!

yeah, he's a cool guy! really funny and seems like he would be fun to be around.

WHat a guy indeed, buy and read his book, inside pink floyd is exactly where i want to be

He's been with the Floyd from day one up to Live 8 and, with all the problems and internal wars, he's been able to survive without saying a bad word against any of the others (at least not too explicitly). Before Live 8 he already made the symbolic gesture of playing "Set the Controls" with Waters, thus, publicly burying the hatchet... Man! I've already been playing in three bands (as a drummer as well) and personal relationships and interaction can sometimes get as hard as in any love relationship. You gotta admire him just for that.

And as a drummer... he's not as showy as others but, personally, I don't like "soloist" or hyper-active drummers. In rock bands sometimes there is a battle of egos with everyone trying to stand out and having his or her own spotlight moment in detriment of the song played. I think that holding yourself back, laying the perfect rhythm that the song needs and letting the other instruments shine without "fighting" against them is what a good drummer should do.

Finally, just a couple of days ago I grabbed the "Fictitious Sports" and "Profiles" Lps. It's the music I'm listening right now and it totally amazes me. Ok, Mason does not write anything on the first one, but his drumming on that album is one of his finest moments and his production values are also evident (does the female voice by the end of "Hot River" or the sound of the guitar in the same song remind you of anything? ). And what other member of the Floyd could have played in songs like "Can´t Get my Motor to Start" or "Boo to You Too"?

What a guy!

Well said!

Here here! that is exactly what i wanted to say, except longer, but u musnt forget the great facial hair he sported throughout the years, or the fantastic fashion sense, i see people dressed like mason even today, myself included

I saw a talk by Nick in Belfast almost a year ago (to support the release of his book).

There wasn't anything astounding about the evening, just two chaps on stage having a chat, but it was still pretty cool to be in the same room listening to one of the Floyd talk about the past thirty years...and then have him shake my hand and sign my copy of his book.

Cheers.

Must've been a treat to meet the man. I certainly enjoyed reading his book.

It appears he has appendicitis! Get well soon, Nick.

I've got just one question/comment that I didn't know where to post and I thought that this could be its place.

Right from 1967 Nick Mason has been playing drumsets with two bass drums... Well, I appreciate his drumming but we all know he is no Mike Portnoy. What is the use in having two bass drums if you don't play them normally (except from the "finales" in live songs)? Is it just for aesthetic reasons? Maybe I'm wrong and he has regularly used the double bass but I really don't think so.

Any comments anyone? Botley?

The story goes that he went to see a Cream concert in the mid-sixties with Roger; after witnessing what havoc Ginger Baker could wreak, Nick upgraded to a double kit as soon as he could. He's not the most technically accomplished pedallist, to be sure, but he can hold down an interesting twin-kick triplet groove that is made all the more impressive while Roger is making those aggressive octave-thwacking noises with his bass.

I think it's rather an impressive sound, myself.