Nick Mason
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Berkeley "Nick" Mason (born 27 January 1944) is an English drummer and songwriter
, best known for his work with Pink Floyd
. He was the only constant member of the band since its formation in 1965. Despite solely writing only a few Pink Floyd songs, Mason has contributed to some of Pink Floyd's most popular songs such as "Interstellar Overdrive
", "A Saucerful Of Secrets
" and "Echoes
". He also competes in auto racing events, such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans
. He was the only Pink Floyd
member to be featured on every one of their albums.
, he was born in Birmingham
but brought up in Hampstead
, London (many online biographies mistakenly cite the street address Downshire Hill – sometimes as "the Downshire Hills" – as a district of Birmingham) and attended Frensham Heights School
, near Farnham
, Surrey
. He later studied at the Regent Street Polytechnic
(now the University of Westminster), where he teamed up with Roger Waters
, Bob Klose
and Richard Wright
in 1964 to form Pink Floyd's predecessor, Sigma 6.
have been used).
Despite legal conflicts over ownership of the name 'Pink Floyd' which began when Roger Waters left the group in 1986 and lasted roughly 7 years, Waters and Nick Mason are now on good terms. 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. On 12 May 2007, Mason joined Waters again on stage at Earls Court
to play The Dark Side of the Moon
. Again on 12 May 2011 Mason was featured, along with David Gilmour, on the encore Outside the Wall at Waters´ concert who was performing The Wall it its entity. Gilmour also performed on Comfortably Numb that night.
In July 2005, Mason, Gilmour, Wright, and Waters played together on stage for the first time in 24 years. A four song set was played at the Live 8 concert in London
. Mason also joined David Gilmour and Richard Wright for the encore during Gilmour's show at the Royal Albert Hall
, London, on 31 May 2006, reuniting the post-Waters Pink Floyd. Mason has also claimed to be the link between Gilmour and Waters, and believes the band will play live again. His answers have ranged from "playing again for a charitable cause" to "a tour" given in various interviews in the last few years. He also stated in 2006 that Pink Floyd have not officially disbanded yet.
The only Pink Floyd songs that are solely credited to Mason are "The Grand Vizier's Garden Party Parts 1-3
" (from Ummagumma
) and "Speak to Me
" (from The Dark Side of the Moon
). The one-off song by the band entitled "Nick's Boogie" was named after him.
The only times 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 actual recording of Mason's first solo flight) from A Momentary Lapse of Reason
. He does, however, sing lead vocals on two unreleased but heavily bootlegged tracks, "Scream Thy Last Scream" (1967) and "The Merry Xmas Song" (1975–76). In live performances of the song "Sheep
", he did the spoken section.
Unlike the other members of Pink Floyd, Mason has rarely played an instrument other than his usual one (drums), although he has contributed sound effects to many Pink Floyd albums. He has only ever played non-percussive instruments on "The Grand Vizier's Garden Party
", his personal composition from Ummagumma
, where he provided some keyboard, guitar and bass noises, and on live versions of "Outside the Wall
", where he played acoustic guitar along with the rest of the band. He has claimed that he took some failed violin and piano lessons as a child. However, on the Profiles
album Nick released with Rick Fenn
in 1985, he is also credited with keyboards. He can be seen playing a synthesizer in the promo video for "Lie for a Lie", but it is unknown if he actually played on the recording.
Mason has done some work with other people, notably as a drummer and producer
for Steve Hillage
, Robert Wyatt
, The Damned and Gong
. He also drummed for Michael Mantler
.
Nick Mason used Premier
drums in the 1960s and occasionally in the 1970s (mainly on recordings up to Wish You Were Here). After that, he used Ludwig
drums from 1970 until 1992. 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. He currently uses a mixture of Paiste Traditional, Signature and 2002 cymbals.
Nick Mason's book, Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd
, was published in the UK in October 2004. It is also available, abridged, as a 3CD audio book, read by Mason.
in the former home of Camilla Parker Bowles.
As Floyd's recording and touring schedule grew more sporadic, Mason was left with more time to pursue his favourite hobby: car racing. He owns (through his company Ten Tenths) and races several classic car
s, and has competed successfully at the 24 Hours of Le Mans
. His collection has been a subject of his 1998 book, Into the Red in which he documents his experience with his cars, along with some histories. He is also a qualified pilot, and flies an Aerospatiale AS 350 Squirrel helicopter
in specially painted colours.
Mason was invited by Ferrari
to purchase one of their 400 Enzos
, which Jeremy Clarkson
pleaded with him to borrow for reviewing purposes on the BBC motoring programme Top Gear
. Mason agreed, on the sole condition that throughout the review, Clarkson promoted the release of the book Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd
. This led to Clarkson using Pink Floyd album titles in his description of the Enzo and The Stig
driving round the track with "Another Brick in the Wall
" playing (despite the fact that the Enzo does not come equipped with a stereo). Mason says that his favourite car of all time is the Ferrari 250 GTO
, and owns one of the 39 built (which is valued at between £16,000,000 and £20,000,000).
His wealth amounts to £55 million, according to the Sunday Times Rich List
2006–07. (although this figure is believed to be inaccurate as his car collection alone would be worth a substantial part of this figure).
and has played concerts to raise funds for the organisation. He is a board member and co-chairman of the Featured Artists' Coalition
.
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, best known for his work with Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
. He was the only constant member of the band since its formation in 1965. Despite solely writing only a few Pink Floyd songs, Mason has contributed to some of Pink Floyd's most popular songs such as "Interstellar Overdrive
Interstellar Overdrive
"Interstellar Overdrive" is a psychedelic composition written by Pink Floyd in 1966, which appears on their 1967 debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn at almost ten minutes in length. An earlier, longer recording, 16:52, can be heard on the soundtrack to the film Tonite Let's All Make Love in...
", "A Saucerful Of Secrets
A Saucerful of Secrets (song)
"A Saucerful of Secrets" is a multi-part instrumental composition by the rock band Pink Floyd from the album A Saucerful of Secrets, released in 1968. The track lasts 11:52 and was composed by band members Roger Waters, Richard Wright, Nick Mason, and David Gilmour...
" and "Echoes
Echoes (Pink Floyd song)
"Echoes" is a song by Pink Floyd including lengthy instrumental passages, sound effects, and musical improvisation. Written in 1970 by all four members of the group , "Echoes" provides the extended finale to Pink Floyd's album Meddle...
". He also competes in auto racing events, such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
. He was the only Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
member to be featured on every one of their albums.
Early life
The son of the documentary film maker Bill MasonBill Mason (director)
Rowland Hill Berkeley Mason , known as Bill Mason, was an English documentary film maker and scriptwriter.-Life:...
, he was born in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
but brought up in Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
, London (many online biographies mistakenly cite the street address Downshire Hill – sometimes as "the Downshire Hills" – as a district of Birmingham) and attended Frensham Heights School
Frensham Heights School
Frensham Heights School is an independent school located in Surrey, United Kingdom, run by the registered charity, Frensham Heights Educational Trust Ltd. It was founded in 1925 and formed as part of the movement for progressive education...
, near Farnham
Farnham
Farnham is a town in Surrey, England, within the Borough of Waverley. The town is situated some 42 miles southwest of London in the extreme west of Surrey, adjacent to the border with Hampshire...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. He later studied at the Regent Street Polytechnic
University of Westminster
The University of Westminster is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom. Its origins go back to the foundation of the Royal Polytechnic Institution in 1838, and it was awarded university status in 1992.The university's headquarters and original campus are based on Regent...
(now the University of Westminster), where he teamed up with Roger Waters
Roger Waters
George Roger Waters is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. He was a founding member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd, serving as bassist and co-lead vocalist. Following the departure of bandmate Syd Barrett in 1968, Waters became the band's lyricist, principal songwriter...
, Bob Klose
Bob Klose
Rado 'Bob' Klose is an English musician and photographer. He was one of the earliest members of the rock band Pink Floyd, playing lead guitar, but left the band before they recorded their first released single, "Arnold Layne".- Abdabs :"The Abdabs" , with Roger Waters , Richard Wright Rado 'Bob'...
and Richard Wright
Richard Wright (musician)
Richard William Wright was an English pianist, keyboardist and songwriter, best known for his career with Pink Floyd. Wright's richly textured keyboard layers were a vital ingredient and a distinctive characteristic of Pink Floyd's sound...
in 1964 to form Pink Floyd's predecessor, Sigma 6.
Musical career
Mason has been the drummer on every Pink Floyd album (but not on every song; some session drummersSession musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
have been used).
Despite legal conflicts over ownership of the name 'Pink Floyd' which began when Roger Waters left the group in 1986 and lasted roughly 7 years, Waters and Nick Mason are now on good terms. 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
Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun
"Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" is a song by British rock band Pink Floyd and is featured on their second album A Saucerful of Secrets . It was written by Roger Waters and features a drum part by Nick Mason played with timpani mallets...
", 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. On 12 May 2007, Mason joined Waters again on stage at Earls Court
Earls Court
Earls Court is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. It is an inner-city district centred on Earl's Court Road and surrounding streets, located 3.1 miles west south-west of Charing Cross. It borders the sub-districts of South Kensington to the East, West...
to play The Dark Side of the Moon
The Dark Side of the Moon
The Dark Side of the Moon is the eighth studio album by English progressive rock band Pink Floyd, released in March 1973. It built on ideas explored in the band's earlier recordings and live shows, but lacks the extended instrumental excursions that characterised their work following the departure...
. Again on 12 May 2011 Mason was featured, along with David Gilmour, on the encore Outside the Wall at Waters´ concert who was performing The Wall it its entity. Gilmour also performed on Comfortably Numb that night.
In July 2005, Mason, Gilmour, Wright, and Waters played together on stage for the first time in 24 years. A four song set was played at the Live 8 concert in London
Live 8 concert, London
The main Live 8 concert was held at Hyde Park, London, England on 2 July 2005, in front of over 200,000 people. The show's logistics were managed by famed promoter Harvey Goldsmith.The event is also referred to as "Live 8 London" or "Live 8 UK"....
. Mason also joined David Gilmour and Richard Wright for the encore during Gilmour's show at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
, London, on 31 May 2006, reuniting the post-Waters Pink Floyd. Mason has also claimed to be the link between Gilmour and Waters, and believes the band will play live again. His answers have ranged from "playing again for a charitable cause" to "a tour" given in various interviews in the last few years. He also stated in 2006 that Pink Floyd have not officially disbanded yet.
The only Pink Floyd songs that are solely credited to Mason are "The Grand Vizier's Garden Party Parts 1-3
The Grand Vizier's Garden Party
"The Grand Vizier's Garden Party" is a three-part instrumental from Pink Floyd's Ummagumma album. All three parts are written by Nick Mason following the structure of the album in which each band member made his own composition...
" (from Ummagumma
Ummagumma
Ummagumma is a double album by English progressive rock band Pink Floyd, released in 1969 by Harvest and EMI in the United Kingdom and Harvest and Capitol in the United States...
) and "Speak to Me
Speak to Me
"Speak to Me" is the first track from British progressive rock band Pink Floyd's 1973 album, The Dark Side of the Moon, on which it forms an overture...
" (from The Dark Side of the Moon
The Dark Side of the Moon
The Dark Side of the Moon is the eighth studio album by English progressive rock band Pink Floyd, released in March 1973. It built on ideas explored in the band's earlier recordings and live shows, but lacks the extended instrumental excursions that characterised their work following the departure...
). The one-off song by the band entitled "Nick's Boogie" was named after him.
The only times Mason's voice has been included on Pink Floyd's albums are "Corporal Clegg
Corporal Clegg
"Corporal Clegg" is a song by British psychedelic rock band Pink Floyd, and is featured on their second album, A Saucerful of Secrets . It was written by Roger Waters and features David Gilmour, Nick Mason, and Richard Wright on vocals. The song also features a kazoo.-Lyrics:The song is about a...
", the single spoken line in "One of These Days" and spoken parts of "Signs of Life
Signs of Life (Pink Floyd song)
"Signs of Life" is the opening song on A Momentary Lapse of Reason, the first Pink Floyd album headed by David Gilmour, in the absence of ex-member Roger Waters...
" and "Learning to Fly" (the latter taken from actual recording of Mason's first solo flight) from A Momentary Lapse of Reason
A Momentary Lapse of Reason
A Momentary Lapse of Reason is the thirteenth studio album by English progressive rock group Pink Floyd. It was released in the UK and US in September 1987. In 1985 guitarist David Gilmour began to assemble a group of musicians to work on his third solo album...
. He does, however, sing lead vocals on two unreleased but heavily bootlegged tracks, "Scream Thy Last Scream" (1967) and "The Merry Xmas Song" (1975–76). In live performances of the song "Sheep
Sheep (song)
"Sheep" is a song by the English band Pink Floyd. It was released on the album Animals in 1977. In 1974, it was originally titled "Raving and Drooling".-History:...
", he did the spoken section.
Unlike the other members of Pink Floyd, Mason has rarely played an instrument other than his usual one (drums), although he has contributed sound effects to many Pink Floyd albums. He has only ever played non-percussive instruments on "The Grand Vizier's Garden Party
The Grand Vizier's Garden Party
"The Grand Vizier's Garden Party" is a three-part instrumental from Pink Floyd's Ummagumma album. All three parts are written by Nick Mason following the structure of the album in which each band member made his own composition...
", his personal composition from Ummagumma
Ummagumma
Ummagumma is a double album by English progressive rock band Pink Floyd, released in 1969 by Harvest and EMI in the United Kingdom and Harvest and Capitol in the United States...
, where he provided some keyboard, guitar and bass noises, and on live versions of "Outside the Wall
Outside the Wall
"Outside the Wall" is a song by Pink Floyd. It appeared on their 1979 album The Wall. It was written by Roger Waters.-Overview:...
", where he played acoustic guitar along with the rest of the band. He has claimed that he took some failed violin and piano lessons as a child. However, on the Profiles
Profiles
Profiles is an album by Pink Floyd's drummer Nick Mason and 10cc's guitarist Rick Fenn, released in 1985. It is almost entirely instrumental, save for two songs: "Lie for a Lie," featuring Pink Floyd singer and guitarist David Gilmour and Mike Oldfield's early 80s singer Maggie Reilly; and...
album Nick released with Rick Fenn
Rick Fenn
Richard 'Rick' Fenn is an English rock guitarist. He is best known for being a member of the band 10cc since 1976. He has also collaborated with Mike Oldfield, Rick Wakeman, Hollies singer Peter Howarth and Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason....
in 1985, he is also credited with keyboards. He can be seen playing a synthesizer in the promo video for "Lie for a Lie", but it is unknown if he actually played on the recording.
Mason has done some work with other people, notably as a drummer and producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
for Steve Hillage
Steve Hillage
Steve Hillage is an English musician, best known as a guitarist. He is associated with the Canterbury scene and has worked in experimental domains since the late 1960s...
, Robert Wyatt
Robert Wyatt
Robert Wyatt is an English musician, and founding member of the influential Canterbury scene band Soft Machine, with a long and distinguished solo career...
, The Damned and Gong
Gong (band)
Gong is a Franco-British progressive/psychedelic rock band formed by Australian musician Daevid Allen. Their music has also been described as space rock. Other notable band members include Allan Holdsworth, Tim Blake, Didier Malherbe, Pip Pyle, Gilli Smyth, Steve Hillage, Francis Moze, Mike Howlett...
. He also drummed for Michael Mantler
Michael Mantler
Michael Mantler is a composer and trumpeter in new jazz and contemporary music.-Career: United States:Mantler was born in Vienna, Austria...
.
Nick Mason used Premier
Premier Percussion
Premier Percussion Limited is an English manufacturer of drums and percussion instruments.The company was founded in 1922 as the Premier Drum Company by London drummer Albert Della Porta and drum builder George Smith...
drums in the 1960s and occasionally in the 1970s (mainly on recordings up to Wish You Were Here). After that, he used Ludwig
Ludwig-Musser
Ludwig-Musser is a drum and percussion instrument manufacturer that is part of the Conn-Selmer division of Steinway Musical Instruments.The first product made by the Ludwig brothers, William and Theobaldner , was a bass drum pedal capable of playing faster beats than was typical of products of the...
drums from 1970 until 1992. He currently uses Drum Workshop
Drum Workshop
Drum Workshop is a drum and hardware manufacturing company based in Oxnard, California. Their slogan is "The Drummer's Choice".-History:...
(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
Paiste
Paiste, a Swiss manufacturer and designer, is the world's third largest manufacturer of cymbals, gongs, and metal percussion. Paiste is an Estonian/Finnish word which means "shine"...
cymbals during his entire career with Pink Floyd. He currently uses a mixture of Paiste Traditional, Signature and 2002 cymbals.
Nick Mason's book, Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd
Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd
Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd is Nick Mason's personal memoir of Pink Floyd published on 7 October 2004 in the United Kingdom. Initially a hardback release, it has since appeared in at least two different paperback editions. The book marks the first time that a group member has...
, was published in the UK in October 2004. It is also available, abridged, as a 3CD audio book, read by Mason.
Notable Pink Floyd songs co-written by Mason
- Pow R. Toc H.Pow R. Toc H."Pow R. Toc H." is an instrumental song with vocal effects, from Pink Floyd's 1967 album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. In addition to the vocal effects, piano is a prominent instrument in this piece.-Information:...
(1967) (The Piper at the Gates of DawnThe Piper at the Gates of DawnThe Piper at the Gates of Dawn is the debut album by the English rock group Pink Floyd, and the only one made under founding member Syd Barrett's leadership. The album contains whimsical lyrics about space, scarecrows, gnomes, bicycles and fairy tales, along with psychedelic instrumental songs...
) - Interstellar OverdriveInterstellar Overdrive"Interstellar Overdrive" is a psychedelic composition written by Pink Floyd in 1966, which appears on their 1967 debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn at almost ten minutes in length. An earlier, longer recording, 16:52, can be heard on the soundtrack to the film Tonite Let's All Make Love in...
(1967) (The Piper at the Gates of Dawn) - A Saucerful Of SecretsA Saucerful of Secrets (song)"A Saucerful of Secrets" is a multi-part instrumental composition by the rock band Pink Floyd from the album A Saucerful of Secrets, released in 1968. The track lasts 11:52 and was composed by band members Roger Waters, Richard Wright, Nick Mason, and David Gilmour...
(1968) (A Saucerful of SecretsA Saucerful of SecretsA Saucerful of Secrets is the second studio album by the English rock group Pink Floyd. It was recorded at EMI's Abbey Road Studios on various dates from August 1967 to April 1968...
) - Careful with that Axe, EugeneCareful with That Axe, Eugene"Careful with That Axe, Eugene" is an instrumental song by the British band Pink Floyd. The studio recording was originally released as the B-side of their single "Point Me at the Sky" and is also featured on the Relics compilation album; live versions can also be found on Ummagumma and in the film...
(1968) (B-side of their single Point Me at the SkyPoint Me at the Sky"Point Me at the Sky" is the fifth United Kingdom single by the British band Pink Floyd, released on 17 December 1968. The song was an early collaboration by bassist Roger Waters and guitarist David Gilmour. The single was not released in the United States However, it was released by Capitol...
) - Atom Heart MotherAtom Heart Mother (suite)"Atom Heart Mother" is a six-part suite by progressive rock band Pink Floyd, composed by all members of the band and Ron Geesin. It appeared on the Atom Heart Mother album in 1970, taking up the whole first side of the original vinyl record...
(1970) (Atom Heart MotherAtom Heart MotherAtom Heart Mother is the fifth studio album by English progressive rock band Pink Floyd, released in 1970 by Harvest and EMI Records in the United Kingdom and Harvest and Capitol in the United States. It was recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London, England, and reached number one in the United...
) - One of These Days (1971) (MeddleMeddleMeddle is the sixth studio album by English progressive rock group Pink Floyd. It was released in October 1971.The album was recorded at a series of locations around London, including Abbey Road Studios...
) - EchoesEchoes (Pink Floyd song)"Echoes" is a song by Pink Floyd including lengthy instrumental passages, sound effects, and musical improvisation. Written in 1970 by all four members of the group , "Echoes" provides the extended finale to Pink Floyd's album Meddle...
(1971) (Meddle) - TimeTime (Pink Floyd song)"Time" is the fourth track from English progressive rock band Pink Floyd's 1973 album, The Dark Side of the Moon, and the only song on the album credited to all four members of the band...
(1973) (The Dark Side of the MoonThe Dark Side of the MoonThe Dark Side of the Moon is the eighth studio album by English progressive rock band Pink Floyd, released in March 1973. It built on ideas explored in the band's earlier recordings and live shows, but lacks the extended instrumental excursions that characterised their work following the departure...
) - Any Colour You LikeAny Colour You Like"Any Colour You Like" is the eighth track from English progressive rock band Pink Floyd's 1973 album, The Dark Side of the Moon. It is instrumental and was written by David Gilmour, Richard Wright and Nick Mason, making it one of two songs on the album that Roger Waters did not contribute to, and...
(1973) (The Dark Side of the Moon)
Non-musical ventures
Mason is married (to his second wife, Nettie) and has four children; two daughters (Holly and Chloe) from his first marriage and two sons (Guy and Cary) from his second. They live in Hampstead, London; however they often stay in the Wiltshire town of CorshamCorsham
Corsham is a historic market town and civil parish in north west Wiltshire, England. It is at the south western extreme of the Cotswolds, just off the A4 which was formerly the main turnpike road from London to Bristol, between Bath and Chippenham ....
in the former home of Camilla Parker Bowles.
As Floyd's recording and touring schedule grew more sporadic, Mason was left with more time to pursue his favourite hobby: car racing. He owns (through his company Ten Tenths) and races several classic car
Classic car
A classic car is an older car; the exact meaning is variable. The Classic Car Club of America maintains that a car must be between 20 and 40 years old to be a classic, while cars over 45 years fall into the Antique Class.- Classic Car Club of America :...
s, and has competed successfully at the 24 Hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
. His collection has been a subject of his 1998 book, Into the Red in which he documents his experience with his cars, along with some histories. He is also a qualified pilot, and flies an Aerospatiale AS 350 Squirrel helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
in specially painted colours.
Mason was invited by Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
to purchase one of their 400 Enzos
Enzo Ferrari (car)
The Enzo Ferrari is a 12 cylinder mid-engine berlinetta named after the company's founder, Enzo Ferrari. It was built in 2002 using Formula One technology, such as a carbon-fibre body, F1-style electrohydraulic shift transmission, and Carbon fibre-reinforced Silicon Carbide ceramic composite...
, which Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson is an English broadcaster, journalist and writer who specialises in motoring. He is best known for his role on the BBC TV show Top Gear along with co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May...
pleaded with him to borrow for reviewing purposes on the BBC motoring programme Top Gear
Top Gear (current format)
Top Gear is a British television series about motor vehicles, primarily cars. It began in 1977 as a conventional motoring magazine show. Over time, and especially since a relaunch in 2002, it has developed a quirky, humorous style...
. Mason agreed, on the sole condition that throughout the review, Clarkson promoted the release of the book Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd
Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd
Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd is Nick Mason's personal memoir of Pink Floyd published on 7 October 2004 in the United Kingdom. Initially a hardback release, it has since appeared in at least two different paperback editions. The book marks the first time that a group member has...
. This led to Clarkson using Pink Floyd album titles in his description of the Enzo and The Stig
The Stig
The Stig is a character in the British motoring television show Top Gear. The character plays on the anonymity of racing drivers' full-face helmets, with the running joke that nobody knows who, or indeed what, is inside the character's racing suit. The character was the creation of presenter Jeremy...
driving round the track with "Another Brick in the Wall
Another Brick in the Wall
"Another Brick in the Wall" is the title of three songs set to variations of the same basic theme, on Pink Floyd's 1979 rock opera, The Wall, subtitled Part 1 , Part 2 , and Part 3...
" playing (despite the fact that the Enzo does not come equipped with a stereo). Mason says that his favourite car of all time is the Ferrari 250 GTO
Ferrari 250 GTO
The Ferrari 250 GTO is a GT car which was produced by Ferrari from 1962 to 1964 for homologation into the FIA's Group 3 Grand Touring Car category....
, and owns one of the 39 built (which is valued at between £16,000,000 and £20,000,000).
His wealth amounts to £55 million, according to the Sunday Times Rich List
Sunday Times Rich List
The Sunday Times Rich List is a list of the 1,000 wealthiest people or families in the United Kingdom, updated annually in April and published as a magazine supplement by British national Sunday newspaper The Sunday Times since 1989...
2006–07. (although this figure is believed to be inaccurate as his car collection alone would be worth a substantial part of this figure).
Views and advocacy
Mason is a supporter of the Countryside AllianceCountryside Alliance
The Countryside Alliance is a British organisation promoting issues relating to the countryside such as country sports, including hunting, shooting and angling...
and has played concerts to raise funds for the organisation. He is a board member and co-chairman of the Featured Artists' Coalition
Featured Artists' Coalition
The Featured Artists Coalition is a not-for-profit organisation set up to protect the rights of featured musical artists, particularly in the new digital age...
.
With Rick Fenn
- ProfilesProfilesProfiles is an album by Pink Floyd's drummer Nick Mason and 10cc's guitarist Rick Fenn, released in 1985. It is almost entirely instrumental, save for two songs: "Lie for a Lie," featuring Pink Floyd singer and guitarist David Gilmour and Mike Oldfield's early 80s singer Maggie Reilly; and...
– 29 July 1985 - White of the EyeWhite of the Eye (film)White of the Eye is a 1987 British thriller film directed by Donald Cammell and starring David Keith and Cathy Moriarty. It was adapted in film by Donald Cammell and his wife China Kong from the novel Mrs. White, written by Laurence and Andrew Klavan....
– 1987 (soundtrack) - Tank Malling – 1988 (soundtrack)
With Michael Mantler
- The Hapless Child - 1976
- Something There – 1982
- Live – 1987
- Review - 2000
- Concertos – 2008
As a producer
- Principal Edwards Magic TheatrePrincipal edwards magic theatrePrincipal Edwards Magic Theatre was a 14-member communal performance art collective in the United Kingdom made up of musicians, poets, dancers, and sound and lighting technicians.-History:...
– The Asmoto Running Band (1971) . - Principal Edwards Magic Theatre – Round One (1974)
- Robert WyattRobert WyattRobert Wyatt is an English musician, and founding member of the influential Canterbury scene band Soft Machine, with a long and distinguished solo career...
– Rock BottomRock Bottom (album)-Personnel:*Robert Wyatt - Vocals, Keyboards, Percussion, Slide Guitar *Mike Oldfield - Guitar *Gary Windo - Bass Clarinet, Tenor Sax *Ivor Cutler - Voice , Baritone Concertina *Alfreda Benge - Voice *Mongezi Feza - Trumpets...
(1974) - GongGong (band)Gong is a Franco-British progressive/psychedelic rock band formed by Australian musician Daevid Allen. Their music has also been described as space rock. Other notable band members include Allan Holdsworth, Tim Blake, Didier Malherbe, Pip Pyle, Gilli Smyth, Steve Hillage, Francis Moze, Mike Howlett...
– ShamalShamal (album)Shamal is an album by Gong, originally released in 1975. The album was written and recorded without the group's founder member Daevid Allen, and consequently sounds different with none of the hippy flavoured eccentricities of the previous albums...
(1976) - The Damned – Music for Pleasure (1977)
- Steve HillageSteve HillageSteve Hillage is an English musician, best known as a guitarist. He is associated with the Canterbury scene and has worked in experimental domains since the late 1960s...
– GreenGreen (Steve Hillage album)Green is the fourth studio album by British progressive rock musician Steve Hillage. It was recorded primarily in Dorking, Surrey, and in London, and was produced and engineered by Nick Mason, of Pink Floyd fame....
(1978); Co-produced with Steve Hillage. Mason also plays a drum on "Leylines to Glassdom"
Books
- 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 FloydInside Out: A Personal History of Pink FloydInside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd is Nick Mason's personal memoir of Pink Floyd published on 7 October 2004 in the United Kingdom. Initially a hardback release, it has since appeared in at least two different paperback editions. The book marks the first time that a group member has...
– 28 October 2004
External links
- Nick Mason's Drummerworld profile
- Nick Mason interviews
- Ten Tenths official site
- Inside OutInside Out: A Personal History of Pink FloydInside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd is Nick Mason's personal memoir of Pink Floyd published on 7 October 2004 in the United Kingdom. Initially a hardback release, it has since appeared in at least two different paperback editions. The book marks the first time that a group member has...
book page from Pink Floyd official site - Pink Floyd Drums: The Division Bell Tour Drums
- Nick Mason's interview for Hit Channel website