Mason On His Tenure w. FM

[cbBen]

Only 80 seconds of this interview concern Fleetwood Mac (28:34-29:54) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAq-cObWd-g, but Mason says he is releasing an autobiography in the spring. Perhaps he will write about his tenure more extensively there.

On how he came to join: "I was in a bit of a lull period. Not really doing much. [Mick called and said], 'I'm thinking of putting something back together with the Mac. Would you be interested?' And I was like, 'Yeah, sure. Let's give it a shot.'" It sounds to me like he's diplomatically saying he just needed a job (I see he hadn't released an album since 1987, and it was on a label called Chumley Records).

The remainder (with the first two being interviewer statements rather than questions to Mason) concerns the strength of the 1994-95 "The Chain," the lineup receiving flak due to the absence of Stevie Nicks, and Mason per Mick's autobiography not getting along with Bekka Bramlett.

Mason says Bekka could be a handful, but denies they didn't get along. I must say however, not so much to cast doubt on his answer but more to point out its logical fallacy, that the evidence he cites to support it (that he'd known Bekka since she was a toddler and had played with her parents) is a complete non-sequitur. Twice he asserts that his knowing Bekka when she was a toddler ipso facto means it's impossible for him not to have gotten along with her in FM, which I find absurd.

[Villavic]

Mason not getting along with Bekka.
Christine not getting along with Mason (or so I read).
That's 2 of 5 members. First thought is that the problem was him. But it would be good to have more details.

[HomerMcvie]

My friends who are friends with Bekka have told me she has a massive ego, as does her mother. She was very sweet to me though, the couple of times I spoke with her.

[SteveMacD]

I love Bekka, I was happy when she joined the band, and she was incredibly gracious the two times I met her. That said, she comes off as high strung or ADHD in the interviews I’ve seen or read.

Still, Christine, Bekka, and Richard had issues with Dave Mason, and from interviews and the one interaction I’ve had with him, he comes across as aloof.

I could see them being like oil and water.

He was an odd choice.

[HomerMcvie]

I think he was too self absorbed to be in a band. And clearly he must be the problem, since no one can get along with him.

[SteveMacD]

Even the guys from his ‘70s band didn’t have glowing things to say about him. Hell, I had longtime fans tell me about his aloofness when I ran that website.

[cbBen]

I ran across this Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band fan site with some info (it's French, which is why I had to clean up the grammar): http://www.victorbaissait.fr/RingoSt.../Tour/1997.php

"Dave Mason [was] fired four days before the start of the [1997] tour, was not replaced."

Notes (text in double quote marks is the site author's, text in single quote marks within are from the band members; exxception being Simon Kirke's quote, which though in double quote marks is a quote directly from him):

Per multi-instrumentlist Mark Rivera: "He was fired as he didn't learn his part. 'Never once came prepared... and anytime things were right he'd puff his chest up like he did everything.' He was fired after Ringo asked the band if he should be fired."

Per drummer Simon Kirke: "You can read between the lines there were musical differences and he didn’t make the final lineup."

Per Peter Frampton in his book: "'Dave couldn’t seem to learn our songs, but at rehearsals, every time we made a mistake on one of his, he would give whoever the stink eye.' (Page 190). [He also] explained [Mason skipped] the last [rehearsal] run-through [and] told Ringo that he had a doctor’s appointment [which] turn[ed out] to be false."

In the All-Starr Band, half the material is Ringo's and half consists of 2-3 songs from most (and for one tour all) of the other members. So Mason would have been expected to learn not just Ringo's material, but the material of the other band members as well.

Per guitarist Peter Frampton, he didn't bother to learn the others' material (yet got upset when they made a mistake on his). Then he skipped the last rehearsal with a phony reason and was fired four days before the tour.

Per multi-instrumentalist Mark Rivera, Mason "never once came prepared," had an ego problem, and was fired after Ringo consulted with the rest of the band.

As Mason wasn't replaced (I imagine there was too little time), the 1997-98 All-Starr Band lineup had only six members (seven would become the norm) and was the first with a single guitarist. Mason's firing set the single-guitar template for all but one of the next few tours, before Ringo returned to a two-guitar lineup in 2006.

Sounds like Mason isn't much of a band guy; which would explain why he was in and out of Traffic 1967-71, was in and out of Delaney & Bonnie even within a single tour, was out of Derek & The Dominos after a single gig, was put to the side while a guitarist from outside the band played on all of Christine's songs on Time, did not participate in Traffic's 1994 reunion album or tour (the latter conflicted with Fleetwood Mac, FWIW), was fired from Ringo's band in 1997, and (though he was present for the group's induction) did not perform with Traffic at the 2004 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame ceremony.

[David]

Dave sounds like a dick.

But I guess desperate times call for desperate measures.

[cbBen]

The above link looked like the whole interview. Had I known all the Fleetwood Mac material would later be posted in a single video, I would have waited to post that instead.

In additon to the above, there is only another 67 seconds (two fan questions): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zL4S5XtgkKk

The fan questions run from 2:04 to 3:11. The entire discussion of Fleetwood Mac (including the above) runs from 0:39 to 3:11.

Transcript of the new material (fan questions):

1. Question on his overall thoughts of his tenure in Fleetwood Mac:

Mason: "We were the Fleetwood Mac cover band."

interviewer: "Well Mick had said he didn't have a problem with you all coming out [on the road]. From his perspective looking back, Mick had said, 'We should have called it something else.'"

(As it was, they sold poorly and had to play as an opening act. Had they called it something else, would they have even been booked?)

Mason: "You know what? The real problem is that Christine did the album, but she wouldn't go out on the road."

interviewer: "Yeah."

Mason: "I mean that would have been a huge difference if she had [gone] out there. But she wouldn't do the touring with us. But she did the album. So, you know, it was a little odd."

2. Question on whether he was considered to replace Bob Welch.

Mason: "I have no idea."

interviewer: "So back then, when Bob Welch left, Mick never approached you? Way back then? It would have been in '75 – '74-75."

Mason: "No, no."

(Unlike Lindsey Buckingham, in 1974 Mason was bigger than Fleetwood Mac. He would have been foolish to join. It was only reluctantly that Lindsey joined.)

[Villavic]

Originally Posted by cbBen

2. Question on whether he was considered to replace Bob Welch.

Mason: "I have no idea."

interviewer: "So back then, when Bob Welch left, Mick never approached you? Way back then? It would have been in '75 – '74-75."

Mason: "No, no."

There is no mention of Bob in Mick's book episodes about the post Welch days. The only moment he mentioned was around 1983, when he recorded I'm Not Me, but Mason didn'd participate, he just mentioned him because Mason was living at the Blue Whale.

The Blue Whale was also known in our social circle as both the Ice Palace and Hotel Hell. It was sort of like a rock and roll boardinghouse, or a boys' clubhouse for about ten people almost like an updated version of Benifols. It grew into a hangout, a meeting place for lots of people; there were tons of the old blowski on the premises, and many days and nights of lost memories. Dave Mason lived in my guest cottage, and there was much great fun and comradeship. We also recorded an album there called I'm Not Me, which was the first manifestation of the continuing enterprise known as Mick Fleetwood's Zoo.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by Villavic

There is no mention of Bob in Mick's book episodes about the post Welch days. The only moment he mentioned was around 1983, when he recorded I'm Not Me, but Mason didn'd participate, he just mentioned him because Mason was living at the Blue Whale.

The Blue Whale was also known in our social circle as both the Ice Palace and Hotel Hell. It was sort of like a rock and roll boardinghouse, or a boys' clubhouse for about ten people almost like an updated version of Benifols. It grew into a hangout, a meeting place for lots of people; there were tons of the old blowski on the premises, and many days and nights of lost memories. Dave Mason lived in my guest cottage, and there was much great fun and comradeship. We also recorded an album there called I'm Not Me, which was the first manifestation of the continuing enterprise known as Mick Fleetwood's Zoo.

You and that book!

[Villavic]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

You and that book!

The book is in some corner of the house with its pages stained with moisture. Years ago a ledgie (can't remember who) shared it in txt file. I downloaded and keep it since then. So it's easy to look for any data with a fast find command of a related word.

Ken's and Carol Ann books are somewhere there too, but rarely check them. Actually I didn't enjoy Carol Ann's book that much.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by Villavic

The book is in some corner of the house with its pages stained with moisture. Years ago a ledgie (can't remember who) shared it in txt file. I downloaded and keep it since then. So it's easy to look for any data with a fast find command of a related word.

Ken's and Carol Ann books are somewhere there too, but rarely check them. Actually I didn't enjoy Carol Ann's book that much.

I still don't have Ken's book. I meant to bring Mick's second book(which I've had for years, but never opened) on the cruise I'm getting on in a couple hours, but I didn't have room in my bags.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by cbBen

2. Question on whether he was considered to replace Bob Welch.

Mason: "I have no idea."

interviewer: "So back then, when Bob Welch left, Mick never approached you? Way back then? It would have been in '75 – '74-75."

Mason: "No, no."

(Unlike Lindsey Buckingham, in 1974 Mason was bigger than Fleetwood Mac. He would have been foolish to join. It was only reluctantly that Lindsey joined.)

Fleetwood Mac actually opened for Dave Mason.

[BLY]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

I still don't have Ken's book. I meant to bring Mick's second book(which I've had for years, but never opened) on the cruise I'm getting on in a couple hours, but I didn't have room in my bags.

That s so funny, I brought Mick’s second book on a cruise I just got back from. I only read two of the chapters.