Dave Mason, Then and Now

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Sun May 20, 2007 1:47 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPyZhLIbgu8

Then

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Sun May 20, 2007 1:48 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nb_O2LfyxAw&mode=related&search=

Now

winston · Post by **winston** » Sun May 20, 2007 9:21 pm

And here's what "Dear Mr. Fantasy" is supposed to sound like. This is pretty much the way I play and sing it. It goes without saying that I like Steve Winwood's version much better than Dave's luke warm attempt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvT_f_lVyNQ&mode=related&search=

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Mon May 21, 2007 1:59 am

Me too, but I also like Dave's original stuff. Heck, he wrote Feelin Alright!

winston · Post by **winston** » Mon May 21, 2007 5:48 am

Agreed Charly. He's a great songwriter and guitar player.

I recall reading somewhere that he played some parts on the Electric Ladyland album and possibly even the rhythm part on All Along the Watchtower for Jimi Hendrix.

loendmaestro · Post by **loendmaestro** » Mon May 21, 2007 10:18 am

His "Alone Together" album is a fantastic record. Woefully overlooked IMHO.

rick12dr · Post by **rick12dr** » Mon May 21, 2007 7:03 pm

Mason Is the acoustic rhythm on "Watchtower"...
He also did his own cover of it for years.

winston · Post by **winston** » Mon May 21, 2007 7:41 pm

Thanks for the confirmation Don. I thought that was the case.

studiotwosession · Post by **studiotwosession** » Tue May 22, 2007 6:23 am

Proof the baseball hat look is always bad, double when worn backwards.

D.M. gets a pass though. He was my first concert ever, a double bill with Bob Welch during those few moments when Welch had split from Fleetwood Mac and was a solo star, though I think Welch headlined. This would have been '74 or '75.

Opening was a band that I'd never heard of, Clover. They were a hard rocking bar band that looked like a bunch of leather clad bikers. They had a lead singer who blew a mean harp. Decades later, thanks to Behind the Music, I found out this exact same band (save the leather gear, facial and other hair down to their butts) was Huey Lewis and the News.

lyle_from_minneapolis · Tue May 22, 2007 6:40 am

Dave got around...here is some other info I found surfing:

"Dave Mason is primarily known for his work in the band Traffic. His relation to Fleetwood Mac can be traced back to the early mid-1960s, when he was a roadie for the Spencer Davis Group, which featured Stevie Winwood. (Christine McVie was at one time Spencer Davis's girlfriend, and a Spencer Davis groupie.) While still in Art College, Christine was in a band called Shades of Blue, which also featured Stan Webb, Andy Sylvester, and a sax player named Chris Wood. Mason was also in a band that opened for the Spencer Davis group. The drummer of the group was Jim Capaldi. After an American tour, Capaldi and Mason joined forces with Winwood and Wood to form Traffic.

Upon leaving Traffic several years later, Mason joined Delaney & Bonnie & Friends. After opening for Blind Faith (which featured Winwood and Eric Clapton), Clapton joined Delaney and Bonnie. After a few months and Clapton's solo album, Eric and Dave stole the Delaney and Bonnie rhythm section and piano player to form Derek and the Dominoes. Dave left shortly thereafter, and signed to Blue Thumb. His first solo album was entitled Alone Together. He followed up with a duet album with (Mama) Cass Elliot. Dave then did a short stint with Traffic, and started working on another album."

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Tue May 22, 2007 6:46 am

I have pretty much followed his and Steve W's careers. Traffic was my fave for quite a while!!

shamustwin · Post by **shamustwin** » Wed May 23, 2007 4:26 am

I recall reading once Jimi Hendrix saying DM was his favorite guitarist.

Maybe I was in a Purple Haze at the time.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Wed May 23, 2007 1:31 pm

I've always liked him, I had "Dave Mason is Alive" many years ago and saw him at the Orpheum Theatre in Boston sometime during the mid 70's, was very good live. Also loved early Traffic.