Traffic

@ Wiki
Traffic was a rock band from Birmingham, England, formed in early 1967 by Steve Winwood with Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood and Dave Mason.

The group's distinctive sound, innovative recordings and collaborative songwriting approach influenced many other groups in the progressive rock genre in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Like many other groups of the period, Traffic was heavily influenced by the early recordings of The Band, and they also retreated to a country house (in Berkshire, England) at the beginning of their career in order to write and develop their material before making their live debut.

History
Winwood had become friends with his future band mates in the latter days of the Spencer Davis Group (which also hailed from Birmingham) and Capaldi, Wood and Mason are reputed to have performed (uncredited) on at least two Spencer Davis Group singles, "I'm A Man" and "Gimme Some Lovin'".

The four musicians often jammed together at a club called The Elbow Room in Aston, Birmingham. With Mason and Capaldi eager to form a new group, Winwood agreed to join the partnership along with Chris Wood and so the four members retreated to a secluded cottage in Aston Tirrold, Berkshire (now Oxfordshire) to rehearse. Their first official recordings together were made for the soundtrack of the 1967 British feature film Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush.

Traffic signed to Chris Blackwell's Island Records label (of which Steve Winwood's elder brother Muff Winwood later became an executive) and their debut single "Paper Sun" was a UK hit in mid-1967. The second single, Mason's psych-pop classic "Hole in My Shoe," was an even bigger hit, and it became one of their best-known tracks, but it set the stage for increasing friction between Winwood and Mason, the group's principal songwriters. Their debut album was Mr. Fantasy which, like the singles, was a hit in the UK but not in the U.S. or elsewhere.

Friction with Mason led to his departure from the group shortly before the release of Mr. Fantasy. Mason was content to avoid collaboration, a direct contrast with the lyricist/songwriter partnership of Capaldi and Winwood. During the time without Mason, Winwood had to play bass pedals in addition to playing keyboard and singing when the group performed live. The group also had difficulty maintaining a well-rounded repertoire of songs without Mason's strong songwriting ability.

Mason rejoined the band for their second album, Traffic, released in 1968.

The band began touring the U.S. in late 1968, which led to the following year's release of Traffic's next album Last Exit, with one side recorded live. During the tour, Mason was fired and Winwood announced the band's breakup. Winwood formed Blind Faith with Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Ric Grech which lasted only a year. The remaining members of Traffic began a project with Mick Weaver, the short-lived Mason, Capaldi, Wood, and Frog, which played a few live dates and recorded some BBC sessions, but broke up before releasing any formal recordings. During this period Winwood, Wood and Mason also contributed to the sessions for the landmark Jimi Hendrix double-album Electric Ladyland (1968).

After the split of Blind Faith in 1969, Winwood began working on a solo recording which eventually turned into another Traffic album (without Mason), John Barleycorn Must Die, their most successful album yet.

Traffic went on to expand its lineup in 1971 adding Ric Grech on bass, drummer Jim Gordon of Derek and the Dominos and percussionist Rebop Kwaku Baah. The live album Welcome to the Canteen was released in September and marked the band's break with United Artists Records. It did not bear the "Traffic" name on the cover, but instead was credited to the band's individual members including Dave Mason, returning for his third and final spell with the band. Mason played two songs from his recent solo album, Alone Together, and the album ended with a cover of the Spencer Davis Group song, "Gimme' Some Lovin'."

Following the departure of Mason, Traffic released The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys, an American hit that did not chart in the UK. Once again, personnel problems wracked the band as Capaldi began a solo career and Grech and Gordon left the band. Following Winwood's recovery from a long case of peritonitis, Traffic's sixth studio album Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory was another hit, recorded in 1973 with drummer Roger Hawkins and bassist David Hood taking Gordon and Grech's former spots.

When the Eagle Flies (1974) included bassist Rosko Gee. After this Traffic disbanded. Their breakup was followed by two compilations from United Artists (Heavy Traffic and More Heavy Traffic), both of which only drew from the first half of their output.

Capaldi and Winwood reunited as Traffic in 1994 for a one-off tour, and they recorded and released a CD of all-new material Far From Home, but it was made without Chris Wood, who had died in 1983 from alcohol-related causes. The flute/sax role on the tour was played by Randall Bramblett, who had never been a member of Traffic, but had worked extensively with Steve Winwood. The bass player for the tour was Rosko Gee. Michael McEvoy joined the line up playing keyboards, guitar and viola and Walfredo reyes Jr. played drums and percussion.

Traffic was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 15, 2004.

Tentative plans for another Traffic project were cut short by Jim Capaldi's death aged 60 in January 2005, ending the songwriting partnership with Winwood that had fueled Traffic from its beginning.

Dear Mr Fantasy was a celebration for Jim Capaldi that took place at the Roundhouse in Camden Town, London on Sunday 21st January 2007. Guests include Steve Winwood, Paul Weller, Pete Townshend, and many more. Dear Mr Fantasy featured the music of Jim Capaldi and Traffic and all profits went to The Jubilee Action Street Children Appeal.

Trivia
* Winwood and Mason were friends of Jimi Hendrix. Winwood played organ on the slower jam version of Voodoo Chile from Hendrix's double-LP Electric Ladyland and Mason played 12-string guitar on Jimi's version of All Along the Watchtower on the same album. Hendrix first heard Bob Dylan's Watchtower at a party he was invited to by Mason and decided to record a version the same night.
* Additionally, Chris Wood provided flute for 1983 (A Merman I Should Turn To Be). Coincidentally, 1983 would be the year of Wood's death.
* Every Traffic album displays the "Traffic symbol" somewhere on the front and/or back cover. On the album cover reproduced above, Chris Wood is pointing to it.

Discography
* Mr. Fantasy (first U.S. pressing issued with title Heaven Is In Your Mind) – 1967 US #8
* Traffic – 1968 US #17
* Last Exit (side 2 live at The Fillmore West) – 1969 US #19
* Best of Traffic (compilation) – 1969 US #48
* John Barleycorn Must Die – 1970 US #5
* Welcome to the Canteen (live) – 1971 US #26
* The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys – 1971 US #7
* Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory – 1973 US #6
* On the Road (live on tour in Germany) – 1973 US #29
* When the Eagle Flies – 1974 US #9
* Heavy Traffic (compilation) – 1975 US #155
* More Heavy Traffic (compilation) – 1975 US #193
* Smiling Phases (compilation) – 1991
* Far From Home (Winwood/Capaldi) – 1994 US #33
* Heaven Is in Your Mind (compilation) – 1998
* Traffic Gold (compilation) – 2005
* Last Great Traffic Jam (live) – 2005 =>>>>>>>>>>>

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John R Woodhouse @ Brum Beat

Last updated September, 2005
Jim Capaldi drums, percussion, vocals
Dave Mason guitar, bass, sitar, mellotron, vocals (left 1968)
Steve Winwood keyboards, guitar, bass, vocals
Chris Wood flute, saxophone, keyboards, vocals

This multi-talented West Midlands group gained international success in the late 1960s and early 1970s, particularly in the USA where they attracted a large following. In Britain, they are remembered mostly for some memorable and ground-breaking singles and albums that scored high chart placings during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Traffic was formed when Steve Winwood, who was the focal point of the Spencer Davis Group (see Spencer Davis Group), decided to move beyond the restrictions of the group and form his own band consisting of other Birmingham area musicians. Guitarist Dave Mason had been a member of the Worcester group The Hellions in the early 1960s along with drummer Jim Capaldi (see The Hellions). Jim Capaldi had continued with The Hellions who were re-named Deep Feeling after Dave Mason's departure and to help pay the rent, Dave worked as a roadie for the Spencer Davis Group. Saxophone/flute player Chris Wood who was born in Harborne, Birmingham on 24 June 1944, had been a member of the group Locomotive and previous to that, had been in Sounds Of Blue who later became Chicken Shack.

The four musicians would often get together on stage at a hip club called The Elbow Room on Aston High Street in Birmingham and it was there that the idea for Traffic was formed. With Dave Mason and Jim Capaldi eager to form a new band, Steve Winwood agreed to join the partnership along with Chris Wood and so the four retreated to a secluded (and reportedly haunted) cottage in Aston Tirrold, Berkshire in order to write and rehearse new material. The cottage was to become a place of legend as regular visitors included musicians such as Eric Burdon, Pete Townshend and Eric Clapton as well as Trevor Burton (of The Move) amongst many others. The new group was named Traffic (an action that prompted an obscure south London band called Traffic Jam to re-name themselves Status Quo) and was given full financial backing by Island Records boss Chris Blackwell who intended to promote the band to help the launch of Island Records as a major act label.

With Steve Winwood's involvement, the group was assured at least initial success and Traffic's first single Paper Sun was released in the summer of 1967. With production by Jimmy Miller and composed by Steve Winwood with Jim Capaldi supplying the captivating lyrics, the song was just right for the times and featured an Indian sitar played prominently by Dave Mason. The single reached No. 5 in the charts and brought the group to the forefront of the British psychedelic or "flower power" movement that was sweeping the country at the time.

The next Traffic single was even more adventurous and was composed and sung by Dave Mason. The song was supposedly inspired by a dream Dave had at the cottage (although certain substances he was taking may have also played a part) and the recording featured his innovative use of the Mellotron. Hole In My Shoe became one of the most memorable songs of the 1960s and captured the psychedelic atmosphere of 1967 with as much impact as The Pink Floyd's See Emily Play. It also established Dave Mason as a major songwriting talent with the recording reaching No. 3 in the British charts (years later, a version of Hole In My Shoe was recorded by Neil from the hit BBC TV comedy show The Young Ones with the song again making the top ten).

By November 1967, a third Traffic single entitled Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush had been released and was also used as the title track of a film which also included songs by Steve Winwood's previous band The Spencer Davis Group. Traffic's live shows at this time included a lot of on-stage jamming and improvisation as well as extended solos by the individual members - something quite unusual in Britain for a pop group in those days and an indication of things to come.

December of 1967 saw the release of Traffic's first album entitled Mr Fantasy which showcased the individual talents of the members and proved that Dave Mason, Jim Capaldi and Chris Wood were more than just a backing group for Steve Winwood. The album also showed Dave Mason writing as a separate entity and indicated a clash of songwriting styles with Dave Mason's melodic and commercial compositions contrasting alongside the more jazz-influenced songs of the other group members.

ossibly spurred by the success of Hole In My Shoe, Dave Mason left the group in December, supposedly to begin a solo career, only to rejoin the band in May of 1968. Traffic then recorded another successful self-titled album, to which Mason contributed the classic song Feelin' Alright, a composition that became much covered by other artists but Mason left again in October of 1968 and a few months later, the group activities ceased.

Fearing the worst, Island Records released a "new" Traffic album called Last Exit made up of leftover recordings, single B-sides, and some assorted live material. A compilation entitled The Best Of Traffic was also released. Meanwhile Steve Winwood teamed up with legendary guitarist Eric Clapton and drummer Ginger Baker and along with bass player Rick Grech, formed the much publicized and short lived "supergroup" Blind Faith. When that group split, Winwood joined Ginger Baker's new group "Airforce" which at one time had also included Birmingham musicians Trevor Burton (see The Move) and Denny Laine (see The Moody Blues). Mason, Capaldi and Wood tried forming another band called Wooden Frog but it was short-lived and had split up by March 1969.

In January 1970, Steve Winwood started work on a long-awaited solo album and was joined in the studio by Jim Capaldi and Chris Wood. The resulting sessions were so successful that Traffic was reformed minus Dave Mason and the album produced from the recordings entitled John Barleycorn Must Die was released as a group effort. The album was critically acclaimed and became a big seller.

After enlisting top session players to the line-up, Traffic toured both the UK and the USA where a live recording of their version of Gimme Some Loving (originally recorded by Steve Winwood's old band The Spencer Davis Group) made the charts. Further Traffic albums were released in the early 1970s and were big sellers, particularly in America where the group had a large following, but by 1974, Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi and Chris Wood were all concentrating on solo careers. Chris Wood died from liver disease in July of 1983 at only 39 years of age.

Jim Capaldi released his first solo album in 1974 and scored a top five hit in Britain in October of 1975 with Love Hurts. He has appeared on recordings by many other well known performers and has made several best-selling albums. Jim also occasionally collaborated with his former bandmate Steve Winwood which included a Traffic re-union in 1994. Jim Capaldi passed away on January 28, 2005 after a battle with cancer.

Dave Mason had moved permanently to the USA by the early 1970s and established a successful solo career there which apart from making top selling albums, included collaborations with Mamas & Papas singer Cass Elliot and occasional appearances with the 1970s line-up of Traffic. Despite battles with drugs and alcohol, he scored a big hit single in the States with We Just Disagree in the late 1970s and continues to record and tour there although he remains almost unknown in his native Britain where he is remembered mainly for his contributions as part of Traffic.

Steve Winwood appeared on recording sessions for many well known musicians throughout the 1970s and in 1981, began a predictably successful solo career. His 1986 album Back In The High Life received a Grammy Award for Album of the Year in the USA while hit singles such as Valerie and Higher Love have scored high chart placings in many countries. Although Steve Winwood has not enjoyed such a high profile in recent years, he remains a major talent on the world music scene and continues to record and perform today in between spending time at his farm in Oxfordshire.

Traffic were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2004.

Traffic 1960s Record Releases (highest U.K. chart position in brackets)

Singles:
Paper Sun/Giving To You (Island WIP 6002) 1967 (5)
Hole In My Shoe/Smiling Phases (Island WIP 6017) 1967 (2)
Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush/Coloured Rain (Island WIP 6025) 1967 (8)
No Face, No Name, No Number/Roamin' In The Gloamin' (Island WIP 6030) 1968 (40)
Feelin' Alright/Withering Tree (Island WIP 6041) 1968
Medicated Goo/Shanghai Noodle Factory (Island WIP 6050) 1968

Albums:
Mr. Fantasy (Island ILP 961/ILPS 9061) 1967 (8)
Traffic (Island ILPS 9081) 1968 (9)
Last Exit (Island ILPS 9097) 1969 =>>>>>>>>>>>

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@ Wilson @ Alroys's Record Review
Sometimes remembered as a self-indulgent 70s prog-rock act, Traffic at least started out with a distinctive 60s sound that owed much more to the Beatles, R & B, and folk music than to jazz, classical music, or navel-gazing psychedelic silliness a la Pink Floyd and Yes. The key elements were Steve Winwood's wailing, bluesy vocals, Jim Capaldi's gritty songwriting and drumming, and Chris Wood's sinuous flute and sax playing, which made them instantly recognizable. Thin on songwriting talent and lacking a genuine lead guitarist once co-founder Dave Mason quit, they still had a rock-solid sense of pop showmanship that carried them through a half-dozen enjoyable LP's. Ironically, Winwood's best effort may have been his collaboration with Eric Clapton on Blind Faith. That doesn't diminish the fact that Traffic was not only popular, but an influence on its British rock peers, ranging from Elton John all the way to King Crimson.

I've got a bunch of solo albums by ex-Traffic members, especially by Mason and Winwood, and I've listed the ones I know about just to give a rough impression of their large catalogue. Over the years Winwood and Capaldi have frequently guested on each other's records, with Mason off on his own and Wood having been essentially retired for many years prior to his death in the early 80s. The most bizarre twist of all hasn't been the moderately successful recent Traffic (= Winwood/Capaldi) reunion, or the death of Chris Wood, but Dave Mason's recuitment into the reincarnated, Stevie Nicks/Lindsey Buckingham-less Fleetwood Mac. Will wonders never cease?

There are official Steve Winwood and Jim Capaldi web sites, as well as an unofficial site called "Smiling Phases." There's also a good Dave Mason site with lots of biographical information. (JA)

Lineup: Jim Capaldi (drums, percussion, some vocals); Dave Mason (guitar, vocals, some bass, sitar, etc.); Steve Winwood (lead vocals, keyboards, some guitar, bass); Chris Wood (flute, sax, some keyboards). Mason quit, 1969. Jim Gordon (drums), Rick Grech (bass) and Rebop Kwaku Baah (percussion) added, 1971. Gordon and Grech replaced by Roger Hawkins (drums) and David Hood (bass), 1972. Rebop and Hawkins dropped, Hood replaced by Rosco Gee, 1974. =>>>>>>>>>>>

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William Ruhlmann @ All Music
Though it ultimately must be considered an interim vehicle for singer/ songwriter/ keyboardist/ guitarist Steve Winwood, Traffic was a successful group that followed its own individual course through the rock music scene of the late '60s and early '70s. Beginning in the psychedelic year of 1967 and influenced by the Beatles, the band early on turned out eclectic pop singles in its native Great Britain, though by the end of its first year of existence it had developed a pop-rock hybrid tied to its unusual instrumentation: At a time when electric guitars ruled rock, Traffic emphasized Winwood's organ and the reed instruments played by Chris Wood, especially flute. After Dave Mason, who had provided the band with an alternate folk-pop sound, departed for good, Traffic leaned toward extended songs that gave its players room to improvise in a jazz-like manner, even as the rhythms maintained a rock structure. The result was international success that ended only when Winwood finally decided he was ready to strike out on his own.

Steve Winwood (born May 12, 1948) first attracted attention when, at the age of 15, he and his older brother Muff formed a band in their native Birmingham, England, with Spencer Davis and Pete York, eventually called the Spencer Davis Group. They were signed by record executive Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records, and began recording in 1964. As the band's vocalist, Winwood received the lion's share of attention. By the time he and his brother quit the group in April 1967, the Spencer Davis Group had amassed four Top Ten singles and three Top Ten albums in the U.K., two of those singles also reaching the Top Ten in the U.S.

Still not yet 19 years old, Winwood formed Traffic with three 22-year-old friends who had played in lesser-known bands - drummer/singer Jim Capaldi (August 24, 1944 - January 28, 2005), singer/guitarist Mason (born May 10, 1944), and Wood (June 24, 1944 - July 12, 1983). In the spirit of the times (and despite Winwood's prominence), the group was intended to be a cooperative, with the members living together in a country cottage in Berkshire and collaborating on their songs. Blackwell quickly signed them and released their debut single, "Paper Sun," which peaked in the U.K. Top Five in July 1967 and also spent several weeks in the lower reaches of the charts in America, where Blackwell licensed it to United Artists Records, as he had the Spencer Davis Group's recordings.

Meanwhile, as Traffic recorded material for its debut album during the summer of 1967, its communal outlook was disrupted by Mason, who, unlike Winwood (a composer who needed help with lyrics and therefore tended toward collaboration), was capable of writing songs on his own and did so. The success of "Paper Sun" encouraged Blackwell to release a follow-up single quickly, and he chose as the most likely candidate among the songs Traffic had recorded so far "Hole in My Shoe," written and sung by Mason. It became an even bigger hit than "Paper Sun," almost topping the British charts in October, but that didn't sit well with Winwood, who felt it was unrepresentative of the sound he wanted for Traffic. The group's third single was "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush," the title song from a motion picture, which became their third British Top Ten hit in December, the same month that their debut album, Mr. Fantasy, was released. It, too, earned a Top Ten ranking in January 1968, but by then Mason had left Traffic. A fourth single, "No Face, No Name, No Number," culled from the album, made the British Top 40 in March, the month that Traffic debuted as a live attraction in the U.S., where Mr. Fantasy (initially titled Heaven Is in Your Mind) reached the Top 100.

Traffic encountered two problems as a trio. First, given its unusual instrumentation, it had difficulty onstage doing without a player like Mason, who could handle the bass guitar work. In his absence, Winwood was forced to fill in the bass sound by playing the organ's bass pedals with his feet while simultaneously playing the organ keyboards with his hands and singing. Second, without a prolific writer like Mason, the group had more difficulty coming up with enough new material to satisfy its contractual commitments. As a result, Winwood, Capaldi, and Wood reconciled with Mason, who rejoined Traffic in the spring of 1968 and contributed heavily to the band's second album, Traffic, writing half of the songs, among them "Feelin' Alright?," which went on to become a rock standard, particularly after Joe Cocker's 1969 cover version became an American Top 40 hit in 1972.

Traffic was released in October 1968, and the band went on tour in the U.S. to promote it. But just after the start of the tour, Winwood, Capaldi, and Wood fired Mason. Then, at the conclusion of the tour, Winwood withdrew, announcing the breakup of Traffic at the beginning of 1969. These events notwithstanding, the album reached the U.K. Top Ten and the U.S. Top 20. And breakup or no, Winwood was contracted to Island and United Artists for five albums, of which only two had been delivered. Thus, in April 1969, the labels released Last Exit, a collection of non-LP singles sides, outtakes, and live recordings. It was another Top 20 success in America.

Meanwhile, Capaldi and Wood rejoined Mason along with keyboardist Wynder K. Frog in the short-lived band Wooden Frog, which never recorded, and Winwood teamed with former Cream members Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker as well as former Family member Ric Grech (November 1, 1946 -- March 16, 1990) in Blind Faith. This highly touted supergroup made one album, Blind Faith, which topped the charts in the U.S. and U.K., and played one American tour before breaking up. Still owing his record labels two albums, Winwood began work on a solo record in early 1970, but quickly brought in Capaldi and Wood and turned it into a Traffic LP. John Barleycorn Must Die was released in June 1970. In the U.S., it was a gold-selling Top Ten hit; in the U.K. it reached the Top 20.

Embarking on extensive touring, Traffic expanded its lineup, adding Ric Grech on bass. In the spring of 1971, in anticipation of British and American touring, drummer Jim Gordon, formerly of Derek and the Dominos, was brought in, as was percussionist Reebop Kwaku Baah. Also joining for a handful of U.K. dates was Dave Mason, who had in the meantime become a solo star with his 1970 album Alone Together. The band was able to work off its contractual commitment with a live album from this lineup, Welcome to the Canteen, released in September. Re-signed to Island, which began releasing albums in the U.S. as well as the U.K., Traffic quickly followed in November with the studio album The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys, which reached the American Top Ten and sold a million copies, though, in an indication of the group's increasingly international focus, it didn't even chart back home in Britain.

A winter 1971-1972 tour was aborted by Winwood's poor health (he was later revealed to be suffering from peritonitis), and Grech and Gordon left the band, while Capaldi recorded his debut solo album, Oh How We Danced; it reached the American Top 100. In the fall of 1972, with Winwood recovered, Traffic convened to record a new album, adding drummer Roger Hawkins and bassist David Hood, members of the studio band at the famed Muscle Shoals recording studio. (Keyboardist Barry Beckett, another Muscle Shoals alumnus, played with the band live.) Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory, released in January 1973, reached the American Top Ten and went gold. The world tour that promoted it was chronicled on Traffic -- on the Road, released in October 1973.

At the end of the tour, the Muscle Shoals musicians returned home and Kwaku Baah also left Traffic, which recruited bassist Rosko Gee. Capaldi released a second solo album, Whale Meat Again, in the summer of 1974; "It's All up to You" from it reached the U.K. Top 40. With Traffic, he recorded a new album, When the Eagle Flies, released in September. It was the band's fourth consecutive studio album to reach the American Top Ten and go gold, and the group toured to support it, but at the conclusion of the tour Traffic silently disbanded.

With a headstart on a solo career, Capaldi scored a Top Five hit in the U.K. in 1975 with a cover of "Love Hurts" from his third album, Short Cut Draw Blood. (The single charted in the U.S., but lost out to a competing version by Nazareth.) Along with former Santana drummer Michael Shrieve, Winwood participated prominently in Japanese percussionist Stomu Yamashta's concept album Go, which made the Top 100 in the U.S. in 1976. In 1977, he finally made his solo bow, releasing the modestly successful album Steve Winwood. A three-and-a-half year silence ensued, broken by the 1980 release of Arc of a Diver, which hit the American Top Five and went platinum, paced by the Top Ten single "While You See a Chance." 1982's Talking Back to the Night was a commercial disappointment, but Winwood had the greatest success of his career with 1986's Back in the High Life, a multi-million seller that threw off four Top 20 singles, among them the chart-topping "Higher Love." In 1987, "Valerie," a remixed version of a song from Talking Back to the Night, hit the Top Ten. 1988's Roll With It was another multi-platinum seller for Winwood, with both the album and the title song topping the charts. But Refugees of the Heart (1990) was less successful. In 1994, Winwood announced a reunion with Capaldi (Wood had died of liver failure), who had continued to record solo albums with diminishing success. The two made a new album, Far From Home, and toured as Traffic during the summer. The album quickly reached the U.S. and U.K. Top 40, but did not sell well, and the tour also performed disappointingly, signaling another retirement of the Traffic name. Nevertheless, the 1967-1974-era band continued to enjoy significant status as a classic rock act, its albums earning CD reissues along with the release of compilations like Smiling Phases (1991) and Feelin' Alright: The Very Best of Traffic (2000). Capaldi's death on January 28, 2005, appeared to put an end to the band. =>>>>>>>>>>>

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William Ruhlmann @ Music.com

Though it ultimately must be considered an interim vehicle for singer/songwriter/keyboardist/guitarist Steve Winwood , Traffic was a successful group that followed its own individual course through the rock music scene of the late '60s and early '70s. Beginning in the psychedelic year of 1967 and influenced by the Beatles , the band early on turned out eclectic pop singles in its native Great Britain, though by the end of its first year of existence it had developed a pop-rock hybrid tied to its unusual instrumentation: At a time when electric guitars ruled rock, Traffic emphasized Winwood's organ and the reed instruments played by Chris Wood , especially flute. After Dave Mason , who had provided the band with an alternate folk-pop sound, departed for good, Traffic leaned toward extended songs that gave its players room to improvise in a jazz-like manner, even as the rhythms maintained a rock structure. The result was international success that ended only when Winwood finally decided he was ready to strike out on his own.

Steve Winwood (born May 12, 1948) first attracted attention when, at the age of 15, he and his older brother Muff formed a band in their native Birmingham, England, with Spencer Davis and Pete York , eventually called the Spencer Davis Group . They were signed by record executive Chris Blackwell , founder of Island Records, and began recording in 1964. As the band's vocalist, Winwood received the lion's share of attention. By the time he and his brother quit the group in April 1967, the Spencer Davis Group had amassed four Top Ten singles and three Top Ten albums in the U.K., two of those singles also reaching the Top Ten in the U.S.

Still not yet 19 years old, Winwood formed Traffic with three 22-year-old friends who had played in lesser-known bands -- drummer/singer Jim Capaldi (born August 24, 1944), singer/guitarist Mason (born May 10, 1944), and Wood (June 24, 1944 -- July 12, 1983). In the spirit of the times (and despite Winwood's prominence), the group was intended to be a cooperative, with the members living together in a country cottage in Berkshire and collaborating on their songs. Blackwell quickly signed them and released their debut single, "Paper Sun," which peaked in the U.K. Top Five in July 1967 and also spent several weeks in the lower reaches of the charts in America, where Blackwell licensed it to United Artists Records, as he had the Spencer Davis Group 's recordings.

Meanwhile, as Traffic recorded material for its debut album during the summer of 1967, its communal outlook was disrupted by Mason , who, unlike Winwood (a composer who needed help with lyrics and therefore tended toward collaboration), was capable of writing songs on his own and did so. The success of "Paper Sun" encouraged Blackwell to release a follow-up single quickly, and he chose as the most likely candidate among the songs Traffic had recorded so far "Hole in My Shoe," written and sung by Mason . It became an even bigger hit than "Paper Sun," almost topping the British charts in October, but that didn't sit well with Winwood, who felt it was unrepresentative of the sound he wanted for Traffic . The group's third single was "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush," the title song from a motion picture, which became their third British Top Ten hit in December, the same month that their debut album, Mr. Fantasy , was released. It, too, earned a Top Ten ranking in January 1968, but by then Mason had left Traffic . A fourth single, "No Face, No Name, No Number," culled from the album, made the British Top 40 in March, the month that Traffic debuted as a live attraction in the U.S., where Mr. Fantasy (initially titled Heaven Is in Your Mind ) reached the Top 100.

Traffic encountered two problems as a trio. First, given its unusual instrumentation, it had difficulty onstage doing without a player like Mason , who could handle the bass guitar work. In his absence, Winwood was forced to fill in the bass sound by playing the organ's bass pedals with his feet while simultaneously playing the organ keyboards with his hands and singing. Second, without a prolific writer like Mason , the group had more difficulty coming up with enough new material to satisfy its contractual commitments. As a result, Winwood, Capaldi, and Wood reconciled with Mason , who rejoined Traffic in the spring of 1968 and contributed heavily to the band's second album, Traffic, writing half of the songs, among them "Feelin' Alright?," which went on to become a rock standard, particularly after Joe Cocker 's 1969 cover version became an American Top 40 hit in 1972.

Traffic was released in October 1968, and the band went on tour in the U.S. to promote it. But just after the start of the tour, Winwood, Capaldi, and Wood fired Mason . Then, at the conclusion of the tour, Winwood withdrew, announcing the breakup of Traffic at the beginning of 1969. These events notwithstanding, the album reached the U.K. Top Ten and the U.S. Top 20. And breakup or no, Winwood was contracted to Island and United Artists for five albums, of which only two had been delivered. Thus, in April 1969, the labels released Last Exit , a collection of non-LP singles sides, outtakes, and live recordings. It was another Top 20 success in America.

Meanwhile, Capaldi and Wood rejoined Mason along with keyboardist Wynder K. Frog in the short-lived band Wooden Frog , which never recorded, and Winwood teamed with former Cream members Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker as well as former Family member Ric Grech (November 1, 1946 -- March 16, 1990) in Blind Faith . This highly touted supergroup made one album, Blind Faith, which topped the charts in the U.S. and U.K., and played one American tour before breaking up. Still owing his record labels two albums, Winwood began work on a solo record in early 1970, but quickly brought in Capaldi and Wood and turned it into a Traffic LP. John Barleycorn Must Die was released in June 1970. In the U.S., it was a gold-selling Top Ten hit; in the U.K. it reached the Top 20.

Embarking on extensive touring, Traffic expanded its lineup, adding Ric Grech on bass. In the spring of 1971, in anticipation of British and American touring, drummer Jim Gordon , formerly of Derek and the Dominos , was brought in, as was percussionist Reebop Kwaku Baah. Also joining for a handful of U.K. dates was Dave Mason , who had in the meantime become a solo star with his 1970 album Alone Together. The band was able to work off its contractual commitment with a live album from this lineup, Welcome to the Canteen , released in September. Re-signed to Island, which began releasing albums in the U.S. as well as the U.K., Traffic quickly followed in November with the studio album The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys , which reached the American Top Ten and sold a million copies, though, in an indication of the group's increasingly international focus, it didn't even chart back home in Britain.

A winter 1971-1972 tour was aborted by Winwood's poor health (he was later revealed to be suffering from peritonitis), and Grech and Gordon left the band, while Capaldi recorded his debut solo album, Oh How We Danced; it reached the American Top 100. In the fall of 1972, with Winwood recovered, Traffic convened to record a new album, adding drummer Roger Hawkins and bassist David Hood , members of the studio band at the famed Muscle Shoals recording studio. (Keyboardist Barry Beckett , another Muscle Shoals alumnus, played with the band live.) Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory , released in January 1973, reached the American Top Ten and went gold. The world tour that promoted it was chronicled on Traffic -- on the Road, released in October 1973.

At the end of the tour, the Muscle Shoals musicians returned home and Kwaku Baah also left Traffic , which recruited bassist Rosko Gee . Capaldi released a second solo album, Whale Meat Again , in the summer of 1974; "It's All up to You" from it reached the U.K. Top 40. With Traffic , he recorded a new album, When the Eagle Flies , released in September. It was the band's fourth consecutive studio album to reach the American Top Ten and go gold, and the group toured to support it, but at the conclusion of the tour Traffic silently disbanded.

With a headstart on a solo career, Capaldi scored a Top Five hit in the U.K. in 1975 with a cover of "Love Hurts" from his third album, Short Cut Draw Blood . (The single charted in the U.S., but lost out to a competing version by Nazareth .) Along with former Santana drummer Michael Shrieve , Winwood participated prominently in Japanese percussionist Stomu Yamashta's concept album Go , which made the Top 100 in the U.S. in 1976. In 1977, he finally made his solo bow, releasing the modestly successful album Steve Winwood . A three-and-a-half year silence ensued, broken by the 1980 release of Arc of a Diver , which hit the American Top Five and went platinum, paced by the Top Ten single "While You See a Chance." 1982's Talking Back to the Night was a commercial disappointment, but Winwood had the greatest success of his career with 1986's Back in the High Life , a multi-million seller that threw off four Top 20 singles, among them the chart-topping "Higher Love." In 1987, "Valerie," a remixed version of a song from Talking Back to the Night , hit the Top Ten. 1988's Roll With It was another multi-platinum seller for Winwood, with both the album and the title song topping the charts. But Refugees of the Heart (1990) was less successful. In 1994, Winwood announced a reunion with Capaldi (Wood had died of liver failure), who had continued to record solo albums with diminishing success. The two made a new album, Far From Home , and toured as Traffic during the summer. The album quickly reached the U.S. and U.K. Top 40, but did not sell well, and the tour also performed disappointingly, signaling another retirement of the Traffic name. Nevertheless, the 1967-1974-era band continued to enjoy significant status as a classic rock act, its albums earning CD reissues along with the release of compilations like Smiling Phases (1991) and Feelin' Alright: The Very Best of Traffic (2000). =>>>>>>>>>>>

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Traffic band member Capaldi dies @ BBC Founding member of 1960s band Traffic Jim Capaldi had died of stomach cancer at the age of 60, his family announced on Friday. Traffic, which also featured Steve Winwood in the line-up, scored hits with Paper Sun and Hole in My Shoe. The band were inducted into the American Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame in March 2004. Artists including Eric Clapton, George Harrison and Paul Weller all worked with Capaldi on his solo material. Capaldi died at a London hospital in the early hours of Friday morning, surrounded by his family including his wife and two children. Capaldi's friend and long-time manager John Taylor, said: "He was one of the most influential songwriters, not only of his generation but in the history of popular music culture. "He attacked life with energy and passion and left a rich legacy. He leaves a benchmark for today's writers and musicians to emulate." Charity work Capaldi was the drummer with Traffic and he also wrote many of their hits, with album sales topping 25 million. The band split in 1979 but they got back together in 1993 to record a new album, Far From Home. Born in Evesham, Worcestershire, Capaldi was close friends with Bob Marley, travelling with him as he wrote his Catch a Fire album. Capaldi was married to Brazilian-born Aninha in 1975, a campaigner for the Brazilian street children's charity Jubilee. Aninha escorted Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife Cherie during their official trip to Rio de Janeiro. =>>>>>>>>>>> ============ blogprock ============

Dave Mason

@ Wiki
Dave Mason (born David Thomas Mason, May 10, 1944) is a musician, singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Worcester, England, who first found fame with the rock band Traffic. In his long career, Mason has played and recorded with many of the era's most notable musicians, including Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, George Harrison and Mama Cass Elliot. Mason's best known song is "Feelin' Alright", recorded by Traffic in 1968 and covered by dozens of artists, including Joe Cocker, who had a major hit with the song in 1969. For Traffic, he also wrote "Hole in my Shoe", a kind of psychedelic satire that became a classic in its own right. "We Just Disagree", Mason's own 1977 solo hit, has become a staple of Oldies and Adult Contemporary radio playlists.

Musical career
Mason's tenure with Traffic was disjointed. He co-founded the group, but left following the recording of their debut album, Mr. Fantasy (1967), only to rejoin halfway through the sessions for their next album, Traffic (1968), after which the band broke up. Last Exit (1969), a compilation of odds and ends, features little material by Mason apart from his song "Just For You." Traffic would later reform without Mason, although he briefly toured with the band in 1971 as captured on Welcome to the Canteen.

Mason was a good friend of legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix, whose career was launched in England in 1967. Hendrix first heard the song "All Along the Watchtower", by Bob Dylan, at a party he was invited to by Mason, and promptly decided to record his own version. That night he recorded the song at Olympic Studios, South West London, with Mason playing acoustic guitar. It was released on the Electric Ladyland album in September 1968. When the song came out as a single in October, it hit #5 on the UK Singles Chart and was a Top 40 in the U.S.

After Traffic, Mason pursued a moderately successful solo career. In the mid-late 1970s, he toured and recorded with guitarist Jim Kreuger, keyboardist Mike Finnigan, bassist Gerald Johnson and drummer Rick Jaeger. He also recorded a well-played version "All Along the Watchtower" on his self-titled album, Dave Mason, in 1974. The 1976 album, Certified Live is a display of Mason's songwriting, arranging, vocal and guitar talents. In 1977, Mason had his biggest hit with "We Just Disagree", written by Jim Krueger. Reaching #12 on the Billboard Hot 100, it was later successfully covered by country singer Billy Dean.

For a brief period in the 1990s, Mason joined Fleetwood Mac and released the album Time with them in 1995.

In 2002, he released the DVD, Live At Sunrise (Dave Mason). It featured a live performance at the Sunrise Theater in southeast Florida, backed by Bobby Scumaci on keyboards; Johnne Sambataro on rhythm guitar (who rejoined Mason for the DVD, after previously touring with him in 1978); Richard Campbell on bass and Greg Babcock on drums.

At one time, Mason lived in the Ojai Valley in California. As of 2005, he is currently performing about 100 shows a year with the Dave Mason Band across the U.S. and Canada.

Philanthropy
Mason is a proponent of music education for children. In 2005, he signed on as an official supporter of Little Kids Rock, a non-profit organization that provides free musical instruments and lessons to children in public schools throughout the U.S. He sits on the organization's board of directors as an honorary member.

Discography
Albums
* 1970 Alone Together
* 1971 Dave Mason & Cass Elliot
* 1972 Headkeeper
* 1973 It's Like You Never Left
* 1974 Dave Mason
* 1975 Split Coconut
* 1976 Certified Live
* 1977 Let It Flow
* 1978 Mariposa De Oro
* 1980 Old Crest On A New Wave
* 1987 Two Hearts
* 1987 Some Assembly Required

Singles
* 1968 "Little Woman"
* 1970 "Only You Know and I Know" US #42
* 1970 "Satin Red and Black Velvet Woman" US #97
* 1977 "So High (Rock Me Baby and Roll Me Away)" US #89
* 1977 "We Just Disagree" US #12
* 1978 "Let It Go, Let It Flow" US #45
* 1978 "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?" US #39
* 1980 "Save Me" US #71
* 1988 "Dreams I Dream" (duet with Phoebe Snow) US Adult Contemporary #11 =>>>>>>>>>>>

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@ Fleetwood Mac
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 (Perfect) 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.

Dave's career at Columbia was rather stormy. He enjoyed only one major hit, and after seven years and seven albums, he called it quits with the Columbia record label. Oddly enough, while his record sales were extremely low, he was still selling out Madison Square Garden and other huge venues. In the eighties, Dave did beer ads for Miller as well as acoustic tours with Jim Krueger (the writer of his hit single "We Just Disagree.") Dave later stopped touring altogether and went into seclusion at his friend's guesthouse-- that friend was Mick Fleetwood.

In 1987, Dave went back into the studio and recorded Some Assembly Required and Two Hearts. The latter featured Steve Winwood and Phoebe Snow. Although not a classic, this album put Dave back in business. He continued to tour through 1993, before he joined Fleetwood Mac. Dave did a brief solo tour to bid farewell to his solo career; since then he has toured with Fleetwood Mac for the summers of 1994 and 1995, and contributed to their release, Time. He has since left the band and does occasional shows on his own. =>>>>>>>>>>>

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@ Fleetwood Mac Legacy
Dave was born David Thomas Mason in May 10, 1946 in Worcester, England. He started his career at the age of 15 when he joined an instrumental Shadows/Ventures-like band called The Jaguars. They released two singles,.one in 1963 of which only 500-1000 copies were pressed and one in 1965 (one year after the band had broken up). Both of these singles are considered extremely rare.

Dave joined a band called The Hellions in 1964. The band included a childhood friend of his -- drummer/vocalist Jim Capaldi. They released three singles on Pye Records. Then he was in a short-lived band called Deep Feeling that recorded some great music -- although unfortunately none of it ever got released. There had been a misprint on a Various Artists album called “Rock Generations Vol. 8” which claimed to contain some Deep Feeling tracks. Unfortunately it wasn't them. It was really a band named The Mark Leeman Five.

After he left Deep Feeling, he became a roadie for the Spencer Davis Group. That's where he met Steve Winwood. Soon after he and Winwood got together with Dave's childhood friend Capaldi and multi-instrumentalist Chris Wood (who was previously in Sounds of Blue, the band Christine Perfect played bass in). They soon formed the legendary band called Traffic. Although the band was highly successful, there were intense clashes between Mason and Winwood. Winwood wanted the band to write songs together whereas Mason preferred to write on his own and submit songs when he was ready. As a result of the conflict, Mason left Traffic in December 1967 and didn't rejoin the band again until May 1968. Dave wrote some of his best known songs during these times -- classics such as “Hole in My Shoe” and “Feelin’ Alright”.

Traffic finally did end up breaking up for good in 1969 due to Winwood's desire to join what was to be a short-lived supergroup called Blind Faith. Mason decided to join forces with the other Traffic members to form a band of their own. They called themselves Mason, Wood, Capaldi, & Frog. Frog, by the way, was keyboardist Mick Weaver, who went by the name Wynder K. Frog in the newly formed band. A BBC Transcription disc did surface of the band opening up a Jimi Hendrix Experience show at the Royal Albert Hall where Mason actually joined Hendrix on stage. This was documented in a film called “Experience” and its audio portions have shown up on assorted Hendrix albums of those Albert Hall recordings. But other than the aforementioned boots, there has never been any legally released material from that band.

In between Traffic stints, Mason did some very impressive session work appearing on Hendrix’s “All Along The Watchtower” & “Crosstown Traffic” from Jimi’s classic “Electric Ladyland” album. Dave was actually interviewed on the "Classic Albums: Electric Ladyland” DVD for his appearance on that album. He also played on The Stones “Street Fighting Man” from their “Beggars Banquet” album and produced and played on Family’s debut album “Music in a Dolls’s House”.

Even after the separation and discord, it ended up that Mason did tour with Blind Faith -- just not in their band. Ironically he was on their tour but as a guitarist in Delaney & Bonnie’s band (Blind Faith's opening act) And Blind Faith's guitarist Eric Clapton was so inspired by what Delaney & Bonnie were doing that he ended up joined their band after Blind Faith broke up. This line up recorded the landmark album “Delaney & Bonnie and Friends: On tour with Eric Clapton”.

Soon after, Dave settled in the US permanently and recorded what many still believe to be his best solo album to date, “Alone Together”. One of the first friends he made when he came to the US was Cass Elliot (known as Mama Cass from the Mamas and the Papas). They joined forces on the “Dave Mason and Cass Elliot” album the following year. Cass was excited about the new duo’s future but Dave apparently only saw their collaboration as a one off project. Their whole partnership was plagued by record label red tape anyway so Dave surprised everyone at this point by rejoining his old band Traffic (which Winwood had reformed minus Mason after Blind Faith’s demise) in the summer of 1971.

This new Traffic lineup lasted just 6 gigs but that was enough to produce the impressive live album “Welcome to the Canteen”. Dave returned to the US and planned on continuing his solo career with a double album, one including live material of old favorites and a studio album of new material. Legend has it that Dave attempted to renegotiate his contract at this point with his label, Blue Thumb, and that after they refused to give him more money, he then took the master tapes he was working on with him and tried to sue the label. While the legal wrangles dragged on, Blue Thumb used their two track tapes of what Mason had recorded as their masters and released an album called “Headkeeper” (consisting of one side studio material -- one side of concert recordings). Blue Thumb then released the rest of the live material (with some overlaps) on the 1973 “Dave Mason Is Alive” album. Mason referred to these albums as “bootlegs” in the press during his battle with Blue Thumb.

The fighting continued through 1973. Due to his not being able to work during the legal battles, he then filed for bankruptcy which ironically through a loophole, got him out of his Blue Thumb contract. So, through an odd series of events he was now free to sign with major label Columbia Records who had been wanting to sign Dave for a long time. The downside in all of this was that now he felt rushed by Columbia to get records out fast. As a result he says of feeling pressured, he had to hastily record many covers and sub par songs -- the result being less than stellar releases during those years. Although he still was able to sell out large venues as Madison Square Garden in 1980, Columbia Records dropped him after the “Old Crest On A New Wave” album ran its course.

Dave spent the early to mid 80’s battling drug addiction. He found refuge hibernating in the guest house of his neighbor and friend, Mick Fleetwood. Save for an unplugged style video concert release in 1981 and the odd TV appearance, Dave didn’t return to recording until 1987 when the Canadian label Maze had Dave record an album called “Some Assembly Required”. Though the record didn't sell well, it did seem to get him a deal later that year with Voyager Records, an MCA affiliate. As a result came the more high profile “Two Hearts” album which included guest appearances from prominent artists like Phoebe Snow (whom Dave had worked with before on her standout 1974 self titled album). The album also featured a collaboration with Dave's ex-bandmate Steve Winwood, who by then had become a well known solo artist in his own right. Unfortunately, their musical reunion was short-lived.

Dave continued his hard touring schedule. His tireless efforts paid off with some exposure in Japan with a few TV specials. But then he was deflated to hear the news of the passing of his long time friend and musical collaborator Jim Krueger. Dave had worked with Jim quite often since they first met in 1974. Jim also wrote Dave’s biggest solo hit to date, “We Just Disagree” (from his smash 1977 album “Let It Flow”).

At this point Dave felt he needed a change to escape the lifestyle that reminded him of his lost friend. And it was also at this time that Dave’s pal Mick Fleetwood was having trouble finding a replacement for Rick Vito who had just left Fleetwood Mac. After talking with Dave one day, Mick joked about how poorly the auditions were going to find Vito's replacement..."If things get any worse, I might have to ask you to join!”-- to which Dave shocked Mick by responding...“Oh I’d love to be in your band Mick!” Mick was thrilled to learn that he was actually serious. In 1993 Dave Mason became a member of Fleetwood Mac.

This new Fleetwood Mac lineup started touring Europe and the States -- but all before they had a new album in stores to promote. The release of "Time" was delayed for so long that by the time the album finally got released 1995 the tour was over. Dave contributed two songs to "Time", "Blow By Blow" and "I Wonder Why".An entirely different version of "Blow by Blow" had appeared on the album “Soccer Rocks the Globe” one year before. Unfortunately for this hard-working hard-touring lineup of Fleetwood Mac, the new album didn't sell well. The hardcore Rumours-era fans didn't take to their new interpretations of the old Mac classics like "Gold Dust Woman", "Don't Stop", "Say You Love Me" and some others.

In 1997, it had been reported that Dave was going to join Ringo Starr’s All Star Band but by all accounts, he pulled out of the project at the last minute.

It’s hard to know how Dave would’ve been able to manage it anyway due to his commitments to Fleetwood Mac in 1994, but he was very hurt about not being asked to rejoin Traffic for their 1994 “Far From Home” album. But nonetheless, he did get together again with Jim Capaldi and went out on tour in 1998. In 1999, a live album chronicling that tour was released called “Live - The 40,000 Headmen Tour”. In 2000 a CD was sold on-line and at shows which included further Mason solo concert recordings and a new studio version of the old Traffic song “(Roamin’ thro’ the gloamin with) 40,000 Headmen” featuring Capaldi.

Dave’s non-stop solo touring continues to this day. He has released most of his 1981 unplugged concert (previously titled “Dave Mason in Concert” -- this time called “Live at Perkins Palace”) on DVD and CD as well as a powerful 2002 Florida show on CD and DVD called “Live at Sunrise”. =>>>>>>>>>>>

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DAVE MASON: "Rock And Roll is an Attitude... Not an Age"

By Bob Ruggiero @ The Dave Mason [March 2006]
Dave Mason is one of classic rock’s most underrated artists. The versatile singer, composer, and guitarist has never really gotten his due, and he’s often overshadowed by more famous contemporaries.

Born on May 10, 1946 in Worchester, England, the teenaged Mason gigged in bands like The Jaguars, The Hellions, and Deep Feeling. Caught up in the creative music and social vortex that was the English rock scene of the day, he co-founded the seminal jazz/jam rock group Traffic in 1967. Later, there was a successful solo career through the ’70s and early ’80s that also saw him playing with other artists both in the studio and on stage.

In 2004, Dave Mason was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Traffic with bandmates Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, and (posthumously) Chris Wood. Although the ceremony wasn’t free of controversy, it was an overdue honor.

As he turns 60 this year, Mason continues to perform regularly around the country and recently co-founded RKS Guitars. The company aims to produce affordable axes for the masses. Then there’s the new studio record - nearly 20 years after the last one - that he hopes to put out which he promises will be worth the wait.

Classic Rock Revisited recently spoke with the affable Dave Mason at his home in California, in between a string of live dates.

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Ruggiero: There’s a saying at the top of your web site: “Rock and Roll is an attitude…not an age!” With the exception of mega-stars like the Stones, Clapton, and McCartney, some people seem to think that rock artists of a certain age should be retired or banished to the oldies circuit.

Dave Mason: I don’t know about that. When I was younger, I liked a lot of artists who were older. The issue isn’t age, it’s authenticity.

Ruggiero: Rolling Stone just ran a story about a trend that is seeing a lot of teenagers today turn on to classic rock because they’re looking for something more substantive than the fluffy pop, sampled rap, and whiny “punk” bands. Do you see this at your live shows?

Mason: Yeah! I have a lot of kids whose parents bring them. And a lot of 14-17 year old kids are just looking for something different. It’s like if you leave a suit in the closet long enough, pretty soon it will become fashionable again.

Ruggiero: Another way the music of classic rock artists is out there today is on satellite radio. I have a Sirius, and there are literally six different channels that play your songs. I heard one of yours today that you would never hear on a terrestrial classic rock station.

Mason: That’s how it was in the beginning of FM radio, you’d hear all kinds of stuff, and there was a personality behind the microphone. Satellite radio is great, because there’s a big disconnect with [terrestrial] radio today. The music has become a backdrop to sell things by. And why don’t they play any new music by classic rock artists? I don’t understand that.

Ruggiero: I’ve got to ask up front about the Hall of Fame ceremony. After Traffic’s induction, Steve, Jim, and a Paul Schaffer’s house band started playing “Dear Mr. Fantasy” - but you weren’t onstage with them. What happened?

Mason: Well, Winwood said “We’re going to play this song and we’re going to play it exactly like the record,” which I played bass on. And I said “Wait a second…I’m 58 years old and I haven’t played bass since I was 19!” It wouldn’t be the same song, it wouldn’t have to be the same song. I mean, [Traffic] was a band that improvised and jammed!

Ruggiero: But who is “they?” You’re the inductee.

Mason: That would be Mr. Winwood. Mr. Winwood through his manager. I never spoke to him once about the whole thing. And it’s unfortunate, because the three of us should have gone on tour right after that for the last time. And now it’s too late. [Jim Capaldi was diagnosed with cancer a few months after the ceremony and died in January 2005].

Ruggiero: So Jim came down on Steve’s side when it came to the induction performance?

Mason: Evidently!…And it wasn‘t a question that there was no input from anybody else, but that‘s the way it was going to be. It was, OK, in my mind if [Winwood] wants to turn it into the Steve Winwood show, that’s fine, whatever…Frankly, I thought if we were going to do it, what would have been great is if Steve and I played lead guitar and got up there and just blazed away and had a little guitar battle. Made it fun! Then I said I’d play rhythm guitar, and they said that wasn’t gonna happen.

[Note: In a letter on his web site after the ceremony, Mason wrote “It seems that we’ve all become sidemen for Steve Winwood, which he seems to reinforce in all his interviews.“ Mason did get to lead the massive show-closing all-star jam on his most recognizable tune “Feelin’ Alright.”]

Ruggiero: Going back to the beginning, at what point in your life did you realize that music was going to be your career and not just a hobby or a weekend thing?

Mason: I kind of made up my mind about that very early on. I didn’t know how I was going to do it, but I knew that I would. I wasn’t going to go work 9 to 5 in an office somewhere. Actually, the thing I really wanted to do was join the Royal Air Force! But I just have no head for math - I couldn’t wrap my head around that. So my guitar became my plane. Actually, it was kind of like my magic carpet! I just had to put my mind to it. And then there was all these other bands at the time: The Shadows, The Ventures. Bands were coming out of everywhere.

Ruggiero: I know in England, musicians Alexis Korner and Cyril Davies are often credited with really starting that British jazz and blues boom that morphed into a more rock sound. And they mentored a lot of players.

Mason: Yes, them and Georgie Fame, Chris Farlowe, John Mayall. Jazz in particular for the most part was still very popular in Europe, much more so than in America. It’s America’s own music, and it’s a shame that it’s not more popular and there aren’t more jazz clubs around.

Ruggiero: You started off, I believe, as the road manager for the Spencer Davis Group…

Mason: Not really started off. That was after I had been playing with Deep Feeling. We had done a record for Pye that didn’t go anywhere. Then I worked with Jackie DeShannon and Don Covay. [The members of Traffic] had all been hanging out together for a few years anyway and Steve said “I’m going to leave Spencer Davis.” I even had to step in for him at one show.

Ruggiero: You had an on-again, off-again participation Traffic, though, quitting and then rejoining a few times over a number of years. [Mason appeared on the debut Mr. Fantasy, follow-up Traffic, loose-ends compilation Last Exit, and later, the live Welcome to the Canteen]. What predicated this?

Mason: The stuff I was writing was more accessible and pop (i.e. “Hole in My Shoe,” “Feelin’ Alright,” “You Can All Join In.”), and most of my stuff was getting [rejected]. And of course, that was a problem. And there was a parting. They said “We don’t really want to go in that direction.” But those [varying musical differences] was what made that band great. I thought to have a song that was popular would draw people to the whole record to see what else was going on. So it wasn’t a question of whether I wanted to leave, but I was asked to leave.

Then Winwood left and me, Jim, and Chris Wood tried to put something together and even did a few shows. There some footage of us playing at the Royal Albert Hall with Hendrix. I did some recording with him, picked up some work on [The Rolling Stones’] Beggar’s Banquet, sang on the Beatles’ “Across the Universe. I also produced a band called Family. But then I’d decided “to heck with this,” and in 1969 [at age 23] I put my guitar in a bag and got on a plane and came to America.

Ruggiero: Your first solo record, Alone Together, is one of your strongest releases and a lot of people’s favorite. Had all those songs been pent-up for awhile?

Mason: No. They were songs written about over a two-year period. I didn’t fall off the plane with them!

Ruggiero: The next record was an unlikely collaboration that had you co-billed with Cass Elliot of the Mama and Papas. How did that come about?

Mason: When I got to America, one of the only people I knew was Gram Parsons of the Flying Burrito Brothers. So I slept on his couch for awhile and we went up to Cass’ house one day and there was another couple living there that I knew from England. So I was there a lot and Cass and I ended up hanging out together, and we said “Let’s do a record together. Why not?”

Ruggiero: You had some legal problems with your first label [Blue Thumb] after awhile and ended up signing with Columbia for It’s Like You Never Left. It ended up being another really strong record. Did you feel like you had to start all over yet again?

Mason: Well I know a lot about starting over again.

Ruggiero: When the single “We Just Disagree” [written by late longtime backup guitarist Jim Krueger] off Let It Flow became a big hit in 1977, it seemed to peg you to the first-time listener as a soft rocker, a sound you continued with Mariposa de Oro. Do you have somewhat of a love/hate relationship with that song?

Mason: Not at all. It’s a great song. But if people just want to pay attention to one thing, that’s up to them. It’s more a question about what a song says to them, and that song [must have] said a lot to people…or they used in their divorces!

Ruggiero: When my wife and I were dating as teenagers, she once broke up with me in my car…and that goddamn song was playing on the radio!

Mason: (Laughs) Oh no! Well, what can I say?

Ruggiero: You’ve put out several live releases in the past few years, but the last actual studio record was 1987’s Two Hearts. For me, as a diehard fan, it’s the one big black mark on your discography because the heavy, heavy synthesizers make it sound cheesy, and the kind of weak songs don’t sound at all like you.

Mason: Yeah.

Ruggiero: Once you put out a record, do you every go over in your head what you’d do differently?

Mason: Sure, but it’s out. There’s a bunch of things I’d do differently on my records. Everything but the new album I’ve got.

Ruggiero: What are your plans to release it?

Mason: I’ve got to try and put it out the right way so it’s just not another record coming out. I’ve got to get my head above the crowd and find a way to market it. I don’t want to just sell it on the web site…and I really thinks it’s the best thing I’ve ever done.

Ruggiero: You’ve played on a lot of other artist’s records. What was it like doing George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass?

Mason: Well, I’d known George for awhile and we hung out. He gave me my first sitar and played Sgt. Pepper for me before it came out. So it was just an [extension] of our friendship.

Ruggiero: The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s Electric Ladyland?

Mason: I had met him at a club. And when Traffic was done, there was talk of me joining the Experience on bass because he was having problems with Noel Redding at the time. So I played on “All Along the Watchtower” and sang on “Crosstown Traffic.” And there’s some other tracks that I played bass on. Someone’s got them somewhere!

Ruggiero: You’ve also had a lot of guests on your records. Stevie Wonder played a memorable harmonica break on “The Lonely One” from It’s Like You Never Left.

Mason: I’d met him before, and he even played drums on an unreleased version of “Headkeeper.” He was doing Songs in the Key of Life at the time and I went down to where he was recording and asked him. I only played it a couple of times for him, and then he [nailed] it!

Ruggiero: And last but not least…how did Michael Jackson end up singing the chorus on “Save Me” [from 1980’s Old Crest on a New Wave]???

Mason: (Laughs) Well, I was in one studio and he was across the hall recording Thriller! I had that song and thought it would be cool of someone could sing that really high part, so I thought I’d just go over there and ask him. I thought he’d just do this harmony part and he ended up doing this whole great thing and putting his own [spin] on it. He also told me that when he was 12, he did “Feelin’ Alright” on a Diana Ross special!

Ruggiero: And of course, that is your most famous and best known song, written when you were just a lad of 19! It’s been covered so many times over the years. Do you have a favorite version?

Mason: Well, it would have to be Joe Cocker’s. The only other person I would have loved to hear do it was Ray Charles.

Ruggiero: In concert, you often call it your “Energizer Bunny” of songs, and it’s been in a lot of movie trailers and soundtracks. Now, it’s even on a TV cat food commercial!

Mason: That’s right. It just keeps going!

Ruggiero: Has their ever been a request to use it that you’ve turned down?

Mason: More by acquiescence. I actually don’t own the publishing on that song.

Ruggiero: One last question. Before Jim Capaldi passed away, the two of you co-wrote an as-yet unreleased song called “How Do I Get to Heaven?” It was featured late last year during the end credits of a Barbara Walters ABC special about heaven. How did that happen?

Mason: I was at home in California and one of my sisters came in and told me about the special, which was airing the next week. We tried to call the production people in New York, but couldn’t get through. So I called another woman I knew who worked at NBC for a long time, and she wouldn’t take no for an answer. Next thing I know, my assistant is on the phone with the woman and she’s got Barbara Walters’ producer on the line!

He told me to call him back in five minutes. So I did and played the song over the phone for him, and he liked it a lot. Then he said “Guess what music I happen to be playing in my office right now?” And I said “What?” And he turned it up…it was “We Just Disagree!” =>>>>>>>>>>>

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Dave Mason

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