Mason, Nick - Fictitious Sports (CD)

Studio Album, released in 1981

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Can't get my motor to start (3:35)
2. I was wrong (4:10)
3. Siam (4:46)
4. Hot river (5:11)
5. Boo to you too (3:24)
6. Do ya ? (4:29)
7. Wervin' (3:55)
8. I'm a mineralist (6:14)

Total Time: 35:51

Line-up / Musicians

- Nick Mason / drums, percussion
- Robert Wyatt / vocals
- Karen Kraft / vocals
- Chris Spedding / guitars
- Carla Bley / keyboards
- Gary Windo / tenor, bass clarinet, flute
- Gary Valente / trombones
- Mike Mantler / trumpets
- Howard Johnson / tuba
- Steve Swallow / bass
- Terry Adams / piano, harmonica, clavinet
- Gary Windo, Carlos Ward, D. Sharpe, Gary Valente, Vincent Chancey & Earl McIntyre / additional voices

Nick Mason biography
Nicholas Berkeley Mason better known as Nick Mason was born on Januari 27, 1944. While studying architecture he got in touch with Roger Waters and Richard Wright. The three of them played together in Sigma 6, the Screaming Abdad's. Later on they joined forces with Syd Barret to form Pink Floyd. Mason is the only person to have remained with the band since then. Though being the drummer of Pink Floyd was his major concern, he did the production for prog albums of Robert Wyatt, Gong and Steve Hillage but he produced also other kind of music from Michael Mantler and punk band The Damned. Between the recording of The Wall & the Final Cut with Floyd, Fictitious Sports, his first solo album was released. The album was written by keyboardist Carla Bley. The line-up included also Bley's partner Michael Mantler, Chris Spedding. Most of the vocals were done by Robert Wyatt. Being a mixture of jazz & rock this album hasn't the Pink Floyd trademarks, except for some minor references. The complexity of the composition and the humorous elements in the lyrics makes it an interesting listen though. In 1985 Mason recorded an album with former 10cc guitarist Rick Fenn. This synthetic pop album is a typical product of its time and not very progressive. Maybe the single lie for a lie is interesting for the vocals of David Gilmour. Despite the fact that Mason would use many of the percussion techniques on the forthcoming Pink Floyd record, this album has little to offer to Floyd fans.

Review by Evolver
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Crossover & JazzRock/Fusion Teams

 

I imagine this album was a shock to Pink Floyd fans hoping for more Floydlike music from their drummer. But this is actually not a Nick Mason solo album. It's a Carla Bley album (whose band Mason occasionally recorded with. Fear not, Carla Bley writes some great, and often very funny rock music. And Mason does play drums on all of the tracks.

Can't Get My Motor To Start opens the album with a quirky upbeat song about a broken down car. It's fun and very funny. I Was Wrong follows, with Robert Wyatt singing as a skeptic who has an alien encounter.

The dirgelike Siam is next. With it's slow beat, you may think it's going to be the most Floyd- like track on the album. But on Hot River, Bley sounds like she was imitating Roger Waters' The Wall era style, complete with Great Gig In The Sky vocals.

Boo To You Too is an upbeat boogie, with more funny lyrics about how to deal with hecklers during a concert. Do Ya? is more typical of Bley's big band compositions, but with Wyatt singing odd lyrics about being misunderstood.

Wervin' is not bad. It's a repetitious song, with a good sax solo, with bizarre lyrics. I'm A Mineralist is the masterpiece on the album. It's a sendup of the minimalist music that was so popular in that decade. Brilliant.

If you are not expecting Pink Floyd, and open your ears, this is an extremely enjoyable album.