We were lucky to catch up with Mason Nozik recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Mason, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

Every album has it’s own timeline, with highs and lows, but when I finally released ‘Proper Antidotes’ in December of 2023 I felt a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. Songwriting has become more difficult as I’ve gotten older, so as I pieced together my last album throughout the better part of three years, it attached itself to me in a way that previous projects hadn’t. There were moments I thought it might never be finished, or that it may be the last thing I’d ever record. However, those 10 songs became an outlet for my insecurities about my relationship to music, how my priorities have shifted throughout the last decade, and how anxiety creeps in to different aspects of my life. I found that the frustration and difficulties I faced during the making of the album were driving the themes and narrative of everything inside of it. All of that intertwined with what I consider my most mature and impactful instrumentation, production, and mixing I’ve ever done makes this project my proudest achievement. It was well worth the struggle, and I hope that others might find joy and meaning in it as well.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My life revolves around sound. I work in the live events industry as an audio technician for everything from high end corporate productions around the country, to music festivals and bull riding, to smaller local events and anything in between. This career sustains my personal life as well as my passion, which is creating music.

I found my way into the world of audio and music through my Dad. Growing up, he always had music playing around the house and he recorded his own songs at home throughout my early childhood. Around the age of 10 he taught me everything he knew on the guitar, and quickly enrolled me in the local School Of Rock where I developed into a better musician and performer. By middle school I was writing and recording original material, and eventually started a band that would last all the way through high school. After graduation I attended the Recording Arts & Technology program at Cuyahoga Community College, which elevated my skills in engineering and production immensely, leading to the release of my first solo album under the name Lone Thunder.

Lone Thunder is the name I use to showcase my art and my growth as a musician, songwriter, producer, and engineer. In the studio, Lone Thunder is a solo project, where everything you hear was written, performed, edited, and mixed entirely by me. Creating this way is very fulfilling and rewarding, despite the moments of isolation. On stage however, I have a wonderful and talented group of friends who help me bring these songs to a live audience, as the Lone Thunder live show ranges from solo or duo acoustic performances, to a power trio, to a full four-piece band. These shows give the music a new life where we use the studio recordings more as a reference rather than trying to perfectly replicate every track. So far I’ve released three albums and one EP under this name, and the nature of this project allows me to create whenever I feel motivated and inspired without having to rely on anyone else.

At this point in time, finding someone who is able to do the majority of the music making processes on their own isn’t rare. The tools and knowledge are more accessible than ever and I think that’s wonderful for people who have an itch to create something. However with that said, it’s become harder and harder to stand out, and I think what truly does that is one’s judgement. The thing that really sets me apart from other creators is my instinct when it comes to songwriting and producing, and the judgement I have toward what does or doesn’t work in a particular piece of music.

What I’m most proud of when I look at my accomplishments is seeing the through-line that ties everything together and having something unique and meaningful for those who want to listen. And for those who do listen, the main thing I want to express is that the music I create will always be the truest expression of who I am and what I’m capable of at that point in time. The fact that anyone gives there attention to what I make for even a few minutes is something I will forever be appreciative of.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Sometimes the thing you want to create isn’t necessarily the thing that’s fighting to get out. It’s very easy to approach a new record with a vision of what you want it to sound and look like, but very difficult to make that vision come to fruition. I’m at a point where I’m learning to pivot right now. After finishing my last album, I really wanted the next thing to be faster, darker, and bigger than anything I’ve done before, but I’ve found it very hard to get the ball rolling down that path. I’m now trying to just let the music come out naturally and not sway it in any particular direction because of some preconceived vision.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

This is something I ask myself every once in a while, and the answer has changed over time. Sometimes it’s that I want to create something I haven’t heard before that I wish existed. Sometimes it’s simply that I enjoy the process and have fun making music. But as time goes on, I’ve found that I think I do this out of admiration for others. I look at my favorite artists and the albums they’ve created, the live shows that they put on, and the overall look that’s associated with them and I just want a little piece of it. To feel like I’m running the same race as them. So I’ve gathered all of these tools and skills so that I can have fun creating something I wish existed, and get a small taste of what it might feel like to walk amongst those who inspire me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://fanlink.tv/lone_thunder
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lone_thunder
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lonethundermusic
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/lone_thunder
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCL4OD1QNzPJU2sKllOxuuQ

Image Credits

Laurence Nozik