We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Nick Mason a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Nick thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

When I decided to learn a musical instrument there was never the idea of “self taught.” With my parents it was “if you want to learn you have to take lessons.” End of story. So I got signed up for private percussion lessons at school and joined the orchestra. A couple years of that and my passion for heavy rock music took over, and I transitioned to drum set. Again, taking private lessons every week. I continued with my lessons well into adulthood, as I am a firm believer that you can never learn too much. My lessons also focused on the more “formal” part of education. There was no “jamming” involved. It was very regiments with rudiments, technique, reading, writing, theory. Ya know, the “boring stuff.” But that’s the important stuff!

With any art, you get out of it what you put in. The more you practice, and the discipline you are about it, the faster you’ll progress.
I wish I had been a little more disciplined when I was younger, and focused on the boring stuff more, but I was more interested in getting in a band and getting out on the music scene. I could have been so much better at a younger age. Thankfully I learned my lesson and buckled down later in order to insure my career would thrive.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m what you would call a “hired gun.” In the music industry. I perform, record, and teach drums for a living, and have been fortunate enough to do so for my entire adult life. I first started out playing in rock bands in my local scene when I was in high school. By the time I was in college I was relatively known around town, and started to branch out, playing in bands that traveled a bit more, and did road gigs.
It was around this time I also began teaching private lessons and doing fill-in work for bands and songwriters that needed a drummer on maybe a temporary basis. I leaned into that more and while I still had “my bands,” I also would get hired out to do recording sessions and tours for other artists. This was something I’ve continued to do until this day, and has been my primary source of income for many years.
Currently I tour around the world with a wide variety of rock bands throughout the course of the year. When not on the road I have a private recording studio for session work, as well as private instruction. Thanks to modern technology I have the ability to teach a lesson, or record drums for anyone in the world.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I think one of the best things people can do is just go experience new art. We all love the music we grew up with, but don’t limit yourself. Go out to a local venue, spend the $10 and see what people are making today. You may be surprised at what you can discover.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

The dedication and sacrifice it takes to really pursue this career can be difficult for anyone outside that lifestyle to understand. Many people don’t get why you spend 8 hours a day practicing, or why you’re okay with sleeping in a van, or on someone’s couch. But we as the artists know that this is sometimes what it takes.
It’s all about the payoff, and I don’t mean financial reward or fame. The payoff is that hour you get to be on stage and physically create music for others to enjoy. That one hour where you can showcase the long difficult hours it took to get there. THATS why we are okay with gas station dinners, washing socks in a hotel sink, and being torn away from friends and family for long periods of time. Often missing many life events, births, weddings, funerals, all because we get that hour to share ourselves with others.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.livingdeaddrummer.com
• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/livingdeaddrummer
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/livindeddrummer
• Youtube: http://www.YouTube.com/livingdeaddrummer