Danny Mason is a local legend and he walks that way and he talks that way. He is friendly but somehow a little sure his game is that much better and when you follow Danny through a bar or a club, he is like royalty among the commoners. He is just a little better though.
Better at?
Drumming for one thing. Which he does in various bands throughout Chapel -the night I met with Danny (unfortunately, the bar we did the interview in was so loud it was impossible for me to transcribe), he had already played two concerts with two different bands and much ater in the night he would be playing in a third, the one I am here to discuss, Shit Horse.
Shit Horse are the jewel in Odessa Records, Paul Finn says if the band doesn’t break it is due to borderline racism.
Paul may have a point. Fronting a four piece band that includes American In France’s Josh lajoie, the man is a dynamic, overwhelming presense. Danny has been playing in bands since he was fourteen and he fronts with all the energy and stamina of a man half his fifty years. The words rush out of him in a string of strange and oddly beautiful imagary “Twelve horses when you die” is typical obscure yet meaningful.
Mason discusses listening to the bands music, taking the mic, and improvising the lyric, the way a hip hop artist over a beat, these rush filled words like Biggie meets patti. It Is a meeting of different world that danny has been building towards for decades and his relationship, almost mentoring, certainly one of huge respect, allows him to take a concept and tear it up and rewrite it on the spot.
On stage you can’t take your eyes off Danny is he dives upon the stage and off the stage, as he dances and twirls and prophecies and the cassette, They Shit Horses, Don’t They, which they play live plus “Flush It Away” -off the Odessa compiliation.
The songs, Shithorse, are a contradiction in forms: art rock front by a hardcore soul man.
It sounds like a man who is railing at his dreams and his dreams are masculine, muscular, worried and rebellious.
Mason is an enormously gifted guy (youtube him for some more revelations), a legendary local figure banging down the doors of heaven.
Danny Mason was one of the first guys I ever played out in public with way back at an open mic in 1992. He has taught me to be a musician, as he has schooled countless others over the years. If I could have half the heart, talent, and ability Danny has that would exceed all my dreams. I have seen him do amazing shit over the years with virtually everyone in this little town with such a wealth of talent.
To this day I don’t know why this man with so much to offer the world is not known to everyone. It has improved my life knowing him. I love Danny like a brother, and agree with every kind word in this article.
Danny is indeed a local legend, never met a stranger, just a cool ass cat. Nice to see him get some sunshine, a great spirit walking the streets at night, drumsticks in hand.