The cult of Ray

A tribute for Northampton's Mason

Cellars by Starlight by Brett Milano

When it comes time to write his life story, Ray Mason's going to have an easy time summing it all up. "I was born. I started playing in the mid '60s. I'll keep playing until I die. That's it. Kind of a simple life. I'm going to go until I drop, and I'll go down face-forward, hitting one of those big twangy chords."

Mason isn't just a rock-and-roll lifer but a man who truly lives for the stuff. He's equally obsessive as a fan and player. "My back room is just full of records, and I listen to music all the time. I still have 45s that I've been playing since 1959. When I go to sleep at night I think of about 40 or 50 albums that I'd like to hear. Then I wake up and listen to something else."

Like many local players, he started by distributing homemade demo tapes and evolved to a position of indie-label cultdom. The only difference is that Mason, who turns 49 this year, started distributing those tapes back in 1982. And his indie career -- which includes '60s roots in Holyoke-based garage bands and a stint as bass player with fusionaire Michael Gregory -- now covers three decades.

"He was an indie-rocker before that phrase was coined," notes Pete Weiss, the local artist/producer who's one of 18 contributors to the new Ray Mason tribute album, It's Heartbreak That Sells (Tar Hut). The tribute coincides with the release of Mason's new band album, Castanets (on his own Wormco label). "I grew up in Holyoke," Weiss explains, "so I've known him since I was a kid -- I always looked up to him as the guy that could really do it. And I liked his persistence. Not that Ray's that old, but he's a few years older than me. So when I was 15, I just admired him for sticking to it and staying true to his craft."

It's Heartache That Sells proves that Mason's regard goes well beyond western Massachusetts. Although many of its contributors hail from that area (Steve Westfield and Cheri Knight are the biggest names), there are also some familiar names from Boston (Charlie Chesterman, Incredible Casuals) and beyond. New York alterna-country honcho Eric Ambel leads off the disc with the title track, which comes out sounding like a John Doe ballad. And one of Mason's best-known tunes, "Missyouville," is handled by his sometime touring partners, Ohio roots-rock oddballs the Ass Ponys.

"We played a few shows with his band and really admired him," Ass Ponys frontman Chuck Cleaver acknowledges from his home in Bethel, Ohio. "They're fuck-ups and we're fuck-ups, so we got along. I suppose we're kindred spirits because we both play crummy, falling-apart guitars -- not because it's hip to like Silvertones now, we just love to play the damn things. Not to sound hoky, but he's a down-to-earth guy and that's excellent. Plus he's a good songwriter, and that's an oddity these days. I think his stuff is classic and well written. We'd actually been doing `Missyouville' before this album came up. And we're both big record collectors. On tour he'd always bring up some obscure thing and I'd say, `Yeah, I got that.' And everyone else would be saying, `What a couple of freaks.' Plus, he's an old guy and so are we. So what's not to like?"

Mason himself seems a little embarrassed by the attention. For him, getting the tribute album was like being thrown a surprise party -- you can tell your friends are up to something, but you're not sure what. "I wasn't supposed to know it was happening, but even my wife was in on it. And people leaked it to me -- I'd hear things like, `Someone just recorded one of your songs -- was it for that tribute thing?' Sure, it's a flattering thing that all these people wanted to do my songs. They could have said no. And who knows, maybe some people did. I like hearing the different approaches on the album -- the King Radio song is almost Cars-ish. And Eric Ambel's track sounds like Chris Whitley to me. I think my own version sounds wimpy by comparison."

Given the time Mason's put in, it seems silly to conclude he's finally coming into his own, but Castanets suggests that's indeed the case. Its songwriting surpasses what's on the tribute album. In the past Mason's been so much a music fan that even his best songs sounded like rewrites of something else. But here he's got a more distinctive voice. It helps that he currently has a hot band including a couple of former Scud Mountain Boys, whose countryish sound suits his voice better than the pure pop of old.

"Over the years I've been considered power-pop or rootsy-rock, and they've both been true. But I always call the band a rock-and-roll band. The perfect example for me would be NRBQ, the kind of swing they have. They put the roll with the rock for sure." And they share Mason's veteran status. "I've been in for the long haul since the '60s. I never went to college, I just got out of high school in 1968 and went on tour with a band, the Buck Rogers Movement. I can remember playing six nights a week in Rock Island, Illinois, six sets a night, 9 p.m. to 3 a.m."

So it's surprising that Mason didn't wind up in a bigger music town, even a nearby one like Boston, to further his career. "I lived in Boston for about a year once, but otherwise I never saw the reason. I have some good friends here, and I don't know if moving would have done me much good anyway."

So he's content to be a big fish in a small pond? "Yeah, but I'm not a big fish. I'm just a guy who plays music."

ANTI-NEMO SHOW

Announcing the start of a NEMO backlash: the folks at Tar Hut are getting together with local manager Joyce Linehan to throw the Boston area's first anti-NEMO show, this Wednesday (the 21st) at the House of Blues. Tar Hut buzz band King Radio will open; they'll be followed by a songwriters' roundtable with Joe Pernice, Bob Egan (steel guitarist and Wilco sideman), and Sub Pop artist Mike Ireland -- all told, the week's best local alterna-country showcase.

Jeff Copetas of Tar Hut says he was none too pleased about the surcharge NEMO was asking. "They were all excited about getting a Tar Hut Records showcase going and we pretty much came to an agreement that it was going to happen, until they first told me it would cost us $750, then a week later told me that it was a $1000 charge. No wonder they were excited, huh? So we said, hell no. You'd think that the folks at NEMO might be interested in -- God forbid -- helping out a local indie label a little bit."

SLEEPYHEAD'S VAN

Play a long guitar jam, go to jail . . . or at least get your van towed. That almost happened to Sleepyhead, who were in the middle of a guitar meltdown during a set at T.T. the Bear's Place two weeks ago and playing so hard they didn't notice that a couple of their friends were gesticulating frantically in their direction. And they definitely didn't notice that the cops were about to impound their van, which was parked illegally outside the club. Their producer and label owner, Eric Masunaga, came to the rescue by catching their attention, getting their keys, and moving the van, all without disrupting the jam.

MINDFLOW

In one of the neater uses of new technology we've heard, the local hippie-esque outfit Mindflow are letting fans customize their own versions of the group's forthcoming live album. Mindflow will be recording three shows beginning this weekend, and buyers of the disc will then be able to choose any 10 songs in any order from the shows. They'll also get custom liner notes, with a personal thanks to the buyer and anyone else the buyer wants to thank. Mindflow will be recording one show a month through June. Fans can have notebooks ready when the first one takes place at the Lansdowne Street Music Hall this Saturday.

COMING UP

All 19 of the bands on the new Bubbling Under compilation will be playing the Linwood over the next two nights, beginning tonight (Thursday) with Science Park, Caged Heat, and more. Also tonight, Mistle Thrush are at the Middle East, Corey Harris plays the House of Blues, the Grits, Coots, and Sayhitolisa are at the Lansdowne Street Music Hall, Evelyn Forever and Banjo Spiders are at the Lizard Lounge, and Jill Sobule plays the Milky Way . . . Tomorrow (Friday) begins the Gravel Pit's CD-release extravaganza at T.T. the Bear's Place, with Wheat and Jules Verdone. Sparklehorse are at the Middle East with Varnaline, the Latin Playboys are at the Paradise, buzzed-about songwriter Rose Polenzani is at the Lizard Lounge, and the Bubbling Under party continues at the Linwood with Driveway, the Ape Hangers, and the David Crosby Killers . . . More Gravel Pit at T.T.'s Saturday with the Figgs and the Gravy. Mary Lou Lord and Macha are at the Middle East, Memphis rowdies Big Ass Truck are at Johnny D's, and reggae's Wailing Souls are at the House of Blues . . . Little Feat guitarists Paul Barrere and Fred Tackett play acoustically at Johnny D's Sunday, and Neil Young is at the Orpheum . . . Rick Berlin celebrates his birthday at Jacques Monday . . . And on Tuesday it's the Sterlings at the Milky Way and the Creatures at Axis.