March 23, 2007
Willy Mason

C = Cath, W = Willy

C: So can we start off with a brief history of how you got into music? I know your parents are both musicians, but were they your main influence in pursuing it?
W: No. The first time I started playing in a band was after I saw a local band play at a coffee house, called Cavity Search. It was one of my best friend’s older brother’s bands, but I had never seen a rock show before. It was in a little coffee shop, an all ages show, but people were crowd surfing. It was a lot of fun.

C: What other artists influence you in making music?
W: Besides all the local bands and my parents, the biggest ones have been Nirvana, Rage Against The Machine, Johnny Cash, John Lee Hooker, Hank Williams, Frank Zappa, The Everly Brothers, Talking Heads, Radiohead, and Nas.

C: You just released your second full-length album. How would you compare it to older work of yours?
W: We spent more time making it. I think it’s a little bit more mature than the last record was in some ways, and maybe less in other ways. That’s the best I can do.

C: I know your record has only been out in the U.S. for a couple days, but it’s been out in the UK for a couple weeks now. What reaction have you been getting from your fans?
W: In England it’s been positive so far. People seem to really like the record and it is selling well. One person said that they were an insomniac, and that when they heard ‘If the Ocean Gets Rough’, they fell right to sleep. That felt really good.

C: In February you did a house party tour in the UK. Can you give a little background on it? What inspired it?
W: I wanted to play house parties for a long time because it just seemed like the natural thing to do. I used to play a lot of house parties back home and my parents used to throw a lot of house parties with music. People were always asking me to come play their houses after shows and I didn’t have time to do it. Then I heard of this band called Whisper Town Two Thousand that actually did a house party tour, and I said, “What am I waiting for? I want to do it now.” So I sent a letter out to my mailing list, saying for anyone who wanted to have a house party to write me a letter. I picked them and decided what route I was going to take and had a good time.

C: You mentioned that you wanted to do it again sometime. Does that mean you want to do it again overseas, or here in the U.S.?
W: Everywhere, but definitely in the United States. I did a short one in the U.S. once, but I didn’t have enough time. England is good, but I also want to keep seeing new places. I want to start in the U.S. and then maybe do something in Europe, on the continent, anywhere else that I get an offer.

C: You were just in the Bay Area last month playing at the NoisePop Music Festival. How did that go?
W: It went pretty well. I was really tired because I had been very busy working, doing promotion stuff for the record label, and that was the first show I played at the end of all that stuff. But, the crowd was so cool and I had a really good time anyway.

C: What do you like most and least about touring?
W: The best thing is being away from home and the worst thing is being away from home. Those are the two main things.

C: In a radio session that you did last year, you mentioned something about wanting to invest in a 15-passenger school bus. Do you still have plans or hopes to do that?
W: Yea, something of the sort. I’m still trying to decide if a school bus is the best choice. It’s perfect in a whole lot of ways but it also tends to go really slowly and use a lot of gasoline, a lot of diesel. But I want something to that nature... mobilize myself.

C: What do you think of the music industry today? Would you change anything if you could?
W: I think the record industry spends too much money. It affects the creative process because there’s too much at stake all the time. It stifles people. So that’s what I would change – just do it cheaper, and then the pressure is off.

C: If there was one point you could get across to anyone who listens to your music, what would it be?
W: Enjoy yourself.

C: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
W: I have no idea.

C: If you were stuck on a deserted island and had the opportunity to bring 3 things with you, what would they be?
W: A desert island? So there is nothing on it?
C: Let’s assume food and water was covered.
W: So it’s for enjoyment and entertainment. I’d need to be able to write stuff down, so I’d probably bring a pen and a piece of paper. I would want to play music, so I’d bring a small guitar. I don’t think there’s a third thing I would bring. I can’t think of anything.
C: You could bring a person if you want.
W: I’d bring another person then. Well probably, but then you’re stuck with somebody on a desert island. I wouldn’t want to drag somebody to a desert island out of selfishness.

C: If you had to give one sentence as to why people should listen to your music, what would it be?
W: Because it’s pretty good.

C: That was my last question. Any closing statements?
W: Nope.