Mason

In retrospect, something about the power-trio format lent itself towards the late-sixties, early-seventies era in rock, particularly hard-rock, music. Maybe three people producing such a loud roar was indicative of a period when teenagers felt they might sound their specific voices individual from any identification within a more substantial group. The music of rings such as for example Cream, Jimi Hendrix Encounter, Grand Funk Railroad and Hill were essential themes for younger rings from the Richmond-Norfolk-Virginia Seaside area of Virginia. Among the 1st recorded rings from that area was the trio Mason, a slim unit come up with by Steve Arcese (body organ, bass, vocals), Jim Galyon (guitars, flute, saxophone, vocals), and powerhouse drummer Morgan Hampton. They culled English hard-rock influences with an increase of immediately available musical models such as for example seaside music and American R&B and started playing local phases Peabody’s Warehouse as well as the Dome, in addition to ubiquitous weekend gigs within the proliferative Lover area of Richmond, which on any provided night will be host towards the rings of Bruce Springsteen (Metal Mill) and Bruce Hornsby in addition to acts such as for example Short Combination and Lynard Skynard. Mason, nevertheless, was the only person of these groupings that had documented an record, Harbour, released in 1971. By that time, 3 years in to the band’s lifetime, they would consistently pull five to 1000 fans to some performance, which fan base just progressed on the following few years to the idea that Mason was executing concerts to viewers upwards of 15,000 by 1973. By 1974, though, Mason split up without ever having obtained the commercial achievement of a few of their local contemporaries.