Nick Mason and his Fictitious Sports

[winkersnufs]

Hello Folks and Happy Springtime to all!

Tonight I had a listen to one I haven't enjoyed in years... Fictitious Sports by Nick Mason.
I've always liked this album and at one time had it on the original vinyl release. Now that I'm familiar with Steven Wilson/PT/Solo and while enjoying, this evening, the voice of Robert Wyatt especially on the last song 'I'm a Mineralist' - Was I finding interesting similarity between the underlying 'bookends' of 'Mineralist' and some of the musical aspects of Steven Wilson?

I think that we have given Fictitious Sports enough recognition and discussion. Let's do it!

Chris Buckley

[rcarlberg]

It's not really a Nick Mason album though is it. It's a Carla Bley and Robert Wyatt album, with Mason allowed to play on most of the tracks.

Like all Bley albums I find it occasionally charming but fairly incohesive.

[mogrooves]

Even with Wyatt, hit-&-miss for me. Some nice moments but mostly unsatisfying....

[arturs]

I remember when this came out our local "Record City" store had about 10 display bins along one wall filled with copies of Fictitious Sports. Must have sold a lot just from the PF connection. I wonder what all the Floyd fans thought of it?

[Casey]

As a PF fan, I picked it up soon after its release. I tried to like it but we never clicked. Still have it in vinyl in the attic. Probably haven't listened to it in 20 years. Maybe this weekend.

[Steve F.]

I like it, but as a Carla Bley album or as a Robert Wyatt album, it's nowhere near the top of their heap for my personal taste.

[SteveSly]

I remember when this came out our local "Record City" store had about 10 display bins along one wall filled with copies of Fictitious Sports. Must have sold a lot just from the PF connection. I wonder what all the Floyd fans thought of it?

I bought is for the Pink Floyd connection alone. I had no clue who Carla Bley was at the time. To say it was not what I expected would be an understatement. My musical horizons have expanded a lot over the years, but back then I gave it a couple of listens and sold it back to the used record store.

[happytheman]

I'd say I bought it for the Robert Wyatt connection as much as the Nick Mason connection.. I played it quite a bit at the time, the album certainly had it's moments for sure. Should still have vinyl copy somewhere.. wasn't one of those I looked to replace via CD when that format came around..

[rcarlberg]

wasn't one of those I looked to replace via CD when that format came around..

The CD is very very rare, or at least used to be. I made a CD-R copy of mine and sold the original for $50.

[Zeuhlmate]

'I'm a Mineralist' is a wonderful track !

[Casey]

Not long after this Nick was featured on a Michael Mantler album. Edwin Gorey artwork was featured on the album gatefold. I have in vinyl but, like "Fictitious Sports", I have listened to it in decades.

[Steve F.]

Not long after this Nick was featured on a Michael Mantler album. Edwin Gorey artwork was featured on the album gatefold. I have in vinyl but, like "Fictitious Sports", I have listened to it in decades.

I assume you are referring to The Hapless Child, but:

1. Nick Mason is not the drummer. It's Jack DeJohnette.
2. This pre-dates the Fictitious Sports album by at least 5 years.
3. IMO, it's a much better album than Fictitious Sports.

[Casey]

That's the one.

Was Mason the producer?

[Steve F.]

That's the one.

Was Mason the producer?

Engineer (probably of Wyatt's parts), and some other small credits.

[zravkapt]

Mason is the drummer on Mantler's 1987 Live album:

[soundsweird]

Replaced my LP with the CD many years ago, glad I got it knowing that it's now rare. Wyatt is the main reason I like it, though Carla Bley is always a plus, too.

[Progbear]

Another Carla Bley-related album you’ve got to hear is Kew. Rhone.

[mogrooves]

Proggaz would likely dig Bley's Tropic Appetites.

[jkelman]

I made a CD-R copy of mine and sold the original for $50.

Don't get me started..... !!!

[Scrotum Scissor]

I assume you are referring to The Hapless Child, but:

1. Nick Mason is not the drummer. It's Jack DeJohnette.
2. This pre-dates the Fictitious Sports album by at least 5 years.
3. IMO, it's a much better album than Fictitious Sports.

The Hapless Child is - IMHO - an absolute killer album; the writing, the performance (and Wyatt, DeJohnette, Rypdal especially), the general atmosphere. Would you believe I had a nanny read me Ed Gorey as a child, only to find out several years after I'd discovered Wyatt (et al.) that an essential musical interpretation of Gorey's work actually involved Wyatt's vox? Unreal. I still play this regularly, unlike Fictitious Sports.

[Mister Triscuits]

(and Wyatt, DeJohnette, Rypdal especially)

YES. Talk about your dream teams!

[Zeuhlmate]

Its a fantastic album !



And the CD is oop, rare and a bit expensive.

[R. Totale III]

I used to have a tape of a Carla Bley Band radio concert broadcast in Boston a couple of years before "Ficticious Sports" came out with her singing most of the songs eventually released on Mason's LP. As much as I love Robert Wyatt and am glad he got whatever dough he did for making the record, I think her voice was better suited to the material.

[rcarlberg]

What??? Wash your mouth with soap -- WYATT IS GOD!!!!

[Casey]

On that Mantler "live" video, is the guitarist Tim (or Rick) Fenn? If so, another collaborator of Nick Mason!

Listening to that "Hapless child" cut, I'm gonna have to go digging' in the attic tonight!