Dave Mason says Rock Hall induction with Traffic still a bad memory

Dave Mason says that over four years after being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of Traffic, the way the night played out for him still leaves a bad taste in his mouth. Mason told azcentral.com that the 2004 Rock Hall induction ended with him not joining his bandmates on stage, recalling, "Steve (Winwood) was basically dictating that I play bass and we do it exactly like we did the record, which is like, 'Excuse me?' Why would we do it exactly the same, when part of being Traffic was that we were a jam band? We would stretch out and change. I said, 'Why don't we just get up there and have me and you play electric guitar?' From the point of view of an audience, how cool would it have been for us all to have been up there doing it? So it was kind of weird."

Mason says that Winwood and Traffic co-founder Jim Capaldi's need to recreate the way the track was recorded was ridiculous: "They were somewhat insistent that, 'Well, we have to do it like the record.' But I think, you know, my point is clearly shown when they finished the whole show with my song 'Feelin' Alright.' I mean, there was a guitar-fest going on up there that was crazy (laughs), and, you know, and Steve's on piano, and Jim (Capaldi) is on congas, and Jackson (Browne) sang a verse. And that's the spirit it should have all been done in."

Mason is back out on the road and prepping his first new album in 20 years. He says that he's performing all his classic hits on the current tour -- including "Only You Know And I Know," "We Just Disagree," Traffic's "Dear Mr. Fantasy," as well as the band's "Feelin' Alright" -- although he doesn't necessarily think of it as a Traffic standard anymore: "Of course, I do 'Feelin' Alright,' I just don't think of that one as a Traffic song. It's been covered by so many people and Joe Cocker's version is really the most well-known, so I kind of forget that it was originally on the second Traffic album."

Dave Mason co-formed Traffic in 1967 with Winwood, Capaldi, and Chris Wood. Mason left after the band's first album, 1967's Mr. Fantasy and left after it's release. Mason rejoined halfway through their second album, 1968's Traffic, after which the band temporarily broke up and reformed the next year without Mason.

Dave Mason tour dates (subject to change):
August 28 - Tucson, AZ - Fox Tucson Theatre
August 29 - Indio, CA - Fantasy Springs Resort Casino
August 30 - San Diego, CA - Anthology
September 11 - Maryland Heights, MO - Harrah's St. Louis Casino & Hotel VooDoo Lounge
September 12 - Palatine, IL - Durty Nellie's
September 13 - Keosauqua, IA - State Line Rally
September 19 - Cary, NC - Koka Booth Amphitheatre At Regency Park
October 5 - Glen Ellen, CA - B.R. Cohn Winery
October 8 - Milwaukee, WI - Northern Lights Theater
October 10 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
October 14 - Austin, TX - Antone's
October 16 - The Woodlands, TX - Dosey Doe
October 17 - New Orleans, LA - Harrah's New Orleans Theatre
October 18 - Natchez, MS - Great Mississippi River Balloon Race
November 7 - Las Vegas, NV - Santa Fe Station Hotel & Casino
November 11, 12 - Exeter, CA - Orange Blossom Junction
November 20 - Stuart, FL - Lyric Theatre
November 28 - Champion, PA - Seven Springs
November 29 - Collingswood, NJ - Scottish Rite Auditorium
November 30 - Uncasville, CT - Wolf Den
December 1 - New York, NY - B.B. King's Blues Club
December 3 - Ridgefield, CT - Ridgefield Playhouse
December 4 - Foxboro, MA - Showcase Live!
December 5 - Great Barrington, MA - Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center
December 6 - Atlantic City, NJ - House Of Blues
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