Nick Mason's Fictitious Sports is the debut solo album by Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason, released in May 1981 in the UK and the US. It was Mason's first major work outside of Pink Floyd.[3][4] It is sung by Robert Wyatt (formerly of Soft Machine), except for the opening song. All the songs were written by Carla Bley. The album (along with Profiles and the soundtrack to the film White of the Eye) was remastered and reissued on August 31, 2018 as part of the box set Unattended Luggage.[5]
| Nick Mason's Fictitious Sports | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1 May 1981[1] | |||
| Recorded | October 1979, at Grog Kill Studios, Willow, New York by Michael Mantler. mixed in December 1979 and May 1980 at Village Recorders & the Producer's Workshop, L.A. by James Guthrie | |||
| Genre | Jazz-rock, progressive rock, Canterbury sound | |||
| Length | 36:15 | |||
| Label | Harvest (UK) Columbia (US) | |||
| Producer |
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| Nick Mason chronology | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
Recording
editThe album was recorded in October 1979 but its release was delayed for almost two years.[6]
I made 'Fictitious Sports' more as an exercise. There's more longevity in 'Profiles'... it's strong enough to be accepted as a 'proper' record.
— Nick Mason, [7]
Originally, I had arranged to go to America and make an album using all sorts of material, but then Carla sent me a cassette with some of her ideas. It was very different from what she had done before and absolutely in line with what I like. So I thought it would be much better to do that than to struggle desperately to find things that work together.
— Nick Mason, [7]
Track listing
editAll songs written by Carla Bley.
Side one
edit- "Can't Get My Motor to Start" – 3:39
- "I Was Wrong" – 4:12
- "Siam" – 4:48
- "Hot River" – 5:16
Side two
edit- "Boo to You Too" – 3:26
- "Do Ya?" – 4:36
- "Wervin'" – 3:58
- "I'm a Mineralist" – 6:16
Personnel
edit- Nick Mason – drums, percussion, co-producer, assistant recording engineer
- Carla Bley – keyboards, songwriter, co-producer
- Robert Wyatt – vocals (except on "Can't Get My Motor to Start")
- Karen Kraft – lead vocal on "Can't Get My Motor to Start", duet vocal on "Hot River", backing vocals
- Chris Spedding – guitars
- Steve Swallow – bass guitar
- Michael Mantler – trumpets, recording engineer
- Gary Windo – tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, flute, additional voices
- Gary Valente – trombones, additional voices
- Howard Johnson – tuba
- Terry Adams – piano on "Boo to You Too", harmonica & clavinet on "Can't Get My Motor to Start"
- Carlos Ward – additional voices
- David Sharpe – additional voices
- Vincent Chancey – additional voices
- Earl McIntyre – additional voices
- James Guthrie – mixing engineer
- Hipgnosis and Geoff Halpin – cover design
References
edit- ^ "Pink Floyd official site".
- ^ Nick Mason's Fictitious Sports at AllMusic
- ^ Fictitious Sports at AllMusic
- ^ Fictitious Sports: Credits at AllMusic
- ^ Blistein, Jon (12 June 2018). "Pink Floyd's Nick Mason Preps Solo Albums Box Set". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
- ^ See: The credits on the album sleeve.
- ^ a b "The Amazing Pudding Reference Guide on Pink Floyd songs and records". Archived from the original on 11 September 2012.