Pink Floyd is undoubtedly one of the greatest rock bands of all time. They built a foundation of psychedelic rock music and came out with such a unique sound that you can instantly recognize.
Therefore, Nick Mason’s (Pink Floyd drummer) name rings a bell for most of you, whether you are a drummer or not. As a drummer for Pink Floyd since the beginning and one of the band’s founders, Mason has a long and successful career behind him.
Let’s dig into the interesting life of Pink Floyd’s drummer and find out how he became who he is and where he stands today.
How many drummers did Pink Floyd have?
Pink Floyd is a British rock band formed in 1964. They were pioneers of psychedelic sound, standing out with their sound experiments, philosophical lyrics, long compositions, and extraordinary live shows.
The formation changed over the long lifespan of the band. However, Nick Mason was the only constant member since the beginning. Mason was one of the founders and the only Pink Floyd drummer.
The original crew was composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Syd Barrett, Nick Mason on drums, bass guitarist and vocalist Roger Waters, keyboardist and vocalist Richard Wright and Bob Klose on the guitar. One year after the band was formed, Bob Klose left and was replaced by David Gilmour.
Syd Barrett left the band in 1968 due to mental health problems, so Waters became the primary lyricist and thematic leader. That was the period when the greatest Pink Floyd albums were created, such as “The Dark Side of the Moon,” “Wish You Were Here,” and “The wall.”
In 1979 Wright left Pink Floyd, and six years later, Waters did the same. Gilmour and Mason continued as Pink Floyd, and Richard Wright soon rejoined them. They released two more albums, “A Momentary Lapse of Reason” and “The Division Bell,” and did a tour until entering a long period of inactivity in 1995.
The band was inactive until 2005, when Waters, Gilmour, Mason, and Wright performed together as Pink Floyd for the first time after the long break.
How rich is Nick Mason?
Pink Floyd was a hugely successful group that sold more than 250 million records worldwide. The band was inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden presented Pink Floyd with the Polar Music Prize for their contribution to modern music in 2008.
This success brought a huge fortune and honors to the band’s members. Mason himself got an honorary title of Doctor of Letters from the University of Westminster in 2012. Also, he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire “for services to music” in 2019.
Therefore, you can guess that Mason is quite rich. In 2022 his net worth is estimated to be 180 million dollars. Besides music, he is interested in motor car racing and owns several luxurious cars. Also, Mason owns two companies: Nick Mason Music and Nick Mason Music (Overseas).
Additionally, he is the author of four top-rated books: three about racing cars and one about his experience in the band Pink Floyd.
Mason’s music career and private businesses brought him the fame and fortune that many musicians dream of. However, it’s not undeserved. As one of the best musicians and part of an unforgettable band like Pink Floyd, Mason earned every cent fair and square, leaving an important creative legacy for the public.
How old is Nick Mason from Pink Floyd?
Mason is 77 years old drummer with a long and successful career behind them. He was born in Birmingham on 27 January 1944. Mason grew raised in Hampstead, London, where he attended the Hall School and Frensham Heights School.
Mason showed his interest in pursuing his passion for music during his days at university. He admits that before starting with his first band, which will later grow into Pink Floyd, he didn’t practice much or study drumming. Mason had a drum kit, though, but he played with friends for fun.
He was studying architecture at the Regent Street Polytechnic in London, where he met Roger Waters and made the first steps towards the birth of Pink Floyd. Mason formed a band, Sigma 6 with Waters, two other colleagues, Keith Noble and Clive Metcalfe, and Noble’s sister Sheilagh.
Richard Wright, a fellow architecture student, joined later that year. Sigma 6 eventually developed into the early Pink Floyd formation featuring Mason, Roger Waters, Barrett, Wright, and Bob Klose.
From the first release, “The Piper at the Gates of Dawn” in 1967 until the last, Nick Mason was a bearing pillar of Pink Floyd, participating in each of the band’s albums. His age and experience carry an inspirative story of art that changed the world.
What happened to Nick Mason?
You might ask what Nick Mason is doing these days. The most logical theory would be that he enjoys his well-deserved pension, as he is 77 years old. However, Mason didn’t stop being active after the end of Pink Floyd.
Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets, Mason’s latest band, was created in 2018 to perform Pink Floyd’s early psychedelic work. They released a live album and film “Live at the Roundhouse” in September 2020 and did several tours during the past few years.
Mason has a hobby that he pursued along with music, and it’s motor racing. He owns and races several classic cars and wrote three books in which he documents his experience with his car passion. Mason has successfully competed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a famous annual car racing event in France.
He is now married to his second wife, Annette Lynton, and has two sons. Mason is still dedicated to preserving Pink Floyd’s legacy and offering it to the public even after the band days ended. We bet he is quite happy with his achievements, as being one of the most successful and inspirative musicians of all time.