Interview with Multi-instrumentalist Mason Pace
Interview with Mason Pace…
We recently chatted with South Florida-based singer/songwriter, Mason Pace about his new EP “King of Hearts,” which will be available across all streaming platforms later this summer. The long-locked multi-instrumentalist has already made quite a name for himself, opening for legacy artists such as Cheap Trick, Joan Jett, Vince Neil, Ace Frehley, and Phil Collins, and attracting the attention of brands like Gibson Guitars. He’s also an accomplished producer, recently opening his home recording studio for business. With a pitch-perfect vocal, enviable chops and an unrelenting drive to succeed, Pace–who is also pursuing a degree in marketing at Florida Atlantic University–is poised to have a very bright future in music.
What does it mean to be “born again” in the context of your new tune, “Reborn”?
With the new music, I feel that I was “born again” as a modern hard rock/metal musician, artist, and writer. The new sound that I offer in my single “Reborn” and my EP ‘King of Hearts’ coming August 6th is grand, dark, driving, and inspiring. The direction that my music has taken represents who I truly am.
What made you choose this song in particular as the lead single? Was it to introduce your new sound to the public, and/or was it to signify a rebirth of sorts (or reintroduction to the world) after being holed up like so many other creatives during the pandemic?
Both! The pandemic allowed me to spend time with myself and discover that it was songs like “Reborn” that I wanted to share with listeners. And with our new look, new website, new music videos and new merchandise, I felt it was the perfect song to represent my musical “rebirth”. Also, what better time is there to release “Reborn” than on my birthday?
You’re primarily a guitarist, but you also play bass and drums. Did you do all the instrumentation for your latest EP?
I’m a Gibson-endorsed guitarist and singer, but I still jam on bass and drums to record a demo or idea. I wrote and recorded the final instrumentation on the ‘King of Hearts’ EP alongside my producer and friend Brent Woods in Los Angeles. I’m also pleased to have Dave “Chili” Moreno (Puddle of Mudd) play drums across the whole EP!
Tell us a bit about your bassist, Cameron Martell who plays live in the Mason Pace Band, and where/how you met.
Cameron is a talented and versatile bass player who I’ve had the pleasure of playing with for the past 5 years. We met at Sam Ash, where I was a customer looking to buy some cables and Cam was a specialist working for the day. I asked if he played and learned that he was in a locally popular band that I’ve known about. I invited him to jam, and we hit it off. Cam plays Euro5 LX Alex Webster Spectors and a modified Fender Player Series Standard P-Bass like there’s no tomorrow. He’s currently bragging about the brand new Squier Classic Vibe 50’s P-Bass he just got, and I can’t lie – it’s quite nice.
Your new sound has a cool, grandiose, classic, yet modern rock feel. What impact did Brent Woods (guitarist for Sebastian Bach and Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders) have on your new sound?
I’m influenced by many classic rock bands just as much as I am by current modern rock bands, but Brent offers so much more when we work on a project together. He does projects ranging from traditional classic and 80’s rock, like his work with KISS, to orchestral music and making film/TV scores. Being classically trained, I have always liked the full, powerful sound of orchestras and have included orchestra in many of the songs on the album, and Brent was able to make it happen! We also share the same tastes in modern rock, so it was a perfect match for making the ‘King of Hearts’ EP mysterious and haunting, yet catchy and contemporary.
How did you and Brent become acquainted?
We first met at the RockFest 80’s Music Festival in 2017. My band and I were the opening band that day and got to meet Brent backstage. Brent was, and still is, the lead guitarist for Sebastian Bach, and they played later that night. Little did we know 3 years later, he’d be my producer!
You’re also a producer yourself. When did you start doing at-home recording, and what made you want to start offering it up to other artists?
I got ProTools and started to learn how to record at home when I was 16. Over time, I became better and better through tutorials, countless YouTube videos, and analyzing other producers and their techniques. After recording most of my first album in my own in my home studio and working on my new music during the pandemic, I felt that I was proficient enough using ProTools and producing to offer my services as an audio engineer/producer! I have already done several projects with other artists that I had a lot of fun with!
How does it feel to finally be able to play shows again?
It’s refreshing, for sure. Not being able to play live was like having a piece of my life taken from me. Playing to a loving and engaging audience alongside good musicians is a special feeling that live-streaming never fulfilled. It’s good to feel the excitement and energy of the crowd again!
Lastly, who are some of your bass heroes?
My favorite band ever is Primus, so definitely Les Claypool. Others include Geddy Lee, Geezer Butler, John Paul Jones and Paul McCartney.
