Ticket 2 Ride

I’ve been waiting for this book, I’m a big Dave Mason fan. He talked about the book when I saw him in concert a couple of months ago.

Only You Know & I Know, written by Mason with Chris Epting (DTM Entertainment, 2024) tells his long story as a well-traveled musician and songwriter. Epting has written two other books I’ve read: John Oates memoirs, and the history of the Doobie Brothers, as told by Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons. Both decent reads.

Mason’s writing style is easy and to the point, the focus is on the stories, which are worth the read. For example, Mason and fellow musician Jim Capaldi (pre-Traffic), had to fill in for The Who at a gig, playing their instruments, and finishing with the necessary smashing of instruments.

One story I have been waiting to hear concerns Mason’s tenure in Traffic. He joined, quit, rejoined, was fired, rejoined and departed again. He was able to maintain a relationship with Capaldi, until they suddenly stopped working together and talking. He relationship with Steve Winwood was even more sour, until a meeting backstage where the issue of ever reuniting Traffic was finally decided.

Creative tensions seemed to simmer all through the initial period of the band, in frequent references by Mason.

“…I was bringing into the band were maybe a bit of a threat to him. He’s never told me that; that’s just my feeling. It does not take away from the fact that I still think he is an absolute genius and someone I will always admire and be a fan of. But I think, at that moment in time, my capacities, my skills— even, hell, my bravery-may have gotten in the way of his vision of the band. While I was thoroughly hurt and disappointed about the final breakup of Traffic, the situation provided some serious fodder for soul searching.”

Mason would move to America and launch a solo career. His songs would find homes, and he would collaborate with such artists as Stephen Stills, Jimi Hendrix, Cass Elliot, Leon Russell, Eric Clapton, George Harrison and Delaney & Bonnie, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. Joe Cocker’s version of “Feelin’ Alright” became one of Cocker’s most endearing songs.

Mason’s career would go up and down. Bad associations, poor decisions, a short marriage, substance abuse, changing musical tastes – common rock and roll problems. He flirted with joining bands – Derek & the Dominoes was one, but musical collaborations are often short-lived and not-to-be. His tenure in a revamped version of Fleetwood Mac was quite the misadventure.

Between the late 1970s and the early 2000s, classic rockers like Mason navigated declining album sales, radio that didn’t play their songs, trouble finding a record deal, and constant touring to pay the bills. Mason’s story is like many others dealing with addiction, divorce, bankruptcy and the like. He doesn’t really sing a song of woes, he owns his situation, but he does lament being an absent father.

Looking back, Mason understands he had a very fortunate life, problems and missteps aside. His later years have been rewarding and happy.

This is not a kiss-and-tell rockstar book, no salacious content here. While Mason is open about his life, the writing at times feels abbreviated, like he only shows you part of himself. He self-published the book, so he retained editorial rights, but I wish he’d gone a little deeper.

All in all, an enjoyable read. 3.75/5