Steve Mason (ex-Beta Band, King Biscuit Time) quits music

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According to NME...
http://www.nme.com/news/beta-band/22916
I really don't understand his letter - "the mountain beat me and sadly you too"

And if that's true, I feel sad for him.

― zeus (zeus), Thursday, 27 April 2006 14:40 (twenty years ago)

a good egg

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 27 April 2006 14:43 (twenty years ago)

I don't really see how breaking up his band = "quitting music".

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 27 April 2006 14:45 (twenty years ago)

Me too, but this was in the NME article.

― zeus (zeus), Thursday, 27 April 2006 14:47 (twenty years ago)

i thought kbt was a solo porject.

― 25 yr old undercover cop (Enrique), Thursday, 27 April 2006 14:49 (twenty years ago)

Maybe he's quitting music, and to do this he has to breakuptheband.

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 27 April 2006 14:50 (twenty years ago)

boo!

― jhoshea (scoopsnoodle), Thursday, 27 April 2006 15:47 (twenty years ago)

doomy to thread

― dan bunnybrain (dan bunnybrain), Thursday, 27 April 2006 21:30 (twenty years ago)

That guy just could not get a break. Never have I seen a band become so unsuccessful as time went on.

― Sparkle Motion's Rising Force, Friday, 28 April 2006 04:42 (twenty years ago)

They were never "successful" to start with though. And never going to be either - they were a musicfanboy curio at best. That's not to say that I don't love them, cos I do, but they achieved approximately all they ever could, aside from longevity. If the press hadn't gone mental for them, causing them to spend loads of Regal/Parlophone/EMI's money and get into debt trying to make amazing records rather than making amazing records cheaply and thus made continuing the band impossible, things would have been a lot better for them.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Friday, 28 April 2006 07:32 (twenty years ago)

Maybe if they hadn't constantly simultaneously bored on about how crap they were at the exact same time as giving off a smug better-than-everyone-else vibe they would have got somewhere. Also, it would have been good if any of their records had sounded a tenth as exciting as the journalistic hyperbole made them sound.

― Raw Patrick (Raw Patrick), Friday, 28 April 2006 09:11 (twenty years ago)

Ouch! Their first EPs still hold up, IMO- I was listening to one of them just the other day. They never seemed to be able to pull of a whole album, though. You're right about the hyperbole, Patrick, but they were still a lot more interesting than most of the bands the NME etc hype.

― Neil Stewart (Neil Stewart), Friday, 28 April 2006 09:16 (twenty years ago)

Patrick nails it, I'm afraid. The new KBT album is pretty weak as well. The Aliens EP, on the other hand, is surprisingly good

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Friday, 28 April 2006 09:21 (twenty years ago)

matter of opinion, really.

― doomie x, Friday, 28 April 2006 09:24 (twenty years ago)

You would say that Doomie, you're probbaly doing Mason's PR.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Friday, 28 April 2006 09:25 (twenty years ago)

pretty shocked and sad about all this. steve mason as a person is a great human being who i think as a matter of my opinion wants to make music and that's all. great person/great artist.

nope. not doing his pr. amanda at sainted is. i love both aliens and king biscuit time. all fantastic people and artists.

going to leave it here though...

― doomie x, Friday, 28 April 2006 09:28 (twenty years ago)

I enjoyed the old King Biscuit Time EP, but haven't been able to get into the new album at all.

What is Aliens? I haven't heard of them (him?).

― Zachary Scott (Zach S), Friday, 28 April 2006 09:34 (twenty years ago)

I think Aliens is just The Other Three, as it were. Doomie will know more.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Friday, 28 April 2006 09:35 (twenty years ago)

"After producing yet another brilliantly eclectic, innovative and downright great album in ‘Heroes to Zeroes’, earlier this year the Beta Band decided to call it a day. Following the demise of the Betas, John and Robin hooked up with one of their old comrades – the song writing genius that is Gordon Anderson aka Lone Pigeon – and formed The Aliens. Having heard a couple of tracks I can safely say that the spirit of The Beta Band is alive and well. I caught up with John to find out some more…"

http://www.factmagazine.co.uk/da/26537

― Raw Patrick (Raw Patrick), Friday, 28 April 2006 10:12 (twenty years ago)

meanwhile The Others march on

― justsomegalwitoutnomoneys, Friday, 28 April 2006 12:57 (twenty years ago)

"the mountain beat me and sadly you too" - could be a reference to the novel animal dreams, the mountain being a mining corporation that was slowly contaiminating a small village

― andrew b (klik99), Friday, 28 April 2006 19:57 (twenty years ago)

two weeks pass...

http://www.kingbiscuittime.co.uk/index.php?/forums/viewthread/108/

― Arnar Eggert Thoroddsen (arnart1802), Monday, 15 May 2006 09:22 (twenty years ago)

How does a band as popular as the Beta Band get 1.2 million pounds in debt? Really, how does this happen?? Are they all, like, huge drug addicts or something?

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Monday, 15 May 2006 14:23 (twenty years ago)

they weren't THAT popular. i guess they spent alot recording albums that were always going to be the big break but never were. having said that steve mason has given up a few times so far hasn't he?

― jed_ (jed), Monday, 15 May 2006 14:29 (twenty years ago)

two years pass...

Some days I think this guy is a total and utter genius.

― Scik Mouthy, Tuesday, 19 August 2008 09:00 (seventeen years ago)

Never got anything this guy ever did. The Beta Band were like a trendy Gomez.

― Raw Patrick, Tuesday, 19 August 2008 09:09 (seventeen years ago)

The Black Affair album is turgid stuff though.

― Matt DC, Tuesday, 19 August 2008 09:39 (seventeen years ago)

Yeah? I've not heard it.

― Scik Mouthy, Tuesday, 19 August 2008 10:00 (seventeen years ago)

It's the sadness that gets me with this guy, utter, utter desolation.

― Scik Mouthy, Tuesday, 19 August 2008 10:00 (seventeen years ago)

Not sure I ever heard Black Affair album but I liked the first single. There is a new Aliens album and it is *way* too long and not great

― DJ Mencap, Tuesday, 19 August 2008 10:06 (seventeen years ago)

he wrote some good lyrics, about depression, with the beta band, and i always liked his voice. never got round to the KBT album because the bits i heard sounded like depressed beta band songs minus the manic edge, i.e. hard work.

― jabba hands, Tuesday, 19 August 2008 10:10 (seventeen years ago)

The best bits of the KBT album are as good as anything The Beta Band did, I think. http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/king-biscuit-time/black-gold.htm

― Scik Mouthy, Tuesday, 19 August 2008 10:17 (seventeen years ago)

i don't believe you, but i'm sure i'll hear it one of these days :D

― jabba hands, Tuesday, 19 August 2008 10:31 (seventeen years ago)

is the black affair album terrible? i veh nearly bought it last week.

― CharlieNo4, Tuesday, 19 August 2008 10:34 (seventeen years ago)

I listened to it a couple of times, it had some really obvious rnb circa 2003 production and the vocals were just too mopey and really jarring. It struck me as the sort of record trying hard to convince that it was full of ideas while actually devoid of them.

― Matt DC, Tuesday, 19 August 2008 10:37 (seventeen years ago)

"I Walk the Earth" by KBT is better than anything the Beta Band ever did. I just listened to Pressure Point and it's really quite bad on first impression. It's largely dull and lifeless and surprisingly generic (with maybe two standout tracks - Will She Come and It's Real).

― Jacobo Rock, Tuesday, 19 August 2008 15:48 (seventeen years ago)

I Walk The Earth is great and all, but I don't think it quite eclipses The Beta Band as much as some people say - it's as good as their best though. I think it gets kudos for being a little bit further afield, a little rare. Untouched by the hand of High Fidelity.

― Scik Mouthy, Tuesday, 19 August 2008 15:52 (seventeen years ago)

Untouched by the hand of High Fidelity.

This doesn't affect my enjoyment of TBB.

― Just got offed, Tuesday, 19 August 2008 15:54 (seventeen years ago)

me neither, not one bit!

― CharlieNo4, Tuesday, 19 August 2008 15:55 (seventeen years ago)

Me neither, but I think it affects some.

― Scik Mouthy, Tuesday, 19 August 2008 15:55 (seventeen years ago)

I also didn't hear The Black Affair album, but liked the first single. Just listening Hot Shots II now after seeing that Yoshimi vs HSII thread by the way...

― zeus, Wednesday, 20 August 2008 10:43 (seventeen years ago)

I always wished there had been more stuff like I Walk The Earth. I wasn't aware of this Black Affair thing at all. I haven't heard anything past the Beta Band that has sparked my interest, though.

― Bimble, Wednesday, 20 August 2008 22:05 (seventeen years ago)

one year passes...

New album in own name; produced by Richard X. Fucking beautiful.

― No, YOU'RE a disgusting savage (Scik Mouthy), Sunday, 9 May 2010 18:33 (sixteen years ago)

It is wonderful. I've been listening to it every day for the last week or so.

― krakow, Sunday, 9 May 2010 18:36 (sixteen years ago)

is the new one boys outside?

― Daniel, Esq., Sunday, 9 May 2010 18:41 (sixteen years ago)

Yes.

― krakow, Sunday, 9 May 2010 18:43 (sixteen years ago)

'I Let Her In' is heart-breaking. <Sob>

― krakow, Sunday, 9 May 2010 19:01 (sixteen years ago)

Love this album right now.

― krakow, Sunday, 9 May 2010 22:16 (sixteen years ago)

not really much to add but this album is really great

― INGMAR BIRDMAN CÅSH MONEY (Future_Perfect), Thursday, 13 May 2010 20:52 (sixteen years ago)

Yeah it's very well balanced and replayable, so shiny and maudlin and yeah

― Consensus Working Overtime (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 13 May 2010 22:00 (sixteen years ago)

Never really "got" the Beta Band tbh... what's the appeal?

― I just wish he hadn't adopted the "ilxor" moniker (ilxor), Thursday, 13 May 2010 22:05 (sixteen years ago)

they get u laid

― hobbes, Thursday, 13 May 2010 22:49 (sixteen years ago)

srs answer: tough beats, big hypnotic sound, sudden segues into shroomy weirdness... only heard one track from heroes and zeroes, though, it sounded like bad moody blues or something.
couldn't really get into the KBS full-length, but the no-style maxi-ep thing totally rocks.

― hobbes, Thursday, 13 May 2010 22:56 (sixteen years ago)

oh yeah and they wear spacesuits

― hobbes, Thursday, 13 May 2010 22:58 (sixteen years ago)

one month passes...

"Boys Outside" really is lovely.

― djh, Monday, 21 June 2010 21:37 (sixteen years ago)

He's playing Edinburgh next month! Oh, I really must go.

― krakow, Monday, 21 June 2010 22:26 (sixteen years ago)

Month after next, even. Figuring June already done for, my mistake.

― krakow, Monday, 21 June 2010 22:27 (sixteen years ago)

six months pass...

"Boys Outside" has been criminally ignored in end of year polls. I myself am guilty of overlooking it when I think about 2010. Great, great record.

― AnotherDeadHero, Sunday, 2 January 2011 12:18 (fifteen years ago)

two years pass...

Big big thanks to Pitchfork for the heads up on Mason's latest Monkey Minds in the Devil's Time. Fantastic record, easily as good as his Beta Band output. If you liked Boys Outside, you really need to hear this new one.

― Turkey, Tuesday, 9 April 2013 08:01 (thirteen years ago)

Personally I think the new one has some wonderful and heartfelt songs but suffers from the filler tracks in between. I know it's all part of his concept for the album but ultimately I find them to be a distracting influence.

― Internet Alan, Tuesday, 9 April 2013 08:24 (thirteen years ago)

So he didn't quit music then?

― Step not on a loose unforgiving stone on a pyramid to paradise (Tom D.), Tuesday, 9 April 2013 12:39 (thirteen years ago)

he could no more quit music than Internet Alan could quit the Internet

― life went on, sadly (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 9 April 2013 13:49 (thirteen years ago)

I like this a lot. It's interesting how much it sometimes sounds like Steve Winwood or the like. I could completely imagine the last track "Come To Me" as an old FM classic rock staple.

― dlp9001, Tuesday, 9 April 2013 17:46 (thirteen years ago)

This is a great little number:
https://soundcloud.com/#speedywunderground/sw001-i-go-out-parts-1-2

― everything, Tuesday, 9 April 2013 17:56 (thirteen years ago)

two years pass...

He did a collaboration with Cian Ciaran of Super Furry Animals: http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/may/06/vote-indie-general-election-song-dont-give-it-away-politics-swing

― afriendlypioneer, Thursday, 7 May 2015 22:32 (eleven years ago)

eight months pass...

New record 'Meet The Humans' due on 26/02/2016.

First song sounds good! Same production style as Monkey Minds, which I loved.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJUJTGUH0mc

― Steve Reich In The Afternoon (Against The 80s), Wednesday, 3 February 2016 11:28 (ten years ago)

It sounds a lot like Jigsaw Falling Into Place by Radiohead, verses at least, but it's pretty good. Better than the shonk he was putting out a few years back at least.

― Matt DC, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 12:06 (ten years ago)

two years pass...

Tour and album next January pic.twitter.com/wuBw4gHzjO
— Steve Mason (@SteveMasonKBT) September 18, 2018

― groovypanda, Tuesday, 18 September 2018 08:57 (seven years ago)

Thursday, 27 April 2006 15:40 (twelve years ago)

― every day there's a whining choad (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 18 September 2018 08:58 (seven years ago)

New album in own name; produced by Richard X. Fucking beautiful.

Has Richard X. Fucking produced anything else?

― Zach Same (Tom D.), Tuesday, 18 September 2018 10:58 (seven years ago)

Banger

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA25KkXBlng

― groovypanda, Thursday, 20 September 2018 10:15 (seven years ago)

two months pass...

Another new one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHtny_ycVyg

― groovypanda, Monday, 26 November 2018 11:48 (seven years ago)

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