The music industry never really quite figures it out. Boy Groups and One Hit Wonders won't always pay the bills. The success is short-lived, and, a year later, people end up selling their CDs to a second hand store, or simply just throwing 'em away. It's no wonder people burn CDs ad download everything from the Internet. Who could blame them? Most CDs from big record companies have one or two good songs, and the rest is pure crap. Whose willing to pay good money for bullshit like that? Well, the times they are a-changin'. . .Detroit Garage bands are now being played on the radio. More and more people are rediscovering Rock'n'Roll. Rock'n'Roll is the People's music. After all, Rock'n'Roll was born in the Midwest and The South-in small farming communities. And why call it Garage anyway? It's Rock'n'Roll, God Dammit.

This is what the Masons are all about. Rock'n'Roll. The Masons are a brutal mixture of "Garage Rock", Hard Rock, Punk, Blues, Rockabilly and Country. Fenders, Marshall Stacks, a fat Ampeg bass amp, drums and a slide. Their fan base spans several genres and subcultures-Punks, Skinheads, Mods, Longhairs, Metalheads, Psychobillys, Teds and nerdy record collectors. There are very few bands in this world that can accomplish that, and The Masons belong to that few. Their up and coming release "Youngblood" is a continuation of that tradition, and, we are bold to say that this will be their best record yet.

The Masons: Youngblood

MCP CD/LP 030

Listen to the relaxing sounds of "Got the Need", which is featured on the Youngblood release. If yer sittin' on the shitter, this can really help y' clear your pipes. . . (Real Audio File, 850kb) 

Current Line-Up:

Tom Frank: Lead Vocals, Guitar
Eden Galindo: Backing Vocals, Bass
Jimmy James: Backing Vocals, Guitar
Marcos Mora: Drums

(Replacement Bassist on Tour: Mark Starr)

Tours up 'til now (these boys weren't born yesterday, mind you!):

November/December 1999 (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy)
November/December 2000 (Germany, Switzerland)
June 2001 (England, Scotland, Switzerland, Germany)
May 2002 (Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Spain)
August 2003 (Germany, Spain)
October/November 2004 (Germany, Switzerland)

You probably new this shit already, but: This past Fall, that is the Fall of 2001, Tom "Droppin' the Cosby Kids Off At the Pool" Frank and Jimmy "Me Rikey" James found a new line-up for the band, and it will be permanent!! After testing several bassists and drummers, the boys found the perfect match---Eden Galindo (the guitarist from "Motorcycle Boy"--an L.A. staple) and Marcos Mora (formerly of Green Jelly, who had a top-ten hit "Three Little Pigs" in over 6 countries). Both have seen the ups and downs of the Rock 'n' Roll business. And, what an ugly business it is! Although Marcos played for Green Jelly, a band that earned millions of dollars, he never saw one red cent. He did, however, end up with a cymbal and a nice set of drumsticks, which you need if you're a musician and want to join a band.

So, after lots of practice and playing live gigs in L.A. with the new line-up, The Masons headed for the Distillery a second time (January 2002). Michael McHugh was on the mixing board again, a piece of vintage equipment used by Lynyrd Skynyrd and Pink Floyd back in the day. This time, the recording is also completely analog but not nearly as dirty as the last record. After much debate, the band called the record Wichita, the name of the largest city in Kansas (of course, an Indian name). The sound is more pure, straight-forward Rock 'n' Roll and almost has a Classic Rock touch. The Masons have never strayed from their Garage roots---but, on Wichita, the music has become somewhat more melodic and has a particular "groove" to it. The band refers to it as "American Garage Rock", a category in itself, which, oddly, defies categorization. Us Falstaff-drinkin', sideburn wearin', booger-flickin' Rednecks at Middle Class Pig can't quite find any concrete comparisons for the new Masons. They've outgrown comparisons. Take or leave it, The Masons are a Rock 'n' Roll band, nothing more, nothing less. You see a variety of people at their gigs---Garage Rockers, Punk Rockers, Skinheads, Teds, Longhairs and fairies, and that's the way it SHOULD be. Rock 'n' Roll is for the People and has nothing to do with being a member of a scene or a club. Now, don't get us wrong. That's all good 'n' fine---without scenesters, this world would be a boring place (at least visually), but it takes Rock 'n' Roll bands like the Masons to bring 'em all together---for one specific purpose: to rock---and to roll!

"Your Side of Town" are available on the Masons' newest release Wichita (MCP CD/LP 021). As per usual, it's available on CD and vinyl (clear and red---sort of like a piece of cinnamon candy, if you will).

This is what the line-up is:

Tom Frank: Vocals, Flying V
Jimmy James: Backing Vocals, Guitar
Eden Galindo: Backing Vocals, Bass
Marcos Mora: Drums

Wichita (MCP CD/LP 021)
As per usual, it's available on CD and vinyl (clear and red---sort of like a piece of cinnamon candy, if you will)

Listen to "Your Side of Town" (Real Audio File) 

Here's purdy list of the Masons discography with pitchers an' all, and here's what folks had to say 'bout these trailer park freaks:

"The Masons" MCP CD/LP 017.
Available on CD or 12" Masonic Black and White Picture Disc Vinyl (with cool Masonic postcard that you can really send in the mail!)

This recording is a lot rougher than their first full-length, "Plymouth Rock.." So, if you have a weak bladder, either camp out in the bathroom or put on a pair of Grandma/Grandpa diapers and brace yourself for some raw, stripped-down, primitive Rock 'n' Roll.

Listen to "Count on your fingers" (Real Audio File) 

"Sometimes, life can really be that easy: if you need bread, you go to the bakery; if you're thirsty, you go to a bar; and if you need Rock 'n' Roll, Garage Punk and Country at threatening volumes, you buy the new Masons album.... Rock that hits you in the gut."
Visions 01/01

"Punk is alive, as long as bands like the Masons keep showing up."
Docrock Show 02/01

"Plymouth Rock" MCP CD/LP 013.
Available on CD and Clear Orange Vinyl (includes a bonus 7" on Clear Yellow Vinyl)

Listen to "Justice to the People of Mexico" (Real Audio File) 

"The Masons are the new Gods of Rock 'n' Roll."
Banzai 12/99

"Just imagine: the fat production of the Raymen coupled with a beat the Cramps copied from The Misfits; a heavy guitar sound somewhere between Jon Spencer and Zen Guerilla; and a singer that is indicative of all the previously mentioned bands. That is the Masons, my new gods in Garage heaven. . . This band is a discovery!"
Visions 11/99

(The Masons) are not afraid to put the pedal to the metal and hit the road full speed ahead . . . Great Record! A good bit different than what you normally expect from this genre.!
(Joachim Hiller) Ox #36/Sept-Dec. 1999

The famous (infamous) Split 10" (MCP 002)
on Hot Pink Vinyl

"Punk-oriented Rock 'n' Roll from the three Masons outta Kansas City, Missouri awaits you on the flipside. Rough, raw and wild--crowned by singer Tom Frank, who has to be related to Elvis Presley and Lux Interior."
Visions April '98

If you like what you hear and you'd like to purchase this release, please contact us at the following e-mail address: sales@middleclasspig.com

All CDs cost 13 Euro, all LPs 11 Euro and all 7-inches 3 Euro. That includes sales tax/value-added tax. That does not include shipping costs. Within Germany, shipping costs APPROXIMATELY 2 Euro per CD or LP. Add another Euro on top of that for additional items. For orders outside of Germany, we'll contact the local post office and let you know the exact shipping costs (we'll do that for order within Germany as well). So, in the end, you'll get an invoice from us with the price of the merchandise plus the shipping cost. Please send us your address, and we'll get your order out ASAP. You can transfer the money to our account (info is on the invoice), send us a check or concealed cash (a definite risk). Sorry, we're not sophisticated enough to accept credit cards. Returned items must be on our desk within 10 days in order to guarantee a refund. However, we guarantee that'll you like the products we make.