A drummer’s job is to provide consistency, driving the band forward while allowing space for flourishes. In Pink Floyd—a band defined by its evolving lineup and internal conflicts—Nick Mason was the steady hand that kept everything grounded.
Despite his crucial role, Mason has often been seen as the quiet force in the band, a contrast to the larger-than-life personalities of his bandmates.
Reflecting on his place within Pink Floyd, he told Far Out, “I wouldn’t ever suggest that I was a mediator… People think I’m the Henry Kissinger of rock ‘n’ roll, but actually, I’m Neville Chamberlain waving that piece of paper.”
While Pink Floyd revolutionized rock with The Dark Side of the Moon—pushing sonic boundaries, experimenting with soundscapes, and blending genres—one of the biggest influences on Mason’s drumming style came from the world of jazz. And for him, one drummer stood above the rest.
“Most of my icons are the people that were my heroes when I was kicking off. I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for Ginger Baker,” Mason revealed. “When the curtain opened at the Regent Street Polytechnic in 1966, and there was Ginger, Eric, and Jack, I thought, that’s what I’d like to be, and that was it.”
Baker, best known for his work with Cream, blurred the lines between jazz and rock, pioneering a dynamic, aggressive drumming style that left a lasting impression. His use of the double bass drum and his ability to shift between delicate nuances and powerful rhythms set him apart. Mason, fascinated by his approach, sought to incorporate Baker’s influence into his own work, most notably on Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun.
“That was one track that’s got something very different about it,” Mason explained. “Funnily enough, Ginger, I think his mallets on ‘We’re Going Wrong’ [were an inspiration].
For me, it’s such a different thing to just hammering out fours to being able to work the dynamics of the song backwards and forwards with mallets rather than sticks.”
Despite admiring Baker’s showmanship, Mason never emulated his on-stage bravado. Instead, he remained the understated backbone of Pink Floyd, a calming presence in a band known for its creative tensions. While Baker brought a fiery, theatrical energy to drumming, Mason embodied precision and restraint—two equally vital forces in rock history.
