Traffic founder Dave Mason left a fine legacy along with missed opportunity

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You know, as much as I love Traffic, Dave Mason always struck me as a bit of a lone wolf in that band. I was rewatching their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction from 2004 the other day, and even just watching him, he seemed different – his vibe just didn’t quite mesh with the others, and it’s noticeable even in how he talks.

I was really struck by how much Jim Capaldi did the talking – he seemed to be the main spokesperson. Steve Winwood, the singer, spoke briefly at the end, along with Chris Wood’s sister. It was so cool to hear their British accents! It was a little surprising though, because even though Mason is from the West Midlands too, he didn’t have the same accent at all.

Everyone was wearing black, but Mason stood out with a classic Texas cowboy hat. Though he was originally from Britain, Mason had a distinctly American side. He moved to the US west coast in his twenties and lived there for the rest of his life, moving around to different places over the years.

Founding member of Traffic, Dave Mason, dies at 79

Dave Mason passed away last Sunday. John Capaldi died a year after being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. Now, Steve Winwood, the youngest and best-known original member, is the only surviving member of the band.

Mason wasn’t a long-term member of the band, primarily contributing to their first two albums: Mr. Fantasy (1967) and their self-titled album (1968). Although the band continued to release successful albums after he left, many fans still consider those early records to be their finest work.

Mason played a key role in the band’s beginnings, contributing as a songwriter and vocalist on their first album. He wrote and sang four tracks, including well-known psychedelic songs like “Hope I Never Find Me There” and the uniquely quirky “Hole in My Shoe.”

Dave Matthews, speaking at the band’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, recalled being a child and believing their songs were about cartoon characters. While he didn’t say it specifically, he was likely thinking of a song like “Hole in My Shoe.”

Mason’s skillful sitar playing really enhanced the psychedelic sound of “Hole in My Shoe,” but it truly shines on the song “Paper Sun,” co-written by Capaldi and Winwood.

Looking back, it’s clear that Mason approached songwriting differently than the other members of the band. He favored classic song formats and memorable melodies, while Capaldi, Winwood, and Wood were more interested in experimentation. This doesn’t mean Mason was against trying new ideas, or that the others completely avoided traditional song structures – but a difference in approach definitely existed.

Mason also wrote four songs for the album Traffic, exploring a blues rock sound. This started with the energetic opener, “You Can All Join In,” and the jazzy track “Don’t Be Sad.” The songwriting reached its high point with “Feelin’ Alright,” which became one of the band’s most popular songs.

Jim Mason’s desire to write more popular songs caused him to leave the band after their album Traffic. The lead single from their third album, Last Exit, was actually a song Mason had written earlier, called “Just For You,” and it highlights the band’s interesting mix of catchy melodies and experimental sounds. Having left briefly after Mr. Fantasy, Mason permanently left the group by 1970.

Mason launched his solo career in 1970 with the album Alone Together. The first song, “Only You Know and I Know,” suggested he was a talented pop-rock songwriter on the verge of becoming famous.

It’s a shame his career didn’t quite reach the heights it deserved, but he never faded away completely. He kept touring and releasing new music right up until the end, and honestly, we fans absolutely loved it! It was great to see him still doing what he loved and sharing it with us.

After a rocky start in the early 1970s, he hit his stride with a gentler, more melodic pop-rock sound. His 1977 album, Let It Flow, perfectly showcases this style of well-crafted songwriting with the potential for widespread appeal. The album included his biggest solo success, “We Just Disagree,” which was written by his friend Jim Kreuger.

But musical tastes were changing and Mason seemed old by the dawn of the 1980s.

Traffic, as a band, quickly faded after Mason left. While they tried to keep going with some energetic music, they lost their direction without him. Their experimental sound, no longer grounded by Mason’s knack for catchy pop songs, became increasingly aimless. This was noticeable on their 1971 album, Low Spark of High Heeled Boys, and became even more pronounced in later work. By 1974, the band had dissolved.

Steve Winwood has enjoyed a thriving solo career, and Nick Mason also found success on his own. Peter Capaldi kept writing his thoughtful and poetic lyrics through various solo efforts and band collaborations. All three musicians have remained active and relevant in the music industry.

Mason’s passing reminds us how strong the band was when all its members were collaborating. He likely benefited from their willingness to try new things, just as they benefited from his talent for creating catchy pop songs. Their first two albums are considered masterpieces of the psychedelic era, and many would say those years, 1967 to 1969, represented the peak of their creativity.

Things didn’t work out as planned, and that’s okay—it’s a natural part of the creative process. Kreuger didn’t initially write the lyrics with the band Traffic in mind, but they surprisingly fit the song Mason recorded nearly ten years later.

Let’s just drop it. We clearly have different perspectives, and it’s not about who’s right or wrong – we simply disagree with each other.

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2026-04-22 19:01