Many american bands come to Europe in order to play gigs. Most of them get a special kind of bonus, which some of them do absolutely not deserve. The Masons are not one of those. Both of their records are incredibly good and I was anxious to see them live on stage. I can tell you, it was even better than expected! After the concert at Nuernberg´s "Zwinger Bar" I talked a bit with Tom Frank, singer and guitar player.

I guess you have answered that question a hundred times already. What about the name "The Masons"?

The Masons are a secret society. All except two amercian presidents have been Masons, the presidents that were not were JFK and Abraham Lincoln, so they get shot if they are not.

So I guess you are part of that society?

No, we are not of course. It is just that name that usually stirs a lot of emotion when people hear about it. People think we might get into trouble with them because of the name. But I think that the name is more famous in the states than here in Europe. Those guys wear weird hats and act like assholes.

Are you getting tired of doing interviews and stuff?

No, no, I mean, if someone wants to know something then it's okay. If people are interested in music then I am glad to talk to them and answer their questions.

Most reviews about the Masons compare you with either the Misfits or the cramps or Elvis or all three at the same time. Do you think that is really true?

I mean your influences are always going to be heard in your music. I think we are always evolving. I listen to a pretty wide variety of music. But we are sounding a lot like that. A lot of people are making that connections.

But aren't you getting tired of being compared to the same musicians again?

Yeah, well, Jon Spencer is often mentioned as well. But they are all big compliments, these are all great bands to me. If somebody really compares me to this, i can't really get upset about it.

But you are not going to do an album with R.L. Burnside?

No, no. But I like R.L. Burnside, he is great.

So how has this tour been so far?

It has been great so far. I do not like the weather so much. I wish we could have brought Californian weather with us. It is great, all the shows have been quite full and quite fun. Tonight was an average night, we had a great show in Berlin. The tour is good but I don't like the cold.

But you must not forget that it is december, you normally have ten degrees below centigrade, so you have brought some Californian weather with you after all.
How long is this tour going to last?

We have come here on November the 22nd, and we stay here until January the 3rd. We are pretty much playing every day with a few days off. So it is a long tour. It's about six weeks long. And then we go home and do some more recording. This year, the whole tour is better than last year, it seems like each of the people came back and brought a couple of friends with them.

Are you only playing in Germany or are you going to play at other countries as well?

It's only Belgium, Germany and Switzerland.

You are not playing in France?

Last tour we did Austria and Italy, which was different than this. But it it okay, in Germany is a good scene for music like ours, we are most well-known in that part of Europe.

Have you been to Spain yet?

No yet. This summer, we are trying to come back to play a few festivals. We have got some festivals in Germany and then we go to Spain for a summer tour. We would like to have Kike from the Pleasure Fuckers help us out to get a few gigs.

Do you go on tour in the States?

Yes we do. The really hot places were we play are Texas, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Frisco. But you have a day driving between the gigs.

What about west coast touring?

We don't even call it touring because we are always playing shows up and down the coast, we can do the west coast in four days. Touring in the states is much more expensive, you don't get paid as well, you don't have that exotic bonus being a band from over the ocean. Here we do pretty well, it turn out nice, even financially. But the main ideas is to sell as many records as possible. Touring is a lot of hard work, it sounds like fun but some times it is not. You know, playing one hour a day is fun, but then threre is 23 more hours, so what are you going to do then?

I guess you drink a lot on tour then?

Oh, sure. Especially in Germany, you have the best beer in the world. I have been sick for a couple of days, so I don´t drink too much now...I guess you should always take medicine that you can play great shows.

What about touring in general?

We are having a good time. It is really the best way to get the music out. You get the songs to the people. You can see the people doing the songs. I think if you are listening to our records they are sounding a lot like the set. Our recordings are really like our shows. And I think we are really a live band.

Do you have any idea how many records you sell?

I have no idea. At the end of the year, we figure that out exactly and see how it turned out. But playing has been great, especially playing in youth centers. It is impressive, the kids don\'b4 t have a lot of money but after the show they spend it all on records.

As I have got your new records only ten minutes before, I have a few questions about the old one. That riff of "There Is A Werewolf In Kansas City" reminds me of something else...

Basically, it is an old surf riff, which we just play slower. It is from "Rumble". This song is one I always have in my head. We start to make it new again, because it worked a long time ago.

Somehow I think that your voice sounds different on each track...

I try to make them all sound different. It is not stressy or something, I usually just do them how they feel alright. But I guess anything could be compared to anything.

The other interview I have about you, they asked you about the Sonics cover version, so I ask you about the Elvis cover version, why did you choose "Girls Girls Girls"?

It is just obscure, it is fun. It is not from a particular record, it is just a classic.

The interesting thing is that one of my favorite bands do an unknown Elvis song, they do "Baby I Don't Care" from some movie...

That is great, I like all Elvis movies, they are trash.

"And Justice For The People Of Mexico", what is that song about?

I don't know exactly. For a time, I was writing stories and songs at the same time and sometimes they just work together. I love going to Mexico. This song is basically a short detective story taking place in Mexico, just about like a b-movie.

What do you normally sing about?

Whatever happens. About good times and bad times. I am singing about real life experiences as well as made-up stories. You have visions which are somehow part of your life, which are part of your imagination.

What about that instrumental "Running With The Bulls"?

It is a song to play in the middle of the set, to give my voice a little time. It is an alright song, on the new record there are some instrumentals as well. Well, those are not really songs, more like pieces from our set that we play.

Would you like to play more instrumental stuff?

I guess so. I don't have any problems with it.

I am asking because sometimes the singer states that his voice has to be heard all the time...

As I am playing guitar myself all the time, I am safe from that. I am not going to sit there doing anything. Playing guitar is a good thing to do.

Do you have problems sometimes playing guitar and singing at the same time?

Oh no, I have been doing that forever, I even think that I could not do just one. It is even that way, when we record. When I am doing vocals for a track, I even have a guitar in my hand and play along.

How many days did you invest on recording your new album?

I think it took us five days for this one. We recorded it in about two and mixed in for three days.

And do you like it the way it is?

I love it. We had a killer time recording it. There are a few songs on it which we even wrote just in the studio, we were so relaxed.

Is it always the case that you like your latest album best?

I think the last record was okay, but the new one blows you away. We are moving ahead as a band, the new songs we are going to record are going to be even better than the current one.

Where do you want to go, musically I mean...

We will see where it goes. I like where we are. The music i am listening to has always been the same, I think I am exploring every facet of what I like. I would like to sound a bit like New York, a bit like the MC5 and so on.

So I guess you are not turning into a blues band?

No. We are a loud band, we are not going to turn into a blues band at all. I like the stuff we are doing now.

Alright, thanks a lot!

Discography:

• Split-10" with Essighaus
• "Plymouth Rock" LP
• "Same" LP