Nick Mason calls for artist-label collaboration

© BENOIT TESSIER/Reuters/Corbis

There needs to be greater interaction between artists and labels, according to Nick Mason. The Pink Floyd drummer is backing a campaign to help achieve exactly that.

Mason, who is part of the Featured Artists Coalition, told Classic Rock: "There is a tendency for musicians to view labels as just people in suits, but we are trying to get the two sides to talk. Because it can only be to everyone's benefit. The labels are still coming to terms with what the new technology means for them, so everything is up in the air.

"One thing we want to see is for labels either to explore more of their back catalogue, or to give the rights back to the artists. So many companies have material in their vaults they don't even know exists."

The coalition were recently successful in convincing record labels to release tracks as soon as they are available to radio stations.

Elsewhere in Nick Mason's world, the legendary drummer is looking to make a few quid from a new classic car fund. Bloomberg has reported that Mason is part of a group looking to buy $150 million of motors, with annual returns of 15% projected. Nice work if you can get it.