In this brief interview, Mike Masser reflects on his journey from his early days with "Hand Over Fist" to his recent solo and collaborative projects. He discusses the evolution of his sound, the inspiration behind his albums, and shares his passion for making music. While he doesn't have specific plans for the future, he remains open to new musical endeavors, taking things as they come.
1. Can you tell us about your early days in music as the
guitar player for Hand Over Fist in the early 2000s? What was that experience
like?
Those days were a lot of fun. In the beginning of the band
it was about playing music with friends and having a blast doing it. Once
obligations and contracts and all that stuff happened it started to get less
about the music and more about trying to fulfill the obligations. I look back
on that time in my life very fondly. I have a lot of good memories and
experienced a lot during that time.
2. Hand Over Fist released two full-length albums and an EP, Night Creature,
Diablo Del Sol, and Die Trying. What are your fondest memories from those
recording sessions and performances?
Recording the first album is a great memory for me. It was
my first experience in a recording studio. To hear the songs we had written and
rehearsed recorded in a studio was amazing to me. The songs sounded so good,
better then I ever expected. Recording the second album was a whole different
animal. We were staying in Los Angeles to record that album. The whole band was
sharing one room in a hotel and working in the studio at all hours. It was and
experience to say the least. We made the best out of the situation and we had
fun doing it. The only down side of that is I wasn’t very happy with the way
that album was recorded and how the label treated the release.
3. After feeling burnt out on music, you took a step back. Can you share
what led to this decision and how you spent your time during that period?
There are a few things that led to me hanging it up for
awhile. Most of it was I wasn’t having fun anymore. Too many things were
getting in the way of why I wanted to play music. It was becoming more of a job
and less of an escape or passion. I met my wife right before I stopped playing.
What I did after was get married and concentrated on my family.
4. Who or what inspired you to return to music a decade after taking a break
from it?
My wife and my best friend started asking if I missed playing. Of course I did miss it. I loved playing, I just didn’t like everything that came with it. They made me realize I could do it myself and create my own sound and record my own way.
5. You not only picked up your guitar again but also ventured into being a
vocalist. What motivated you to take on this dual role?
I did it out of necessity. I never wanted to sing. Anyone that knows me knows I
don’t like to sing. When I was writing songs and trying to think of who would
sing them or how I am going to do them, my wife said I should try it.
Reluctantly I gave it a shot and here I am still doing it.
6. Your solo debut, Desert Sun, was described as an "experiment"
to see if you could do it. What did you learn from that experience, and how did
it shape your musical journey?
That album was definitely an experiment, and big departure
from anything I have ever done before. I purposely tried to make a mellow
album. At first I wanted it to be all acoustic, but that didn’t pan out. I was
restricting myself a lot on that album. It had been a long time since I wrote
anything and even played anything. Once I got going, it was all starting to
come back to me. I think the biggest thing I learned from that album is to not
try to limit myself or the creative process. Just let what comes out come out
naturally.
7. Could you share more about the concept and sound of Desert Sun? How did
it differ from your previous work with Hand Over Fist?
Hand Over Fist was more Hard Rock. I wanted to see if I
could do something I had never done before. It was a way to branch out to see if
I can do more than just Hard Rock music.
8. One More Shot, your sophomore solo album, was inspired by Randy Rhoads
and Ozzy. How did their influence impact the sound and direction of the album?
Ozzy and Randy have shaped my love for hard rock along with
tons of other bands. I wouldn’t say they directly influenced the album. I
wasn’t trying to write another Blizzard of Oz or anything. I just wanted to get
back to my roots a little and not restrict myself anymore. That album I let
more of the hard rock back in.
9. Tell us about your side project, Rictus of Rage, and the EP you worked on
with your friend Jeff Watson. What can fans expect from this project?
Rictus is much darker and heavier. It deals with much darker subjects.
10. How does the music of Rictus of Rage differ from your solo work in terms
of style and content?
Rictus is heavier and darker than my solo work. The lyrics
are more serious and deal with darker subjects.
11. After the Rictus of Rage EP, you started working on your new album, Let
it Ride. How does this album connect to your classic sound, and what can fans
anticipate from it?
Let it Ride I feel is the same sonically or very close to
One More Shot. I didn’t differ too much on that album. To me it sounds like a
cross of southern rock and hard rock.
12. What led you to continue creating music, both with Rictus of Rage and as
a solo artist, after the success of Let it Ride?
I just love making music. I wasn’t done with writing and I
had more to get out.
13. Your latest album, True Grit, maintains a hard rock feel. Can you tell
us more about the inspiration behind this album and the themes it explores?
This album I feel is the first solo album that really gets back to the hard rock sound I usually write. This probably would have been an album Hand Over Fist would have put out if the band was still together. I don’t think I wrote the album with a theme in mind, but if you look at the finished product, I guess there might be a underlying theme to it, and that is self resilience.
14. Are there specific songs from True Grit or your recent work with Rictus
of Rage that you are particularly proud of or that hold special meaning for
you?
I would say The
Phoenix and Silent Weapons for Quiet Wars. I am very proud of both those songs
and the reaction from people on those songs. I probably should add my song The
End. I have had a great reaction to that song and I am very flattered that
people like these songs so much.
15. How do you feel your musical journey has evolved over the years, from
your early days with Hand Over Fist to your current solo and collaborative
projects?
Well I have matured a lot since the Hand Over Fist days. I
have learned what not to do and how not to act. Before it was a party and you
tend to get lost in it. Now I do it for myself. I make my own rules now. I
found how to do what I love without losing myself in it. It’s all about balance
now.
16. What's next on the horizon for Mike Masser in terms of your music
career? Any exciting projects or goals you can share with us?
I don’t have any plans right now. I have taken some time for
myself. I will probably start making another album at some point, but I’m not
in a hurry to do that. I am just taking things as they come.
Mike Masser (@mikemasser) • Instagram photos and videos
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