All of us here at Brain Damage offer our very best wishes to Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason, who celebrates the very special occasion of his 80th birthday today (January 27th). We all hope you are going to have a fantastic day, Nick!

The cornerstone of the band, he had his first drum kit at the tender age of 13. A member of Pink Floyd since the earliest iterations, he is the only one to have appeared on every one of their albums. Thanks to his late father Bill, he has been a "petrol head" from a young boy, and cars have been - and remain - one of his major passions in life. His most recent book, Passion for Speed, is worth checking out, as is the DVD of the same name focusing on his Ferrari Enzo car (with Nick heavily involved). Of course, for those who haven't read it, Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd is an absolutely essential read, and available in a variety of editions: hardback, paperback and an audiobook, which is read by Nick himself...

Nick has contributed to a number of magazines on motoring issues over the years (including a fascinating monthly column in Octane Magazine), and also became president of the Guild of Motoring Writers. He is a trustee of the Beaulieu National Motor Museum, and a life member and Guardian of the BRDC (British Racing Drivers Club). He has been involved in motor racing since the early 1970s and has entered Le Mans five times.

Musically, of course, the big news over the last few years was the launch of his new band, Nick Mason's Saucerful Of Secrets. The four initial, small gigs in May 2018 held in London lead to a very successful and critically acclaimed European tour in September. This was followed, of course, in 2019 with dates in the US, Canada, and more dates in the UK and Europe. 2020 saw the release of the superb London Roundhouse concert film on audio and video formats, and was due to see the band play more shows. Sadly, the pandemic put the halt on any such plans for 2020 and 2021, but the band were back with a bang in 2022 and 2023!

This year, Nick and the band will be back on tour, with six dates in Italy, and one in Germany, announced so far - click here to see all the 2024 gigs as it stands - and we suspect there are plans for other shows too. Obviously, we'll let you know as and when we get any further dates through.

Many happy returns, Nick, and see you on the road!