Mason Burns looking forward to new album release and Dream Cafe gig

When it comes to his passion for music, Penticton’s Mason Burns is a young man with an old soul.

And he’s proud of it.

“I grew up going on road trips with my Mom and Dad playing this amazing music from the 1970s and I fell in love with it. I’ve never heard music that good since,” said Burns, 22. “I fell in love with that great classic stuff as a little guy and I started playing guitar at age nine … and by age 10 I think I played my first gig at the Penticton Farmer’s Market.”

His parents signed him up for guitar lessons with local teacher Theurin Myint, who “has been my only teacher and has taught me basically everything I know when it comes to music.”

For the past several months, Myint and Burns have spent countless hours at Myint’s Summerland studio putting together Burns’ solo debut record.

Last week it was announced Burns signed his first record deal with the Summerland-based independent record label called Caron Maria Records.

A half-dozen songs are finished and he hopes to write, record and produce five or six more in the coming weeks before releasing it hopefully in early summer, said Burns.

For many Penticton music fans, Burns is known as the dynamic lead singer and guitarist in the band Cosmic Crew, which has a large and loyal following in Penticton and around the Okanagan Valley.

Cosmic Brew released a self-titled album on iTunes two years ago.

As the front man, lead guitar player and driving force of Cosmic Brew, Burns has electrified audiences continuously with his powerful singing and extraordinary guitar playing.

“We put Cosmic Brew together back when I was in Grade 12,” said Burns, a graduate of Princess Margaret High in Penticton. “We’ve been playing together for about four years now. We’re going through a few things right now that I don’t really want to talk about, but we’re still a band.”

Music is a very subjective thing, but Burns said, in his opinion, today’s music "doesn’t compare to the bands I grew up listening to that included Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones in their prime, Jimi Hendrix, T-Rex, The Who … to me today’s music just doesn’t come close to that stuff,” he said.

“A lot of older guys play the classics, but I truly love that music and I’ve always tried to put a young man’s spin on what I consider to be the best rock and roll ever made. I just can’t get into the music that’s popular today. I don’t think most of it is any good.”

Like many others, Burns believes Led Zeppelin were the greatest band to ever record music or hit a stage.

“I would definitely say Led Zeppelin is my favourite band and my biggest influence,” he said. “They were great. They had it all.”

Burns said he has been writing tunes since he was a teenager and admits his solo music is much different than the hard rocking stuff he plays with Cosmic Brew.

“I don’t like to label my own stuff, but I would say it’s definitely more acoustic-based as I write all my tunes using my acoustic guitar,” he said. “I think it still rocks out, but it’s definitely a little quieter than what people who have seen me play might be used to.”

As a rare young musician who has been able to make a living playing music full-time, Burns said he’s blessed to do what he loves every single day.

“I’m getting enough gigs to pay the bills,” he said. “I know how lucky I am to be able to do what I love for a living.”

He and Myint are in the recording studio “almost every day” and will continue to do so until the record is finished, he said.

“I don’t want to put any extra pressure on myself to finish the record,” he said. “I like things to progress naturally, so we’ll keep recording until I think the final five of six songs are good enough to put on the record.”

Burns will showcase several of his new tunes and many classic covers during a gig set for the Dream Cafe next Friday, April 6.

He found out Wednesday the show is sold out and is amazed at the amount of support he’s received since announcing he had signed his first record deal.

“I’ve never felt so much love in my life,” he said. “The support has been amazing.”

He’s attended many gigs at the Dream Cafe over the years and considers it the premier venue for live performance in the city.

“They always bring in such great musicians and bands and the place is filled with real music fans who have such a great appreciation for good music,” he said. “I’m really thrilled to have been booked to play there. I’m sure it’s a night I won’t forget.”