In conversation with 

Heller Mason

A little background:

After some of the interviews ‘Setting Sun’

Has done recently which have involved all

Kinds of wild and sometimes experimental

Music which are still cool, listening to

And then interviewing Todd aka Heller Mason

Has been a much more traditional experience

For me, although just as cool.

Perhaps comprising to me of a cross

Between Nick Drake and Red House Painters

With a dash of Neil Young thrown, his

Debut album ‘Minimalist and Anchored’

Kind of caught me out when I first heard

It through the excellent silbermedia records

As I was kind of more used to their recent

Albums by Alan Sparrowhawk (Low) or 

Tara Van Flower’s album as both of these 

were much more wilder but just as incredible. 

Being a huge fan of both Red House Painters

And Nick Drake, I knew immidately I would have

To contact them for a interview, so I spoke

To Brian at Silber and he passed onto me

Todd (aka Heller Mason) ’s details and the 

interview followed fairly soon after. 

Thanks to Todd for his very open and

Honest interview and thanks to Brian for

Releasing the album. A great choice,

Which certainly deserves to hear by a

Greater audience in my humble opinion.

More details on Heller Mason can be

Found here:

http://www.myspace.com/hellermason

http://www.purevolume.com/hellermason

And Todd’s e mail is:

hellermason@hotmail.com

Silbermedia can be found here:

http://www.silbermedia.com

And albums can be bought directly from:

Silberspy@silbermedia.com  

Thanks to Todd and of course to Brian

Cheers

AEN

(Setting Sun) 

Setting Sun:

How are things and what’s happening 

at the moment?

Heller Mason: 

It's fall, my favourite time of the year.  Sometimes I 

wonder why though.  

I'm taking a little holiday next month - going 

to Europe for a few weeks, not to play music 

or anything just to get away and visit friends. 

I absolutely love London (and Sweden too!).  

I’ve been practicing a lot and writing a song or two 

here and there.

Setting Sun:

Can you next tell a little bit 

about the history of

‘heller mason’ – What 

started it off or as I like to

say sometimes – who fired 

the starting pistol?

Heller Mason: 

Ok, so it's kind of confusing but Heller Mason 

is just me solo, but that's not my real name – 

it’s actually Todd Vandenberg.  

All the folks who play on the album are 

friends of mine as well as an amazing studio cellist.  

Some of the musicians have their 

own bands, namely The Wandering Sons 

and The New Kentucky Quarter.  

The album wouldn't have been the same without 

those nine people contributing to it – 

really, really great musicians.  

I started Heller Mason in 2001 at the 

same time that I was learning how to play 

guitar.  

I had been in a bunch of bands before 

but was only the singer.

What really kicked the “band” into 

gear or what “fired the starting pistol” 

was the end of a long-term relationship.

Setting Sun:

Music wise, what are your influences 

and what have you been listening to recently?

Heller Mason: 

Two major influences are Mark Kozelek 

(Red House Painters, Sun Kil Moon) & Nick Drake.  

I’m also really into Owen, Sandy Denny, 

Ryan Adams & Chamberlain.  

This week I’ve been listening to a lot of 

Nick Drake (for better or worse) 

& Uncle Tupelo.

Setting Sun:

I know at the moment, you just about 

have a CD out called “ Minimalist 

and Anchored’ which itself is a great idea 

for the title of the CD. Can you tell us a 

little about the sessions or the CD, and 

how doing it live (if you have done it live) 

compares to this

album? 

Heller Mason: 

Well, I’ve only played one show since the 

“Minimalist & Anchored” has officially been released 

on Silber Records and I did that solo.  (As a 

side note it’s also being released on Houston 

Party Records in Barcelona, Spain with a slightly 

different running order and an additional bonus track).  

I originally released it myself as a 6-song ep back 

in July of 2005 and it was recorded over the course 

of a year and a half, starting in January 2004.  

I could talk forever about the sessions – 

they were up and down and took 

*forever* but the album turned 

out much different (better!) than 

I could have ever imagined.  

I played a bunch of shows in 2005 and 

a few with a full band or with additional 

musicians.  

Those were really fun.  It’s almost a letdown to 

play gigs now, solo, as I now hear the full-band, 

album versions as the definitive versions.  

I’m just not really into playing live at 

the moment, though that might change.

Setting Sun:

I think my favourite track on the album 

is the title track ‘Minimalist & Anchored’ – 

itself – can you tell us a little bit more 

about this track?

Heller Mason:

Minimalist means being stripped down to your 

most minimal self – the bare 

essentials - and sort of starting over at 

square one, on your character, on 

your life.  Anchored is being tied down 

to a place or a life which you can’t 

leave just yet.  The song is just 

about getting drunk and missing your 

ex and thinking about what she’s doing and 

with whom.

Setting Sun: 

Can you also tell you what was the 

Inspiraton behind the name ‘Heller Mason’ 

as it is certainly unusual.

Heller Mason: 

I wish I had a Bob Dylan-like bullshit story to 

tell you but I guess I’m just not that clever.  

Essentially, I stole it.  When I was at 

University I went to an art show on 

campus by Elizabeth Heller-Mason.  

Her art has nothing to do with my music 

but I always thought it was a really cool 

name.  

I even used to keep it hyphenated but 

got rid of that early on.

Setting Sun:

What’s next for yourself? Do you have 

any more releases in mind etc, etc?

Heller Mason:

The second album is written and has been for 

about two years - it’s called “The Mess I’ve Made.”  

I plan on recording it sometime in the near 

future.  

I’ve also been writing some new songs within 

the past few months, a little different 

sounding both musically and lyrically.

Setting Sun:

Where are you from? What’s the music 

scene from where you are? Have you 

seen any good concerts recently?

Heller Mason:

I’m from Little Chute, Wisconsin, USA.  

I currently reside in Appleton (which 

I’m sure is just as unfamiliar as Little 

Chute or even Wisconsin!).  

All the other musicians are from 

the Fox Valley area or Madison 

(our state capitol).  

As mentioned previously, 

members of The Wandering Sons 

and The New Kentucky Quarter 

play on the disc and they 

are really incredible bands 

that deserve your attention.  

(And by the way, The Wandering 

Sons are going to be huge so this 

isn’t going to be the last time 

you’ve heard of them.)

Setting Sun:

A few more light hearted questions to 

finish off with… Firstly, what would 

you be your dream job if you

were not a rock and roll star?

Heller Mason: 

Honestly, I don’t know.  Right now I work with kids.  

Before that I worked in a record store and coffee shops.  

Before I went to school I was really into art 

and then I thought I could be a recording 

engineer for whatever reason (kinda hard 

when you don’t know how to play an 

instrument!). 

When I went to University I changed my major 

from social work to radio/tv/film and then 

I finally graduated with a degree in Journalism 

(Advertising and Public Relations).  

Who knows what’s next?  I think maybe a stay-at-

home father (not that there are any kids on the way or 

anything like that).

Setting Sun: 

What would you like to be doing when 

you are 60?

Heller Mason: 

A stay-at-home grandparent?!?

Setting Sun:

What will you be doing when you are 60?

Heller Mason: 

Playing my grandchildren in games on PlayStation 

version 36.

Setting Sun:

Lastly, something light to finish off (Borrowed

from a pal's zine almost) –  Imagine you were ship

wrecked on a desert Island and could have (Clearly

have second sight here – lol) the choice of having 5

records or Cd's with you with a stereo of course- what

would be your desert Island discs?

Heller Mason:

How about three because that’s usually the number 

of discs I bring on trips with me.

*Chamberlain “The Moon, My Saddle”

*Nick Drake “Pink Moon”

*Uncle Tupelo “Anodyne”

hellermason@hotmail.com

http://www.myspace.com/hellermason

http://www.purevolume.com/hellermason