Dave Mason’s Feelin’ Alright? – Episode 01
Classic Rock Scene in the U.K., 1968
The debut episode of Feelin’ Alright? with Dave Mason on NEWHD Radio is both a musical time capsule and a deeply personal oral history, transporting listeners back to the heart of the British rock explosion of 1968. London at that moment was unlike any music scene before or since. Artists were not scattered across regions or isolated by genre. They worked in the same studios, played the same clubs, and crossed paths daily. As Dave Mason explains, everyone was in one place, feeding off one another creatively, often without realizing they were shaping rock history in real time. coming out of that compressed creative space would define generations. As Dave Mason explains, anyone making records in Britain at the time was essentially working in the same handful of studios, visiting the same three or four after-hours clubs, and running into the same constellation of soon-to-be legends.
The show opens with “Feelin’ Alright” by Traffic, the song Mason wrote for the band’s second album, Traffic, released in September 1968. Mason describes writing the song with deliberate simplicity, built on just two chords. That simplicity gave it power, flexibility, and longevity, allowing it to be reinterpreted by countless artists. It also reflected the era’s emphasis on feel over flash, something Mason returns to throughout the episode.
From there, the program places Mason’s work squarely in its historical context. Cream’s “Crossroads” follows, capturing the band at their peak and highlighting Eric Clapton’s blues authority. The track represents how British musicians absorbed American blues and reshaped it into something louder, heavier, and more expansive.
The episode continues with “Street Fighting Man” by the Rolling Stones, a song that embodies the political tension and restless energy of the time. Mason positions it as part of the soundtrack to a turbulent year, when music was no longer just entertainment but commentary.
Next comes Joe Cocker’s “With a Little Help from My Friends.” Mason notes that Cocker would later record one of the most famous versions of “Feelin’ Alright,” a story he plans to explore in a future episode. For now, the track stands as an example of how songs circulated freely among artists, each version revealing something new.
The emotional centerpiece of the episode is Mason’s recollection of Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower” and its transformation at the hands of Jimi Hendrix. Mason recalls sitting with Hendrix as they listened to an advance copy of Dylan’s John Wesley Harding. When Hendrix heard “Watchtower,” he immediately recognized its potential. Within days, they were in Olympic Studios recording what would become one of the most revered tracks in rock history.
Mason describes sitting face to face with Hendrix, playing twelve string guitar while Hendrix built the track piece by piece, adding bass and electric guitar himself. Mason stayed for the entire session, calling it one of the most inspiring musical experiences of his life. The episode presents Dylan’s original version first, followed by Hendrix’s Electric Ladyland recording, allowing listeners to hear the evolution unfold.
Returning to the British charts, Mason introduces The Who’s “My Generation,” a defining statement of youth and rebellion. Few songs better capture the urgency of the era or the spirit of the London scene Mason lived in daily.
The blues thread continues with Fleetwood Mac’s “Oh Well,” showcasing Peter Green’s haunting guitar work and the band’s roots before their later American success. Mason uses the track to illustrate how deeply blues ran through the British rock movement.
The Beatles appear again with “Twist and Shout,” a reminder that even as the band pushed boundaries, they never lost touch with the raw energy of rock and roll’s origins.
The focus then turns inward as Mason introduces music from his solo career. “Shouldn’t Have Took More Than You Give” and “Only You Know and I Know” reflect his transition from band member to individual artist, supported by an extraordinary group of collaborators including Leon Russell, Jim Capaldi, Rita Coolidge, Carl Radle, and Jim Gordon. These recordings demonstrate Mason’s belief in musical community, even within solo work.
The episode closes with Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay.” Mason speaks with deep admiration about Steve Cropper, highlighting his understated genius as a guitarist, producer, and arranger. The song serves as a quiet, reflective ending, bridging British rock, American soul, and the shared musical language that connected them.
Mason signs off by inviting listeners to connect with him through NEWHD Radio, promising more stories, more music, and more moments from the inside of rock history.
Feelin' Alright? Tracks
Traffic – Feelin’ Alright (4:16)
Cream – Crossroads (4:16)
The Rolling Stones – Street Fighting Man (3:16)
Joe Cocker – With a Little Help from My Friends (5:12)
Bob Dylan – All Along the Watchtower (2:31)
Jimi Hendrix – All Along the Watchtower (4:01)
The Who – My Generation (3:15)
Fleetwood Mac – Oh Well (4:56)
The Beatles – Twist and Shout (2:35)
Dave Mason – Shouldn’t Have Took More Than You Give (4:02)
Dave Mason – Only You Know and I Know (4:12)
Otis Redding – (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay (2:46)
