Bio

James Mastro - guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, producer and singer-songwriter extraordinaire - has toured the world dozens of times over as a supportive musician with some of the biggest and most critically acclaimed rock and pop artists ever to grace a stage including Patti Smith, Ian Hunter, Judy Collins, John Cale, The Jayhawks, Alejandro Escovedo, Garland Jeffreys, Jesse Malin, and with Robert Plant as his musical director for a benefit concert for an artist they both admired immensely, Love’s Arthur Lee. From The Beacon Theater to the Shepherd's Bush Empire (UK), Mastro has roused crowds with brilliant performances channeling the sonic inventiveness of David Bowie and the tastefulness of Mick Ronson. Discussing his new album for MPress Records, “Dawn of a New Error,” the Americana-rock singer/songwriter, guitarist and producer reveals: "As an underage kid, I used to do whatever it took to see the bands I loved: wait in line for hours for tickets, or sneak into clubs and push my way to the front of the stage.  Now, as an overaged kid, I’ve had the best seat in the house playing guitar onstage with many of those same artists that inspired me to do what I’ve been doing all these years. And I still feel like I’m sneaking in!”  

“Dawn of a New Error” finds Mastro firmly in frontman territory, unleashing 10 brand-new, fiery cuts that will make even the most jaded music listener sit up and listen. What makes Mastro all the more impressive - band cred aside - is his arsenal of sounds. Textural and otherworldly one minute and retro-rock the next, each track on his MPress debut is a swoon-worthy, master class in crafting timeless hooks, intelligent lyrics, and kick-ass playing that any fan of Elvis Costello, Tom Petty, or Wilco will embrace. Produced by Tony Shanahan (Patti Smith’s bassist, co-producer and musical collaborator) at Hobo Sound, the album was recorded and mixed by Grammy nominee James Frazee (Patti Smith, Sharon Van Etten, Marshall Crenshaw), and mastered by the legendary Greg Calbi. Mastro wrote and sang all the songs, along with playing all guitars and mandolin. Shanahan played bass, keyboards, and sang backing vocals.  Noteworthy drummers are on the record include the late Louie Appel (Southside Johnny), Brian Griffin (Brandi Carlile, Black Crowes), Steve Goulding (The Mekons, Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe), and Bill Dubrow (Yoko Ono, Linda Thompson). 

Bursting with timeless rock hooks, shout-it-like-you-mean-it vocals, and clever, thoughtful lyrics, it’s a timely album that toes the line between twangy Americana and Art Rock. The raucous album opener “Right Words, Wrong Song,” the hopeful “The Face of the Sun,” and the fast-moving “Three Words,” all feature the inimitable guest vocals of Ian Hunter. Mastro elaborates, "We invited Ian to the studio to see if we could coax him into doing a guest appearance on "Right Words, Wrong Song."He then coaxed us into adding to two more! He raised all of these songs to a new level, something he just can’t help doing.”  The introspective track “My God” was the first song recorded, and sets the tone for the rest of the album, with its poignant lyrics and engaging melody. Mastro explains, "It's a song of belief in oneself and in others. I was a utility player with Patti Smith at the time I was writing this, and just wasn’t sure if it was working or not. I shared it with her and she encouraged me to go with it.” 

 “Trouble” was inspired after sharing the stage with Levon Helm. “River Runs Forever,” with its stream of consciousness lyrics, flows through lost loves and winds up ruminating on the end of days. The lyrics of the mandolin-driven “Everywhere” conjure up blurry black & white photo images, while the gospel feel of  “Someday Someone Will Turn Your Head Around” (with guest musicians Dave Schramm/guitar, Andy Burton/organ, Jeremy Chatzky/bass, Ron Metz/drums) couldn’t be clearer with its messages of perseverance, redemption, and hope.  

Mastro and Shanahan worked together for years in ‘90s alt-country darlings The Health & Happiness Show, which also included Vinny DeNunzio (The Feelies), and at various points Richard Lloyd (Television, Matthew Sweet), Ivan Julian (Richard Hell & the Voidoids), and Graham Maby (Joe Jackson).“We work well together, trust each other’s instincts, and have similar record collections and tastes in food and cocktails, so it’s a win-win!” says Mastro. 

At the age of 16, Mastro was already playing at CBGB’s and Max’s Kansas City during the height of the NYC punk scene. By the time he was 17, he had been asked by Television’s Richard Lloyd to join his new band, which included playing on Lloyd’s highly acclaimed Alchemy album on Elektra. Moving to Hoboken, NJ, in 1980, Mastro added his guitar and songwriting skills to The Bongos - helping launch the music scene based around the legendary rock club Maxwell’s. The Bongos went on to tour non-stop for five years supporting Drums Along the Hudson (Jem Records), and RCA releases Numbers With Wings, and Beat Hotel.

In the early ‘90’s, he formed the Health & Happiness Show, which quickly became alt-country darlings, of whom Request Magazine wrote, “Mastro is one of America’s best songwriters.”  With two albums Tonic, and Instant Living, on Bar None Records, and Sad & Sexy on the artists co-op label, Cropduster, H&H Show toured non-stop with the likes of Wilco, Golden Smog, and Texas troubadour Butch Hancock, to name a few, up until their final show in 2001.

Mastro has been anything but idle since the H&HS’s retirement. That same year he added his guitar-playing skills to legendary Mott the Hoople frontman Ian Hunter’s triumphant return to stage and studio, and he’s been his left-hand man ever since, appearing on his past seven albums and as a member of the Mott the Hoople reunion tour in 2018-19 (in which he taught himself how to play saxophone for the show!). His production and session credits include Jill Sobule, Steve Wynn, Phoebe Snow, and Rachael Sage. He also produced Ian Hunter doing a version of Jesse Malin’s song “Dead On,” featured on an upcoming benefit album to aid Malin, who is suffering from a rare, paralyzing spinal stroke. He is a featured guest performer on The Feelies' upcoming live album, Some Kinda Love (Performing the Music of the Velvet Underground). “Dawn of a New Error” is due out in February 2024 on MPress Records.