New Jersey Stage logo
New Jersey Stage Menu



 

Makin Waves Song of the Week: "Mister Van Gogh" by Mason Pace


By Bob Makin

originally published: 09/09/2022

A Makin Waves Bassist of the Year winner, Johnny Zabe, right, is heading in the direction of his native New Jersey with the South Florida mystical metal of Mason Pace, left. Mason’s new single, “Mister Van Gogh,” is the Makin Waves Song of the Week. PHOTO BY RAYNA LEIGH

As the co-founding bassist of the psycho-funk band Experiment 34, Hamilton-raised Johnny Zabe made plenty of waves, including a Makin Waves Bassist of the Year Award. 

Now based in South Florida, Johnny is heading in the direction of home laying down his typically insanely thick slabs of slapping rhythm on the Starry Night Tour of his current band led by the popular mystical metal singer-songwriter-guitarist Mason Pace. The tour is in support of the irresistible new single “Mister Van Gogh,” which is the Makin Waves Song of the Week.

As the Makin Waves Song of the Week, “Mister Van Gogh” also can be heard between 6 and 8 p.m. on Sept. 9 on “Radio Jersey” at ThePenguinRocks.com. If you miss it, you also can tune in any time in the archives at The Penguin or MixCloud

“I joined the band after searching on BandMix for a long time after moving down to Florida,” Johnny said. “The first track I heard was ‘King of Hearts,’ and I instantly fell in love with the sound. Mason’s killer pipes and hard riffs reminded me so much of   Ghost, a modern Black Sabbath, that I needed to reach out to audition for them. Luckily for me, their bassist had just left, and they were in need of someone new. After a few jam sessions with Mason, the chemistry and everything felt amazing so I was invited to join them on this tour, and I’m very excited where we go from here.”




Follow New Jersey Stage on social media
Facebook, Threads, Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky



When the world shut down in 2020, four walls and a sense of solitude became a muse, Mason said. From the agony of the lockdown’s isolation came “Mister Van Gogh.”

Written, recorded and produced by Mason and his band — also drummer Alex Abbasi — the single does what its namesake became renowned for: bringing emotional anguish to life and transforming it into intricate art. The song recalls Mason’s state of solitude and repetition, descending into a sense of insanity. As the mind twists, Mason beckons listeners to step inside his mind akin to the tortured artist.

“It’s quite a damning song,” Mason said. “Vincent Van Gogh unfortunately, yet perfectly embodied modern struggles. I’m publicizing the internal hardships of Van Gogh, a (then) unrecognized artistic genius riddled with mental difficulties; a victim of not only seclusion from the world he lived in, but his mind that he couldn’t escape from. It shows that someone as complicated and befuddled as Van Gogh can still bring beauty and contribute so much to the world.”

“Mister Van Gogh” follows Mason’s well-received sophomore album,“King of Hearts,” and the 2018 debut LP, “Whateverland.” Endorsed by Gibson Guitars, he has opened for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame acts Cheap Trick, Joan Jett and Phil Collins.  

The 17-city Starry Night Tour includes stops Sept. 14 at The Fire, Philadelphia; Sept. 17, Lucky 13, Brooklyn, and Sept. 18, Pianos, New York City, then continues down the coast to Baltimore, Raleigh, Savannah, and back home to Florida.  

For more info, visit https://www.masonpacemusic.com. 

Bob Makin has produced Makin Waves since 1988. Follow Makin Waves on Facebook and contact Bob at makinwaves64@yahoo.com



New Jersey Stage is proud to be the home of Bob Makin's Makin Waves column since 2017. His Song of the Week column comes out every Friday. He also writes an Album of the Month and Interview of the Month as well.



Follow New Jersey Stage on social media
Facebook, Threads, Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky




 

EVENT PREVIEWS

NJPAC

NJPAC presents Latin Star Natalia Lafourcade

(NEWARK, NJ) -- New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) presents the world-renowned singer, songwriter, and music producer Natalia Lafourcade on Thursday, June 19, 2025 at 8:00pm. She is one of this century's most influential voices in Latin popular culture.



HOT

HOT 97's Summer Jam 2025 to Take Place at Prudential Center

(NEWARK, NJ) -- HOT 97, New York's #1 station for Hip Hop, is again turning up the heat with Summer Jam 2025, the ultimate one-night-only celebration of the culture. Produced by The Black Promoters Collective and part of the Prudential North to Shore Festival, the biggest names in Hip Hop will take the stage on Friday, June 20, 2025 at the Prudential Center.



North

North to Shore Festival presents Third Eye Blind and Stars at NJPAC

(NEWARK, NJ) -- The Prudential North to Shore Festival is set to present an incredible night of alternative rock featuring Third Eye Blind at New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) on Friday, June 20, 2025 at 8:00pm. Canadian indie rock band Stars will open the night.



Baroque

Baroque Music and Violin Recital with a Touch of Bluegrass Coming to the Princeton Festival

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Violinist Tessa Lark, The Sebastians, and violin/cello duo Daniel Rowland and Maja Bogdanović, in performance with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, offer refreshing renditions of works showcasing the violin and music of the Baroque era at 2025 Princeton Festival mid-June concerts.



311

311 to Perform in Atlantic City

(ATLANTIC CITY, NJ) -- 311 is bringing the energy back to the road with the return of their Unity Tour in 2025. In support of their latest full-length album, Full Bloom, the tour kicks off in Atlantic City at Ovation Hall at Ocean Casino Resort on Friday, June 20, 2025, and will span coast to coast, bringing 311's signature fusion of rock, reggae, and funk to fans nationwide. Joining them on this epic run will be direct support from Badflower, with Sitting on Saturn opening the show as the first of three acts.



FEATURED EVENTS

ART | COMEDY | DANCE | FILM | MUSIC | THEATRE | COMMUNITY

To narrow results by date range, categories,
or region of New Jersey
click here for our advanced search.


Early

Early Elton Trio

Thursday, June 19, 2025 @ 7:00pm
Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC)
30 North Van Brunt Street, Englewood, NJ 07631
category: music


 

Trouble

Trouble Man: A Tribute to Marvin Gaye

Thursday, June 19, 2025 @ 7:30pm
Axelrod Performing Arts Center
100 Grant Avenue, Deal Park, NJ 07723
category: music


 

Soul

Soul Project Nola

Thursday, June 19, 2025 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJ 08087
category: music


 

Jazz

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis

Thursday, June 19, 2025 @ 7:30pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
100 South Street, Morristown, NJ 07960
category: music


 

Juneteenth

Juneteenth – The Soundtrack of Freedom

Friday, June 20, 2025 @ 7:00pm
Hamilton Stage at Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC)
360 Hamilton Avenue, Rahway, NJ 07065
category: music