Why Reece Mastin's not too cool for school
By: Cameron Adams From: Herald Sun December 08, 2011 10:56AM

SEVENTEEN-year-old Reece Mastin is an apprentice rock star. He won this year's The X Factor covering the likes of Aerosmith, Guns N' Roses and Foo Fighters.

He has had the No.1 single in Australia two weeks running with Good Night, which hit the top on his birthday (November 24) and went gold.

'It's not too bad, is it?'' Mastin says.

Now comes the next step in his ascension to rock star - ink.

Mastin is getting a tattoo to celebrate his first No.1. He is envisioning lyrics from the song and the dates it went gold and (soon) platinum.

'It's a big milestone,'' Mastin says. 'I've wanted a tattoo since I was younger, I don't think that's a bad first tattoo.''

His anatomical area of choice is the wrist. 'That way I can cover it up with my bracelet if I want to.''

Mastin grew up in Scunthorpe, England, shunning modern pop for his parents' CDs. The family relocated to South Australia six years ago -- a good back story for X Factor.
Mastin was initially portrayed as being a little too cocky about his abilities.

'My genre is a confident genre,'' he says. 'Sometimes confidence can get misread as arrogance. I was very confident on stage, but I'd never be arrogant about it.''

Like fellow teenage reality show victor Jack Vidgen, Mastin recorded his debut album in three days. Like Vidgen, it's full of covers.

'We had to go as quick as I could, but it was a good three days,'' Mastin says.

'Every song I tried to put in as much of me as I could. That's a good starting point, trying to be a little bit original on a covers album.'
Mastin's recording session began just as he finished his year 11 studies.

'Luckily I didn't have any schooling to do in between recording or my head would have been spinning,'' he says.

X Factor judge Ronan Keating angered parents by saying Mastin was so good he should quit school for music -- even before he had won the show.

'It was a nice comment, but I want to stay in school for a bit longer,'' Mastin says.

'I still did year 11 while I was on the show and I passed everything. Next year I'm going to get a tutor. My best mate is on tour with me, he plays bass for me; he'll get a tutor as well. It's important -- we've done 11 years of school together, we may as well do this last one.''

As soon as Good Night aired on X Factor, many pointed out its uncanny similarity to Pink's Raise Your Glass.

'Pink's incredible, I don't mind, but I've listened to it so many times I can't pick it,'' Mastin says. 'There's maybe a line or two in there that are similar . . . ''

Mastin has been writing songs for years, and after a national tour early next year, wants to go into the studio to record them.

There are already a few people who have offered their services for co-writing sessions, including Stevie Nicks.

'We went to her concert, she dedicated Rock & Roll by Led Zeppelin to me,'' Mastin beams. 'She said she's keen to write with me.''

Kylie Minogue, who performed with Mastin on the X Factor finale, gave him a shout-out in her ARIA Hall of Fame speech, while X Factor boss Simon Cowell has emailed the teenager several times.

'He said I was a worthy winner, and hoped he'd see more of me in the future. It's cool to get feedback from such a high-up person.''

They have already released Good Night on iTunes in the UK and he is planning on tackling that market next year. First up, that national tour, with fellow contestant Johnny Ruffo joining him: 'It'll be good to have someone to amuse me on tour.''

But, just as it has been left off his album, his version of the Celine Dion hit All By Myself is unlikely to be aired live.

'Maybe I'll play it in the concerts, if I'm really bored, to annoy some people.''

HEAR Reece Mastin (Sony) out tomorrow

INSTORE JB HiFi, Plenty Valley, 4pm, Wednesday

SEE Reece Mastin, The Palms at Crown, January 20, 21 (evening and matinee shows), Ticketek
Submitted by CHINA, from CAULFIELD on 08-12-2011

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