Mission of Burma
Mission of Burma was an American post-punk band formed in Boston, Massachus… Read Full Bio ↴Mission of Burma was an American post-punk band formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1979. Initially splitting in 1983, the band reformed in 2002. In a 2019 Facebook post, it was revealed that the band has no plans to make further albums. As of June 2020, the band was officially finished.
The band was formed by Roger Miller (guitar), Clint Conley (bass), Peter Prescott (drums) and Martin Swope (tape manipulator/sound engineer). Miller, Conley and Prescott share singing and songwriting duties. Like many of their post-punk contemporaries, Mission of Burma's efforts are largely concerned with extending punk's original vocabulary without losing its essential rebellious spirit. Using rapid shifts in dynamics, unconventional time signatures and chord progressions along with tape effects, Mission of Burma challenges the prevailing idioms of punk while attempting to retain its power and immediacy.
In early years the band's audience was limited to the Boston area, with all their recordings released on the small Boston-based record label Ace of Hearts. Despite initial success, Mission of Burma disbanded in 1983 due to Miller's development of tinnitus caused by the volume of the band's live performances. The band released only one album in its original form, Vs.. Mission of Burma reformed in 2002, with Bob Weston replacing Swope, and has since recorded two more albums, ONoffON and The Obliterati.
Their wall-of-noise musical sound extended the vocabulary of punk while continuing to hold clear its sense of power and abandon. They used a number of tape effects, different chord progressions, and time shifts to highlight their formal training in music. Not only that but they are seen now as a highly influential band to both post-punk and experimental music to come after; many bands cite Burma as an inspiration, including Nirvana, Superchunk, Creed, The Grifters, R.E.M. (who regularly covered "Academy Fight Song" on their Green tour), Sonic Youth, Throwing Muses, Yo La Tengo, Soul Asylum, Pixies, Sugar, Catherine Wheel, Guided by Voices, Graham Coxon and Moby - the last two of which have covered ""That's When I Reach For My Revolver."
The band were due to tour in 1980 with Joy Division but the suicide of Ian Curtis, Joy Division's singer, canceled the tour. In 1983, after releasing their only full-length studio record Vs., the group disbanded due to Miller's worsening tinnitus.
The band found increasing relevance throughout the 90s, culminating in the publication of Michael Azzerad's essays Our Band Could Be Your Life which featured Mission of Burma. In 2002, they reunited and began playing reunion shows with Bob Weston of Shellac (and formerly Prescott's Volcano Suns bandmate) replacing Swope at the mixing board and tape manipulation. In an interview Miller relates that "when we approached Bob Weston to fill Martin's position, we told him he could use current digital technology which accomplishes Martin's antics in an easier fashion. However, Bob opted for maintaining the original integrity, and uses a tape deck."
A new album, ONoffON, was produced in 2004 by Weston with Rick Harte and the band, and released by Matador Records.
In 2009 the band recorded 14 tracks for their fourth full-length studio album, The Sound The Speed The Light. Matador released a two non-album songs on a 7″ single in August and the full album in October of that year.
In 2012 Mission of Burma parted ways with Matador and recorded their fifth full-length album, "Unsound", for Fire Records. The album saw release in July 2012, preceded by the single "Dust Devil".
In a 2019 Facebook post, it was revealed that the band has no plans to make further albums. As of June 2020, the band was officially finished.
See also:
Birdsongs of the Mesozoic
Volcano Suns
Kustomized
The Peer Group
Consonant
The band was formed by Roger Miller (guitar), Clint Conley (bass), Peter Prescott (drums) and Martin Swope (tape manipulator/sound engineer). Miller, Conley and Prescott share singing and songwriting duties. Like many of their post-punk contemporaries, Mission of Burma's efforts are largely concerned with extending punk's original vocabulary without losing its essential rebellious spirit. Using rapid shifts in dynamics, unconventional time signatures and chord progressions along with tape effects, Mission of Burma challenges the prevailing idioms of punk while attempting to retain its power and immediacy.
In early years the band's audience was limited to the Boston area, with all their recordings released on the small Boston-based record label Ace of Hearts. Despite initial success, Mission of Burma disbanded in 1983 due to Miller's development of tinnitus caused by the volume of the band's live performances. The band released only one album in its original form, Vs.. Mission of Burma reformed in 2002, with Bob Weston replacing Swope, and has since recorded two more albums, ONoffON and The Obliterati.
Their wall-of-noise musical sound extended the vocabulary of punk while continuing to hold clear its sense of power and abandon. They used a number of tape effects, different chord progressions, and time shifts to highlight their formal training in music. Not only that but they are seen now as a highly influential band to both post-punk and experimental music to come after; many bands cite Burma as an inspiration, including Nirvana, Superchunk, Creed, The Grifters, R.E.M. (who regularly covered "Academy Fight Song" on their Green tour), Sonic Youth, Throwing Muses, Yo La Tengo, Soul Asylum, Pixies, Sugar, Catherine Wheel, Guided by Voices, Graham Coxon and Moby - the last two of which have covered ""That's When I Reach For My Revolver."
The band were due to tour in 1980 with Joy Division but the suicide of Ian Curtis, Joy Division's singer, canceled the tour. In 1983, after releasing their only full-length studio record Vs., the group disbanded due to Miller's worsening tinnitus.
The band found increasing relevance throughout the 90s, culminating in the publication of Michael Azzerad's essays Our Band Could Be Your Life which featured Mission of Burma. In 2002, they reunited and began playing reunion shows with Bob Weston of Shellac (and formerly Prescott's Volcano Suns bandmate) replacing Swope at the mixing board and tape manipulation. In an interview Miller relates that "when we approached Bob Weston to fill Martin's position, we told him he could use current digital technology which accomplishes Martin's antics in an easier fashion. However, Bob opted for maintaining the original integrity, and uses a tape deck."
A new album, ONoffON, was produced in 2004 by Weston with Rick Harte and the band, and released by Matador Records.
In 2009 the band recorded 14 tracks for their fourth full-length studio album, The Sound The Speed The Light. Matador released a two non-album songs on a 7″ single in August and the full album in October of that year.
In 2012 Mission of Burma parted ways with Matador and recorded their fifth full-length album, "Unsound", for Fire Records. The album saw release in July 2012, preceded by the single "Dust Devil".
In a 2019 Facebook post, it was revealed that the band has no plans to make further albums. As of June 2020, the band was officially finished.
See also:
Birdsongs of the Mesozoic
Volcano Suns
Kustomized
The Peer Group
Consonant
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Mission of Burma Lyrics
03- Trem Two The face at the window The features I know I…
1 Once I had my heroes Once I had my dreams But all…
1 2 3 Partyy! brilliant mistake one, don't look at anyone two, drink only…
1.001 Pleasant Dreams Ooooo... I stood on the bridge but I could not see Stood…
1001 Pleasant Dreams Ooooo I stood on the bridge but I could not see Stood…
13 I know you ... You are mine Luck survives Luck arrive…
1970 Out of my mind on Saturday night 1970 rollin' in sight…
2wice Take a look inside What did you think you'd find…
A5 Dead Pool Had the choice but lost my chance Heard a voice and…
Absent Mind This alert is the color of a shirt that you…
Academy Fight Song Walk into my room Ask me jerky questions Don't mean what you…
Ballad of Johnny Burma I said my mother's dead Well I don't care about it…
Birthday Ho! Out of the troubled waters Out of the swirling…
Blackboard Downstairs there′s a blackboard Scribbled on and filled in w…
Careening With Conviction She said fuck it all Who's gonna hear me when…
Dead Pool Had the choice but lost my chance Heard a voice and…
Dirt Yeah it's true But only in part Actions best forgotten of …
Donna Sumeria Inanna, I emplore you On the banks of the Euphrates I am…
Dumbells I hear dumbells And I hear them following I hear dumbells An…
Dust Devil Triumph bouquet, triumph, triumph ease, triumph You're stil…
Einstein Chairs next to the windows Carpets touch the walls Time slid…
Einsteins Day Chairs next to the windows Carpets touch the walls Time sl…
Fake Blood A real keen eye Sense of smell Still hard to tell Your ID…
Falling I was falling Through the air From the tallest building Away…
Fame and Fortune Fame and fortune, facts of life Most of what makes…
Fever Moon Am I hot? Am I cold? When did this fever take the…
Fight Academy Songs Walk into my room Ask me jerky questions Don't mean what y…
Forget White walls Tattooed papers Confused by the details Dangerou…
Fun World When you are young They kick you in the head And when…
Good Not Great Feelin′ kinda punk Maybe 'cuz it′s good not great You say I…
Hunt Again I've swallowed my quarry And now lie paralyzed With assimi…
Into the Fire Someone gathers the best ideas And burns them Something'…
is this where This is not a photograph - no (This is not…
Is This Where? Crossword puzzles done in ink Down across a waste of thinki…
Laugh the World Away Laugh the world away There's a bathroom There's a voicebo…
Learn How Every raw material at hand Remember all the things you said…
Let Yourself Go Yeah Ba-ba-ba bah-bah-ba-bah bah bah ba-bah Ba-ba-ba bah…
Man In Decline And it probably works to the better That you're there…
Max Ernst People did not like that man Max Ernst. (The Blessed…
Max Ernst's Dream Hands on the surface That is (real ok?) Sun locating black…
Mica Then she says Why? If you patient why not dress like one? Th…
Nancy Reagan's Head Fat lot of good it's done you Tryin' to play…
New Disco Ooo Ooo Ooo Ooo I'm so tired I'm so tired of your person I'…
New Nails There was once a special book It got changed by fascist…
Nicotine Bomb Hit the perfect level in the blood. Sweet black syrup go-go…
OK/No Way So you think you've got it all worked out OK…
Outlaw I have slipped into I have slipped into Saw those creatures …
Period This picture just got fuzzy Blurred and gray So let's…
Playland This is where I live In the blank spots of a…
Prepared It hardly even matters What I used to think I've lost that…
Progress Down with history Down with sense Nothing makes much differe…
Red There's a window in my head. There's a window in my…
second television You will never see me now Soon we'll even go Sound spea…
Secrets It's not just a blink Or the following of an arm And…
sing along Everybody in the building has to sing the song All the…
Spider's Web I'm amazed, inside your gaze alone Eyes stay wide when…
That Once I had my heroes Once I had my dreams But all…
That's How I Escaped My Certain This might be your only chance to prove it on…
That's When I Reach for My Revolver Once I had my heroes Once I had my dreams But all…
Thats How I Escaped My Certain This might be your only chance to prove it on…
Thats When I Reach for My Revolver Once I had my heroes Once I had my dreams But all…
Thats How I Escaped My Certain Fate This might be your only chance to prove it on…
Thats When I Reach For My Revolver Once I had my heroes Once I had my dreams But all…
That’s How I Escaped My Certain Fate This might be your only chance to prove it on…
That’s When I Reach for My Revolver Once I had my heroes Once I had my dreams But all…
The Ballad of Johnny Burma I said my mother's dead Well I don't care about it…
The Enthusiast Da da da da da da da da da da…
The Setup The heart set it It sets itself up The heart set it It…
This is Hi-Fi This is not a photograph - no (This is not…
Train Yeah, I'm ready Making sense of all the hidden facts Hit an…
Trem Two The face at the window The features I know I…
Weatherbox Every man thinks he does what he can Then he...?and he's…
What We Really Were It seems years and years ago that People saw the sun We…
Wounded World I'm a puppet, you're a puppet too A dancing fool, jiggle…