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
OK/No Way
Mission of Burma Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
OK
So you think you've got it figured out
OK
So you think you've got it all worked out
OK
And at night you've got no doubt
No way
Got a feeling inside of me
OK
... might not be
OK
... that don't move an inch
OK
... got no sense
No way
Don't tell me that god is dead
Don't tell me that Marx is dead
When it's times like this my friend
I don't feel too well myself, no
Oh no
Oh no
Oh no
So you think you've got it all worked out
OK
So you think you've got it figured out
OK
So you think you've got it all worked out
OK
And at night you've got no doubt
No way
Don't tell me that god is dead
Don't tell me that Marx is dead
When it's times like this my friend
I don't feel too well myself, no
Oh no
Oh no
Oh no
In "OK/No Way," Mission of Burma examines the complex and mutable nature of confidence and doubt in the face of societal and personal pressures. The repetition of the phrase "So you think you've got it all worked out" suggests a cyclical questioning of one's own beliefs and perspectives. The repetition also creates an incantatory effect, emphasizing the various ways in which ideas and beliefs can be challenged or validated throughout one's life.
The contrast between "OK" and "No way" represents the opposing impulses of assurance and uncertainty, and the way that these feelings can shift in a matter of moments. The line "Got a feeling inside of me / OK / ...might not be / OK" captures the internal turmoil of questioning one's emotions and beliefs, suggesting that even when one feels confident, there is always the possibility of doubt.
The song's final lines, "Don't tell me that god is dead / Don't tell me that Marx is dead / When it's times like this my friend / I don't feel too well myself, no," encapsulate the broader themes of the song, specifically the ways in which larger ideological frameworks can fail to provide comfort or clarity in times of personal crisis. In this sense, "OK/No Way" is a powerful meditation on the complexities of human thought and belief.
Line by Line Meaning
So you think you've got it all worked out
You believe you have everything figured out and under control.
OK
You are content with this belief.
So you think you've got it figured out
You believe you have everything understood and know what to expect.
And at night you've got no doubt
You feel secure in your beliefs, even when alone in the dark.
No way
However, this feeling of security is unfounded and false.
Got a feeling inside of me
Despite the certainty you feel about the world, there is something gnawing at you internally.
... might not be
The things you believe to be true may not actually be so.
... that don't move an inch
This internal conflict is one that you cannot resolve, and it leaves you stagnant.
... got no sense
You feel lost and without direction.
Don't tell me that god is dead
You reject the idea that faith and spirituality is not relevant in your life.
Don't tell me that Marx is dead
You reject the idea that ideology and intellectualism is no longer applicable in the modern world.
When it's times like this my friend
During moments like these of uncertainty and insecurity,
I don't feel too well myself, no
You yourself are struggling and do not feel content or at peace.
Oh no
This realization is not a positive one.
Oh no
You are experiencing anxiety and fear about the future and the unknown.
Oh no
This feeling of unease persists and cannot be easily dismissed.
Contributed by Mateo H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.