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
That's How I Escaped My Certain Fate
Mission of Burma Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tulsa's not that
Tulsa's not that far
Besides if you stayed I'd feel a certain guilt
Did I hold you?
Did I hold you back?
Can I count on you if I fall apart?
If I fall
That's how I escaped my certain fate
That's how I escaped my certain fate
(Innocence a nocvice's mistake)
That's how I escaped my certain fate
That's how I escaped my certain fate
(Honesty's an actor's worst mistake)
That's how I escaped my certain fate
The lyrics to Mission of Burma's song "That's How I Escaped My Certain Fate" have a sense of uncertainty and questioning. The singer seems to be hesitant about their decisions and is grappling with the potential consequences of their choices. The first verse has a tone of hesitation as the singer encourages someone to take a chance and test their abilities, but then quickly tries to absolve themselves of any guilt if the person stays. The second verse has a deeper introspection, as the singer questions whether they held someone back in the past and if they can depend on that person to support them in the future.
The chorus, "That's how I escaped my certain fate," is a complicated statement that could have multiple interpretations. The line "Innocence a novice's mistake" suggests that embracing naivete can be a way of escaping a predetermined outcome. Similarly, the line "Honesty's an actor's worst mistake" could imply that being dishonest is necessary in order to escape an undesirable fate. Alternatively, the chorus could be seen as a sarcastic statement, implying that the singer believes they have control over their destiny but in reality, they are merely following the path that has been predetermined for them.
Overall, the song suggests a feeling of discontent and insecurity, but without a clear resolution. Rather than providing answers, the lyrics leave the listener with questions and ambiguity, fostering a sense of introspection and reflection.
Line by Line Meaning
This might be your only chance to prove it on your own
You need to prove yourself and take this opportunity before it's too late or someone else does it for you.
Tulsa's not that
Tulsa is not significant or important in the grand scheme of things.
Tulsa's not that far
Tulsa may not be significant, but it's still close enough to reach if need be.
Besides if you stayed I'd feel a certain guilt
I would feel guilty if I held you back from something you needed to do.
Did I hold you?
Did I prevent you from doing what you needed to do?
Did I hold you back?
Did my actions prevent you from achieving your full potential?
Can I count on you if I fall apart?
I need to know if I can depend on you in tough times when I am not able to handle things on my own.
If I fall
In case I am not able to handle things on my own.
If I fall apart?
In case I am not able to keep myself together mentally or emotionally.
That's how I escaped my certain fate
I was able to avoid a negative outcome by taking control of my own destiny.
That's how I escaped my certain fate
I was able to avoid the consequences that would have come with following the same path as others.
(Innocence a novice's mistake)
Being ignorant or inexperienced can lead to making mistakes and facing negative consequences.
That's how I escaped my certain fate
By taking a different approach, I was able to achieve a positive outcome.
That's how I escaped my certain fate
I was able to avoid the negative outcomes that usually come with repetition and following the same path as others.
(Honesty's an actor's worst mistake)
Being truthful and authentic can be a challenge for those who are used to performing or pretending.
That's how I escaped my certain fate
I was able to accomplish something that others believed was impossible or unrealistic.
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@radmutt1115
This might be your only chance
To prove it on your own
Tulsa's not that
Tulsa's not that far
Besides if you stay
I'd feel a certain guilt
Did I hold you
Did I hold you back?
Can I count on you
If I fall apart?
Yeah, if I fall a
If I fall apart
That's how I escaped my certain fate
That's how I escaped my certain fate
Innocence a novice's mistake
That's how I escaped my certain fate
That's how I escaped my certain fate
Honesty's an actor's worst mistake
That's how I escaped my certain fate
@woobiehastelly
this might be your only chance
to prove it on your own
Tulsa's not that
Tulsa's not that far
besides if you stay
I'd feel a certain guilt
did I hold you
did I hold you back?
can I count on you
if I fall apart?
if I fall a
if I fall apart?
that's how I escaped my certain fate...
innocence a novice's mistake!!!
that's how I escaped my certain fate...
honesty's an actor's worst mistake!!!
that's how I escaped my certain fate!!!
@primeracalledelasoledad8439
this might be your only chance
to prove it on your own
Tulsa's not that
Tulsa's not that far
besides if you stay
I'd feel a certain guilt
did I hold you
did I hold you back?
can I count on you
if I fall apart?
if I fall a
if I fall apart?
that's how I escaped my certain fate...
innocence a novice's mistake!!!
that's how I escaped my certain fate...
honesty's an actor's worst mistake!!!
that's how I escaped my certain fate!!!
@mblwoodshole
I will never forget how ear-shatteringly loud MoB shows were. Totally mind-altering volume levels.
@mr.cifuentes1779
envy you!
@chirkotelhin1806
Wish I could've been there to experience that!
@koollegged5739
@John Rapp Gira's hearing is really bad, according to him. The other Swans always wore ear protection.
@MrNightshade2010
@@koollegged5739 oh the rhino DIY collection which went by city .. in the liner notes it said MOB broke up because one of them lost most of his hearing and couldn't play/sing anymore
@petersmernoff9590
One of the best punk-pop songs of all time.
@marcosortega5915
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@andyelamin1966
Peter Prescot was the most incredible drummer I've ever seen live. The recordings are great, but live it was way beyond what I can convey with superlatives. Thunder of the GODS!!!
@radmutt1115
This might be your only chance
To prove it on your own
Tulsa's not that
Tulsa's not that far
Besides if you stay
I'd feel a certain guilt
Did I hold you
Did I hold you back?
Can I count on you
If I fall apart?
Yeah, if I fall a
If I fall apart
That's how I escaped my certain fate
That's how I escaped my certain fate
Innocence a novice's mistake
That's how I escaped my certain fate
That's how I escaped my certain fate
Honesty's an actor's worst mistake
That's how I escaped my certain fate
@goyogago
BEST DRUMMER ON THE PLANET