Episode 009 : Mission of Burma
Listen (TRT 32:15): Lo-Fi > Higher-Fi > Quicktime | Shop | Recommendations
In 1983, Mission of Burma were on their way out. Years of loud music had damaged the hearing of guitarist and singer Roger Miller. His case of tinnitus, a condition marked by ringing in one's ears, had reached unbearable levels.
While Miller, bassist and singer Clint Conley, drummer and singer Peter Prescott, and tape manipulator Martin Swope were finding acceptance in critical and indie circles, Miller's hearing was getting worse by the show. The decision to stop making loud music was an obvious one.
After one amazing 45 ("Academy Fight Song" b/w "Max Ernst"), one bold six song EP ("Signals, Calls, and Marches"), and one album that brought together the wonderful chaos and synchronicity of four distinct musicians playing (and looping) their hearts out ("Vs."), it was all coming to an end.
Or so it seemed...
In the years since Mission of Burma disbanded, there was one live album ("The Horrible Truth About Burma"), a retrospective or two from Rykodisc (one of the few reasons I acquiesced to buying a CD player in the early 90's...), and several albums and CDs of unreleased demos. In the years that followed, Burma fans also got loads of amazing music from Roger Miller (albeit somewhat quieter, in the forms of Birdsongs of the Mesozoic, No Man, Binary System, Alloy Orchestra), Peter Prescott (Volcano Suns, Kustomized, Peer Group), and relative silence from Clint Conley.
Then, in the middle of 2001, author Michael Azerrad's book, Our Band Could Be Your Life was published, placing Mission of Burma alongside the US's most important bands of the 1980s, including Black Flag, The Replacements, Sonic Youth, Beat Happening, The Minutemen, and Dinosaur Jr. Add in some choice (and high-profile) cover versions of Burma songs from R.E.M., Moby, and Blur's Graham Coxon--and the revival of all musical things post-punk--and the influence and importance of Mission of Burma was starting to take on a new dimension.
And so, nearly twenty years after they went their separate ways, for three of the four original members of Mission of Burma, the idea of making music together was starting to enter the realm of very real possibilities.
On May 4th, Matador Records releases "ONoffON," Mission of Burma's second, official full-length record and will performing across the US and overseas in the coming months.
In late April, I spoke with Clint Conley in Needham, Massachusetts to discuss:
* what succession of events took place to spark the idea of a Mission of Burma reunion
* how Miller's tinnitus is these days--and how he's manages the condition with Mission of Burma again
* why tape manipulator Martin Swope opted not to take part in the reunion--and how Bob Weston (Volcano Suns, Shellac, etc.) joined the band and produced "ONoffON"
* how Mission of Burma is bringing true democracy to the stage and studio
For more insight on Clint Conley's welcome return to music, listen to our Well-Rounded Radio Interview from Spring 2003.
Photo: K Bonami
Catch Mission fo Burma on tour.
Samples from Mission of Burma's "ONoffON" featured in the Well-Rounded Radio Interview include:
1) Max Ernst's Dream (in preview)
2) Prepared (in preview)
3) Absent Mind
4) Dirt
5) Fever Moon
6) The Setup
7) Nicotine Bomb
8) What we Really Were
9) Fake Blood
10) Into the Fire
11) Hunt Again
12) Falling
13) The Enthusiast
14) Wounded World
In Mission of Burma's spirit of looking forward, all the selections are from the new CD/album, but only because I couldn't begin to choose from the earlier releases (available on Rykodisc), but they are all brilliant and should be owned!
If you like Mission of Burma, give a listen to Well-Rounded Radio Interviews with Mark Dwinell and Tanya Donelly (Burma's guest vocalist on "ONoffON").
Mission of Burma on Matador Records available direct from Matador, at Yahoo Shopping comparison chart, Amazon.com or digitally at Rhapsody Music Service.
Earlier Mission of Burma releases are available from Rykodisc.
Other musical projects: consonant and Roger Miller.
