Mission of Burma

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Boston, United States (1979 – 1983, 2002 – present)

Mission of Burma is an American band formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1979. 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.
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Popular tags: post-punk, punk, indie, indie rock, alternative  See more

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  • Coolbutlame

    @heads_bullet someone doesn't get the joke.

    last month

  • Mace993

    ...oh and their cover of R.E.M's "Academy Fight Song" is also pretty bad

    last month

  • spacemangraig

    europe. when?

    last month

  • Mace993

    their cover of moby's 'that's when i reach for my revolver' is awful. [3]

    last month

  • heads_bullet

    omg.... ppl thinking they covered Moby LOOOOOOOOL go back to the filthy hole u came out of bitches and shut up xD

    last month

  • itsalexbrah

    i think it's pretty clear that Vs is the best record.

    December 2011

  • baddrummo

    I started with "The Obliterati" and I still think it's superior to "Vs." - both are great, but these guys got better with age.

    December 2011

  • HumHumXX

    Seriously, "Signals" in its original form can't hold a candle to "Vs."

    November 2011

  • fmc200

    FUCK YEAH POST-PUNK!

    November 2011

  • Buttemaster

    Someone find me lyrics to "Peking Spring"

    November 2011

  • Buttemaster

    Signals, Calls and Marches (the CD version with Max Ernst and Academy Fight Song) is in AT LEAST the top 10 rock albums ever made so get that. Every single song on it is one of the best songs ever written.

    November 2011

  • doctorincredibl

    Signals, Calls and Marches

    November 2011

  • patient_boy

    Signals, Calls and Marches

    October 2011

  • glitchface

    Vs. [5]

    October 2011

  • RussellChap

    Vs. [3]

    October 2011

  • matt_white

    Vs. [2]

    September 2011

  • roope

    Vs.

    September 2011

  • unixnation

    Any recommendations of which album I should buy first? :)

    September 2011

  • Rainbow_Fantasy

    COVER of Moby? I'm reaching for my revolver right now!

    August 2011

  • Modestmilk

    their cover of moby's 'that's when i reach for my revolver' is awful. [2]

    July 2011
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GOTV! Election Day is Nov. 2nd

28 Oct 2010 | from blog.myspace.com/missionofburma

Don't forget that Tuesday, November 2nd is election day.  Get information on the candidates and the races they're in, here, and then be prepared by finding out where your polling place is, here. 

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