Mission Of Burma

MISSION OF BURMA

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

In a time where reformations are happening everywhere when they reformed with the original line up in 2002, critics were quick to praise and highlight that the intensity was still there. The band still has all the founding members apart from Martin Swope who has been replaced by Shellac's Bob Weston.

In the decades following their demise, Burma's reputation grew to nearly legendary proportions. Many bands have cited Burma as an inspiration, including Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Superchunk, Jawbox, The Grifters, R.E.M. (who regularly covered "Academy Fight Song" on their Green tour), Sonic Youth, Drive Like Jehu, Throwing Muses, Yo La Tengo, Fugazi, Pixies, Sugar, Guided by Voices, Catherine Wheel, Graham Coxon, Pegboy and Moby - the last four of which have covered Conley's "That's When I Reach for My Revolver". In 2009 the city of Boston declared October 4 to be "Mission of Burma Day" in honor of the band's work in a ceremony held at the MIT East Campus Courtyard.

Mission of Burma is an American post-punk 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.In early years the band's recordings were all 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 lineup, Vs. Mission of Burma reformed in 2002, with Bob Weston replacing Swope, and has since recorded four more albums, ONoffON, The Obliterati, The Sound The Speed The Light and Unsound.

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/16815-unsound/ - 7.7

NME 8/10

MOJO * *

THE GUARDIAN * *

strong textSPIN 8/10**

BILGE PUMP

BILGE PUMP BANDCAMP - Click Here

Bilge Pump have a disturbing ability to be better than any band they play with.

Imagine a boiling-over bastard concoction of all the best bits of The Jesus Lizard, Led Zeppelin, The Fall, Blue Cheer, Funkadelic and King Crimson.

A thick broth of art-punk fractured progressive noise, condensed into atonal pop songs free of power chords. Nitro-fuelled avant-jazz rhythms create enough structural form amongst the twisted guitar and off-the-cuff witticisms to provide an uncanny ability to incite dancing! It doesn't matter how wired or weird Bilge Pump get; behind the progressive noise there are clear, distinctive, memorable songs: a rare and winning combination!

Various releases on Gringo, Troubleman Unlimited, Unlabel, Jonson Family, Obscene Baby Auction, Noisestar, Run of the Mill. They have been involved with bands such as Polaris, Red Monkey, Propulsion Family Picnic, HiM, Snail Racing, Mask, Diesel Versus Steam, Baby Harp Seal, Quack Quack, Enablers and Yann Tiersen.

They recorded several John Peel Sessions (in which Peel is chomping at the bit for more - only very rarely did I hear him quite so enthusiastic). Joe makes custom valve amps for the likes of The Fucking Champs. Brian Chippendale from Lightning Bolt admitted he's a one-trick-drum-pony compared to Bilge's Neil Turpin in a Pitchfork interview after they played together in 2006.