C. J. Walsh

Mission Of Burma - Paradise Boston 2008

 

MOB broke up back in ’83 when their excessive volume led to guitarist Roger Miller’s extreme tinnitus. Miller has since donned headphones and has continued his eardrum assault in other groups (Birdsongs of the Mesozoic, Alloy Orchestra). But bassist Clint Conley left music entirely for TV production, even got married but didn’t tell his wife about the MOB beast lurking in the basement. Wouldn’t want to be around for that little talk.

The band has been back at it since about 2004 when they released the appropriately titled On Off On. This gig on their home turf featured second album, Vs. from ‘82 played in its entirety. (They played Signals, Calls And Marches the night before.) The art-punk classic is given its day in the sun with sheets of distortion delivered at maximum amperage with none of the edges beveled. Their industrial rock has always possessed a decidedly blue-collar feel and it remains a sound of alienation and impending doom, what you imagine the troubled loner was listening to just prior to going berserk. Though Peter Prescott’s drumming has so much zip to it they avoid the sludginess that would mire a lesser band. All three players appear to be enjoying themselves tremendously, also playing selections from their latest CD, Obliterati then blasting through two encores.

As the saying goes, if it’s too loud you’re too old. But Roger Miller decided to leave the headphones at home for this show, so his admission to the home may have to wait.

Published in Record Collector Magazine