Bulletins

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  Mar 23, 08:40 AM

  Burma Studio Sessions Blog #3 March 22nd, 2009

  Well, that was surprising: we got in today around 12:30/1:00. After listening to every song we'd recorded so far, at least 10 were totally fine! Who knew? Only Monkey Boy (temp. title) definitely needed to be recut, which we did and it sounded much better. The other 3 we re-recorded were all cut better yesterday - who needs 'em? So we got one track from Friday, 12 on Saturday, and one from today, Sunday. I guess we're a rock band after all.
  
  Jimmy shows up, Clint does his handfull of bass touchups so he can get home to his family by dinner, Pete bikes home and I finish a couple guitar correctoids: and we're done w/basics. Overall pretty smooth.
  
  Vocals and other overdubs start tomorrow at Analog Divide, Black Helicopter's space where we also rehearse.
  
  We were out of there by 6pm (except Bob doing technical mop-up). Weird.
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  Mar 23, 08:39 AM

  Burma Studio Sessions Blog #2 March 21st, 2009

  Today was considerably smoother, as one might expect. The sounds were already in place. It took a couple songs to get the headphone mix together but after that, not bad. Even when we fukt up (the non-fuckups were the uncommon ones), it had the rock spirit. Some songs came pretty quick (second take on Slow Faucet, one of our first "new songs" a couple years back), others still not sure. Drum part condensation on After the Rain was a bonus. The Sound, the Speed, the Light was better at a faster tempo, and all 3 (or was it 4?) versions of Blunder were certified as rock music by all those in the listening room (it was actually vacant at that point..... but still..... ). The end improv. for One Day We Will Live There had a nice, spontaneous ending. Good feel today. At least we can be pretty sure the record won't suck.
  
  
  Roger at his amps: the Marshall and Black Helicopter's Music Man.
  
  
  The band avoiding Overt Rock Action.
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  Mar 23, 08:37 AM

  Burma Studio Sessions Blog #1 March 20th, 2009

  Things went pretty well today. The usual 'hurry up and wait", which every one of us, no matter what they were doing, went through. You just can't get headphone mixes any quicker, or chose mics on amps and drums, etc. So you roll w/it, a bit impatient, try to figure out what to do in the meantime.......
  
  But by the time the night was over, we'd laid at least first passes on 6 tracks, with a few possible keepers: 'Good Cheer", and the two not-yet-performed "After the Rain" and "Innermost". Sounds were good. Awesome studio, if still in raw form: Squid Hell, Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA. The main room is beyond belief (see photo), even if the walls are still unfinished, and the "cushy chairs" leave something to be desired. With any luck at all, this place will some day become the best studio on the east coast. No joke. Just ask Bob.
  
  A little nervous getting started. Bad jokes like "what did you think of my bass line there?" "What bass line?" "It was only 10 seconds ago." "How do you expect me to remember that far back?"; that kind of thing. And we decided against a couple of album titles: "The Only Band the Mutters" was one which we, after much deliberation, decided was too obvious. What about "Mr. Spock?" Uh...........
  
  
  Why we chose to record at Squid Hell.
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  Mar 09, 12:33 PM

  Mission of Burma is in the Studio

  Mission of Burma is currently recording demos for their 4th studio album following 2006's The Obliterati. Check out some photos from inside the studio here.
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  Jan 30, 09:50 AM

  Photos from Mission of Burma's Benefit Concert

  On January 24th, 2009, Mission of Burma, along with The Neighborhoods and Faces on Film, performed a show to benefit the The Center for the Arts at the Armory. Check out photos from the Somerville Theater event.

  Mission of Burma at the Somerville Theater

   
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  Jan 26, 08:57 AM

  Volcano Suns Reissues

  After far too long a wait, our friends at Merge Records will release the first two Volcano Suns albums on cd for the first time ever next Tuesday January 27. Here is some information about them. For the uninitiated, Volcano Suns were Peter Prescott's first post-Mission of Burma band. Bob Weston joined later and his mastering of the reissues completes the circle!

  
  Volcano Suns were founded in Boston in 1983 by former Mission of Burma drummer Peter Prescott. In 1985, the band, with Jon Williams on guitar and Jeff Weigand on bass, released their debut album, The Bright Orange Years, and followed it up a year later with another classic, All Night Lotus Party. Both albums were originally released on Homestead Records but have never been available on CD.The Bright Orange Years is so chockful of catchy songs that it could be any other band's greatest hits album. The opening track, "Jak", is an addictive head-nodder from its opening bassline to its chiming chords and lyrics. By contrast, All Night Lotus Party is a heavier and darker record, with more distorted guitars and bass-heavy production.Merge will make both albums available on CD for the first time on January 27, 2009, with reissues remastered by Bob Weston featuring loads of bonus tracks including radio sessions and other rarities.