Kendra Atleework

On Friday, November 13th, Clint Conley (bass, vocals) of MOB did an interview on Hopscoth with DJ Special K (Friday nights 8-10). That Sunday they played to a packed Echo in celebration of their new album.

Clint Conley’s eyes roll back in his head. He bends in two. His fingers stiffen. Frosty gray hair flies into his eyes and an electric bass shrieks in his arms, its white paint rubbed away by night after night of sonic battery.

He grabs the mic and lunges into the chorus of “Academy Fight Song.” Guitarist Roger Miller and drummer Peter Prescott are at his side, but right now all eyes are on Conley.

It was 1979 when he first took the stage as cofounder of Boston post-punk band Mission of Burma. “It was absolutely terrifying,” says Conley of his first performance. “We had no idea what we were doing.”

Mission of Burma disbanded in 1983, reuniting 19 years later in 2002. In the interim they have been featured in dozens of music books, and are credited with influencing giants in the independent music scene. Their native city of Boston has named October 4th “Mission of Burma Day”, and they are revered in college radio stations across the country.

Conley never expected such acclaim. “It was pretty early on that we realized that at best we were going to be a limited taste,” he says. “But the music we made back then still seems to resonate with people.”

Many bands that reunite after a long break are accused of milking the legacy. Conley says he believes Mission of Burma have escaped that certain fate (no pun intended). “It’s not like we’re trying to relive some long lost glory, since we never really had that,” he says. “We’re just doing what feels fun.”

It’s a Sunday night and Mission of Burma have drawn around 100 people to the Echo, a small venue in downtown LA. A few college students speckle a crowd that is otherwise leaning towards 50. Conley stands onstage in the low red lighting. His jeans have ripped over one knee. He adjusts the buttons on a wrinkly blue shirt and smiles at the audience.

He recalls a much more hostile reception when Mission of Burma first took on the Boston scene with their explosive live shows. “When we first played, people heard a lot of noise, a lot of feedback from Roger’s guitar, Peter killing his symbols… it was a very unpleasant sound for a lot of people,” he says. “We haven’t changed our attack much, but the culture at large is more attuned to that kind of sonic assault.”

Mission of Burma may not have changed their style, but they have learned a lot. “We’re singing and playing better,” says Conley. “That feels good, it feels more muscular, stronger.”

After three encores, the band concludes the night with 1982’s aggressive “Learn How”. Conley pulls out vinyl, CDs, and T-shirts, turning the stage into a merch booth. The audience rushes to greet him. “It’s a really privileged position to be in to be able to play music and travel around,” hey says, shaking hands warmly with a college student in the audience. “It’s ridiculously fun.”

Two former KSPC Blowout guests make their triumphant return to the LA area together—could it be? It was! On Thursday, Sept. 24, KSPC’s two favorite East Coast indie punk bands—Glen Rock, NJ’s Titus Andronicus and Brooklyn, NY’s the So So Glos—rocked the Echo along with local openers Radars to the Sky.

The So So Glos ripped it up with characteristic aplomb, working through the highlights of their most recent album, Tourism/Terrorism. As a college radio DJ, I hope I’m not violating any federal broadcasting regulations when I say that the part of “Throw Your Hands Up” where everyone in the crowd yells “!@#! THE F.C.C.!” is cathartic every time. You can read previous KSPC blog coverage of the So So Glos here and check out their interview on our Interviews page!

Next, Titus Andronicus took the stage to cheers, applause, and much moshing. Titus are known for their chaotic live shows, but the tricky thing about chaos is inconsistency—either you go off in a million directions and flop, or you pull together into a kind of scrappy synergy and it works. This time, it worked, and how: Frontman Patrick Stickles’ epic beard and antic, pigeon-toed delivery (with a voice once described quite aptly as “like Connor Oberst screaming from the depths of hell”); Eric Harm’s tireless attack on the drum kit; guitarist Peter Feigenbaum’s cartoon-Ramone power moves; bassist Ian Graetzer’s beatific presence amidst general mayhem. The only tests of the audience’s duly-earned goodwill came when the band invited their comedian friend, Alan, to fill in set breaks with awkward jokes. These were mercifully brief. (His impression of “Napoleon posing for his ‘goofy’ portrait” was pretty good, though. Like if instead of putting his hand in his jacket he put it in his…you get the idea.)

For the grand finale, the So So Glos (and several enterprising audience members) joined Titus Andronicus onstage for a rousing cover of Billy Bragg’s “To Have and Have Not.” (Video coverage of a previous night’s performance on the So So Blog.)

Sequentially and in tandem, Titus and the ‘Glos are a force to be reckoned with. Say what you will about the state of rock’n’roll in the 21st century, but if most bands today could muster up half as much energy, joy, and sheer commitment to their performances, we’d all be in a better place, artistically and spiritually. Perhaps the vibe of the show was best summed up by a moment I had trying to buy a shirt in my size at the merch table: “Extra small?” Patrick deadpanned, “I’ve never heard of such a thing!” You heard ‘im—go big or go home.

Text and pictures by Rachel D.

“Austin, TX’s The Strange Boys evoke a wild-eyed, porcelain-skinned innocence that is capable of summoning the wayward spirit of Brian Jones. The mystery of the South couples with the mastery of rhythm to create a sound completely timeless and familiar, yet absolutely raw and avant-garde. Greg Enlow’s syncopated, organ-driven grooves hark back to The Seeds’ “Pushing Too Hard” while guitarist Ryan Sambol’s voice wavers beyond comparison. Older brother Philip Sambol keeps the pulse with the aptly named Matt Hammer, who unmercifully pounds an old Ludwig set.  The Strange Boys began as a duo (Hammer and the younger Sambol) in 2003. The other two joined in 2005 and the band has been on tour non-stop ever since. Since 2003 the Boys have recorded a wealth of material which was passed around at shows and to friends, but never officially released. In 2007, Dusty Medical Records put out the Nothing EP, and in 2008, In The Red released the Woe Is You and Me single. Now, finally, the band’s proper debut album is seeing the light of day. It’s easy to imagine The Strange Boys’ And Girls Club, a sixteen-track beast, blasting out of any stereo system between The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators and Wire’s Pink Flag.”

The show is at 8:00pm on Tuesday, June 30th at the Echo. Don’t forget, it’s 18 plus. KSPC will be giving away tickets all week, so make sure you tune in.  Also, our lovely DJs will be working a table so you can stop by and say hi, and grab some free stuff while you’re at it! Who doesn’t love free stuff?

Check out our review of The Strange Boys’ new album “And Girls Club” here.