The Mission biography
The Mission (briefly known as The Sisterhood in 1986, not to be confused with The Sisterhood, and known as The Mission UK in the United States) are a gothic rock band formed in 1986 from the splinters of the freshly dissolved rock band The Sisters of Mercy.
The band was started by frontman Wayne Hussey and bassist Craig Adams (both from the Sisters of Mercy), soon adding drummer Mick Brown (Red Lorry Yellow Lorry) and guitarist Simon Hinkler (Artery and Pulp). Aside from Hussey, the line-up has changed several times during the years.
The band's catalogue consists of nine main albums (God's Own Medicine, The First Chapter, Children, Carved in Sand, Masque, Neverland, Blue, Aura and God is a Bullet) with several complementing albums, compilations and other miscellaneous releases also in existence.
Detailed history
Incarnation
Initially touring as The Sisterhood, the new band played songs originally written for the Sisters of Mercy. Some were already released, some vetoed by band leader Andrew Eldritch. "Dance on Glass" was essentially the Sisters' "Black Planet", while "Garden of Delight", "Over the Hills and Far Away" (one of several original songs with an identical name), "Bridges Burning", "Serpent's Kiss" and "And the Dance Goes On" were previously unreleased.
Meanwhile, Eldritch was unhappy about their usage of Sisters of Mercy songs and the Sisterhood name, not only because it was too similar a name, but also as it was what the band's fans were called. In order to stop the practice, he recorded an album and a single, and released them as The Sisterhood.
In need of a new band name, The Mission was coined. According to the Mission's autobiography, "Names Are for Tombstones, Baby", Hussey said the name came about because of his Mormon upbringing and his parents' desire for him to become a missionary. Mick Brown has a different account, saying the name came from his favourite brand of speakers, Mission. Other possible rumours of how the name came include an originally planned Sisters of Mercy album Left on Mission and Revenge. Using the Eldritch-rejected material from their Sisters sessions, The Mission quickly released two indie singles on the Chapter 22 label, generating interest from several record companies.
Signing a seven-album deal with Phonogram, their debut album God's Own Medicine was then recorded in six weeks with novice producer Tim Palmer, an acquaintance from Hussey's Dead or Alive days. The band then headed touring around Europe as supporting act for The Cult, culminating in a prestigious slot at the Reading Festival. As the American leg of their "World Crusade Tour" went into overdrive, the heavy schedule lead to the temporary departure of Adams.
During their first U.S. tour in 1986 the Mission performed on American TV for the first time on Joan Rivers' chat show. Problems resulted later that night as an inebriated Adams caused problems at their hotel in Los Angeles and resulted in him temporarily quitting the band just prior to their show that evening. Their sound man, Pete Turner, filled in for a couple of shows and when they were offered an opening slot with The Psychedelic Furs, they recruited American Chris Bocast to play bass with them for the remainder of the first U.S. tour.
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