Pitchfork

I once read somewhere in reference to Mission of Burma: "Deny your history and it will deny you." For those of us who were infants when Mission of Burma disbanded, making sure we didn't deny our history meant listening to any recording we could get our hands on. Now that could all change. The original line-up of one of post-punk's seminal trios have announced that they will reunite to play at least two shows: one in New York and one in Boston.

How does someone get off calling Mission of Burma history, you ask? Since 1983, the band's final year of band-dom, Mission of Burma have assumed a legendary status in the underground rock world. The Boston four-piece (the guitar/bass/drum attack plus tapemaster wizard) existed for only four years before guitarist Roger Miller's tinnitus forced an early death for the band, but created a slew of punk material that garnered considerable buzz. The band's initial single, "Academy Fight Song," won them wide acclaim-- we're talking Strokes-level buzz, people. They managed to release the Signals, Calls and Marches EP and the Vs. LP within one year, concretely sealing their certain fate of legend, before they had to call it quits. The records showcased a frantic energy rarely equalled while wowing ears with catchiness. Mission of Burma also possessed a thrilling live show, one of the heaviest of the early 1980s (or any other time, for that matter).

And now maybe even you could experience this thrill. But why are they coming back, you ask? Why after 19 years? Here are the reasons they offered in their press release:

1. Punk passed the 25-year mark this year.

2. Joey Ramone died in 2001. (He went down rocking-- maybe we should too.)

3. Our Band Could Be Your Life, the book by Michael Azerrad. (Made us nostalgic for the fug and the fume of cruddy vans and pressing unsuspecting listeners against the back wall.)

4. Peter's band, The Peer Group, opened for Wire (one of Burma's idols) in Boston (at the Roxy, which was the Bradford, where we played our final hometown show). Clint played bass for The Peer Group at that time, and Roger joined on cornet and organ for that show. A partial reunion that was completely fun.

5. Clint is writing music again.

6. Peter and Roger never stopped.

7. Mark Kates, who helped organize Burma's last stand in 1983, has returned to Boston. He has seized control of the situation and will not allow us to back out.

Missing will be Martin Swope, who bolstered the band's sound with riveting tape manipulations. But the other three will attempt to regain a past magic. Hopefully, 19 years of rust will not be too much to erase, but nonetheless the prospect of this reunion will have nostalgic rock fans jumping with joy. The scheduled shows:

1-12 New York City - Irving Plaza
1-18 Boston - Avalon Ballroom