The Mission (band)
English gothic rock band formed by ex-Sisters of Mercy members.
The Mission (known as the Mission UK in the United States) are an English gothic rock band formed in 1986. Initially called the Sisterhood, the group was founded by Wayne Hussey and Craig Adams, both former members of the Sisters of Mercy. The band has released ten studio albums and experienced multiple lineup changes and two hiatuses.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- Leeds, England
- Genre
- Gothic rock
- post-punk
- hard rock
- alternative rock
- Years active
- 1986–1996, 1999–2008, 2011–present
- Label
- SPV
- Cooking Vinyl
- Playground
- Polydor
- Polygram
- Receiver
- Cleopatra
- Equator
- Vertigo
- Nightracks
- Chapter 22
- Spinoff of
- The Sisters of Mercy
- Current members
- Wayne Hussey
- Craig Adams
- Simon Hinkler
- Alex Baum
- Past members
- Mick Brown
- Rik Carter
- Andy Cousin
- Scott Garrett
- Rob Holliday
- Mark Thwaite
- Rich Vernon
- Steve Spring
- Mike Kelly
Facts from the source article.
History
In the summer of 1985, Wayne Hussey and Craig Adams walked away from the Sisters of Mercy after a recording session with Andrew Eldritch fell apart. Settling in Leeds, the pair spent the autumn developing and recording their own musical ideas. They decided against using a drum machine and brought in Mick Brown from Red Lorry Yellow Lorry to assist; by the end of the year, he was a permanent member. Hussey took on the roles of frontman and primary songwriter, but the trio needed another guitarist for live performances. They brought in Simon Hinkler from Artery, who also handled keyboards. The group initially called themselves the Sisterhood, a reference to their past. Rehearsals for their first shows kicked off in January 1986, and they made their live debut on 20 January 1986 at the Alice in Wonderland in London. While they were touring Europe as the opening act for the Cult, Eldritch put out a single under the name the Sisterhood. Back in the UK, Hinkler was briefly let go but was reinstated for three shows where the band unveiled their new name: the Mission. Even though Hussey and Adams were still bound by contracts with WEA, their manager Tony Perrin readied their material for release. In May, the EP I (Serpents Kiss) came out on the Chapter 22 label, coinciding with the Expedition I tour across Europe. Two months later, II (Like a Hurricane/Garden of Delight) followed on the same label, supported by festival appearances that ended with a slot at the Reading Festival. Hussey and Adams were freed from their WEA contracts, and in July 1986 the band signed a seven-album deal with Phonogram. Their first album, God's Own Medicine, was cut in six weeks with novice producer Tim Palmer. The single "III" ("Stay with Me") arrived in October, with the album dropping the following month. The band then embarked on a three-month World Crusade I tour across the UK and Europe, trailed by their devoted fans, the 'Eskimos'. They made multiple appearances on British television and recorded a session for BBC radio. The single "IV" ("Wasteland") reached No. 11 on the charts in January 1987.
Names and aliases
Initially known as the Sisterhood, the band was forced to change their name after Andrew Eldritch claimed it. After deliberation, the Mission was chosen; Hussey said the name referenced the proselytising mission of his Mormon upbringing, while Mick Brown claimed it came from his favourite brand of speakers, Mission. When the band planned to tour the US in 1987, a Philadelphia R&B band had already claimed the name, so they became known there as The Mission UK. The group have used aliases for smaller gigs, including Blood Brothers, and in 1989–1990 formed a glam rock cover band called the Metal Gurus.
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