The Mission: The Brightest Light Q&A
The Mission’s recent release of their 13th studio album in October 2013, through a range of record labels, Oblivion/SPV (UK/Europe) and via The End Records (US) sparked interest.
The Mission has sold in excess of 4 million of their previous 12 studio albums and attendant singles, compilations, and live albums. They have garnered headlines in the world’s music press and not always for the quality and strength of their music. They enjoy a rabid, hardcore, devoted worldwide following. In 2011 they celebrated their 25th anniversary with a sold out European tour. Since then they have played more shows including South & Central America, and headlined (2nd stage) at the UK’s premier rock event, Download Festival, and in amidst this flurry of activity they decided they’d like to record a new album.
Wayne Hussey, Craig Adams, & Simon Hinkler, original members all, along with new drummer Mike Kelly, came to realize that they actually made quite a decent big ol’ noise together and wanted to capture their newly rejuvenated sound on record. Anyone expecting a return to old familiar musical ground for The Mission is in for a surprise. This is a new album from a band that is obviously enjoying themselves and their newly re-found camaraderie and, whilst utilizing all the modern day tools available to them, has recorded a timeless, “classic rock” album – in the true sense of the words. The Mission, finally after 27 years, have wholeheartedly embraced who they are and what they are good at and have produced probably the best ‘rock’ album of their lives.
This IS a “classic rock” album. It’s rooted in the present whilst unashamedly embracing the past. The Mission is not, and has never been, afraid to wear their influences on their collective sleeve. That being said, this is a unique work and sounds only like The Mission. But not The Mission you may have once known. This is a band that has never sounded so good, so fresh, so true.
Steve Janes fresh from the WithGuitars mayhem, despatched a hastily assembled set of questions to quiz to frontman Wayne Hussey of Mission. In 2013, the band features Wayne Hussey, Craig Adams, Simon Hinkler and Mike Kelly. Talk naturally falls around the recent album, ‘The Brightest Light’ ahead of Decembers co-headline shows with Fields Of Nephilim in December (details below) withguitars hopes to bring you more on a band that has been under-rated over the years in the UK, made more frustrating was the fact that there was no real grounds for the odd written negativity, only down to the whims of band T-shirt doctrined music press. Historical failings aside…
Listen to ‘Sometimes The Brightest Light Comes From The Darkest Place’
27 Years on how does it feel that initial response has been very encouraging, is it the case of the ‘Lucky 13th’ Album in The Brightest Light?
“Is it the 13th? I wasn’t aware, we’re enjoying ourselves and that’s all good, it’s all you can ask for in life.”
What’s the best way to describe The Missions musical journey as a progression?
“That’s a journalist’s job, it’s not my job.”
Have the bands Goth past held The Mission in any taking in the modern day music landscape?
“Well I do think there is a prejudice out there against us, because of that, I think maybe the first album was a little bit Goth… but… for me, I always considered us to be a rock band, a traditional rock band, so I think sometimes we do come up against prejudice because of that within in media. Certainly here in Britain.”
How is life at SPV? It’s a heavy force do The Mission enjoy life at the busy record label?
“Yeah, they have been very good to us and very supportive, there is a person there called Gero who looks after us and he has been a big supporter of mine particularly for the last ten years or so. Its always nice to have that type of support from somebody within the label. I must admit I haven’t been to the label for 4-5 years now they are based in Germany… I haven’t actually been into the company.”
Then there is the US Label The End Records?
“Yeah great, it’s the first time we have worked with them, but we have just done the American tour, and again they have been very supportive. Its nice to get the record out in America. It’s the first one we have had released out there in about 20 years. It’s raised the profile a bit.”
Are you looking forward to the Academy shows at Birmingham and London, new set?
“Don’t forget Glasgow and Leeds. We will be playing a fair few songs from the new album which is always nice to do, but we like not give the audience a little bit of what they want as well. We don’t need to rehears on the old stuff really, a little bit of what they want, a little bit of what we want to do, and a little bit of what we think they should have.”
Do you have any difficulty figuring out what you want to do these days, does it come to you on the night?
“I do like to change the set around, I am not one to stick to an exact set, I like to keep challenging myself. It’s very easy to get bored of songs if you are playing them night after night after night. There are certain songs we have to play every night, it’s just the way it is. “
Are there any The Mission classics that are about to get reworked?
“I don’t know about reworked, I mean, we have been playing some old mission songs and we have been a bit more faithful to the records than we have been in the past. We always tend to go back to the original version anyway in a while. We’ve done all the back catalogue, re-mastering stuff… all that bollocks.”
The Mission will be back on the road in December 2013 for a US Tour and in December 2013 for UK/German Tour. UK dates are as follows:
Sat 14th Dec O2 Academy, Glasgow
Sun 15th Dec O2 Academy, Leeds
Tue 17th Dec O2 Academy, Birmingham
Wed 18th Dec Brixton O2 Academy, London
Tickets are priced £26 (£28.50 London) subject to booking fee, and are available from www.ticketmaster.co.uk.
UK dates are a co-headline with Fields Of The Nephilim. www.themissionuk.com