Alternative Weekend: Focus on ‘The Mission'

I have been posting most weekends using @detlev’s #metalweekend tag, but my main love of music is progressive and alternative music. Some of my posts have included these songs, but I feel they are not keeping with the spirit of metal.

I will continue to post article’s using #metalweekend occasionally but feel I have more to offer regarding these other genres that I am more familiar with.

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Introducing #alternativeweekend. Post an article that highlights THREE great songs that are either progressive or alternative and use the tag #alternativeweekend or use the ‘Focus on’ series if you like. There are no rules, just make your own!

If you have a short story or something to offer regarding an opinion on your songs, then share it with us!

Should I continue with #alternativeweekend? Can I continue with it is a better question? My band list is getting smaller as I have covered most of the ones I am familiar with now.

Does anyone care? Apart from a couple of people, I get little feedback on my music posts. It is too subjective I suppose.

‘The Mission’ are and were a band that grew from the ashes of ‘The Sisters of Mercy’ after their debut album, ‘First and Last and Always’.

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Wayne Hussey and several Sisters’ members departed and formed The Mission. Retained was the mystery, shrouded characters and everything black that symbolised their connection to the former band.

My attention was drawn to the band during a rundown of hits over the year of 1986 via some TV show. I picked up on the song, ‘Garden of Delight’ and my interest was piqued.

It doesn’t appear to have been a single so I don’t know why it was even being featured. Later I was watching that time wasting show ‘EastEnders’ and another Mission song started playing during the set in the café; ‘Severina’.

I no longer watch soaps but the legacy remains. I hunted the band down and purchased, ‘God's Own Medicine' to find a fantastic gothic sounding album. Well, it's not going to sound like Country is it now?

The Mission – Dance on Glass (God's Own Medicine – 1986)

This is the song that was written for The Sisters of Mercy but discarded due to Andrew Eldritch disliking the lyrics.

I just wonder how much internal strife there was in that band before it all went to shit.

Wayne took this one with him and added it to The Mission’s debut album. This is not at all surprising to me as it is one of the stronger tracks.

The Mission – Breathe (Children – 1988)

Tower of Strength was the not so big hit from The Missions’ second real album. A compilation album was produced between the two named ‘The First Chapter’ which is well worth a listen.

I noticed a song named ‘Dream On’, which unknown to me at the time is an Aerosmith cover. They did a great job of it but the short song named ‘Breathe’ is atmospheric, moody and all the things I love in melancholy songs.

The Mission – Bird of Passage (Grains of Sand – 1990)

Two years later and we gained ‘Carved in Sand’ and ‘Grains of Sand’. The former was supposed to house the premium material, the latter the rejects.

I bought both CD’s at the time and particularly remember this one for the outstanding piano work close to the end of the song. Replicating it (I was into keyboards at the time) proved a challenge that I would never conquer.

The Mission achieved more mainstream success than The Sisters of Mercy in some respects, but neither achieved real exposure.

While the band has not officially disbanded they appear to be on some kind of hiatus.

Wayne Hussey announced via Facebook that the band would be taking a break with no definite plans in place for the near future.

Hussey apparently is writing an autobiography. I would be very interested in reading that when it is released, supposedly this year.

Goth music was and always will be somewhat niche and relegated to the black sunglasses wearing types or closet goths’ like myself who do want to reveal their musical tastes outside the world of STEEM and blogging platforms.

Is the genre dead in today's world? Are there any more Goth bands besides the remnants of what came out of the 1980's?

Given the chance I would likely pay to see The Mission live today. They are past their best but all that experience is still there as well as that back catalogue of great songs.

I would say this is the same for all of these older bands. They still have a lot to offer and are likely to play in smaller venues creating a better show.