Eight months after first announcing plans for a new album, The Mission have convened in England to begin recording with producer David M. Allen — who has worked with The Cure, Depeche Mode, Wire and The Sisters of Mercy — and this week announced a new record deal and plans to release the album in September prior to the band’s U.S. tour.
The band this week announced it has signed to Brooklyn-based The End Records for the new album, which will be the first from The Mission — which currently features original members Wayne Hussey, Simon Hinkler and Craig Adams, plus new drummer Mike Kelly — since 2007′s God Is a Bullet, and the first featuring Hussey, Hinkler and Adams since 1990′s Carved In Sand.
Deals for the European release of the album are expected to be announced next week.
According to a post by Hussey on the band’s site, The Mission began rehearsing this week, and are sifting through 25 new songs before heading into the studio with Allen. The band is expected to debut some if not all of that new material at a trio of small club gigs next week in Bristol.
Hussey writes:
“Directly following the shows we go into the studio in Lincolnshire to start recording the new songs whilst they are fresh and new to us, as well as to you, with the venerable Mr. Dave Allen, eccentric producer extraordinaire, at the helm. Must confess I am really looking forward to it and working with Dave again. 2013 sees the 30th anniversary of Dave and I working together for the very first time when we recorded Dead Or Alive’s Misty Circles together…”
Allen, best known for co-producing and co-engineering The Cure’s Disintegration, adds:
“It is a privilege and an honor to be working with the Mission on their new album for The End Records, I’ve had many dealings with the band over the last 30 years that I have known them, and this chance to record with the original members is very special.”
The recording sessions also are being filmed for an upcoming documentary, the band announced this week.
The Mission embarks on its first North American tour in 11 years on Sept. 3. See full dates below.
The Mission tour dates:
UNITED KINGDOM
April 11: Thekla, Bristol, UK (as The Blood Brothers)
April 12: Thekla, Bristol, UK (as The Blood Brothers)
April 13: Thekla, Bristol, UK (as The Blood Brothers)
NORTH AMERICA
Sept. 3: 9:30 Club, Washington, D.C.
Sept. 4: Trocadero, Philadelphia, PA
Sept. 5: Irving Plaza, New York, NY
Sept. 6: Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON
Sept. 7: House of Blues, Chicago, IL
Sept. 10: Club Nokia, Los Angeles, CA
Sept. 11: LVCS, Las Vegas, NV
Sept. 13: Regency Ballroom, San Francisco, CA
Sept. 14: Aladdin Theater, Portland, OR
Sept. 15: Showbox Theater, Seattle, WA
UNITED KINGDOM
Dec. 14: O2 Academy, Glasgow, UK (w/ Fields of Nephilim)
Dec. 15: O2 Academy, Leeds, UK (w/ Fields of Nephilim)
Dec. 17: O2 Academy, Birmingham, UK (w/ Fields of Nephilim)
Dec. 18: O2 Academy Brixton, London, UK (w/ Fields of Nephilim)
GERMANY
Dec. 20: Batschkapp, Frankfurt
Dec. 21: Postbahnhof, Berlin
Dec. 22: Markthalle, Hamburg
Dec. 23: Live Music Hall, Koln
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- The Mission unveils first U.S. tour in 11 years — plus U.K. dates with Fields of the Nephilim
- The Mission to mark 25th anniversary reunion tour with ‘Silver’ 3-disc CD/DVD set
- Wayne Hussey: The Mission to record new album over next year for fall 2013 release
- Killing Joke quits U.K. tour with The Cult, The Mission over venue downsizing?
- The Cult, The Mission, Killing Joke team up for 5-date U.K. arena tour this September
- The Mission to reunite for 25th anniversary concert in London next October
Soooooooooo awesome!
The Eskimos of North America are waiting with baited breath! See you in Seattle, Slink, Mr. Huss and Lurch! (and new guy.)