The Mission are an English gothic rock band founded by singer/guitarist Wayne Hussey and bassist Craig Adams, who were soon joined by drummer Mick Brown and guitarist/keyboardist Simon Hinkler. The band currently consists of Hussey (the sole constant member), Adams (who was absent between 1992 and 1999, and 2002 and 2011), Hinkler (who was absent between 1990 and 2011) and drummer Alex Baum (since 2022).
In summer 1985, Hussey and Adams left the Sisters of Mercy, [1] they were first joined by Mick Brown, of Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, on drums after refusing to use a drum machine. [2] To be a live band, they were joined by guitarist Simon Hinkler (who was then playing keyboards in Artery). The band released God's Own Medicine (1986), Children (1988) and Carved in Sand (1990) before Hinkler left in May 1990. [3] Hinkler was replaced first by David Wolfenden, [4] then Tim Bricheno, and then Paul "Etch" Etchells.
The band was reduced to a trio for recording Masque (1992). By the time it came to touring the band consisted of Hussey, Brown, guitarist Mark Thwaite, keyboardist Rick Carter and bassist Matthew Parkin. Parkin was replaced by Andy Hobson in 1993, and then by Andy Cousin. This new line-up played on Neverland (1995) and Blue (1996) before breaking up in 1996.
Hussey reformed the band in 1999, with Adams and Thwaite returning alongside new drummer Scott Garrett. [5] Thwaite was replaced by Rob Holliday in 2001. [6] Richard Vernon replaced Adams in 2002. [7] [8] Garrett was replace by Steve Spring in late 2003. [9] Thwaite returned in 2005. [10] The band disbanded again in 2008. [11]
The original line-up, minis Brown, who had stopped drumming over 15 years ago, [12] returned. Hussey, Adams and Hinkler were joined by drummer Mike Kelly. [13] The reunited band released The Brightest Light (2013) and Another Fall from Grace (2016). Kelly left in March 2022, [14] he was replaced by Alex Baum. [15]
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne Hussey |
|
| all releases | |
| Craig Adams |
|
| all releases except Neverland (1995), Blue (1996) and God Is a Bullet (2007) | |
| Simon Hinkler |
|
|
| |
| Alex Baum | 2022–present | drums | none to date |
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mick Brown | 1986–1996 | drums | all releases from God's Own Medicine (1986) to Blue (1996) | |
| David Wolfenden | 1990 | guitars | "No Snow, No Show" for the Eskimo (1993) | |
| Tim Bricheno | God Is a Bullet (2007) | |||
| Paul "Etch" Etchells |
| none | ||
| Mark Thwaite |
|
| all releases from Neverland (1995) to God Is a Bullet (2007) | |
| Rick Carter | 1992–1996 |
|
| |
| Matthew Parkin | 1992–1993 | bass | Neverland (1995) uncredited | |
| Andy Hobson | 1993 | |||
| Andy Cousin | 1993–1996 |
| ||
| Scott Garrett | 1999–2003 | drums |
| |
| Rob Holliday | 2001–2005 | guitars | none | |
| Richard Vernon | 2002–2008 |
| God Is a Bullet (2007) | |
| Steve Spring | 2003–2008 (died 2020) | drums | ||
| Mike Kelly | 2011–2022 |
|
The Sisters of Mercy are an English rock band formed in Leeds in 1980. After achieving early underground fame, the band experienced a commercial breakthrough in the mid-1980s, sustaining their success until the early 1990s, when they halted the release of new records in protest against their record company, WEA. Currently, although the band operates primarily as a touring outfit, they continue to perform new and unreleased music live.
Craig David Adams is an English musician, bass guitarist and songwriter. Over his career he has worked with a variety of rock bands, the most notable being the Sisters of Mercy and the Mission.
Jerry Wayne Hussey is an English musician who was born in Bristol, England. He is best known as the lead singer of the Mission, and as the guitarist of the Sisters of Mercy.
God's Own Medicine is the debut studio album by the English gothic rock band The Mission. It was released in November 1986 under Mercury Records. The original LP version contains 10 songs. The CD and cassette versions had the songs "Blood Brother" and "Island in the Stream" added. Both had previously appeared on the "III" single. The album peaked at number 14 on the UK Charts.
The First Chapter is a compilation album by gothic rock band The Mission. It gathered the material released on the first two EPs released through the Chapter 22 label. Titled I and II the album was released on Mercury Records in June 1987. It includes all the songs from the first EP in its entirety, but omits the original versions of "The Crystal Ocean" and "Garden of Delight" from the second. The US release was augmented with the B-sides of the V (Severina) EP. The tracks that were originally left off this compilation were included on the expanded and remastered edition. This restored both the short intermissions and 'swan song' from the II EP.
Children is the second studio album by the English gothic rock band the Mission, released on 20 February 1988 by Mercury Records. Two singles were released from the album, "Tower of Strength" and "Beyond the Pale". A third single, "Kingdom Come", was scheduled but appeared only as a promotional single. The album peaked at number 2 on the UK Charts
Carved in Sand is the third regular studio album by The Mission, released in 1990. It reached #7 in the UK Albums Chart, making it the second of two top ten albums and overall best-selling album in the band's career. Four singles were released from the album: "Butterfly on a Wheel", "Deliverance", "Into the Blue", "Hands Across the Ocean" / "Amelia". The band had invited members of its fan club to help select the tracks for the album.
Grains of Sand is a compilation album by gothic rock band The Mission, released in October 1990. A number of the tracks were originally recorded for their previous album, Carved in Sand, but not included on that release. Also included are acoustic versions of previously released songs and the Andy Partridge co-produced single 'Hands Across the Ocean'.
Neverland is the fifth regular studio album by The Mission. It was released on the 13 February 1995 by Equator Records (UK) and Sony (Europe) and reached #58 in the UK Albums Chart. It was preceded by the single 'Swoon' while a second single 'Lose Myself In You' was released in Germany only. An expanded version appeared on the 7 March 2011 through Demon Edsel Records.
Aura is the seventh studio album by The Mission. Released in 2001, it was their first studio album since Blue in 1996. The album was also released as a slipcased limited edition 2-CD set. The bonus disc features the original version of "In Denial", two videos - "Evangeline" and "Deliverance" (live), interview footage and a weblink. The album was re-released in November 2014 together with its accompanying Aural Delight.
God Is a Bullet is the eighth studio album by The Mission. It was released at the end of April 2007 by SPV Records in Germany and Cooking Vinyl in the UK. The album features guest appearances by Julianne Regan, Tim Bricheno and Simon Hinkler. It was preceded by the single "Keep It in the Family" which was followed by "Blush". "Running with Scissors" reuses the music Wayne Hussey composed for Atsushi Sakurai's 2004 song "Sacrifice".
Dead Guitars is a German pop band. The band first formed in 2003, when guitarist Peter Brough of 12 Drummers Drumming joined forces with Carlo van Putten of The Convent and White Rose Transmission, and were later joined by guitarist Ralf Aussem.
Mark Gemini Thwaite, also known as MGT, is an English musician who has been the guitarist for a number of rock bands and artists, including The Mission, trip hop pioneer Tricky, Peter Murphy of Bauhaus, New Disease, Spear of Destiny & Theatre of Hate, Mob Research, and Canadian band National Velvet plus various live and recorded appearances with Gary Numan, Al Jourgensen of Ministry, Revolting Cocks, Roger Daltrey of the Who, P.J. Harvey, Alanis Morissette, Raymond Watts and PIG, Primitive Race, Ricky Warwick of Thin Lizzy, Ginger of The Wildhearts, Stan Lee of Marvel Comics, Franz Treichler of The Young Gods, Miles Hunt & The Wonder Stuff, Burton C. Bell of Fear Factory, American rapper DMX, Laurence "Lol" Tolhurst and Porl Thompson of The Cure and Ville Valo of Finnish band HIM.
The Mission are an English gothic rock band formed in 1986. Initially known as the Sisterhood, the band was started by frontman Wayne Hussey and bassist Craig Adams, soon adding drummer Mick Brown and guitarist Simon Hinkler. Aside from Hussey, the lineup has changed several times during the years and the band has been on hiatus twice.
Simon Thomas Hinkler is an English guitarist, keyboard player, songwriter and producer, most notable for being the lead guitarist for the rock group The Mission from 1986 to 1990 and since 2011.
The Brightest Light is the ninth studio album by English gothic rock band The Mission released on 20 September 2013.
New Disease are a British-based rock band formed in 2002 by The Mission guitarist Mark Thwaite, vocalist Jacob Lee Bane, Daisy Chainsaw and Queen Adreena bassist Richard Adams and The Wildhearts drummer Ritch Battersby.
Richard "Rich" Vernon is a British musician and songwriter best known as the bass guitarist of rock band The Mission, and previously with The Only Ones vocalist and cult artist Peter Perrett in The One. He has recorded two studio and four live albums with The Mission including the critically acclaimed God Is a Bullet, as well as two with The One and one with Helter Skelter. He also appeared as a guest musician on The Dead Guitars album Flags, in 2008. In 2024, Vernon formed Manbird with two ex-bandmates, Paul Smith and Steve Hands.
Another Fall from Grace is the tenth studio album by The Mission released on 30 September 2016. Wayne Hussey has described the album as a lost link between The Sisters of Mercy's First and Last and Always album and The Mission's own first album, God's Own Medicine. He attributes this in part to his use of the 12-string guitar which he fell out of favour with after God's Own Medicine was released.
"Butterfly on a Wheel" is a song released by English gothic rock band the Mission in January 1990. It was the first of three singles to be released from their third studio album, Carved in Sand (1990). It peaked at No. 12 on the UK Singles Chart and reached the top 50 in Ireland, the Netherlands, and New Zealand, as well as on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, where it reached number 23.
Earlier this evening Mike Kelly, the Mission drummer for the past 11 years, posted on his FB page that he has left the band.
All of us here at Mission HQ are delighted to be able to announce that we have found ourselves a new drummer! ALEX BAUM.
