BROWNING MUMMERY

The pioneering 'darkwave' band Browning Mummery began in Sydney in 1983, formed by Australian electronic musician Andrew Lonsdale (1961-), as a both a collaborative and solo entity for electronic sound works. Andrew Lonsdale began producing electronic and experimental music in Rockhampton in 1980, and after relocating to Sydney in 1981, he became a part of the early electronic/industrial/experimental music scene, releasing several cassettes and performing as boxmusik, ISMism (a collective experiment aka 47½), and Atomic Disease (with late artist Nigel Gurney). Andrew also played in several post-punk bands including Wrong Kind Of Stone Age and Mutant Death.

Browning Mummery first performed in 1983 in a live air radio performance on 2MBS-FM in Sydney. Browning Mummery released several cassette albums commencing 1983 on the Boxmusik label, and in 1985 became one of the original acts released by the Extreme cassette label. Browning Mummery has appeared on compilations including the legendary 'Lunakhod' cassette album (1984), with Severed Heads and others. The film/performance Square by Jo Cunynghame, with Browning Mummery's soundtrack, was a showcase feature at Melbourne's Arts Festival (1985), and Browning Mummery has composed and contributed to several independent films, stage performances, and installations in the last 20 years. Browning Mummery also has the honour of having several tape releases unofficially re-released by European labels.

The Browning Mummery sound is distinctly genre-defying: Browning Mummery draws on influences from the Australian experimental underground, as well as techniques from dub, improvisation, industrial music, musique concrète, montage / cut-up, and environmental soundscaping. Browning Mummery has evolved from using tape and analog gear for composition and recording (including home-built instruments and processors by SwSW Thrght), to the use of digital equipment and computer-based techniques since 1988. Browning Mummery has also performed live on many FM radio stations around Australia, including 4ZZZ (1999, 2004), 2RSR (1983), 2MBS (1982–85), as well as on American and European FM radio playlists in the 1980s.

Based in Brisbane since 1993, in recent times Browning Mummery has performed at many events and venues in Northern New South Wales and Brisbane, including the Livid fringe (1995 and 99), the West End Festival (1999), Straight Out Of Brisbane (2003), Small Black Box (2002 and 2004), and frequently at Exodus festival with the Electric Tipi Collective. John Murphy (ex-Whirlywirld / Hugo Klang / NON) was a member from 1987 until his death in 2015. Max Hawk (electric 12-string), from Electric Tipi, played in Browning Mummery from 1993 until his death in 2009.

Browning Mummery has been included on the 2010 CD compilation 'Artefacts of Australian experimental music: volume II 1973-1984' (Shame File Music) and is regarded as a ‘quiet pioneer’ of Australian 'darkwave' electronic music. Browning Mummery's most recent CD album, the 30th anniversary collaborative set 'Epistle To The Zone Enders', was released in 2013. Browning Mummery is one of a small number of 1980s Australian sound experimentalists still recording and performing. Others include Severed Heads, Scattered Order.

Members

Andrew Lonsdale (keyboards), Gavin Williams (guitar), John Jacobs, John Murphy (percussion), Max Hawk (guitar), Robert Cumings

SINGLES
''Lament For Comrade Time'' 2021 Novichok 

ALBUMS
'Oracles And Prescriptions' 1983 Boxmusik 
'Obiter Scripta' 1984 Boxmusik 
'Opera' 1989 Cosmic Conspiracy Productions
'Browning Mummery' 1996 Obelisk
'Songs Of The Bicardiac Assembly' 2008 Obelisk
'Epistle To The Zone Enders' 2012 Iceage Productions
'Annex' 2014 Obelisk
'Chants Of The Bardo Engine' 2014 Obelisk 
'Shake The Dust Off Your Feet' 2014 Obelisk 
'Spectral Movements' 2014 Obelisk
'Dubs From The Black Vault' 2016 Obelisk
'Prayers To Broken Stone' 2016 Obelisk
'Thereafter' 2016 Obelisk
'World Of Shells' 2017 Trapdoor Tapes
'Contact Traces' 2017 Obelisk
'Dreamscape' 2017 Obelisk 
'Uncertain Experience' 2017 Obelisk 
'Postcards From A Feral Planet' 2018 Obelisk
'Tourniquet Of Hell' 2019 Obelisk 
'Fake Life' 2019 Obelisk 
'Epistles' 2020 Obelisk
'Obiter Scripta - 30th Anniversary Live 15 02 2013' 2020 Obelisk
'Plays William S. Burroughs' 2020 Obelisk 
'Exit Strategies' 2020 Obelisk
'Live / Berlin And Melbourne' 2021 Inner City Uprising

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browning_Mummery_(Electronic_sound_works)