M.I.A. (band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = M.I.A.
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Las Vegas
Genre = Punk rock
Hardcore punk
Years_active = 1982-1988
Label = Alternative Tentacles
Flipside Records
Current_members =
Past_members = Mike Conley
Chris Moon
Paul Schwartz
Nick Adams
Frank Daly
Mark Arnold

M.I.A. was a 1980s punk rock band from Orange County, California. It had its origins in Las Vegas, where singer Mike Conley, drummer Chris Moon and guitarist Nick Adams were in a band called The Swell. After the break-up of The Swell in 1981, the three moved to Orange County and formed MIA.cite web |url=http://www.alternativetentacles.com/bandinfo.php?band=mia |title=MIA Biography |publisher=Alternative Tentacles]

In 1984 they signed a deal with the cult Alternative Tentacles label, after the label's founder, Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra, saw them play at a secret illegal punk nightclub in Las Vegas. Biafra was impressed by Mike Conley's distinctive voice, saying "The minute you hear a song with him singing you know it's him."cite news |url=http://www.dailypilot.com/articles/2008/02/29/news/dpt-conleyobitweb.txt |title=Mike mastered OC punk |author=Brianna Bailey and Josh Aden |date=2008-02-29 |publisher="Daily Pilot"]

MIA released the album "Murder in a Foreign Place" with Alternative Tentacles before splitting up in 1985. The band reformed in 1986 with a somewhat different line-up and released an LP on a different label before splitting for good in 1988. The band's sound was generally hardcore and thrasher, though they produced more melodic and progressive sounds in their later albums. All Music Guide called the band "one of the 50 best So-Cal punk bands of the great early-'80s second wave explosion." [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:09fyxqw5ldae~T1 Biography] All Music Guide by Christopher M. True] [ [http://www.dailypilot.com/articles/2008/03/01/publicsafety/dpt-conleyobit030108.txt 1959 - 2008 Mike Mastered OC punk] Dailypilot.com, retrieved 2008-03-02.]

In 2001, Alternative Tentacles released "Lost Boys", a 37-song retrospective of the band's work, including "Last Rites", "Murder in a Foreign Place", and several additional tracks. [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=10:dpfoxq90ldje Review of "Lost Boys] Jack Rabid (All Music Guide), retrieved 2008-01-16.] [ [http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/m/mia-lost.shtml Review of "Lost Boys"] Peter Bryant, Popmatters.com]

Death of Mike Conley

On February 28th, 2008 vocalist Mike Conley was found dead in a Chicago hotel parking lot. Conley was taken to Gottlieb Memorial Hospital in Melrose Park, where he was pronounced dead at 6:25 a.m. [ [http://www.ocweekly.com/music/music/sprawl-of-sound-mike-conley-1959-2008/28557/ Mike Conley, 1959-2008] David Segal, OC Weekly, 6th March 2008]

On April 27th, 2008, there was a secret warm-up show at Detroit Bar featuring Todd Sampson of Self Abuse and Samson's Army on vocals, Jello Biafra of Dead Kennedys on guest vocals, Chris Moon and Larry Pearson on drums, Nick Adams on guitar, and Bob Thomson on bass. On April 28th, 2008, the "Beautiful Noise" benefit show took place at the Anaheim House of Blues with Jigsaw, Naked Soul, Cadillac Tramps, Social Distortion and MIA with the same lineup as the previous night, but adding Kevin Seconds of 7 Seconds on guest vocals. The proceeds of "Beautiful Noise" went to Mike Conley's family. [ [http://nedraggett.wordpress.com/2008/04/19/in-memory-of-mike-conley/ In Memory of Mike Conley] Ned Raggett, 19th April 2008]

=Discography [ [http://www.fuzzlogic.com/flex/index.php?searchfor=artist&term=mia&display=searchx Discography] FLEX] =

*"Last Rites for Genocide / MIA" (split LP, 1982, BOMP/Invasion Records)
*"Murder in a Foreign Place" (LP, 1984, Alternative Tentacles)
*"Notes From the Underground" (LP, 1985, National Trust Records)
*"After the Fact" (LP, 1987, Flipside Records)
*"Lost Boys" (CD, 2001, Alternative Tentacles)

Compilation appearances

*"Maximum Rock N Roll's Not So Quiet on the Western Front" (1982)
**Includes "New Left"

*"American Youth Report" (1982)
**Includes "Tell Me Why"

*"Half Skull" 7" EP (1984) [http://miaband.com/node/10 Discography] Official band website]
**Includes "Turning Into What You Hate"

*Flipside Vinyl Fanzine Vol. 2 (1985)
**Includes "Just A Dream"

*"O.C.'s 5400 Day Revolution" (1999)
** Includes "Boredom is the Reason"

References

External links

* [http://www.miaband.com/ Official band web page]
* [http://www.alternativetentacles.com/bandinfo.php?band=mia Alternative Tentacles band page]
* [http://www.mikeconleyfamilyfund.com/ Mike Conley Memorial Fund]