Neil Burke
Encyclopedia
Neil Burke is an American musician
and artist. He is known as a former member of several hardcore punk
and noise rock
bands, most notably Born Against
and Men's Recovery Project
. Burke is currently a poster artist, graphic designer and screen printer working out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
.
Burke also runs Lungcast Records
, a sporadically active independent record label.
bands in the New Jersey
and New York City
areas. After playing with the group Dead Fist, Burke formed Life's Blood
, who played a politicized form of New York hardcore
. Life's Blood was extant from 1987–1989. Although he co-founded the followup band Born Against
with guitarist Adam Nathanson
, he left early in its career, appearing only on its demo cassette and first compilation track. Burke next joined the short-lived indie rock
group Menace Dement
, playing bass on their debut EP and posthumous album.
In 1993, Burke relocated to Richmond, Virginia
, with Nathanson and Born Against vocalist Sam McPheeters
. He played in the first lineup of Nathanson's folk punk
group (Young) Pioneers
, but appeared only on the group's debut EP. Around this time, he and McPheeters co-founded Men's Recovery Project
, an experimental
noise rock
band, who released several albums and toured extensively over the next ten years before disbanding. Burke also embarked on a solo project called Sinking Body, which played its own brand of brash noise rock.
and helped create the label's distinct look. His work with Monoroid, the design and printing company he runs, continues in this stylistic direction.
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and artist. He is known as a former member of several hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
and noise rock
Noise rock
Noise rock describes a style of post-punk rock music that became prominent in the 1980s. Noise rock makes use of the traditional instrumentation and iconography of rock, but incorporates atonality and especially dissonance, and also frequently discards usual songwriting conventions.-Style:Noise...
bands, most notably Born Against
Born Against
Born Against was an American hardcore punk band from New York active between 1989–1993. In addition to their radical leftist politics, the group espoused a DIY punk message and challenged what they perceived as problematic within the punk subculture of their time.-History:The group was founded in...
and Men's Recovery Project
Men's Recovery Project
Men's Recovery Project was an American experimental noise rock band formed by Sam McPheeters and Neil Burke in Richmond, Virginia, active from 1993–2002...
. Burke is currently a poster artist, graphic designer and screen printer working out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
Burke also runs Lungcast Records
Lungcast Records
Lungcast Records was an independent record label, established 1990. The label was known for extremely unusual bands of the alternative, fringe punk, acid rock, and avant garde genres....
, a sporadically active independent record label.
Musical career
Burke began his career as a bassist in punk rockPunk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
bands in the New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
areas. After playing with the group Dead Fist, Burke formed Life's Blood
Life's Blood
Life's Blood was a hardcore punk band formed by four first year college students in New York City in 1987. It consisted of Adam Nathanson on guitars, Neil Burke on bass, John Kriksciun on drums, and on vocals, Combined Effort promoter and fanzine editor Jason O'Toole...
, who played a politicized form of New York hardcore
New York hardcore
New York hardcore refers to hardcore punk and metalcore music created in New York City and to the subculture associated with that music. New York hardcore grew out of the hardcore scene established in Washington, D.C., by bands such as Bad Brains and Minor Threat. Hardcore '81 is an album by the...
. Life's Blood was extant from 1987–1989. Although he co-founded the followup band Born Against
Born Against
Born Against was an American hardcore punk band from New York active between 1989–1993. In addition to their radical leftist politics, the group espoused a DIY punk message and challenged what they perceived as problematic within the punk subculture of their time.-History:The group was founded in...
with guitarist Adam Nathanson
Adam Nathanson
Adam Nathanson is an American musician currently based in Richmond, Virginia. He is best known as the guitarist in the New York-based hardcore punk band Born Against, and the singer and guitarist in the proto-folk punk band Pioneers.-Musical career:...
, he left early in its career, appearing only on its demo cassette and first compilation track. Burke next joined the short-lived indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
group Menace Dement
Menace Dement
Menace Dement was a band from New York City which existed during the late 80's and early 90's. Members included Patrick Blank on drums, Denny Morrison on guitar, Casandra Stark singing , & Neil Burke on bass. They frequently played at CBGB's & the Pyramid Club...
, playing bass on their debut EP and posthumous album.
In 1993, Burke relocated to Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, with Nathanson and Born Against vocalist Sam McPheeters
Sam McPheeters
Sam McPheeters is an American musician, artist and journalist. Raised in Albany, New York and later relocated to New York City, McPheeters was a key member of the early 1990s hardcore punk scene, writing a number of zines and singing in the hardcore band Born Against...
. He played in the first lineup of Nathanson's folk punk
Folk punk
Folk punk , is a fusion of folk music and punk rock. It was pioneered in the late 1970s and early 1980s by The Pogues in Britain and Violent Femmes in America. Folk punk achieved some mainstream success in that decade...
group (Young) Pioneers
(Young) Pioneers
Pioneers was an influential American folk punk band from Richmond, Virginia, active from 1993–1999.-History:...
, but appeared only on the group's debut EP. Around this time, he and McPheeters co-founded Men's Recovery Project
Men's Recovery Project
Men's Recovery Project was an American experimental noise rock band formed by Sam McPheeters and Neil Burke in Richmond, Virginia, active from 1993–2002...
, an experimental
Experimental rock
Experimental rock or avant-garde rock is a type of music based on rock which experiments with the basic elements of the genre, or which pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique....
noise rock
Noise rock
Noise rock describes a style of post-punk rock music that became prominent in the 1980s. Noise rock makes use of the traditional instrumentation and iconography of rock, but incorporates atonality and especially dissonance, and also frequently discards usual songwriting conventions.-Style:Noise...
band, who released several albums and toured extensively over the next ten years before disbanding. Burke also embarked on a solo project called Sinking Body, which played its own brand of brash noise rock.
Work as artist
In addition to playing on many of its recordings, Burke did extensive graphic design work for McPheeters' Vermiform RecordsVermiform Records
Vermiform Records was an American independent record label that specialized in releasing punk rock music from 1990 until 2002. Over the course of those twelve years Vermiform released 57 albums and relocated many times, being headquartered in New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Rhode Island and...
and helped create the label's distinct look. His work with Monoroid, the design and printing company he runs, continues in this stylistic direction.
External links
- Monoroid web page
- Men's Recovery Project official page at Sammcpheeters.com