Mars (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1975 |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
| Products | Noise rock music |
Mars was an experimental noise rock group rooted in New York City’s no wave movement, established in 1975 by China Burg (guitar and vocals) alongside visual artist Nancy Arlen (drums). They assembled Mark Cunningham on bass and vocalist Sumner Crane to complete the lineup. Guitarist Rudolph Grey of Red Transistor briefly joined the ensemble. Initially performing under the name China, the band later adopted the title Mars. Their sound merged jagged song structures with improvisational noise segments, incorporating abstract lyrics and atypical percussion techniques. Notably, none of the members had any formal musical education prior to forming the group.
History
Mars delivered approximately twenty-four performances exclusively within Manhattan, launching their live presence at CBGB's in January 1977 and wrapping up at Max's Kansas City on December 10, 1978. Their debut recording was the 3-E/11,000 Volts 7-inch single, produced under the guidance of Lenny Kaye and released through Rebel Records/ZE Records. After disbanding in 1978, a live EP emerged around 1979 or 1980. In 1986, Lydia Lunch’s Widowspeak Records compiled these releases into the album 78, featuring remixes by Jim Thirlwell (Foetus). This collection was later reissued on CD by Atavistic Records in 1996 as 78+.
In 1978, Mars contributed to the pivotal No New York compilation LP produced by Brian Eno, sharing the spotlight with DNA, Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, and James Chance and the Contortions. This record significantly elevated the visibility of the No Wave genre. According to an AllMusic critique, Mars excelled at transforming apparent disorder into captivating music, marked by their unique vocal style and intricate instrumentation that simultaneously explored multiple directions.
Post-breakup
In 1985, China Burg collaborated with Lydia Lunch on the album The Drowning of Lucy Hamilton.
Due to reservations about Thirlwell’s modifications on 78/78+, the complete Mars studio recordings—approximately thirty minutes in length—were released in 2003 by Spanish labels G3G and Spookysound. Mark Cunningham oversaw both Hyrax and Spookysound Records. The albums 78, 78+, and Mars LP: The Complete Studio Recordings, NYC 1977–1978 essentially present identical material with slight audio variations. Following Mars’ dissolution, Cunningham took part in the avant-garde no wave opera John Gavanti alongside Crane, Arto Lindsay, and others. He also collaborated with Don King and currently performs with his band Convolution. The final session for Mars was recorded in December 1978 at Charles Ball’s Lust/Unlust label, producing the MARS EP, which includes tracks such as N.N. End, Scorn, and Immediate Stages of the Erotic.
Sumner Crane died from lymphoma on April 15, 2003. Nancy Arlen passed away on September 17, 2006, following heart surgery.
Legacy
In 2023, Mars was showcased at the Centre Pompidou as part of a no wave exhibition curated by Nicolas Ballet entitled Who You Staring At: Culture visuelle de la scène no wave des années 1970 et 1980 (Visual culture of the no wave scene in the 1970s and 1980s).
Discography
- "3-E" (b/w "11,000 Volts") – 7", 1978 (Rebel Records, RB 7802) (later issued as a 12" on ZE)
- No New York – LP, 1978 (Antilles/Island) (split compilation featuring three other bands)
- Mars – 12" EP (live), circa 1979 or 1980 (Lust/Unlust/Infidelity)
- 78 – LP, 1986 (Widowspeak)
- Live Mars 77–78 – CD, 1995 (DSA) (France)
- 78+ – CD, 1996 (Atavistic)
- Mars LP: The Complete Studio Recordings, NYC 1977–1978 – CD, 2003 (G3G/Spookysound) (Spain; limited edition; subsequently released as an LP by Important; reissued by No More in 2008)
- Live at Artists Space – LP (live), 2011 (recorded May 6, 1978) (Feeding Tube/Negative Glam)
- Live at Irving Plaza – LP (live), 2012 (recorded August 4, 1978) (Feeding Tube/Negative Glam)
- Rehearsal Tapes and Alt-Takes NYC 1976–1978 – three-cassette box set, 2012 (recorded Summer 1976 to November 1978) (Anòmia; limited edition)
References
Notes
Bibliography
External links
- How Mark Cunningham Energized the Bowery With No Wave Legends Mars (Observer, 2017)
- LIFE ON MARS: An Interview with Mark Cunningham and Surviving Members of the Earliest NO WAVE Band Discussing Muggings, Warhol, and 1977
- Interview Featuring Memories of Live Performances
- Clocktower - Radio The second track on Clocktower's Colab Vinyl Mix (broadcast 5/9/16) is Mars
- Articles with short description
- No wave groups
- American experimental musical groups
- Musical groups established in 1975
- Musical groups disbanded in 1978
- ZE Records artists
- Musical groups from New York City
- American experimental rock groups
- American noise rock music groups
- American post-punk music groups
- Rebel Records artists
- Musical quartets from New York (state)
- Atavistic Records artists
- Musical groups disestablished in 1978