EPK

Short description:  Gothic Garage -
Soundtrack-style tension, grinding garage songs, and political commentary that can be scary or fun depending on your level of sickness

Highlights:  Extremely dynamic live stage show, offer 2 Live Electric sets, also available for lower-key acoustic set

Music

Case of the Zombies from In Sickness and in Health:

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Creepy (Redux) from Ghouls Among Us:

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Dead to Me from Dark Cells:

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

These Horror Twins from Dark Cells:

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Cannibals in Love from Dark Cells: 

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

The Mission Creeps are from Tucson, Arizona.
Their music is dark and nightmarish, but it’s always a scary fun time.

The Mission Creeps are:

James Arrr – Vocals, Guitar, Theremin, Samplers, Mellotron, Weird Noise Maker
Miss Frankie Stein – Bass, Accordion, Melodica, Vocals
Jeff “Die Day” DiDay – Drums

Press Reviews

Gonzai Magazine, France

It’s an open door to some orgasmic music, music that was made in the way Tarantino makes movies, millions of ideas put together reminding of what we love in music.

- Little Johnny Jet

The Santa Fe New Mexican

Imagine a blend of The Cramps, Joy Division, Tom Waits, and Lightnin’ Hopkins. Now drench it in blood and make it play a theremin – extremely well – at gunpoint. ‘Nuff said.

- Rob DeWalt

San Francisco Bay Guardian

.  .  .  combine surf rock, punk, and the Doors, topping it off with an eerie dosage of Ennio Morricone–inspired gunfight licks that fit seamlessly into the band’s tales of desert-highway depravity

Phoenix New Times

.  .  .  reverb-heavy, slinky music in the fine tradition of “horror-surf” bands like The Cramps and the HorrorPops, creating a creepy, ambient vibe that would make the band’s songs at home on any Quinten Tarantino or neo-noir film soundtrack.

- Niki D’Andrea

Eugene Weekly (OR)
Case of the Zombies

. . . . James Arrr has the perfect voice for this genre of music — a little Elvis mixed with some Roy Orbison and Johnny Cash.

Tucson Weekly

Their haunted shed includes handy tools such as reverb-rich surf music, Phil Spector’s wall of sound, R&B rave-ups, blues, honky-tonk, garage rock, psychedelia, exotica, sci-fi soundtrack music, sea chanteys and, well, punk and rockabilly.

- Gene Armstrong

Discography

In Sickness and In Health – 11 song LP – Refractory Records >> View
Ghouls Among Us – 6 Song EP – Refractory Records >> View
Dark Cells – 12 Song LP – Refractory Records >> View

The Mission Creeps

  • Tour the US in support of Dark Cells in September 2010
  • Toured the West coast twice
  • Released 2 albums and an EP
  • Scored performances for Flam Chen Pyrotechnic Theatre Troupe
  • Played Festivals including
    • Tiki Oasis
    • Friki Tiki Garage Festival
    • Santa Fe Film Festival
    • Southwest Fetish Ball
    • Tucson Club Crawl
    • Tucson Zombie Walk
    • slated to play Art Car Fest 2010
  • Played with acts including
    • Peter Murphy
    • Deadbolt
    • The HorrorPops
    • Firewater
    • The English Beat
    • Detroit Cobras
    • Dex Romwebber Duo
    • Lords of Altamont

Press Pics

Click image for Hi-Res download (tif and jpg)

by Miguel Folch - vibrantetaste.com

by Daron Shade

Logo

Click image for Hi-Res download (tif)

Performance Pics

by Mike Moran

Album Reviews

Recording Studio Collage by Miguel Folch

Dark Cells

Arizona Daily Wildcat by Brandon Specktor
It’s this dual sentimental and macabre nature of the music that separates the Creeps from other bands that emerged around a specific theme. Below every mention of flesh-eating monsters and clandestine assassins is some genuine, universal emotion.
. . .  Full Review

Tucson Weekly by Gene Armstrong
The confidence and growth displayed on this third release by The Mission Creeps will help maintain the group’s reputation as one of Tucson’s top live acts.
. . .  Full Review

Influences

The Cramps, Bauhaus, Nick Cave, Cop Shoot Cop, Johnny Cash, Iggy and the Stooges, Dead Kennedys, Flaming Stars, Bauhaus, The Doors, Robert Johnson, The Ghastly Ones, Link Wray, Southern Culture on the Skids, Deadbolt, The Meteors, Vincent Price, Bela Lugosi, Devil’s Food Cake, Hot Pants, Hot Rods, Dex Romweber, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, The Anacondas, The Shadows, Joy Division, figures in the the corner of your eye, shooting stars, the moon, naysayers, hypnotism, psychics and empathics, thinking too much, Guinness, SPY music, experimental hair dye, staying up waaay too late imbibing way too much of everything, not eating stuff off the sidewalk unless there is a layer of green fungus on it, each other, discovering you’re not the only one who “feels and thinks this way” . . .

Stage Requirements

4 electric outlets up front for lighting
1 XLR for vocal mic (James has his own mic (Shure 55sh, and a reverb delay unit)
1 extra vocal mic up front
2 mics for stereo guitar amp set up(SM57 or similar)
Mic or DI out for bass amp
Mics for drums (e.g., kick, snare)

  • Share/Bookmark

Switch to our mobile site