The name Browning Mummery was adopted in Sydney in 1983 by Australian electronic musician Andrew Lonsdale (1961-), as a vehicle for his contemporary electronic sound works. The name was taken from the label of an old 78 rpm platter without realising the original history of the artist. Originally never intended to be used for more than one performance (as was common at the time) the name stuck.
Andrew Lonsdale began producing electronic and experimental music in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia in 1980, and after relocating to Sydney in 1981, became 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 appeared in 1983 with a live to air radio performance on 2MBS-FM in Sydney. Browning Mummery released several cassette albums in the 1980s on the Boxmusik label, and 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 or 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 with the Electric Tipi Collective. Working with artists such as John Murphy (Whirlywirld / Hugo Klang / NON). Max Hawk (electric 12-string), from Electric Tipi, played in Browning Mummery from 1993 until his death in 2009. Launching into digital multimedia as part of the well-regarded 'Obelisk' web site (1995–2000) and with a self-titled 1997 CD release, Browning Mummery's sound and interview featured on Optus Localvision's FOI video documentary (1998).
Browning Mummery's most recent CD was released in 2009. Browning Mummery is one of a small number of 1980s Australian experimentalists still operating (in 2010). Others include Severed Heads, Loop Orchestra, John Murphy (Kraang, Knifeladder), Philip Brophy, Sonartorium (Educational Survey, ArtPoetry), and Ian Andrews (Cut With The Kitchen Knife).
Browning Mummery has been included on the 2010 CD compilation Artefacts of Australian experimental music: volume II 1973-1984 (Shame File Music), and is increasingly regarded as a ‘quiet pioneer’ of Australian 'darkwave' electronic music.
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