by JOHNSON CUMMINS

My introduction to recent Wire cover boys Sunburned Hand of the Man was the CD Rare Wood - space-echo mutterings of absurdities about pirates, analogue synths laying into some Krautrock oscillation while wind instruments and dimestore percussion hung their hats on Can-like repetitive grooves. What the hell was this? Trout Mask Replica-era Captain Beefheart? The celestial dementia of Sun Ra and Hawkwind? Well, sorta, but Massachusetts' "vaguely psychedelic" Sunburned Hand of the Man trumped my kneejerk band-association game by sounding unlike any band I have ever heard (though I'd bet the farm that fans of the Captain and Ra would dig 'em). Bassist Robert Thomas took a moment to hip us all to this mysterious, 12-piece collective, whose two-night stand at the Suoni Per Il Popolo festival includes a set on their own and a freak-out jam with assorted locals.

Mirror: Did getting on the cover of Wire come as a surprise?

Robert Thomas: It was never really a goal. We exist in this self-created vacuum with this project, and try to deliberately remain outside of everything, so we can create something that is different. It's only recently that we got blindsided by the press, like with that Wire cover. It was like being in a dark room and having somebody turn the light on - we just squinted our eyes for a minute there.

M: Have you seen a bigger interest in experimental music since you started?

RT: Whenever certain countries, including European countries, start leaning towards the right, it always strengthens the liberal arts. A lot more kids seem to want to try new things out, whether it's being a supporter or participating. I thought the noise thing kind of hit its peak 15 years ago with Merzbow, but now you get 500 kids showing up in London for Wolf Eyes, and that's a positive thing. The more open people allow their minds to be, the better.

M: You have been extremely prolific, releasing 14 CDs in three years, with most being limited-edition CD-Rs. Is that format necessary to keep up with the output?

RT: It's an interesting format because it allows us to release material quickly and inexpensively, and to ship cheap. We can kind of keep things immediate without sweating about it. There's a market for it and it's kind of a sequel to the cassette culture of the '80s and early '90s. We obviously put out things that we like, but there is an attitude there that we can put out anything we want. We could get somebody to print up 10,000 copies of a record and hope hype will sell it, but it's kind of cool to put out these limited-edition things and just hope somebody will find it and be happy.

M: You retain a sense of mystery about the band, much like the Sun City Girls and the Residents. Is that important?

RT: It's really important for that mystery to exist because it creates this third thing that is beyond the band and the audience. The element of mystery is like this weird emotional bank account for the person. People who don't know us and try and come to grips with our art just project what they want into it, and that's important. At least with the music I like, mystery has always been addictive to me.

At la Sala Rossa on Wednesday, June 8, 9 p.m., $12, and at Casa del Popolo with local musicians on Thursday, June 9, 10 p.m., $12

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