ˈæftɚ ɡɹˈædjuːˌeɪɾɪŋ fɹʌm ˈɛmɚsən kˈɑːlɪdʒ ɪn bˈɔstən, mˌæsɐtʃˈuːsɪts, hiː ænd sˈɛvɹəl hˈaɪ skˈuːl fɹˈɛndz fˈɔːɹmd ðə bˈænd ðə tʃˈiːpskeɪts, ɐ skˈɑːpˈʌŋk bˈænd ðæt wɛnt θɹuː mˈɛni lˈaɪnˌʌp tʃˈeɪndʒᵻz bᵻfˌoːɹ sˈɛvɹəl ʌv ɪts mˈɛmbɚz, ɪŋklˈuːdɪŋ bˈɜːtən, fˈɔːɹmd ðə mˈaɪɾi mˈaɪɾi bˈɔstoʊnz.
After graduating from Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts, he and several high school friends formed the band The Cheapskates, a ska-punk band that went through many line-up changes before several of its members, including Burton, formed The Mighty Mighty Bosstones.