Killing Joke - Classic Or Dud, Search And Destroy

Wait, are we going to have a new invasion all over again?

this band is shit. Dud

It's YOU who is shit, am0n.

That was quicker than I thought!

Why waste time?

the four-minute man!

this band is shit. Dud

There is the theory of the Moebius.

am0n is way wrong

lawal

If that first batch of Killing Joke defenders was for real, then jeez!

I've never heard anything by this band, but I once saw a Czech fake documentary where their lead singer appeared as himself, and he was mighty funny. I'm not sure if that was the intention though. A great film, anyway.

No matter what you think of everything else they've ever done, how someone can hear the first LP and think "dud" is beyond me. WARDANCE PEOPLE FOR FUCK'S SAKE. REQUIEM EVEN.

"Follow the Leaders" is some of the most awesome + brutal shit ever. Those DRUMS.

If that first batch of Killing Joke defenders was for real, then jeez!

We are very much for real, thank you very much.

I've never heard anything by this band, but I once saw a Czech fake documentary where their lead singer appeared as himself, and he was mighty funny. I'm not sure if that was the intention though. A great film, anyway.

That would be "Year of the Devil". Patchy in parts, but otherwise quite entertaining.

ts: debut vs. what's THIS for...!

fuck now I can't find my copy of wTf, fuck that

Played What's THIS For..! in its entirety yesterday, and it is absolutely omnipotent.

I like the first three albums (in descending order of chronology, probably) and the live Ha! EP quite a bit. And I've pretty much liked them all ever since they came out.

Beyond that, I'm still not convinced.

You like three and a half albums by the band and you're not convinced?

The early singles collected on the _Chaos For Breakfast_ box are astounding. Never heard anything else like them - post-punk reggae initially, then just post-punk POWER. There's a good reason people are ga-ga over Jaz - he's a rare shouter who not only sounds good doing it, he's yelling FOR YOU!

xp I said unconvinced "beyond that." They really lose a lot for me starting with Fire Dances, and I'm not convinced they ever got it back; sounds like they're just spinning their wheels, doing incrementally less exciting versions on the sound they started out with. I feel like people cut them slack for the mediocre later stuff because the early stuff was so awesome. But apparently people hear something in the post-'82-or-so stuff that I don't.

"Wardance" does blow away everything I've ever heard by Primal Scream, though.

And they did invent a genre, more or less. Without Killing Joke, there's maybe no Big Black, no Rammstein, no Test Dept., no Nine Inch Fucking Nails (okay, that might be a good thing, but I won't hold it against them.) And Ministry might've spent their entire career sounding like twee Anglophile synth-pop wannabees.

(And yeah, Big Black were ripping off Metal Urbain, too. But they ripped off Killing Joke more.)

By the way, Alex, ever hear of these guys? Early '80s band, they sound a lot like Killing Joke. Which probably explains why their EP came out on KJ's Malicious Damage label. CD reissue just out this year, and I like it a lot:

http://cdbaby.com/cd/redbeat

(Oops, reissue actually out in 2004, apparently. But I didn't hear it til this year.)

Thanks for the tip, I just ordered the Red Beat comp! I heart ILM!

am0n vs. alex in nyc, oh no! mutually assured destruction awaits!!

I've only heard about M etal Urbain. Never layed ears on them, though.

no Nine Inch Fucking Nails (okay, that might be a good thing, but I won't hold it against them.) And Ministry might've spent their entire career sounding like twee Anglophile synth-pop wannabees.

Oh my yes. Really, NIN and Ministry made if very hard for me to like this music until recently. For a lot of people, it seems like it was a continuum, but for me it was a cold break to the derivative.

RIP Paul Raven:

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=83199

I am beyond stunned. Regardless of his affiliation with any single band, Raven was an exceptionally warm, big-hearted guy. He will be sorely missed.

I was just about to start a thread, Alex I think you should be the one to do it.

WHAT. a heart attack??

fuck.....to soon. rip Raven.

Wow that really sucks. RIP.

(I wish they would turn off the pop-up ads for a eulogy..ugh)

Only in his 40s and a heart attack. :-(

I hate this fucking world.

I hate that it took the death of Paul Raven to bring it about, but.............

..............

...................

i'm guessing i need to read your blog alex to plug in the gaps of that statement ?

Thursday, February 28, 2008

UPDATE FROM JAZ: 29TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GATHERING

"At last a ray of sunlight to illuminate these dark days. It is indeed my deepest pleasure to announce the dates of the 29th anniversary of the gathering. As usual we are never content sitting on the laurels of past Glories, a new Killing Joke recording is scheduled this summer!. Both Geordie and myself are thrilled as we hope you are with the line up, such anticipation comes as no surprise considering we have not played together since the Brighton Top Rank in 1982. We always knew this day would come after all it was inevitable. We hope all gatherers will join us in warmly welcoming back to active service our brothers Big Paul and Youth. The mysterious chemistry of the original line up is back, let their be gladness in your hearts."

ah ha .. sorry.
was a little too quick off the mark there.

'requiem' is one of my favourite opening tracks ever.

it's pretty awesome

I like it too.

actually, that entire first record is something quite special. so powereful and enamoured with meaning, yet so digestible

Damn right.

Erm.

Official Statement

A statement was posted on Facebook, reputedly by our singer, maligning both The Cult and The Mission and pulling us out of the shows.
He is now AWOL and has not contacted any of his band mates.

We are deeply embarrassed by this and offer our sincere apologies to all involved.

We are all concerned about our missing singer's welfare.

Killing Joke made a collective decision to play with The Cult and The Mission in September.

It was agreed by all of the band that we would do these shows. Indeed, we thought that they were something to look forward to, even though they were downsized.

We would still like to honour our commitment to this tour, the other bands, and all the Gatherers and people who have already bought tickets and made travel arrangements.

If this proves not possible, Killing Joke will make alternative arrangements to compensate for the trouble caused.

Meanwhile we are doing everything we can to make this tour happen and locate our missing singer.

KILLING JOKE

So I lost track of the story after the original facebook post about leaving the tour. Did it turn out to actually be Jaz who wrote it? I thought he was perhaps above using slang like "They all suck". But now he's hiding out somewhere, so who knows.

Did they check the bathroom?

Dear Gatherers,
It gives me great pleasure to announce the cancellation of the upcoming gigs with The Cult and The Mission.

Frankly, playing at a gig with The Cult never appealed to me in the first place. The only reason we allowed ourselves to be talked into it was to blow both bands off the stage and to steal their respective audiences.

As the concert has been downgraded to a venue that we have recently headlined (and sold out) it doesn't make sense. In addition to this Gatherers would only get to listen to a one hour set.

Then there would be a problem with the dressing room and witnessing The Cult charge the fans $200 per head for a Meet & Greet.

Lastly, all their songs suck! They clearly have no integrity (they refer to their hometown as L.A.)...

On a more positive note KJ will be recording in Argentina just after Christmas and Brixton Academy is booked for Spring.

I do believe the band will play a private gig at Metropolis Studios (London) which is of course open to all Gatherers (you are the first to know!).

I hope you are all as relieved as I am!

Black Jester

PS I don't want your money
PPS Life without KJ is unthinkable!"

It's YOU who is shit, am0n.

― Alex in NYC, Monday, July 23, 2007 5:12 PM

XD

KILLING JOKE To Release The Singles Collection 1979-2012 This Spring Via Spinefarm/Universal

KILLING JOKE will celebrate their 35th anniversary in style next year with the release of The Singles Collection 1979-2012 and a world tour set to commence in Europe this coming March. 2013 will also see the band release a new studio album!

The Singles Collection 1979-2012, set for release via Spinefarm/Universal on April 16, 2013, captures their ever-evolving story with a series of dark, apocalyptic songs that have successfully combined disco, funk and shamanic wisdom with the dark side of the punk fall-out. The Singles Collection 1979-2012 will be released in three formats: as a digital download, a limited edition 3-CD set and a super deluxe edition.

http://www.earsplitcompound.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/killing-joke.jpg

Formats:

3-CD Version includes:
- 33 career-spanning singles over 2 CDs + a third disc of rarities, including previously unreleased studio tracks. This 3-CD version will be limited in number, reverting to 2 CDs containing the singles tracks. To preorder, go HERE.

Super Deluxe Version includes:
- Hand-numbered hinged-lid “cigar box” made from 1500mcn black-lined rigid board finished with matt print retrospective artwork.
- 33 career-spanning CD singles plus selected B-Sides in full-color card wallets featuring original artwork.
- Rarities disc, including previously unreleased studio tracks.
- 32-page perfect-bound book including rare photos, archive notes, band commentary.
- Poster designed and personally signed by long-time KILLING JOKE artist/champion, Mike Coles, printed on 250gsm silk art.
- Aluminum screw-top branded cigar tube containing original wrappers of cigars smoked by Jaz Coleman and Paul Raven during the recording of the Hosannas From The Basements Of Hell album. To preorder this version, go HERE.

KILLING JOKE, with their original line-up of Jaz Coleman, Geordie, Youth and Big Paul continuing to hold firm, have signed a brand new deal with Spinefarm and will soon set about recording a third studio album for the label. The release date of this new studio album is likely to be late 2013.

Ooh, that looks nice. I finally found a copy of this year's album, I think it's even better than the last one. Shame about that cover art though.

They've lacked a good career overview for about 20 years! I'm curious about the unreleased material but I don't have high expectations. And yet, I've pre-ordered it (not the super deluxe, just the 3CD set). Sucker...

Original wrappers of cigars smoked six years ago? What else they hording?