[Music] Killing Joke 40 years on

Harry Wilson's tackle · Feb 4, 2020

Taking my mind of marking undergraduate essays, and listening to their third album, I just looked them up on Wiki. It is 40 years since the first album came out, and the current line up is the original line up (there have been some ins and outs over the years, notably Paul Raven, R.I.P). How many bands can say that?

Forty years.

So I think they deserve their own thread. I saw them a few times staring in the noughties. My little brother is a veteran of the early 80s.

Here are two corkers from the first album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPOrHv5BgUs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f42MLoLbnnQ

Jaz Coleman is an amazing lad. Look him up.

At one point, when my son was living in Canada with his mum, all we listened to for a year was a compilation CD of Killing joke (I copied my copy and sent it to him) so I have my personal fondness for the old buggers.

darkwolf666 · Feb 4, 2020

Love Like Blood was always my particular favourite.

Uh_huh_him · Feb 4, 2020

Saw them at the Astoria at some point during the 90s.
They were excellent.

Never been an enormous fan of theirs, but they have produced some incredible songs.

catfish · Feb 4, 2020

Saw them back in about 1980. Easily one of the worst live bands I've ever seen unfortunately.

Uh_huh_him · Feb 4, 2020

catfish said:
Saw them back in about 1980. Easily one of the worst live bands I've ever seen unfortunately.

They got better..

jakarta · Feb 4, 2020

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbqwmxsXT2o

This was on an e.g. editions compilation Album alongside Brian Eno, Laraaji and the Lounge Lizards.

Heavens now what it was doing there but it rather stuck out.

Horton's halftime iceberg · Feb 4, 2020

Such a brilliant album, forever played by me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1_CSWzlE_4

KZNSeagull · Feb 4, 2020

Their latest album, Pylon, is awesome. Have always liked them and I believe that they have got better with age. Not many bands can say that. Saw them last year in Newcastle and they were great. Jaz has also just released Magna Invocatio, orchestral Killing Joke essentially. He is an eccentric genius. Junior KZN likes them too and I will be taking him to see them next time they tour. Great band.

Horton's halftime iceberg · Feb 4, 2020

I always found the album cover (gatefold) very haunting, based on a Don McCullin photo

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2018/jan/12/teargas-awful-cs-gas-attack-derry-don-mccullin

PFJ · Feb 4, 2020

One of the highlights of The Jenkinsons/Coasters era of Sunday night live gigs back in the day. Them and Bauhaus will always stick out as phenomenal gigs. Pretty much kick started industrial music, Ministry, Rammstein et al. Loved the album Pandemonium and the Millennium tour.
Saw them at The Concorde a couple of years ago and was sadly underwhelmed, but hey everyone is allowed an off year.

Peteinblack · Feb 4, 2020

Still one of my fave bands (only one bad album in 40 years - 'Outside the Gate'); they get heavier and angrier with each album; Hosannas from the Basements of Hell, Absolute Dissent, Pylon, are among the best things they've done. 'Pylon' finishes with possibly my fave KJ track, the anthemic 'Into the Great Unkown'. Meanwhile 'The Raven King' always brings a tear to my eye.

'Geordie' is an absolute Master of Riffs - the Tony Iommi of post-punk.

Seen them live about a dozen times, 3 of those in the last 6 years.

Peteinblack · Feb 4, 2020

KZNSeagull said:
Their latest album, Pylon, is awesome. Have always liked them and I believe that they have got better with age. Not many bands can say that. Saw them last year in Newcastle and they were great. Jaz has also just released Magna Invocatio, orchestral Killing Joke essentially. He is an eccentric genius. Junior KZN likes them too and I will be taking him to see them next time they tour. Great band.

Yes, 'Pylon' is one of their best; the final track 'Into the Great Unknown' is awesome.

To say that Jaz Coleman is a manically intense character would be an understatement. I wouldn't want to upset him!

And guitarist Geordie produces a wall of sound while looking so laid-back he make it look effortless.

Deportivo Seagull · Feb 4, 2020

Saw them around 1979 ( I was about 14/15 at the time)at the basement on the Old Steine. Steve Jones and Paul Cook turned up, Cook bought beers for myself and my two mates. Not brilliant live but had a real intensity about them.
Saw them at the Brighton centre a year or so later, preferred the first gig.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

narly101 · Feb 4, 2020

THE seminal Joker origin story by Alan Moore. One of the best Batman GN's ever.

RossyG · Feb 4, 2020

Ok, own up. Who, like me, came here thinking it was going to be about Batman. :moo:

Washie · Feb 4, 2020

Possibly the best Batman story.

Tom Hark Preston Park · Feb 4, 2020

Love a bit of Killing Joke, me. So much so that NSC'S onetime favourite Cardiff City fan, [MENTION=119]The Laughing Bluebird[/MENTION] used to send me CD copies of all manner of KJ rareties. Turns out he was a KJ roadie & part-time tour manager. Throughly decent fellow. Was even guest of honour at an NSC Meat Up many moons ago. Not seen him on here for years tho. Do hope he's OK

Superphil · Feb 4, 2020

Saw KJ for the first time 4 or 5 years ago At the Concorde II, having been a fan since Pandys are Coming, wasn’t disappointed at all, they were magnificent. I rate that gig as one of my top five, possibly even my favourite gig ever.

tonyt · Feb 4, 2020

PFJ said:
One of the highlights of The Jenkinsons/Coasters era of Sunday night live gigs back in the day. Them and Bauhaus will always stick out as phenomenal gigs. Pretty much kick started industrial music, Ministry, Rammstein et al. Loved the album Pandemonium and the Millennium tour.
Saw them at The Concorde a couple of years ago and was sadly underwhelmed, but hey everyone is allowed an off year.

Yes I remember the Sunday nights at Jenkinsons including Killing Joke as being particularly great nights!

BN9 BHA · Feb 4, 2020

I had this t shirt when I was about 15, I was walking around Brighton and got a bit of abuse from a few people.
I only bought the t shirt because I liked the band. Probably didn't think it was offensive when I was that age. :facepalm:

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[Music] Killing Joke 40 years on

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