Killing Joke - Classic Or Dud, Search And Destroy

"Unspeakable" is so awesome

the first four posts of the invasion are so so classic

is that the actual *first* alex in nyc post???

i love ilm stuff like that, batman's origin story type shit

I believe my first post was this one...

Tom chirped: "And is it just me or are they not anywhere near as heavy-sounding as they're made out to be." I dare say that without Killing Joke, most of your precious "heavy sounding" bands wouldn't even exist. Killing Joke have indulged in a myriad of different musical styles and sounds well beyond the monochromatic "heavy," yet when they choose to go that route, there is no one mightier. To judge Killing Joke by one or two tracks is an excercise in blind-sighted stupidity. Do your homework before submitting an opinion! Moreover, if you're put off by the conceptual/lyrical content of Killing Joke, why not toddle home and slap on a Pixies or Cheap Trick album and celebrate the meaningless and banal. At least Killing Joke have something to say. You may not like it, agree with it...or even understand it....but at least there something of substance there. Killing Joke credit their audience with higher standards and a modicum of intelligence. Try getting that from Korn.

Angry young man, and all that.

But not wrong.

Well, not wrong about Killing Joke (although why I chose to lambast Cheap Trick and the Pixies in the process is a mystery -- I actually like both bands), but the things I have been wrong about since are countless and indefensible.

We all grow and change while still honoring the fire.

Although I will say if Jaz goes full covidiot lyrics on his next album, that will be a hard pass.

Although I will say if Jaz goes full covidiot lyrics on his next album, that will be a hard pass.

Yeah I fear there's a great likelihood of this.

It seems really odd that no one in this 20 year old thread has ever mentioned "Eighties" which I've always assumed is their most popular song (it's easily my favorite - the riff is incredible). So.. "EIGHTIES!"

Yeah, "Night Time" was my entry and my favorite from the 80s, but this band has such an interesting development arc that there are albums from each decade that are outstanding and could be argued to be their best:
90s - "Extremities, Dirt And Various Repressed Emotions"
00s - "Killing Joke 2003"
10s - "Absolute Dissent"

...as well as stylistic outliers like the acoustic "Democracy", the metal "Pandemonium", and the sludgy "Hosannas From The Basements Of Hell".

both self-titled albums (1980 and 2003) are my favorites

i'm still upset that they cancelled the 1 tour where i would have had the chance to see them live

Although I will say if Jaz goes full covidiot lyrics on his next album, that will be a hard pass.

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Thursday, July 8, 2021 5:55 PM

Didn't know he'd taken this direction. Sad to hear.

the opposite of surprising, there's crank-y stuff littered all over even the 03 s/t (it fucking bangs though)

I don't think he has but, let's be frank about it, it seems more likely than not likely that he will.

Oh, I thought he must have said something about covid, nothing I can find

He's got a video on his YouTube channel ranting about Microsoft vaccines.

and there we have it, was bound to happen.
think i would be more shocked if Jaz took the vax with a massive grin on his face and posted such an image to his social media to be honest.

I do sort of admire the front of a guy who fled to Iceland to await the coming of the end times in 1982 just being like "here are my latest insights on epidemiology"

I think Jaz won't be happy until the world actually ends so he can say "I told you sooooooooooo!!!"

Killing Joke has some filthy grooves. I have always loved that repeating triplet on the one on the main beat from "The Fall of Because".

Jaz claims to have experienced COVID first hand, but has also been wresting with a few other, non-COVID-related issues. He's allegedly on the mend at the moment, though.

In terms of what he has to say about the pandemic, his accounts are characteristically fueled by what he considers his precognitive insight into the duplicitous machinations of world governments. He first said he'd never accept a compulsory vaccine, although I do not know how he feels about it now.

Last track of What's THIS For is a great big assault. Listening to the third album, love how it has been escalating.

"Revelations" is OK, the best bits are side A, the first 4 tracks of which are even better from a Peel session. I can't even bring to mind side B looking at the tracklist.

Pylon (Super Deluxe) showed up on release radar today and reminded me how much I liked this album.

PYLON has some great moments, my favorite being "Star Spangled."

I thought Revelations was pretty strong throughout, just probably not going to be one of my favorites. Started Night Time, loving it.

This is the longest wait for a new album since the immortal 2003 self-titled. Any word from the KJ camp?

Revelations made me wonder if there are any other groups that combine hysteria and sardonic observation. It doesn't seem like a paradox when Killing Joke do it.

Is the remaster of Brighter Than A Thousand Suns more scarce than the others? Don't see it very often, hope to get it from discogs soon.

New Essential Logic, co-produced by Youth, out next month (thx to Gerald McBoing-Boing for posting this link on EL's thread) https://www.roughtrade.com/gb/essential-logic/land-of-kali

The version of "Brighter" with the original mixes? There's a CD on Discogs for under $10 now. And very good it is.

I ordered the remaster on discogs and got an 80s CD instead but just couldn't be bothered sending it back so I made do with it. I read that the remaster is much better and restores what the band and producer wanted so I might order the remaster again and hope whoever I buy it from next time doesn't make the same mistake. Regardless of intended mastering, I think this is really fantastic and I'm surprised it's considered such a step down. "A Southern Sky" and "Wintergardens" are wonderful but I really like most of the album.

I'm alarmed how scarce these remasters are getting, hope another printing is coming

It's one of those follow-ups-to-a-great-album that suffers only by comparison. "Brighter" is a fantastic album in and of itself. The bonus b-sides ("Goodbye To The Village" and "Exile") are just as worthy as the LP proper, too.

Even if you got a bunch of their albums, that Killing Joke Singles 1979-2012 is a great comp. That 2cd set was in my car and a lot of play for A couple of years.

2020-21…could not escape to Iceland but many weird days, their sound just fit.

I'm alarmed how scarce these remasters are getting, hope another printing is coming

― Robert Adam Gilmour,

i have most of the remasters, but with this thread revival decided to check out filling in the gaps ('brighter..', and 'outside..').
checked a few of the usual places i purchase cds from.
damn, you are not wrong re them being scarce/£££.

I just read the original Gathering invasion salvo here and it's such a time capsule -- a glimpse into the past not only of this board but of the internet itself, honestly pretty moving to read imo

there are also at minimum 10 completely classic lines in it

Ah I thought this thread was revived due to this great piece by John Doran the other day (which is not just about KJ, but the fire is very much honoured.)

https://thequietus.com/articles/32664-killing-joke-post-punk

How often do Discogs sellers list the wrong edition of what they're selling?

Really wanted to listen through them all chronologically but since some of the middle period albums are so expensive I might just get whatever I can and listen out of order

There's a new single out, "Full Spectrum Dominance". It follows last years very good "Lord Of Chaos" EP. I hope an album is on the horizon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4lLQAbI-8E

Pretty awful news. Per a post and followup comment from Martin Atkins on Facebook a couple of hours ago, Kevin Walker aka Geordie has passed on.

Oh fuck, man what a legend - have been in the KZ zone recently, watching live footage from the last few years, marvelling that the OG lineup still sounded so mighty - such an immense player, RIP

Ugh terrible news, what an amazing player, amazing band

Honour the fire, RIP

Some lovely memories here, also confirms it was due to a stroke suffered two days ago in Prague.

https://www.facebook.com/luca.signorelli.33/posts/10230859418609528

RIP great guitar player.