KILLING JOKE - HA



Killing Joke are an influential English post-punk
rock band formed in 1979. Founding members Jaz Coleman (vocal, keyboards, synthesizers,
and orchestration, arrangements)
and Geordie Walker (guitars) have been
the only constant members. Regarded as one of the most significant bands
to have emerged from the post-punk/New Wave era of the late-1970s/early-1980s, Killing Joke strongly influenced bands
such as Nirvana, Metallica, Ministry, Prong, Jane's Addiction,
Soundgarden, all of whom have at some point cited a substantial
debt of gratitude to 'The Joke'. Original drummer Paul Ferguson once described their music as
"the sound of the earth vomiting".
Killing Joke's music typically consists of hypnotic, metallic guitars
and heavy, tribal, and danceable rhythms.
Coleman's vocals are sometimes in a talk-sing style, sometimes a malevolent-sounding growl and sometimes emotional and melodic.
Dark, ominous synthesizer loops and even sweeping, gothic keyboards
(especially in the late 80s) also appear to varying degrees,
but usually only as background texture.
Geordie's guitar is usually well to the fore.
Although he never plays solos, he has been praised for his
unique style by the likes of Eddie Van Halen and Jimmy Page. Their albums have evolved stylistically from one release to the next,
whilst always retaining the band's distinctive flavour.
From post-punk and dub reggae beginnings (late 70s) they developed
a unique tribal, proto- industrial metal (early 80s),
gradually added more hooks and keyboards,
got increasingly "progressive" (late 80s),
then dumped that to embrace 90s dance elements,
and more recently a sort of tribal metalcore with many dance
and industrial elements still in tow. According to Coleman, their manifesto was to
"define the exquisite beauty of the atomic age in terms of style,
sound and form". They toured extensively throughout UK during this time, and both fans
of post punk and heavy metal took interest in Killing Joke. Killing Joke became notorious largely due to the controversies
that arose from their imagery.
The images that appeared on their records and on-stage
while performing live were, typically, bizarre and potentially shocking
and inflammatory.
Killing Joke were far from being the industry darlings of the era,
regardless of their actual output.