Origin: England  
Genres: Industrial
Page online: March 23, 2008
Last update/review: March 26, 2022

Killing Joke

A long overdue addition to these pages, Killing Joke is one of those "not-really metal bands that kind of sound like metal and that metal fans often like". The band dates back to 1979 and have embodied several styles over their career (indeed, several of their albums no doubt have little to do with conventional metal), though the phrase "post-punk" often comes up when describing their style. The basics of Killing Joke's music are rhythmic, repetitive hardened guitars, often tribal rhythms, synthesizers, and forceful vocals, though that description in itself probably doesn't do the band justice. They've released scores of albums, most of which are not reviewed here and many of which are likely outside the scope of this site. But a special mention must be made for two of their albums, the first being their 2006 effort, Hosannas From The Basements Of Hell. It's simply a classic, and it has to be said that while Ministry often gets the acclaim as industrial metal pioneers, one listen to Hosannas should convince the listener that Killing Joke deserves similar accolades (lest one think that Killing Joke is riding on Ministry's industrial metal bandwagon, it's really the other way around -- Killing Joke predates Ministry and in fact Al Jourgenson has listed Killing Joke as an influence). The other album of note (meaning, the other one reviewed here) is 1994's Pandemonium, an album quite different from Hosannas even though it, too, contains many of the trademark Killing Joke characteristics. The lineup, aside from the core duo of Jaz Coleman and Geordie Walker, has fluctuated over the years, with several notables including the late great Paul Raven (Prong, Ministry) taking part in the band. In 2008 the original lineup came back together and have recorded steadily ever since.

Current Members

Jaz Coleman

vocals/keyboards

Martin "Youth" Glover

bass

Paul Ferguson

drums

Former Members/Guests

Geordie Walker

guitars RIP: November 26, 2023, stroke, age 64

Paul Raven

bass (ex-Ministry, ex-Prong, guest for Treponem Pal) RIP: October 20, 2007, heart attack, age 46

Nick Holywell-Walker

keyboards

Dave Kovacevic

keyboards

Jimmy Copley

drums

Martin Atkins

drums

Geoff Dugmore

drums

David Grohl (guest)

drums (ex-Nirvana, ex-Probot, ex-Queens Of The Stone Age, Them Crooked Vultures)

Ben Calvert

drums (ex-Kill II This)

Jeff Scantlebury

percussion


Discography



Killing Joke  
1980 E.G.
  1. Requiem
  2. Wardance
  3. Tomorrow's World
  4. Bloodsport
  5. The Wait
  6. Complications
  7. S.O. 36
  8. Primitive
  • Jaz Coleman
  • Geordie Walker
  • Martin "Youth" Glover
  • Paul Ferguson


What's This For ... !  
1981 E.G.
  1. The Fall Of Because
  2. Tension
  3. Unspeakable
  4. Butcher
  5. Follow The Leaders
  6. Madness
  7. Who Told You How?
  8. Exit
  • Jaz Coleman
  • Geordie Walker
  • Martin "Youth" Glover
  • Paul Ferguson


Revelations  
1982
  1. The Hum
  2. Empire Song
  3. We Have Joy
  4. Chop-Chop
  5. The Pandys Are Coming
  6. Chapter III
  7. Have A Nice Day
  8. Land Of Milk And Honey
  9. Good Samaritan
  10. Dregs
  • Jaz Coleman
  • Geordie Walker
  • Martin "Youth" Glover
  • Paul Ferguson


Fire Dances  
1983
  1. The Gathering
  2. Fun And Games
  3. Rejuvenation
  4. Frenzy
  5. Harlequin
  6. Feast Of Blaze
  7. Song And Dance
  8. Dominator
  9. Let's All Go (To the Fire Dances)
  10. Lust Almighty
  • Jaz Coleman
  • Geordie Walker
  • Paul Raven
  • Paul Ferguson


Night Time  
1985
  1. Night Time
  2. Darkness Before Dawn
  3. Love Like Blood
  4. Kings And Queens
  5. Tabazan
  6. Multitudes
  7. Europe
  8. Eighties
  • Jaz Coleman
  • Geordie Walker
  • Paul Raven
  • Paul Ferguson


Brighter Than A Thousand Suns  
1986 E.G.
  1. Sanity
  2. Chessboards
  3. Twilight Of The Mortal
  4. Love Of The Masses
  5. A Southern Sky
  6. Wintergardens
  7. Rubicon
  8. Goodbye To The Village
  9. Victory
  • Jaz Coleman
  • Geordie Walker
  • Paul Raven
  • Paul Ferguson


Outside The Gate  
1988
  1. My Love Of This Land
  2. Stay One Jump Ahead
  3. Unto The Ends Of The Earth
  4. The Calling
  5. Obsession
  6. Tiahuanaco
  7. Outside The Gate
  • Jaz Coleman
  • Geordie Walker
  • Paul Raven
  • Jimmy Copley
  • Jeff Scantlebury


The Courtauld Talks  
1989
  • Jaz Coleman
  • Geordie Walker
  • Jeff Scantlebury


Extremities, Dirt And Various Repressed Emotions  
1990 Noise
  1. Money Is Not Our God
  2. Age Of Greed
  3. Beautiful Dead
  4. Extremities
  5. Intravenous
  6. Inside the Termite Mound
  7. Solitude
  8. North Of the Border
  9. Slipstream
  10. Kaliyuga Struggle
  • Jaz Coleman
  • Geordie Walker
  • Paul Raven
  • Martin Atkins


Laugh? I Nearly Bought One!  COMPILATION
1992
  1. Turn To Red
  2. Pssyche (live)
  3. Requiem
  4. Wardance
  5. Follow The Leaders
  6. Unspeakable
  7. Butcher
  8. Exit
  9. The Hum
  10. Empire Song
  11. Chop-Chop
  12. Sun Goes Down
  13. Eighties
  14. Love Like Blood
  15. Wintergardens (new mix)
  16. Age Of Greed


Pandemonium  
1994
  1. Pandemonium
  2. Exorcism
  3. Millenium
  4. Communion
  5. Black Moon
  6. Labyrinth
  7. Jana
  8. Whiteout
  9. Pleasures Of the Flesh
  10. Mathematics Of Chaos
  • Jaz Coleman
  • Geordie Walker
  • Martin "Youth" Glover


Democracy  
1996 Big Life
  1. Freedom
  2. Democracy
  3. Prozac People
  4. Lanterns
  5. Aeon
  6. Pilgrimage
  7. Intellect
  8. Medicine Wheel
  9. Absent Friends
  10. Another Bloody Election
  • Jaz Coleman
  • Geordie Walker
  • Martin "Youth" Glover
  • Nick Holywell-Walker
  • Geoff Dugmore


Wilful Days  COMPILATION
1995
  1. Are You Receiving
  2. Follow The Leaders (dub)
  3. Sun Goes Down
  4. Dominator (extended)
  5. Me Or You
  6. Wilful Days
  7. Eighties (serious dance mix)
  8. A New Day
  9. Love Like Blood (gestalt mix)
  10. The Madding Crowd
  11. Ecstacy (the extended mix)
  12. America (extended)
  13. Change (re-evolution mix)


BBC In Concert  
1995
  1. Twilight of the Mortals
  2. Chessboards
  3. Kings & Queens
  4. Darkness Before Dawn
  5. Love Like Blood
  6. Sanity
  7. Love of the Masses
  8. Requiem
  9. Complications
  10. Wardance
  11. Tabazan
  12. Tension
  13. Pssyche
  • Jaz Coleman
  • Geordie Walker
  • Paul Raven
  • Dave Kovacevic
  • Paul Ferguson


Alchemy - The Remixes  COMPILATION
1996
  1. Requiem (A Floating Always Reaches The Sea Mix)
  2. 4 Stations of the sun (Hallucinogen Mix)
  3. Pandemonium (Dragonfly mix)
  4. Drug (Black Sun Mix)
  5. Millenium(Back to Orion Mix
  6. Exorcism(The Bretonic Revenge - Total Eclipse Remix Edit)
  7. Pandemonium(A Thread of Steel In The Suspension Bridge Of Time And Chaos))
  8. Democracy(Russian Tundra Mix)


Killing Joke  
2003
  1. The Death & Resurrection Show
  2. Total Invasion
  3. Asteroid
  4. Implant
  5. Blood On Your Hands
  6. Loose Cannon
  7. You'll Never Get To Me
  8. Seeing Red
  9. Dark Forces
  10. The House That Pain Built
  11. Inferno
  • Jaz Coleman
  • Geordie Walker
  • Martin "Youth" Glover
  • Paul Raven
  • David Grohl


XXV Gathering!  
2005
  1. Communion
  2. Wardance
  3. Song and Dance
  4. Primitive
  5. Total Invasion
  6. Bloodsport
  7. Requiem
  8. Asteroid
  9. The Wait
  10. Pssyche
  11. The Pandys Are Coming
  12. Sun Goes Down
  13. Are You Receiving?
  14. Love Like Blood
  15. Pandemonium


Hosannas From The Basements Of Hell  
2006
  1. This Tribal Antidote
  2. Hosannas From The Basements of Hell
  3. Invocation
  4. Implosion
  5. Majestic
  6. Walking With Gods
  7. Lightbringer
  8. Judas Goat
  9. Gratitude
  • Jaz Coleman
  • Geordie Walker
  • Paul Raven
  • Ben Calvert
2006 BNR Top Ten Album



Live At The Forum Part 1  
2008
  1. Requiem
  2. Wardance
  3. Tomorrow's World
  4. Bloodsport
  5. Complications
  6. S.O. 36
  7. Primitive
  8. Eighties
  9. The Fall of Because
  10. Tension
  11. Unspeakable
  12. Who Told You How?
  13. Butcher
  14. Madness
  15. Exit
  16. Follow the Leaders
  17. The Wait
  18. Pssyche
  19. Love Like Blood
  20. Change
  21. Are You Receiving?
  • Jaz Coleman
  • Geordie Walker
  • Martin "Youth" Glover
  • Paul Ferguson


Live At The Forum Part 2  
2008
  1. The Hum
  2. Change
  3. Pssyche
  4. Love Like Blood
  5. Eighties
  6. Whiteout
  7. Exorcism
  8. Labyrinth
  9. Black Moon
  10. Turn to Red
  11. Communion
  12. Money Is Not Our God
  13. Asteroid
  14. Change
  15. The Wait
  16. Pandemonium
  17. The Pandys are Coming/Empire Song
  18. Wardance
  • Jaz Coleman
  • Geordie Walker
  • Martin "Youth" Glover
  • Paul Ferguson


The Peel Sessions 1979 - 1981  COMPILATION
2008
  1. Pssyche
  2. Wardance
  3. Nuclear Boy
  4. Malicious Boogie
  5. Change
  6. Tomorrow's World
  7. Complication
  8. Fall Of Because
  9. Tension
  10. Butcher
  11. Hum
  12. Empire Song
  13. We Have Joy
  14. Chop Chop
  15. Tension
  16. Unspeakable
  17. Exit


Duende (The Spanish Sessions)  
2008
  • Jaz Coleman
  • Geordie Walker
  • Martin "Youth" Glover
  • Paul Ferguson


The Gathering 2008 Part One  
2009
  1. Requiem
  2. Wardance
  3. Tomorrows World
  4. Bloodsport
  5. Complication
  6. S.36
  7. Primitive
  8. Eighties
  9. The Fall of Because
  10. Tension
  11. Unspeakable
  12. Who Told You How?
  13. Butcher
  14. Madness
  15. Exit
  16. Follow The Leaders
  17. The Wait
  18. Pssyche
  19. Love Like Blood
  20. Change
  21. Are You Receiving?
  • Jaz Coleman
  • Geordie Walker
  • Martin "Youth" Glover
  • Paul Ferguson


The Gathering 2008 Part Two  
2009
  1. The Hum
  2. Change
  3. Pssyche
  4. Love Like Blood
  5. Eighties
  6. Whiteout
  7. Exorcism
  8. Labrynth
  9. Black Moon
  10. Turn To Red
  11. Communion
  12. Money Is Not Our God
  13. Asteroid
  14. Time Wave (Unreleased Track)
  15. The Wait
  16. Pandemonium
  17. The Pandy's Are Coming
  18. Empire Song
  19. Wardance
  • Jaz Coleman
  • Geordie Walker
  • Martin "Youth" Glover
  • Paul Ferguson


In Excelsis  EP
2010 Spinefarm
  1. In Excelsis
  2. Endgame
  3. Kali Yuga
  4. Ghost Of Ladbroke Grove
  5. Ghost Of Ladbroke Grove (Dub Remix by Clive Goddard) (bonus CD track)
  • Jaz Coleman
  • Geordie Walker
  • Martin "Youth" Glover
  • Paul Ferguson


Absolute Dissent  
2010 Spinefarm
  1. Absolute Dissent
  2. The Great Cull
  3. Fresh Fever from the Skies
  4. In Excelsis
  5. European Super State
  6. This World Hell
  7. Endgame
  8. The Raven King
  9. Honour the Fire
  10. Depthcharge
  11. Here Comes the Singularity
  12. Ghosts of Ladbroke Grove
  • Jaz Coleman
  • Geordie Walker
  • Martin "Youth" Glover
  • Paul Ferguson
2010 Readers' Album #60



MMXII  
2012 Spinefarm
  1. Pole Shift
  2. Fema Camp
  3. Rapture
  4. Colony Collapse
  5. Corporate Elect
  6. In Cythera
  7. Primobile
  8. Glitch
  9. Trance
  10. On All Hallow's Eve
  • Jaz Coleman
  • Geordie Walker
  • Martin "Youth" Glover
  • Paul Ferguson


Pylon  
2015 Spinefarm
  1. Autonomous Zone
  2. Dawn of the Hive
  3. New Cold War
  4. Euphoria
  5. New Jerusalem
  6. War on Freedom
  7. Big Buzz
  8. Delete
  9. I Am the Virus
  10. Into the Unknown
  • Jaz Coleman
  • Geordie Walker
  • Martin "Youth" Glover
  • Paul Ferguson
2015 Readers' Album #43



Lord Of Chaos  EP
2022
  1. Lord Of Chaos
  2. Total
  3. Big Buzz (Motorcade Mix)
  4. Delete In Dub (Youth's Disco 45 Dystopian Dub)
  • Jaz Coleman
  • Geordie Walker
  • Martin "Youth" Glover
  • Paul Ferguson



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