[kj] Killingly amazed

Tue Nov 7 04:57:49 EST 2006

Hi Si,
I forgot to ask you: Where are you from?
Si is your name or is it a nickname or is it an abbreviation of your name?

Cheers, L
______________________________________________________________
> Od: acroastic at hotmail.com
> Komu: gathering at misera.net
> Datum: 02.11.2006 16:57
> Předmět: RE: [kj] Killingly amazed
>
>Hi Lennonka!
>
>Right, so now I'm guessing you're Czech. Dobry den! Jak se maj?
>
>No, I can't really speak Czech, but I've been to your (?) country many
times - to Prague, to Ostrava, to Kutna Hora, Karlstein, to the mountains
in the east (forgotten their name) and to the very old village in those
parts near where I saw a wonderful night time open air concert featuring
ambient music by Czech artists including Satori. Yours is a beautiful
country with friendly people (well, unless you happen to be a gypsy!).
Whereabouts do you live?
>
>About my discovery of Killing Joke: Wardance came at me out of the radio
in 1980. It was a moment of revelation. It sounded like fire in sound
form. I'd never heard anything like it, and went and bought it the next
day, so then I heard Pssyche (the other side of the single). Then it was a
while before I took my interest further. I did not fully realize at that
time how different they were to the various punk groups I was getting into
at the time - many of whom I didn't think too much of really.
>
>Eventually I bought the first album, and again it was like nothing I'd
ever heard before. I began to see an integral feature of all that has been
best in Killing Joke music over the years which is this capacity to contain
so many emotions simultaneously. So you have anger, melancholy, joy and
exultation all at once. I am still at a loss to name other music that can
do the same. Some of the best classical music can move from one mood to
another in the course of a symphony, and express one at a time profoundly,
but Killing Joke music is a paradox. It is a complete experience, and
although I have wide and varied musical tastes, and many albums, when I
play Killing Joke there is nothing else that can come after, so nothing
does.
>
>I first saw Killing Joke in June 1981 (I was very young!). After the gig
people were coming out just stunned by the brilliance and intensity of the
experience. I was compelled to simply run and run and run. This first gig
was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Needless to say I have
been back for more. I lost count after fifty gigs.
>
>Most contemporary music - if it is any good - can be classed as
entertainment, but entertainment has never seemed an appropriate term for
Killing Joke. It is an intense experience.
>
>Killing Joke live has never been quite the same since Jaz went off to
Iceland and returned in 1982. Before then there was something
extraordinary in their performance, which has never really been captured
properly on film. The nearest I've seen is footage from the Hammersmith
Palais London show in February 1982 a couple of days before Jaz
disappeared. I know French TV were there (I was there) and it looked as
though they were filming the whole show, but I've only seen six songs in
black and white poor quality, but still you can see something very real is
going on. Since then Jaz has striven to make contact with whatever force
coursed through his veins before Iceland. From time to time, a little of
it returns. A lot of the time it seems he's trying to 'fake it to make it'
- and sometimes gets there. That said, there is still nothing to match a
Killing Joke gig.
>
>And it's not all about Jaz either! Many of us love this music while
recognizing that Jaz is a very flawed character - but which of us isn't?
We don't do hero worship round here.
>
>It's great to hear that people are still discovering this music. It's
amazing to me that even within the last couple of years something like
Gratitude could have been recorded.
>
>It's true, there are a few weaker areas of the catalogue, and one or two
rare embarassments. No one album ever seemed to be the ultimate work - and
no one track either.
>
>One thing that you will see from the views expressed here is that there
is very little concensus over Killing Joke's best work, but I think that's
all part of the fascination. Most groups have a small number of tracks that
the fan base generally agree to be their best, but that doesn't seem to be
the case round here. Most agree that the album Outside the Gate (1988) is
the low point, but even that is worth having.
>
>I imagine Requiem (1980) might be the most universally liked track, while
not being many people's actual favourite. The album Brighter Than a
Thousand Suns (1986) polarises opinion most. Many people don't get it. On
the surface it can seem tamer than much of their output, but I absolutely
adore it.
>
>Wow! I didn't mean to write that much! Sorry, I got a bit carried away! I
think I'll go and have a lie down.
>
>I'm interested to know: just how well known is Jaz in the Czech Republic?
What do people think about him, and his appearance in Rok Dabla? Do many
people know Killing Joke? Did you hear the album Jaz did with Cechomor? If
so what did you think? I think it's quite beautiful in parts. What other
music are you into?
>
>Best wishes
>
>Si
>
>
>
>>From: "Lennonka" <svoje.ja at centrum.cz>
>
>>Hey,
>>you really see my point.
>>And good question. I've been listening to KJ for the last 7 months and I
>discovered it in the last week.
>>What about you?
>>And the others?
>>
>>I'm curious.
>>
>>Lennonka
>>______________________________________________________________
>> > Od: acroastic at hotmail.com
>> > Komu: gathering at misera.net
>> > Datum: 01.11.2006 17:01
>> > Předmět: RE: [kj] Killingly amazed
>> >
>> >Hi Lennonka
>> >
>> >That's a good summing up. I know exactly what you mean. I was
initially
>>stunned by Wardance when it first came out, but after that as I got to
>>hear more songs, part of me looked down on the apparent simplicity of
the
>>music as I had been into much more complex music before, but another
part
>>of me thrilled to the music and I kept coming back for more, had a
>>revelation when I saw them live and became somewhat obsessed. I still
am.
>> >
>> >There is indeed nothing like Killing Joke.
>> >
>> >How long ago did you make your discovery?
>> >
>> >Si
>> >
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>Gathering mailing list
>>Gathering at misera.net
>>http://four.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/gathering
>
>_________________________________________________________________
>Windows Live Messenger has arrived. Click here to download it for free!
http://imagine-msn.com/messenger/launch80/?locale=en-gb
>
>_______________________________________________
>Gathering mailing list
>Gathering at misera.net
>http://four.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/gathering
>