[kj] Killing Joke's career

[The Exorcist]

That damned "first true love" one just can't ever seem to let go.

At 09:08 PM 12/22/2008, Karen Weil wrote:

>Nice one ... mine was "Nightime" (the now and forever favorite!) : )

>

>k.w.

>

>----- Original Message -----

>From: <mailto:killingjoke at theimmortalfool.com>The Exorcist

>To: <mailto:gathering at misera.net>A list about 

>all things Killing Joke (the band!)

>Sent: Monday, December 22, 2008 5:51 PM

>Subject: Re: [kj] Killing Joke's career

>

>I was a latecomer to Extremeties and it took me 

>a while to get into it. After a few listens It's become a favorite of mine.

>Patchwork or not, it's got some great songs in 

>there with some darn strong sentiment. You don't always have to be "mystical"

>or hidden or (insert whatever term you want in 

>here) to be good. Sometimes brute force and simple spoken language do a

>damned fine job.

>

>On that note... being that Pandemonium was my 

>first KJ album, it will always be my #1 favorite 

>(Pleasures of the flesh, communion,

>exorcism) are probably favorite songs on the album.

>

>Cheers

>

>At 10:49 AM 12/22/2008, GREG SLAWSON wrote:

>>I agree that in some ways Extremities sounds 

>>patched together, although it's still a strong, 

>>unique album. It's one of thoes ones you have 

>>to be in the mood for. "Money" got some airplay 

>>in the US, but made me not like the song b/c I heard it too much.

>>Pandemonium sounds a little dated, but I still 

>>think it's one of their best in terms of sound 

>>and songs...I usually hate metally stuff, but I 

>>love Georkie's chugging on that record!

>>

>>

>>

>>----------

>>

>>From: bq at soundgardener.co.nz

>>To: gathering at misera.net

>>Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2008 02:17:42 +1100

>>Subject: Re: [kj] Killing Joke's career

>>

>>

>>I agree that Pandy was a big leap, but there 

>>are a few Extremities fanz on the list. I’m not 

>>really one of them, sounds a bit patched 

>>together to me, only hits first gear, except 

>>for a couple of tracks

Termite Mound and 

>>Beautiful Dead. I don’t really ‘get’ the title 

>>track. Just my 2c worth. Perhaps I need to 

>>crank the fucker and give it a few more 

>>whirls

(while I’m on Circuit 5 or above.) Ade you’re a big fan innit?

>>

>>

>>

>>But Pandemonium leaves me with my jaw hanging 

>>open, even still. It’s a mystical and musical 

>>tour de force, half the point of mysticality is 

>>that everything is not explicit or 

>>logical

having said that, it has some of my 

>>favourite lyrics, clever, but not too clever, 

>>good points driven home well. Labyrinth is a 

>>song on a totally different level, Communion as 

>>well, Exorcism

I’m repeating myself. I can’t 

>>speak highly enough of Pandemonium. Pleasures 

>>of the Flesh has the most otherworldly feel & 

>>momentum to it. Jana totally sucked me in to 

>>the story within the song, the music and Jaz’s 

>>singing is plaintive, earnest & heartfelt. 

>>Honest. Black Moon was / is an early / still 

>>favourite

I think a fair bit of the depth of 

>>the lyrics is only apparent if you look a level 

>>or two deeper, bearing in mind mystical symbology.

>>

>>

>>

>>Jaz was well cast as the devil that Roc de 

>>Thingy movie, except they didn’t give him the 

>>chance to let loose the hellish side of his 

>>voice, I don’t think a mainstream audience 

>>could handle it quite honestly. And that is SO 

>>like something he’d say

haha ;) but seriously, 

>>I have heard better singers in terms of tone, 

>>pitch control, range, but in terms of sheer 

>>visceral gut-wrenching impact

there’s only a 

>>couple who really compete. And on this album he 

>>really let it loose for the first time in a long time.

>>

>>

>>

>>PS: none of the raw potency of the early days.

>>

>>

>>

>>Perhaps not album wide, but Exorcism? That 

>>song’d send Beelzebum back down to where he 

>>came from, it’s utterly unreal. Gimme the 

>>hardest most fucked up singer in your 

>>collection and I’ll play Exorcism for you and 

>>slay him in one go. And to some extent 2003 

>>took it to another level again with Implant, 

>>Asteroid, Total Invasion

in terms of blunt force impact.

>>

>>

>>

>>----------

>>From: gathering-bounces at misera.net [ 

>>mailto:gathering-bounces at misera.net] On Behalf Of jpwhkj at aol.com

>>Sent: Monday, 22 December 2008 08:00

>>To: gathering at misera.net

>>Subject: Re: [kj] Killing Joke's career

>>

>>

>>

>>Hi Brendan,

>>

>>When I was writing my original post, I did 

>>hesitate slightly due to the massive leap in 

>>quality represented by Pandemonium.  But 

>>although I rate it highly in its own right, I 

>>don't think it measures up to early Killing Joke for the following reasons:

>>

>>* Lyrically it's nothing special - lots of Jaz 

>>being vaguely mystical, but none of the raw potency of the early days.

>>

>>* Musically it stands up well, but Geordie is 

>>chugging rather than chiming, and I don't think 

>>it stands out from the crowd the way the early albums did.

>>

>>* As far as I can recall, interviews with 

>>Killing Joke post-1989 were basically with Jaz, 

>>with anyone else barely getting a word in 

>>edgeways.  Intellectually, KJ had become Jaz's backing band.

>>

>>* Without Big Paul, there wasn't anyone to keep Jaz' ego in check.

>>

>>You're right that there are some excellent 

>>tracks that came after that as well (I'd choose 

>>Aeon, Our Last Goodbye, and Lightbringer as my 

>>personal faves) but I believe that the points I 

>>make above hold true for all albums after Brighter Than A Thousand Suns.

>>

>>Jamie

>>

>>

>>

>>-----Original Message-----

>>From: Brendan Quinn <bq at soundgardener.co.nz>

>>To: 'A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!)' <gathering at misera.net>

>>Sent: Sat, 20 Dec 2008 15:44

>>Subject: [kj] Killing Joke's career

>>

>>Yes I’m actually writing a post that I don’t have to preface with OT *bows*

>>

>>Recent comments about Killing Joke being on a 

>>decline since their first 6 years. I’d have to 

>>disagree and cite, specifically, 1994’s 

>>Pandemonium. Quoting specific song titles on it 

>>is redundant to me, the entire album is 

>>totally, totally, solid. 2003 was also massive. 

>>And This Savage Freedom is one of the best 

>>songs eve r recorded. Zennon is brilliant as well, Universe B, 4 Stations.

>>

>>KJ over the last 2 years has occupied probably 

>>more than 50% of my listening time (often 

>>averaging 4-5+ hours a day), for long stretches 

>>100%, hugely disproportional. I don’t really 

>>hold out hope of finding another treasure trove 

>>back catalog like Killing Joke

and at this 

>>rate, I just can’t see music returning to the 

>>form of the past. Can only hope. Current state 

>>of play is pretty awful, unless I’m missing some boat.

>>

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