Even though I was well aware of Killing Joke, I’d only heard a few songs of theirs. Mainly, The Wait, Love Like Blood and Millennium but I’d never really bothered to take the risk and buy any of their albums. Luckily, some guy called Stoaty on the Barbelith forum started a thread about KJ and their new album. Saying that anyone who likes a bit of loud guitar music should check out the song Loose Cannon. He was right. I did need to check it out. It absolutely blew me away and to this day I’m not sure I’ve heard anything like it.
This album is probably best known for the fact that Dave Grohl plays drums on it. I’m not sure the reason, maybe it was to make up for Nirvana ripping off the KJ song Eighties for Come As You Are, or maybe he just really liked Killing Joke. But for whatever reason, it’s a perfect match.
If you’ve never heard Eighties give it a listen, it’s a blatant lift. The band cancelled the lawsuit after Kurt’s suicide with Jaz saying he wasn’t going to sue Kurt’s widow.
With their second self titled album, (Their debut was the first) it feels like KJ were focused more here than on their earlier albums. The band are at the top of their game and Andy Gill’s (ex Gang of Four) production makes KJ sound better than they ever have before or since.
Geordie’s guitar and Dave’s drums are in constant push and pull for who’s leading the song. While that can be the death of an album, after all, two musicians fighting for dominance has ruined a lot of albums over the years. This is two players on top of their game pushing each other to be their best. The only word for what is going on here is alchemy. It has to be pointed out, because he’s gotten lost in history, that Geordie Walker’s guitar tones were some of the best in music history. (RIP)
This is another album you can just quote lyrics from. They may not be Dylan but Jaz has a way with conveying his fury with a snarling eloquence. In Total Invasion, while singing about the consequences of Western Imperialism he delivers the line “We’ll change your god to the bitch god Death” with such venom it would derail most albums. Here it just ratchets up the tension.
The album was written in 2002/3 and the second gulf war looms large over the record’s themes. Filled with the helpless anger as the US is about to launch their bullshit invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. It’s politically furious and is one of the few records that touches on how most rational people felt watching the Western Governments roll over the Middle East for what seems to have been Bush Jr’s daddy issues. Daddy issues and greed.
There’s a lot more to JK than just anger though, there’s also been a spiritual and ritualistic side to the band. The opener, The Death and Resurrection Show starts with Jaz intoning;
“Light up the fire
Put on your masks
And animal skins”
And from that point on you know what you’re in for. The tribal drums just drag you with them and there’s not much you can do. It’s jaw dropping live and causes some “interesting” attempts at dancing in the crowd.
Loose Cannon, the band’s call to individualism and personal defiance is one of the best songs to combine electronics and guitars I’ve heard. The riff that starts this song is a snarl. If a guitar could bare its teeth it would sound like this.
This is easily one of my favourite albums. Righteous, intelligent, furious, combined with a dash of mysticism but above all, joyous to listen to. Every song puts a smile on my face, but in a different way to the track before it. JK 2003 is a masterpiece. If you haven’t listened to it, please go check it out.
https://lynkify.in/album/killing-joke-2003/Z7zClELk
The ways of exile 