Artist: KILLING JOKE
Album: HOSANNAS FROM THE BASEMENTS OF HELL (CD)

Release date: 2006
Media type: CD

London act KILLING JOKE proved themselves to be a hugely influential force almost immediately from their inception. Not only could the band's live shows and sheer sonic delivery gave most Heavy Metal bands a run for their money but the whole package was imbued with vocalist Jaz Coleman's rages against the weakness of his kind and portents of impending doom.

KILLING JOKE first emerged in 1979 when Coleman united with guitarist Geordie (Walker), former RAGE bassist Youth (real name Martin Glover) and drummer Paul Ferguson. The band took out a loan to finance the inaugural 'Turn To Red' EP and its impact soon secured a deal with Island Records for a further single release.

1982 saw Youth decamping to forge BRILLIANT and have his position filled by Guy Pratt for the 'Revelations' album. Later the same year ex-BRILLIANT and NEON HEARTS man Paul Raven took Pratt's place as the latter joined Australian Electro Pop act ICEHOUSE.

Surprizingly KILLING JOKE broke the British charts with undoubtedly their most commercial release to date the Chris Kimsey produced 'Night Time' album. The main single 'Love Like Blood' would win them whole new legions of fans.

The late 80's found the band splintering. Convinced of the coming apocalypse Coleman relocated to Iceland. The vocalist believed, in an echo of myths of Thuringia, that 'an island at the end of the earth' would be saved from the deluge. The singer took this belief further by moving to New Zealand where he would become involved at a high level in the national Symphony Orchestra.

Raven quit to join American noisemongers PRONG. Geordie had discussions with FAITH NO MORE toward being a possible replacement for JIM MARTIN although this union never transpired.

In 1990 Coleman would produce the debut album for Leeds Rock act LOUD entitled 'D Generation'.

Coleman regrouped with Geordie for a new look KILLING JOKE drafting erstwhile PUBLIC IMAGE LTD. drummer Martin Atkins and former SMITHS bassist Andy Rourke. The latter was soon to make way for Taff. However, later in 1990 the Coleman, Geordie and Atkins axis had been bolstered by the return of Raven for the 'Extremities, Dirt And Various Repressed Emotions' album for the German Noise label.

1991 had Youth returning to the fore with the ZODIAC YOUTH project in alliance with ZODIAC MINDWARP. Although tracks for a proposed single 'Fast Forward The Future' were recorded the release was shelved and the unit splintered.

Jaz Coleman gained credits for the production of the New Zealand newcomers SHIHAD’s 'Churn' debut. The album, released in July of 1993 and heavily imbued with the trademark Coleman sound, shot SHIHAD to star status in their homeland. Debut single 'I Only Said' gained a top five placing and the band embarked on a twelve month Australasian tour. Larkin's services were requested for KILLING JOKE's 'Pandemonium' album. The cult British band would ask for Larkin's commitment to European touring but the sticksman opted to stay the course with SHIHAD.

In 1993 Atkins decamped from KILLING JOKE to PIGFACE and was replaced by former ART OF NOISE drummer Geoff Dugmore.

KILLING JOKE's star was ascending once again and the mid 90's saw a renaissance in their appeal.The rise of Grunge only served to highlight KILLING JOKE's influence but in an unexpected way. By far Grunge's fastest rising star NIRVANA found themselves landed with a lawsuit by Geordie over 'similarities' between NIRVANA's hit single 'Come As You Are' and KILLING JOKE's 'Eighties'. A casual listener to both would be hard pressed to distinguish between the two song's core riffs.

In the lull between albums Youth found himself a new niche in the Dance world quickly establishing himself as an in demand producer.

Paul Ferguson contributed drums to 1994's 'Pandemonium' but did not tour with the band.

METALLICA gave the band's international status a boost by covering 'The Wait'. One of Germany's leading Gothic Rock acts LOVE LIKE BLOOD not only named themselves after the KILLING JOKE track but covered the same song for a 1998 single.

KILLING JOKE would announce a reformation during 2001 with Coleman and Geordie reforging ties with Paul Raven. The bassist would also bring into the fold his erstwhile PRONG colleague Ted Parsons on drums. Chris Vrenna, noted for his high profile membership of NINE INCH NAILS would also form part of the new line up which ambitiously set out to record a new album in such far flung locations as Los Angles, Prague and Morocco.

In addition their activities as part of KILLING JOKE Raven and Parsons would embark on a whole series of side activities. Both would tour as members of GODFLESH as well as recording with Parsons former SWANS colleagues Norman Westberg and Algis Kizys.

Not content with all this activity the bass player would also found a Los Angeles based side endeavour SOCIETY ONE in union with ex-WHITE ZOMBIE drummer Ivan DePrume. Parsons too had other cards up his sleeves, working with ex-MASTERS OF REALITY guitarist Brendan McNichol in Ambient duo DRONE and also with the New York act TELEDUBGNOSIS.

KILLING JOKE would set to work on new material during 2002 despite Coleman being engaged in Classical works with commitments stretching until 2003 and Raven busied with two further ventures SLOWLIGHT and GHETTOBIRD. The new Andy Gill produced KILLING JOKE album, provisionally entitled 'The Death & Resurrection Show', would be slated for early 2003 release. By March it had been revealed that NIRVANA, FOO FIGHTERS and QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE drummer Dave Grohl had contributed to the record. Grohl seemingly further repaid his debt of honour to KILLING JOKE in regard to the NIRVANA 'Come As You Are' / 'Eighties' controversy by not only recording KILLING JOKE's 'Requiem' with his band the FOO FIGHTERS but also having frontman Jaz Coleman guest onstage with the FOO FIGHTERS in New Zealand.

KILLING JOKE would be announced as support to the resurrected MЦTLEY CRЬE's UK arena dates in June 2004. Renowned Californian Industrial Metal band FEAR FACTORY tracked a cover version of 'Millennium' for their 2005 album 'Transgressions'. October UK tour dates saw OCTOBER FILE as support act. Gigs in Europe would be announced for December, but pulled when Jaz Coleman was taken ill.

KILLING JOKE retired to Faust Studios in Prague to cut the album 'Hosannas From The Basements Of Hell' for March 2006 release through Edel records. The band put in a significant appearance at the METALLICA and KORN headlined 'Download' festival in Castle Donington, UK on June 10th.

TRACKLIST:

1. This Tribal Antidote
2. Hosannas From The Basement Of Hell
3. Invocation
4. Implosion
5. Majestic
6. Walking With Gods
7. Lightbringer
8. Judas Goat
9. Gratitude

LINE-UP:

Jaz Coleman (vocals)
Geordie Walker (guitar)
Paul Raven (bass)
Ben Calvert (drums)