Killing Joke : Turn To Red
[Purchase]
On December 14, 1979 Island Records released Almost Red, the debut three-song EP by London's Killing Joke. Jaz Coleman, who often wore warpaint onstage, explains the band's name:
"The killing joke is like when people watch something like Monty Python on the television and laugh, when really they're laughing at themselves. It's like a soldier in the first world war. He's in the trench, he knows his life is gone and that within the next ten minutes he's gonna be dead ... and then suddenly he realises that some cunt back in Westminster's got him sussed - 'What am I doing this for? I don't want to kill anyone, I'm just being controlled'."
The band's rage, use of martial drums and dub are all present on these early tracks. John Peel was an early fan, playing the original EP released by the band's own Malicious Damage label in October.
It has been suggested that the band was trying to bridge the gap between disco and punk, by using loud abrasive guitars and big beats. By any measure they were ahead of their time and their debut album would be one of the best of 1980.
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