Killing Joke (1980 album)
| Killing Joke | ||||
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| Studio album by Killing Joke | ||||
| Released | September 1980 | |||
| Recorded | 1980 | |||
| Studio | Marquee Studios (London, England) |
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| Genre | Post-punk | |||
| Length | 35:10 | |||
| Label | E.G. | |||
| Producer | Killing Joke | |||
| Killing Joke chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Killing Joke | ||||
| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
| The Austin Chronicle |  |
| Encyclopedia of Popular Music | |
| Mojo | |
| Uncut | |
Killing Joke is the debut studio album by English rock band Killing Joke. It was released in August 1980 by record label E.G.
The album has been called "an underground classic" for fans of "heavy music", and has influenced artists ranging from Nirvana to Marilyn Manson and Metallica.
Killing Joke was recorded in early 1980 at Marquee Studios in London, shortly after a small tour promoting the Almost Red EP. The album was self-produced by the band.
The album's lyrics were written by frontman and vocalist Jaz Coleman, and expressed his opinions on issues such as politics, death, hypocrisy, human nature, pollution and exile.
The artwork was based on a photograph by Don McCullin of young rioters trying to escape from clouds of CS gas released by the British Army in Derry, Northern Ireland, on 8 July 1971 during the Troubles. The original picture was taken a few months before the day now known as Bloody Sunday that took place in the same town in early 1972.
Killing Joke was released in September 1980 by record label E.G.. It entered the UK Albums Chart on 25 October 1980, and reached number 39.
The album produced three singles: "Wardance", "Change" and "Requiem".
The 2005 and 2008 reissues of Killing Joke featured several bonus tracks, such as previously released B-sides and demo tracks. The tracks were listed in addition to the UK original release, being that "Change" was track 9 instead of track 7, as it was in the original US release. The 2008 reissue was dedicated in memory of bassist Paul Raven, who performed on his last album with Killing Joke in 2006. Raven died of heart failure in October 2007. Since then, every reissue of Killing Joke's studio albums has been dedicated to him.
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