Killing Joke - Follow the leaders

[PeterHoll1]

Le Phono Leeds 1982. Great music , crazy dancing. Lots of Killing Joke on the turntables. Good times. Saw them in Bradford around the same time supported by...

..was it Comsat Angels?

[Slaprougefun]

A throwback to fireside rituals and frenzied tribal dance – immense and powerful! Oh, I wish they’d produce more of this kind of music!

[livvidd]

best song ever?

[drumbs]

GREAT BERUNDI DRUMS, YOUTH's MONSTER BASS LINE , SONIC GUITARS

A LA'' GEORDIE , AND THE MIGHTY JAZ COLMAN's CLENCHED FIST VIOCALS IN FRONT OF IT ALL ... ! FOLLOW THE LEADER ...... WHO IS THE LEADER??

ALWAYS QUESTION AUTHORITY....!!

[lazerjim1]

name a band that sounds like killing joke 

[kernowrock555]

This song makes me dance like a warrior!............

[bestdiscountz]

I wonder who inspired Pendulum?

[weedygonzales1]

never heard before.. outstandin thing

[MANICSOUS123]

follow killing joke

[eddie5181]

Before their time...

[scherzomortale]

Sublime.



[LazerNo1]

Blinding track.

Sure this was available also in the greatest dukebox ever, in "TheMoscow" in Moscow Rd London W2

[jayhants65]

The worst thing that every happened, was that the eighties ended,  And now we are left with SHITE FACTOR, and all the wonnbiessssssssssssss

[Force10FromMimico]

The drums man those fucking drums, positively tribal. Whole album actually.

[tebb1t]

@Force10FromMimico

Well said Sir

[Itchybiscuit]

@bazzsyx - was that the one in the Grassmarket with all the fiddles on the walls? Preferred the 'Beehive' for a pint of Old Peculiar. ;)

[bazzsyx]

@Itchybiscuit yes that's the one...pool room through the back and the toilets at the bottom of THE steepest flight of stairs in Edinburgh...well dodgy when you'd had a few...many a tumble lol...Only "The Diggers" could beat it for a pint of 80 bob.

[bazzsyx]

@Itchybiscuit Aye thats the one...frequented the beehive now and again but it was the fiddlers for me. Pubs been partly returned to its old self again...moral of the story?... .if it ain't broke dont fix it!

[Ecobitch]

I haven't heard this for years! Memories of my wonderful punk years came flooding back... problem is, I feel really old now - LOL! :-)

[abagail4me]

The ultimate fucking anthem of defiance of any kind...political religious or any type of other personal oppression you could think of.Can't stop loving this track 28 years after I first heard heard it on a university based radio station.The Joke are the shit.

[coolyjojo]

I Bet the Glitter Band wish they wrote this song, it's got all of there trade mark sound, the tribal drums, football terrace sing along anthem,and manic repetition. This is Great Pop as is should sound.

[jakebeal1996]

you dont know half!!!!!

[dekkyboy]

kewl on ya bazzsyx !

[rangatang100]

drums and bass all the rest are just sheep...baaaaa

[ENDEUARABIA]

ye follow the neo - CONumunists to hell....

[anUltaigh]

Muchos gracias!! Que tengas un dia magnifico, Amigo!! Viva la CPFC !!!

[adrock70]

mint trak luv the drumming

[niliap]

I remember rocking out to this at the Twilight Square/Rock Shack in Leeds back in the 80's

Still as awesome now as it was then

Jaz Coleman is a genius and Youths bass lines and Geordies guitar are unique!

[MARYLANDSTATEVOTERS]

i do have the single on vinyl

[Slaprougefun]

This is so primal...so unique of a song! It's gut-punch wicked!

[coolyjojo]

Very anti-Establishment. 

[coolyjojo]

Sounds like they got the idea after listening to Gary Glitters 'Leader' song and the Sex pistols. Still, I'm sure the GLITTER BAND are kicking themselves for not jumping the Punk Bandwagon, and writing songs like this, which should have been easy for them at the time, i.e Thumping rythmic Drums and Football Terrace chanting.

[dregs1983]

tony blair is my leader

[jerryflyn]

Fantastic, just fantastic!

[combattaskforce]

great band. we had fights on the weekends after listening drunk to this music.

[CruiseControlOne]

This is a fricking kick ass song. When I first heard it, I was entranced by the rhythm and the mesmerizing lyrics of the time. I would stomp my feet as I danced this song like a mindless zombie without a care in the world. Nobody has nor will ever come close to what this group did. Now let me get drunk again while I listen to this song.

[ThePoisonDoor]

Brilliant group

[88Flashback]

Thanks for posting this essential classic!.....Great one for your first post, even though I see it's been up for a while.....nice job!

[hobbit151]

awesome song!

[linder6969]

Still a great song~

[drongobong]

The most amazing tune...25 years ago this came out......feekin quality....

[guthywoodry]

At last ! I've found a few people who like Killing Joke !

Everyone else tells me that they're Total, Utter Crap -Like Phil Collins -A Real Embarrassment in the annals of Rock.

-That you lot just haven't realised it yet !

Can the rest of the world be wrong ?

[jonesmh123]

whats a "style bar?" i have never heard that expression before

[kernowrock555]

play this at my funeral.  coolest tune on the planet!!!!!

[13KeY37]

This band is fucking sick, now I see where bands like Tool, Isis, Joy Division get there influence. And if Metallica covered a few of these guys songs then they must be sick, and if you only know eighties by these guys check out some of there other shit.

[sandyefrancis]

I put my impaired hearing down to this - it was worth it - excellence

[maximusnick18]

the roxy in plymouth used to belt this out every night,classic

[rangatang100]

altogether fackin brill man

[hobbit151]

Yeaa killer

[pemoc66]

I made my way to Dublin in 1981 just to buy the album!!!

[lovesGenet]

noone has this kind of drums,bass sound.Somebody was a genius.Producers and band really got it right!

[celticraider1]

I remember buying 2 albums one day 20+ yeats ago this was a mini album

The other album was Dead citys the exploited

[kernowrock555]

20 years ahead of all muppets who succombe to blatant governmental bullshit.Listen and learn folks... why the fuck do you think "METALLICA" did a cover of"the Wait" by Killing Joke ?.....This band is UNIQUE. end of. please research them , and have a good listen to their lyrics....... light years ahead....

[Lengsel7]

The first time I ever heard this was at a skatepark, of course when it first came out.

It's a phenomenal skating song.

I haven't heard this for mega-years, and still it pops into my head every now and then.

Super catchy.

Just the right blend of punk, new wave, and industrial.

[drongobong]

@Lengsel7

mate this is the 80's at its very best......new wave noooooo

[londonkraut]

Sounds like the Glitter Band after a cocktail of strong uppers and a few lines of speed and coke...fantastic!

[weecoby3]

Drum and bass ....the way it was always meant to fuckin' be ...!

[MrHanksWorld]

Great song... love it...

[kernowrock555]

LIGHT YEARS AHEAD OF ANYTHING! I love to play this LOUD!!! to my neighbours....25yrs on!!!! Killin Joke in ya face!!!!!! yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaghhh!!­!!

[jg10865]

My god, this ROCKS!!!! I LOVE IT, even after all these years, it's still in my top 5 songs of all time. Keep it going boys!

[Trgr66]

Im proud to have been kistening to KJ since Requem 12" and KillingJoke lp were new in the shops, Cool for me.

[claudiofimiani]

"SOLO MINITAS... MINITAAAS..." (Juan Carlos Pelotudo)

[OldSchoolRockChannel]

There is no group quite like Killing Joke.

[OldSchoolRockChannel]

One of my favorite Killing Joke songs. There is nobody quite like them.

[dikthrust]

I got the 10" inch version of this back in 1982...awesome, but when I went to download it from I-Tunes, it was a totally different lyric !!

Why ??

[Localulu27]

still good song

[ecopunk66]

I remember getting a 10" disc of this and never got it back when i lent it out!, sylvia cleary of peterlee youre a bounder indeed!

[nevets4ever]

YouTube saves yeet another KJ classic out of the dustbin - great drumming, the metronomic snaping and the hypnotic lyrics. Punk meets New Wave as only Killing Joke can masterfully pull off.

[nevets4ever]

YouTube saves yet another KJ classic out of the dustbin - great drumming, the metronomic snaping and the hypnotic lyrics. Punk meets New Wave as only Killing Joke can masterfully pull off.

[dakidz]

Killing Joke = Dark agressive Post-punk = Gothic Rock

[ANOLDMANONCRACK]

POST PUNK KICKS ASS!!!!!

[bretadounitedfc]

KILLING JOKE TRANSCENDS GENRES

[weecoby3]

This is how you play a fucking drum kit! Ear-splittingly brilliant.

[SteveMultiRed]

You're right. I add: everyone of the band play as the drummer. Great music. Bye from Italy

[dobbdidi]

Had this single, so sad that I don't have it now.

[jpsea1]

when the people lead, the leaders will follow--okaaaaay!? so get with it

[SeanLive888]

I think it's about Thacher

[wyngatecarpenter]

Not sure it's about Thatcher. I think it's more about supposedly rebellious bands becoming part of the music business machine - quite relevant in 1981. I could be wrong though. "Music to please the adolescent .... Playtime doesn't last forever"

[sex6cult9revolution]

Agreed... Killing Joke were very influential on bands like Ministry and Pigface, and metal bands like Prong and Metallica - as well as punk bands... And Youth even went on to be a factor in the Orb (as did Jah Wobble from PiL) and does trance shite now... You can hear all the elements in there.

[posyanne64]

Depends how you want to define "punk". They could easily be called a punk band. I wouldnt though xx

[typejunky]

They were very much a punk band in 1980 and 81, just not run of the mill, second wave for sure, but punk, you only had to go to the early gigs to see it.

[828m]

i saw them in the early 80's, they were strong in the punk scene ... normal, their music was and are still so awesome !!

[001coops]

Well said giacomo23 couldn't have said it better myself !

[giacomo23]

kj is not a punk band dude... killing joke is killing joke,.

[cous1967]

One of the most underrated punk bands ever, my brother got me into them when I was about 12 or 13.

Still sounds great, well done!

[zagger66]

great not heard this for years.

[jtmkpp]

f'kin bang on!

[Snowdome111]

Cheers chap!

[raahead]

Absolute classic

[SteveAFCLondon]

Loving The Joke.

[DimePeril]

i never bothered to check these guys out until i heard they're playing at Sonisphere in august. I really hope i can go - there are so many ace bands that are gonna be there! :)

[JinTopazGames]

I'm pretty sure that this band disbanded a while ago..

[emoslayer93]

yh they did but now there back

[Cthulttio]

They're coming to Finland and many other countries this year so if they were disbanded, they're doing reunion tours. But they did a new album couple of years ago... It's called Hosannas From the Basement of Hell or something like that.

[dopeking2003]

Sonisphere was amazing, killing joke first thing sunday morning was the wake up call i wanted and they were on top form, did you make it there?

[GriefTourist]

awesome

[junksweet]

blast from the past??????????

[posyanne64]

a monumental blast from the past. awesome and still sounds as fresh as ever.!!

[xz4q18]

I bought the album on the back of a 5 star review titled - 'The New Brutalism'. I've never heard voice and lyrices and mucis so INTENSE!!!!!

[niliap]

Excellent Song!

Jaz Coleman is a musical Genius

Saw these guys at Finsbury park back in the day, F***ing Awesome!

[bazzsyx]

First heard this when I was under age drinking in a great "old mans" pub in Edinburgh called the Fiddlers Arms. The owners son had the jukebox rigged with all his own tunes. Through the back room playing pool with this THUMPING out the jukie. SIMPLY FANTASTIC. Those drums do it for me every time!! Pubs now a "style bar". Fkn disgrace!

[macaly1]

EXCELLENT POST!!!

[wilkesart]

nice one

[MishuTaste]

Thanks for posting this!

[gumonthepants]

Yes, upon hearing this for the first time in the 80's, I was truly shaken for the first time in my life by music of a caliber never before reached, catapulted me into all kinds of new feelings of fashion and social values pertinent to the time. What an exponential effect it had on me throughout my life has never been forgotten. Tears of joy ran down my face last week at the Fillmore in NYC as I witnessed their ceaseless commitment to their prestige.

[snevelin]

Summary: It was great.

[scorpiomoon777]

God I remember dancing to this..bloody fantastic,

Great Memories, thanks for psoting.

[tricerebollocks]

Checkout KJ's nightime album..,awesome!!

[killTHEIRidols]

it is great..but not as good as `whats this for...?`...i think anyway

[dopeking2003]

great album, but Pandemonium is probably my all time favourite

[TerryTheLion]

precursor 2 industrial house or trance in a very bitchen 80s manner

[front131]

Magnificient butcher of an album this 'What's this for?' just superb. Way beyond what some seem to construe as 'punk' these days.

[warjunky444]

KJ were never punk, although they gave and took a lot of punk influence, they were basically a post punk band.

Im quite happy that they dodged being pigeonholed with any one genre, but they were very industrial at on point, and they went onto industrial rock later on.

[jdw12327]

I've only been listening to KJ for the last 2 years. But yes, this song is just simply amazing.

[Garrison2]

This song is a friggin' anthem! May Killing Joke live forever!

[bockwinkel]

I saw them twice in '81 in Seattle and Vancouver BC. Jazz once said "if you can't sound the way you do recording then why bother" and I agree, they sounded just like the albums. VERY TIGHT!! One of the best shows I ever saw, Geordie is an incredible guitarist and just the fact someone thinks they had tow drummers speaks greatly of Ferguson. BRILLIANT IS RIGHT

[weecoby3]

Well said mate ....Ferguson just tears the place to bits here ...!

[sitrep12]

this one got me into kj,still got the album and my favourite track. awesome band.

[KEVPRICE20]

KILLING JOKE;follow the leader

80's sex,drugs more drugs and rockin roll.

PUNK playlist.

[KEVPRICE20]

KILLING JOKE ; follow the leader

80'S sex,drugs more drugs and rockin roll Yep still here to tell the tale. Whats this for still a great sound. Check my PUNK playlist

[ZKPGJA]

Man does this bring the memories flooding back, playing as a DJ in the pub scene in the 80's, it got requested every Saturday night and the floor got hammered by the jean with braces and no hair with white singlet brigade!! Excellent stuff - might go put the walking frame down and have a jump :^) Not you dear!!

[Altmuzikchick]

In '82, I saw their LP "What's this for?" and though 'what a great title, and Killing Joke's a really cool name' so I checked them out; I must have played this song a million times on my radio show. Such a great band.

[rosieandkian]

i will have to dig this out of my loft!!!!!!!!!!and get a turntable lol.

[Hawkzblade]

Same as Sillywabbit.

One of the first 10" singles I bought.

pretty sure they had 2 drummers in the band backthen.

[tomwilliamson64]

no chance, big Paul Ferguson was the only drummer. There have never been 2 drummers in the band, you must be thinking of the Glitter Band or SS Sputnik.

[synthpopclassics]

big paul is that good.

[carrmcfc63]

At last! Just great to listen to again. Thanks for posting

[thesillywabbit1349]

cheers somenewuser,

great song

[thesillywabbit1349]

the first KJ track i ever heard!... sounds as good today as wayyy back then

[Daddybopper]

Its been over 25 years since i heard this.

Thanx!

[pxvboy]

one of my all time favorites ......nice version......... shame there is no video