After the pulse wave of Punk wiped out all of the previous rotting structures of Rock N'Roll, post-punk became both the vocabulary of its preservation and continuing evolution. The UK band Killing Joke would stretch their influences across this new definition-free style with keyboards (before Synth Pop) and Kevin "Geordie" Walker's semi-acoustic gritty guitar chime.
Originally, Killing Joke was looking to create "heavy dance music." However, the aggression sealed within their songs was undeniable. If singer Jaz Coleman looked like a method actor shrieking into the void, Walker, bassist Youth, and drummer Paul Ferguson were going to make certain the chill of Coleman's dystopian messaging would be backed by musical truth.
On their first self-produced self-titled album from 1980 searing Punk turns into Metal ("The Wait" will later be covered by Metallica) and their full-force impact will give Industrial music its necessary and danceable throb. The Dub-based "Requiem" slows their pace down but only to separate the synth punch, Youth's rumbling bass line, and Coleman's yelping for understanding into digestible parts. The glue holding it together is the inventive Duane Eddy-esque guitar figure from Geordie. With so many other original new guitar players in his midst (Keith Levene of PiL, John McGeogh of Magazine/Siouxsie and the Banshees, Will Sargeant of Echo and the Bunnymen, and The Edge in U2 - to name but a few,) the consistency of a straightforward memorable guitar line channeled through effects opened a world of possibilities.
"Wardance" is thunderous, the stop-start "Change" a guided missile crashing into the dancefloor, and "Bloodsport" is visceral. With just their instruments and Coleman up front, 1980's "Killing Joke" is revelatory. As Walker tightened up his sound, there was no use in changing it even as the band flirted with commercial success ("Love Like Blood" and "Kings and Queens" are both made more menacing yet keep their sleekness,) Geordie never changed from his 1952 gold Gibson. Its overtones and sustain, combined with a slight delay would become the sound that bands pursued for years to come. Praised by Jimmy Page and Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine, Geordie's best lick ever on the stomping political screed "Eighties" was so indelible that even Nirvana used a similar one in "Come As You Are."
While listening to their early Eighties output, the band continues to evolve from 1980's "Killing Joke," through the more visceral "What's THIS For?" from 1981 before falling prey to outside producers and a world where Pop music (thanks to MTV) was the golden ring. However, even on forgotten cuts like 1983's "(Let's Go To The) Fire Dances" or 1986's "Adorations" (where American record execs were hoping for them to achieve a Simple Minds-like breakthrough,) Geordie is both the grit and melody. As one of the two constant members of Killing Joke since its inception in 1978, their so-called "tension music" (they just released the stellar EP "Lord of Chaos" last year) will hopefully receive its honors while Geordie lives on as one of the most underrated guitar players of all time.
