by BBG

Tragedy fan at Europa (more by Konstantin Sergeyev)

No rest for the wicked. After a grueling weekend of heavy music at Maryland Deathfest (pictures of day 1 HERE, day two HERE, day three HERE, and day four HERE), I am looking forward to a mix of punk, hardcore, metal, crust, d-beat, and indie at Chaos in Tejas in Austin this week! Kicking off on Thursday (June 2nd) the four day festival features appearances from tons notables, day shows, after parties, and in-stores, some for free. Swing down for a blow by blow breakdown of what you should look for every day at the multi-venue music fest.

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Thursday, June 2

Ah the start of the festival.... fresh legs and feet, and a hunger for tons of good bands. Thursday will sate your hunger too, as there are tons of great hardcore/metal shows to choose from. Shows tonight happen on both stages at Emo's, both stages at Red 7, at the Mohawk, Beauty Bar, Beerland and the Broken Neck.

Despite the high profile cancellation of Killing Joke at Emo's outdoor, CIT bounced back and added Cro-Mags to an already awesome lineup of rare appearances from strong>Asta Kask (Swedish d-beat), D-Clone (a rare show from these Japanese hardcore monsters), Veins (featuring Mark McCoy from Charles Bronson/Das Oath as well as Ian from Copremesis/Castevet), Double Negative (North Carolinian hardcore greats who released the awesome Daydreamnation last year), Vile Gash (brutal hardcore on Youth Attack), Japan'sThe Slowmotions, and NYC's Cult of Youth (dark folk with a great new LP on Sacred Bones) and Crazy Spirit (excellent hardcore with members of Perdition).

Thankfully, I can use my wristband from Emo's to hit up Red 7, right around the corner, where an awesome metal show will clash with an awesome garage show on the two stages. Finnish doomers Hooded Menace will headline on stage with Denmark's Undergang, crusty death metallers Acephalix (mems of the amazing Vastum), more death metal from Bone Sickness, and local death and rollers Mammoth Grinder. Meanwhile, the second stage will feature The Spits, the Arrivals, Shellshag, TV Ghost, and others. All of this means that I'll probably miss Converge/Title Fight/Touche Amore/Trap Them/Burning Love/the Menzingers at Mohawk and How I Quit Crack/The Indicator Dogs at Beauty Bar. At least I can end the night right with Tragedy and Origin of M at Broken Neck as part of an after-party. Yikes!

the rest of Thursday's schedule and what to do on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, below...

Continue reading "BBG's Guide to Chaos in Tejas 2011"

by BBG

Killing Joke at Irving Plaza (more by Greg Cristman)

Chaos in Tejas 2011 (June 2-5) has expanded its lineup yet again, adding Killing Joke (their first show in Austin in close to 15 years), Off With Their Heads, Mammoth Grinder, Career Suicide, Chinese Telephones, Title Fight, The Mind Spiders, and Underground Railroad to Candyland to its already stellar lineup that includes names like Youth of Today, Converge, Autopsy, and so many more. Full revised lineup is below.

Chaos in Tejas 2011 will also feature a set by Reigning Sound who will play The Bell House SATURDAY (2/18) and Maxwell's during the day TOMORROW (as part of a WFMU benefit - pledge here if you're not going).

Tickets are still available for The Bell House show - though reportedly not many. You can also try your hand at winning a pair! Contest details are below.

Full Chaos in Tejas lineup and some video is below too...

Continue reading "Chaos in Tejas adds Killing Joke & more (updated lineup), Reigning Sound in NYC now (win tix)"

photos by Greg Cristman

"still pumped from seeing KILLING JOKE at Irving Plaza last night. They played a ton of old stuff, and the new jams were just as good!" - John

"Killing Joke @ Irving Plaza. They have lost nothing over time" - Ann Wagner Hall

Invisible Oranges: The new album is called Absolute Dissent. In a world where about two percent of the population controls half of the wealth and thus the power associated with it, is real dissent even possible?

Jaz Coleman of Killing Joke: I think so, and I think it comes down to education in the end. We invariably create elites when only about one percent of the population understands the complex issues of the day. Look at the American electorate with the tea baggers and [Sarah] Palin. When it comes to foreign policy, many of these people aren't very informed. I believe in personal politics. I don't really participate in actual politics. Civil liberties are very dear to me, something we must not relinquish. That's the responsibility of every citizen, to ensure that civil liberties are maintained in a free and democratic system. Basically, what I'm trying to say is we are shaping the future. We all have to participate in finding solutions.

Greg Cristman, who goes to a lot of shows, described this one as one of the best twenty-five he's ever seen, and definitely the best of 2010. It was insanely loud but sounded great. "Jaz went off on this rant about the condition of the world and the rip offs and pollution and shit chemical companies with his magnificently scorched vocals. It was a truly an epic moment- fucking Godhead! Coleman was in full makeup and looked insane. Like Al Pacino in Scarface possessed by vampires. The crowd was really into and most everyone was dancing wildly. The set was about an hour and a half."

The full Killing Joke setlist with more pictures from the show (Android Lust opened), below...

Continue reading "Killing Joke played Irving Plaza again (pics & setlist)"

"Word is out that your local indie record store may just be the place to be this Post-Thanksgiving-Shopping-Melee-Day, also known as Black Friday. And that's because indie stores across the country will be the place to get special releases created just for you, for giving and getting this holiday season, and they're scheduled for release on Black Friday.

Now, this is not Record Store Day, Jr. or RSD 11 or Son of the Return of Record Store Day. This is just a group of special releases that you can only find at record stores. Some of them are uber-limited, some of them are available at record stores before they're available anywhere else. But they're all special, and they kind of fly in the face of what Black Friday has become, which is "I have to shop, let's see how fast and cheap I can get it over with". The magic of these pieces is that every one of them is something someone will really LOVE to get, and you'll really ENJOY giving. And you'll have the extra nice feeling of supporting a local independently owned business during the holidays. So check out the list of titles, and keep in mind that not all stores on this page will carry everything, so start a conversation with your local store. Or print this out as a Wish List and hide it where your gift-giving loved ones are sure to find it. [Record Store Day]

As previously mentioned, Killing Joke are playing Irving Plaza on December 3rd. Updated tour dates and a video of a dude showing off some of the records you can get Friday, below...

Continue reading "a list of Black Friday Record Store Day exclusives ++ new Killing Joke LP out now (tour starts soon) "

Killing Joke @ Irving Plaza in '08 (more by Tim Griffin)

Though tickets for some dates are still on sale, reunited UK post-punk band Killing Joke have pushed back their upcoming album and tour dates, both of which were due this spring, to the fall and beyond because of "unforeseen circumstances." They were scheduled to play a May 21st show at Irving Plaza. Instead they'll play the venue on December 3rd. Tickets are on sale for that new date, and old ones will be honored too.

Except for a couple of UK shows in October, most of the rescheduled dates are still TBA. . Their new album has been moved to September. More info, the confirmed dates and a note from the band about the cancellations, below...

Continue reading "Killing Joke postpones album & tours (new NY date on sale)"

by BBG

Killing Joke (Jaz Coleman) at Irving (more by Tim Griffin)

With a reputation forged in fire, brimstone and magic, Killing Joke have long been one of rock's most iconic & influential outfits.

Now, 30 years since first bonding in blood, the original line-up of Jaz Coleman (vocals), Geordie (guitar), Youth (bass) and Paul Ferguson(drums) are set to start work on their 13th studio album - the first fruits of a new worldwide deal with the Spinefarm Records label.

Set for release in April 2010, this latest set of recordings (title to be confirmed) will see the aforementioned musicians sharing studio space for the first time in 27 years, having already road-tested their relationship with sold-out shows around the world, kicking off in Tokyo last Autumn.

All tour dates and tons of videos (including a bunch from one of their last Irving Plaza shows) are below...

Continue reading "Killing Joke releasing new album, playing more shows"

Black Lips @ The Williamsburg Waterfront (more by Bao Nguyen)

Deborah Kee Higgins (ATP organizer) to the Village Voice: We have a "No Assholes" policy. You can play once because we don't know you're an asshole, but you can't play twice.

Barry Hogan (ATP organizer): Killing Joke and the Butthole Surfers will never play ATP again, and they can both suck my balls. And you can put that in print. The Black Lips will never play again--they're assholes. They broke into a chalet and started stealing stuff.

Higgins: Liquor.

This Saturday, the Black Lips play the FYF Fest in LA. At this summer's Leeds Festival they incited a stage invasion. Video below...

Continue reading ""Killing Joke and the Butthole Surfers will never play ATP again, and they can both suck my balls.""

Kevin with 7 Seconds @ Webtster Hall in August (more by Tim Griffin)

tonight in NYC
* Warp20 Films @ New Museum
* Counting Crows @ Central Park
* Black Anvil & guest @ Fontana's
* Darlings, The Whims, Rifle Recoil @ Cake Shop
* Liturgy, Zs, Extra Life, Larkin Grimm @ Glasslands
* Wolfmother, The Depreciation Guild @ The Bowery Electric
* The Octagon, Kleenex Girl Wonder, Au Large @ Bruar Falls
* Woman, K-Holes, Pop. 1280, Kid Congo Powers (DJ) @ Union Pool
* Kevin Seconds, Don Chambers & Goat, Ocha La Rocha @ Union Hall
* Petty Fest 2009 w/ Hymns, Little Joy, The Pierces, Nicole Atkins, Jesse Malin, more @ Bowery Ballroom
* Phil & The Osophers, Sleepies, Sally Head, Poingly, Prince & Pearl, Inoculist, Bellhammers @ Coco 66

Liturgy, whose new CD, Renihilation, just came out, play Glasslands tonight with Zs and Extra Life and folk singer Larkin Grimm (who's on the bill of the Musicka Mystica Maxima Fest at Santos later this month).

Warp20's film programming screens at the New Museum today (where its runs through Sunday). Friday is the !!!/Battles show at Terminal 5.

Kevin Seconds, who played with Joe Jack Talcum in Jersey last night, performs at Union Hall with Don Chambers & Goat and Ocha La Rocha.

Joe Jack Talcum plays Cake Shop tomorrow.

Wolfmother play a secret show between bigger gigs at the Bowery Electric tonight. The Depreciation Guild opens.

Petty Fest 2009 takes over Bowery Ballroom with a cast that includes "Hymns, The Pierces, Jody Porter of Fountains Of Wayne, Nicole Atkins, Morning Pages, Jesse Malin, Sammy James Jr of The Mooney Suzuki, Adam Green, Love As Laughter, Matt Romano & Rodrigo Amarante of Little Joy, Steve Schiltz of Longwave, Fabrizio Moretti of The Strokes, Mikki James of Burke, Teenage Prayers and Antony Ellis of Five O'Clock Heroes". The London Souls open.

The new Wild Beasts video for "All the Kings Men" is below...

The teaser trailer for a documentary on UK's Killing Joke is posted below.

Czech journalist Jana Trzilova follows the trail of Killing Joke and charismatic frontman Jaz Coleman from Czechoslavakia to Iona and on to Glastonbury Tor, Egypt, Iceland, the Nazca Lines in Peru and New Zealand. Discovering a web of mysticism, numerology, white heat experiments, a recording session in the heart of the Great Pyramid, occult rituals and prophecy she discovers more than she ever imagined; coming soon.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Thursday?"

Photos by Tim Griffin

Finally, after numerous line-up changes through the years, all original Killing Joke members reunited for a new album and world tour.

Drummer, Paul Ferguson, rejoined the line up for the first time since 1987 enabling a whole new generation of fans to see Killing Joke's legendary original formation. Diehard fans have been waiting for this moment for two decades!

Bassist, Martin 'Youth' Glover also steps back into the live arena after a near 15 hiatus, having not played live with Killing Joke since 1994's Pandemonium tour.

The tour SAW Killing Joke take up a two night residency [at Irving Plaza in NYC] offering a different set on each evening. On the first night, they played their first two albums in their entirety, 1980's self-titled album followed by the album 'What's This...For!'. Their
second performance [Sunday, October 12th in NYC] in each city [treated] fans to 1994's Pandemonium and the Island Records singles of'79 to '80.

Continue reading "Killing Joke @ the Fillmore NY @ Irving Plaza, NYC - pics"

The original lineup of Killing Joke is getting back together. The NYC shows are October 11th & 12th @ Irving Plaza. TICKETS ARE ON SALE.

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Amebix - Arise! from "Arise +2" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Amebix - Slave from "Arise +2" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Amebix - The Darkest Hour from "Arise +2" (MP3)

The godfathers of Crust punk, Amebix, have announced their reformation. Sprouting from a retrospective DVD in the works for Jello Biafra's Alternative Tentacles, Rob "The Baron" Miller entered the following myspace blog entry entitled "Oh Dear....eating my words"

"...got the idea to contact Stig about maybe jamming a couple of songs to see how it felt. I also had made contact with Roy Mayorga of Stone Sour, Sepultura, etc... (Spider has tinitus and is no longer able to play)..... It was absolutely fucking MAD! (The songs sounded) ten times better than the original versions, tighter, heavier, stronger."

Amebix, formed in England in 1978 as "The Band with No Name", were a band that many consider to have started the sub genre crust punk. Their music, heavily influenced by Motörhead (and to a lesser extent Lemmy-era Hawkwind), Black Sabbath, Venom, and early Killing Joke, combined with an ethos and worldview akin to Crass, represented their non-traditional lifestyles.

Their music blended hardcore punk and heavy metal into a form of early thrash metal. They were the forerunners of crust punk and a thrash metal pioneer. Such notable bands as Sepultura, Neurosis, Napalm Death, and Deviated Instinct have paid homage to the band.

Killing Joke also announced their reformation. Check out some Amebix (and Killing Joke-related) videos below...

Continue reading "Amebix -crust punk legends reunite - DVD & CD, MP3 & video"

Continue reading "Killing Joke - original members reunite, 2008 Tour Dates"

didn't mean to sleep on reporting this, sorry....

Paul Raven (CRED)

Paul Vincent Raven (January 16, 1961 – October 20, 2007) was a rock bassist best known for his work in the seminal post-punk/industrial group Killing Joke. He later played in alternative rock/industrial rock band Prong.......Raven also participated in Pigface........Raven worked as bassist in Godflesh......Raven began working with Al Jourgensen of Ministry for their latest album, Rio Grande Blood. In 2006, Raven completed a European and American tour with Ministry. Raven died of an apparent heart attack in his sleep on October 20, 2007 [Wikipedia]