The Killing Fields is the 10th record album by Mike Oldfield, released in 1984 on Virgin Records. It was the soundtrack album for the British drama film of the same. For the History Buffs. Killing Joke - Wikipedia. Killing Joke are an English rock band formed in October 1. Notting Hill, London, England. The original line- up included Jaz Coleman (vocals, keyboards), . After the release of Revelations in 1. Youth was replaced by Paul Raven. The band achieved mainstream success in 1. Night Time and the single . Coleman and Geordie have been the only constant members of the band. History. Mat Stagger) when he met Jaz Coleman (from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire) in Notting Hill, London. In October 1. 97. Coleman was briefly keyboard player in that band, he and Ferguson left to form Killing Joke. They placed an advertisement in the Melody Maker which attracted guitarist Geordie Walker and bassist Martin . 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 .. I don't want to kill anyone, I'm just being controlled'. Records with a distribution through Polydor from 1. Turn to Red came to the attention of legendary DJ John Peel, who was keen to champion the band's urgent new sound and gave them extensive airplay. The production on that first EP was sparse with dub features. NME stated in a concert review that . Their debut album Killing Joke was released in September: the band had thought for a while to call it ! For What's THIS for..!, they hired sound engineer Nick Launay who had previously recorded with Pi. L. Typically the images that appeared on their records and on- stage while performing live were bizarre and potentially shocking and inflammatory.
Critics noted the black humour and the use of shock tactics both musically and visually to create a reaction. The picture was of German abbot Alban Schachleiter walking among rows of Nazi soldiers offering Hitler salutes and appearing to return the salute, and was later used for the cover of the band's compilation album Laugh? I Nearly Bought One! Revelations was recorded in 1. Germany near Cologne with producer Conny Plank who had previously worked for Neu! It was the first time that one of their LPs entered in the top 2. UK albums chart: Revelations peaked at number 1. In February of that year, Coleman, with Geordie following shortly after, moved to Iceland to survive the Apocalypse, which Coleman predicted was coming soon. While in Iceland, Coleman and Geordie worked with musicians from the band . Youth who had stayed in England, left the band after a few months. This was continued with the non LP singles . They achieved mainstream success with . Following the success of Night Time, the band had decided to recruit once again Kimsey for the production side. While no less aggressive and heavy than their older work, Brighter Than a Thousand Suns diverged musically in ways that led to controversy among listeners. In this case, disagreements between fans and critics alike included opinions on whether the band was conforming with pressures from EG Records to develop a more commercial sound, to whether the songs were relevant for those listeners more comfortable with their proto post- punk beginnings. The record was a commercial failure compared to the previous effort, it didn't reach the top 5. UK charts. Raven took part in the sessions but he was unsatisfied by the result, finally asking for his name to be removed from the album credits. If it wasn't right he would have stayed there 'til it was. Session player Jimmy Copley was then brought in to provide the drumming on the songs, along with percussion player Jeff Scantlebury. The resulting album, Outside the Gate (1. Killing Joke's most controversial album, due to its synth- led sonics and disagreement over the quality of the material. Sounds said of the album: . The video for the former features Coleman and Geordie with drummer Jimmy Copley and session bassist Jerome Rimson, who never actually recorded with the band. Geordie and percussionist Jeff Scantlebury provided a minimal musical backing at the event. A recording of the lecture was eventually released under the title The Courtauld Talks on Martin Atkins' Invisible Records in 1. Revised lineup and Extremities, Dirt & Various Repressed Emotions (1. First on board was drummer Martin Atkins, who had gained notability in Pil. A suitable bass player proved more difficult. Former Smiths man Andy Rourke was hired, then dismissed after only three days. Eventually the band settled on Welsh bass player Dave . Touring continued across the UK, Europe and the US until August 1. Germany, and to allow Coleman time to record 1. Songs from the Victorious City with Anne Dudley of Art of Noise. For reasons which remain unclear, the German Killing Joke sessions were shelved and bass player Taif left the band to be replaced by old hand Raven. The revised line- up began recording again, this time in London, and the result was Killing Joke's eighth album, the ferocious Extremities, Dirt & Various Repressed Emotions, released on the German Noise International label in 1. It included some of the heaviest, noisiest and harshest music ever to appear on a Killing Joke record, although the progressive musical spirit of the previous two albums remained as well. Once again, the band toured Europe and North America, but by the middle of 1. Coleman emigrated to New Zealand to live on a remote Pacific island, and Killing Joke entered a hiatus period. The musicians bar Coleman Geordie and the band's live keyboard player John Bechdel worked with Scottish vocalist Chris Connelly and continued as the short- lived Murder, Inc., releasing a self- titled album in 1. Reunion with Youth and Butterfly era (1. I Nearly Bought One!, was released in 1. Geordie re- acquainted with Youth, who suggested that they reform the band with himself back on bass. That same year, two singles (on cassette and CD) appeared featuring the early songs . Relations later soured between Coleman and Shihad due to a dispute over Coleman's production fee for Churn. Killing Joke also sued Nirvana during this phase, alleging that the riff for the latter's song . Pandemonium (1. 99. Killing Joke with a memorable Top of the Pops performance for the single 'Millennium', which was a UK Top 4. Top 2. 0). The title track was also released as a single and made the UK Top 3. In 1. 99. 5, the band recorded the song . Democracy (1. 99. The title track was again released as a single and made the UK Top 4. Much of Pandemonium and all of Democracy featured session drummer Geoff Dugmore. He also played live with the band throughout this era. Nick Holywell- Walker joined the band on keyboards and programming for 1. Democracy and XXV Gathering. Youth bowed out of live performance early in the Democracy tour and was replaced by Troy Gregory previously of Prong. Coleman and Youth produced a string of well- received orchestral rock albums based on the music of legends such as Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and The Doors. Coleman became composer- in- residence for New Zealand and Czech symphony orchestras. Produced by Andy Gill and released to much acclaim in 2. Extremities and other visceral 1. In 2. 00. 3 the band played at the biggest open- air festival in Europe (4. Przystanek Woodstock. The War on Terror and the invasion of Iraq were cited as major factors in their reforming, and this is reflected in the lyrical content of much of the album, based on themes of war, government control and Armageddon. The album, which fell just short of the UK Top 4. The songs are all credited to Coleman/Geordie/Youth/Gill, although Raven's name is also on the list of musicians on the liner notes, marking his return to the band after more than a decade. The album was accompanied by a tour of the United States, Europe and Australia in 2. Prong drummer Ted Parsons on board. In February 2. 00. Twin Zero and Sack Trick drummer Ben Calvert, Killing Joke played two consecutive shows at London's Shepherds Bush Empire to commemorate their 2. DVD and CD recordings from these concerts were released in the fall of the same year as XXV Gathering: The Band That Preys Together Stays Together. In June, remastered and expanded editions of Pandemonium and Democracy, were released by Cooking Vinyl. These were followed in July by their first four albums (Killing Joke to Ha!) on EMI, who by then owned the E. G. The second batch of EMI remasters would not appear until January 2. That year, Reza Udhin joined the band on Keyboards when they supported M. It was at this time the contribution to the world of rock was recognised when they were awarded the . The result was Hosannas from the Basements of Hell, released in April 2. UK Top 7. 5. During a European tour, in April 2. Raven abruptly departed after a few dates to tour with Ministry and was temporarily replaced by Kneill Brown. In October, it was announced that Coleman had been chosen as composer in residence for the European Union. As Composer in Residence he will be commissioned to write music for special occasions. The first, Inside Extremities, is a double CD of material taken from the band's preparations for the Extremities album: rehearsals, rare mixes, a previously unheard track, . In 2. 00. 8, the second batch of albums from Fire Dances to Outside the Gate was re- issued in remastered form with bonus tracks. Reunion of original lineup (2. Coleman told Terrorizer magazine how the return of Ferguson came up after 2. It was funny the unifying effect it had on all of us. It made us realise our mortality and how important Killing Joke is to all of us. The rehearsals will be immortalised on Duende - The Spanish Sessions. The first night was dedicated to their first two albums, Killing Joke and What's THIS For..!, while the second night featured large parts of Pandemonium plus some early singles released on Island records. The world tour began in September in Tokyo and concluded in Chicago in October. This is the second time all 1. The band then was on the bill of several festivals including, All Tomorrow's Parties, Sonisphere in Knebworth. In November, the band received the . Supergirl Movie Better Than Donner Era Superman CBSWith all the news surrounding CBS’s leaked pilot, Supergirl is getting a lot of coverage in the geekosphere. I wanted scream from the rooftops: I love the 1. Supergirl film. It was one of my favorites as a kid. I saw it on my fifth birthday, since then I have always loved Supergirl way more than her boring. It’s arguably responsible for my life long love of lady Super Heroes, from Batgirl to Storm to Red Sonja. I haven’t revisited the film in years, and I was worried that my love couldn’t survive a viewing informed by my grown sensibilities. The Dark Night Returns and The Watchmen, were only a year or two from igniting the Modern Age of comics. Geeks were tired of goofy and ready for gritty, even if they didn’t know it yet. Supergirl wasn’t interested in any Modern Age. In fact, it wasn’t interested in the Bronze Age, which had introduced social issues and toned down the really silly elements of 6. Supergirl was not afraid to be silly. It tells the story of Kara Zor- El (played by Helen Slater), Superman’s cousin who lives in Argo City, a Kryptonian settlement that survived the destruction of Krypton by being in “inner- space” instead of “outer- space.”. Yes, she has a character name. No, you don’t need to know it. It’s Faye Freakin Dunaway, and with the Omegahedron she becomes the most powerful sorcerer on the planet. Kara comes to earth and promptly enrolls in an all- girls school, because the whole search for the Omegahedron is a clearly an excuse to get out of stuffy Argo City and see the world. In the least Bechdel development ever, Supergirl and Faye Dunaway end up fighting over a boy they both like. Supergirl saves the boy with help from Peter O’Toole (don’t ask) and then saves the world and the Omegahedron. The key to loving Supergirl, is understanding that it’s actually a Silver Age comic. Logic didn’t matter in the Silver age, just imagination. Tropes were there own justification. Why does Kara Zor- El promptly join a school? Because secret identity! Why does Faye Dunaway say goofy stuff every time she uses the Omegahedron? How did Kara Zor- El get a Supergirl costume? Because costumes! Explaining things with “logic” would distract from the crazy stuff. Like the giant mountain fortress Faye Dunaway creates, or Supergirl killing a shadow demon with lightning that was stored in a lamppost. One minute the filmmakers are trying to create a fun but somewhat realistic take on Superman, and the next second Supes is reversing time by making the earth rotate backwards. That’s the kind of plot device that makes perfect sense in the Silver Age (time reverses because BACKWARDS!) but it is awkwardly out of place in the more modern film that Donner was trying to put together. It is straight up Silver Age nonsense, including the way it treats character. Why does Supergirl want a boyfriend? Why does Faye Dunaway need a boyfriend? Because evil sorcerers love hot dudes! Let’s talk about that hot dude for a second, and another reason this movie was so important to me as a kid. Ethan (no last name) is a hunky landscape artist that works at Supergirl’s school. Faye Dunaway catches a glimpse of him while sitting in traffic and later decides to kidnap him. She plans to secure his affection with a love spell. Hijinks ensue, and Ethan falls for Supergirl instead. Ethan drives a ridiculous amount of the plot of this film. Supergirl rescues him a lot. This guy wins “best dude- sel in distress” hands down. But I was an really unpopular child. My only friend was my older brother, who often wanted to spend time with kids his own age. I didn’t matter to me if it made sense with the plot, or was semiotically problematic. Ethan isn’t just important as a love interest. All my male movie role models in the 8. Rambos, or Han Solos. Super tough guys who would bravely go into the carbonite, and couldn’t even say “I love you” when facing death. He told me that sometimes it was okay to be weak, okay to be scared. That goofy himbo taught me a lot. Strong women in film almost always come with problematic issues, even in todays mass media. Supergirl is no exception.? It all feels shoe horned in, and played for titillation. There are also grown ass men (Ethan and Jimmy Olsen) romantically involved with teenagers. It’s problematic as hell. It’s lacking any real sense of danger since human men are obviously no threat to Supergirl, even if she’s new to Earth and a touch naive. It’s still an unnecessarily triggering scene. On the plus side, Supergirl kicks one of her attackers in the crotch so hard that he flies through the air and lands in a pile of trash. In my opinion, the zany strengths of the film outweigh the icky factor, but I have to recognize the problematic male gaze stuff might be easier for me (a guy) to ignore. So quit hiding and let the world know. Preferably in the comments section. Eli Keel is freelance arts and culture journalist based in Louisville, Kentucky. YES WE DO have arts in Kentucky. He also writes plays and poems.
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