(From Sounds, UK music paper, 10 December 1988.)

Killing Joke:  always looking on the bright side of life.

The New Killing Joke

Ex-Smiths bassist Andy Rourke out of Killing Joke after three days, for being 'too miserable'

Killing Joke finalised their "definitive line-up" last week -- then promptly changed it!

Ex-Smiths bassist, Andy Rourke, and ex-PiL drummer, Martin Atkins, were proudly announced as replacements for Paul Raven and Paul Ferguson, by Jaz and Geordie.

Andy was described as a long-time Killing Joke fan who'd wanted to join after Youth quit in the early '80s, while Martin first met the band while they were recording their 'Wardance/Psyche' single in 1980.

And Jaz spoke enthusiastically of a "disciplined, dynamic groove from two strong personalities who identify with both the music and school of thought".

But three days later it was announced that Andy had been fired "for being too miserable". His replacement is Tafe [sic], a Welshman about whom nothing was known apart from the fact that he was "dangerous".

This revised "definitive line-up" is now "exploring their manic roots" in preparation for a tour of Australia and New Zealand during February and March. And a British tour is being lined up for April.

The new band will introduce themselves -- literally -- at a Mid-Winter Party at London's Bayswater Porchester Hall on December 22, which is being organised along the lines of the banquet described in 'The Pandys Are Coming' from the 'Revelations'.

They'll personally welcome party punters at the door, and perform new material from Mohammad Khamouch and The Voice Of Morocco and traditional Indian musician Calvin Singh.

A banquet of "exotic Middle Eastern food and punch" is included in the price of a ticket, which is £15 -- although they are free to members of Killing Joke's new information service, ODIC.

This will be Killing Joke's first gig for over two years.  It marks their reappearance after the departure of the two Pauls and the 'Outside The Gate' album which, Jaz now concedes, "was not representative of the definitive Killing Joke because we never had a full band at the time of writing, although the album remains dear to our hearts".

The definitive Killing Joke will be revealed on the band's next album, "Extremities".  There's no release date as yet, however.

Membership of ODIC -- which replaces the previous Rubicon fan club -- is £20 a year and you join by writing to 110-112 Disraeli Road, Putney, London SW15.

Odic fluid is the name given to the "terrestrial spirit or creative power of the universe" by Reichenbach.  ODIC stands for the Organisation of the Distant Island Charter, the distant island having already been located in the Pacific Ocean for a series of geomantic experiments.

Coleman's Words Of Wisdom

Not only did Jaz Coleman spend last week announcing the new Killing Joke line-up, he also detailed a variety of extra-jocular activities, including:

1. The Reforestation Of The World

"I'm involved in a lot of things with an ecological basis ... Friends Of The Earth, for example.

"We've got this idea -- The Mad Hatter's Tree Party. I'm trying to get 3.5 million people in New Zealand to plant 3.5 million trees.  If it works there I'll export the idea back to Europe.

"Also, I've promised all the royalties from 'Idavoll', the orchestral cycle I've been working on for the past six years, to FOE.

"I've just been to East Germany where I played through the cycle to the director of the Gewardhaus in Leipzig.  They love the score and they're the first orchestra to say emphatically that they want to put it on. So I'm going back to East Germany and we're talking about putting it on in the spring. That's where I'll get a recording from.

"The theme of 'Idavoll' is renewal and resurrection in nature, so it's appropriate that FOE should get the royalites."

2. A Major Event In Publishing

"As far as my book, An Irrational Domain, is concerned, there will be no English edition on the shelves for some time.

"Big Nose at Faber & Faber -- Pete Townshend -- told me the book should be more 'rock and roll'.

"After that I decided to publish it myself. Anyone who's interested will be able to get a copy from ODIC (the Joke Info service). I'm putting out 150 unedited copies."

3. Probing The Earth's Mysteries

"Some of you will be aware of our geomantic studies of 'holy ground' in different parts of the world (research that has combined experiments which utilise the magnetic energy in these places). And we have outlined a program for the continuation of these experiments on small islands in the Pacific Ocean."

With the Joke abroad again, the world can only be a more interesting place.

Roy Wilkinson