(From the Hartford Courant, 27 October 1994.)

Killing Joke, Reunited, Makes Tour Stop Tonight at the Sting

by Roger Catlin

When the original lineup of England's Killing Joke broke up 12 years ago, there was a bit of unfinished business for the group credited with creating what is now known as industrial music.

For bassist Youth, who made his name in the last few years as one of the top producers in England, working with U2, Tom Jones, Crowded House and Paul McCartney, "it was an opportunity for me to tie up a few loose ends," he said over the phone from Boston Wednesday. "I wouldn't have done it if I didn't have the vision for what the potential of what the band could be, which I feel we hadn't fulfilled."

Already his reunion with vocalist Jaz Coleman and guitarist Geordie has produced "Pandemonium," Killing Joke's best- received album. And the band is on its first U.S. tour in 12 years, playing the Sting in New Britain tonight, the fourth stop.

"The audiences have been a lot younger," says Youth. "We've seen a few people who are old fans and have seen us before, but there's a whole new generation of interest."

And why not? Killing Joke has been credited with influencing such latter-day bands as Nine Inch Nails, Metallica, Ministry and Prong.

"The essence of that music is different," Youth says. "The fact that it was called industrial later was part of tradition of Killing Joke."

That tradition continues tonight in the all- ages show with Stabbing Westward.