(From This Is Wiltshire, UK Newsquest Regional Press, 25 January 2001.)

Rock Band has Track on New Compilation Album

A Wiltshire band has one of their own tracks recorded on a compilation album celebrating the work of Killing Joke, one of the most powerful experimental post-punk bands in the UK.

The idea behind the album Unsignable was to produce a showcase of unsigned bands from all over the UK, America, Europe, Brazil and Australia, who have been inspired by Killing Joke.

Swindon guitarist Rob Cannell from rock band 1000 Planets (picturerd) said that from the mailing list of Killing Joke fans the musicians got to know each other and swapped information and this was how the idea for the CD was born.

"Killing Joke are renowned for their cult following and large fan base,'' he said.

The Foo Fighters, Metallica, Amen and Nirvana have all recorded Killing Joke songs. Killing Joke recorded 10 albums and had several hits including Love Like Blood, Eighties, Millennium and Pandemonium.

Rob has been a fan for more than 15 years. 1000 Planets sent three of their tracks to Rob Moss from Oxford-based band Headcount. He chose Ragged to appear on the album.

"We still do Ragged in our set,'' said Rob. "It is a good project. It gets our music out there and although we have no great master plan our next step is to play with some of the other bands on the CD.''

Rob says that his inspiration came from the combination of styles used by Killing Joke.

"The individuals come from different areas such as classical, dance and traditional rock guitar and together it created something special,'' he said.

Rob's own band stick to the rock and punk side of music rather than experimenting with the club dance music.

"Killing Joke play their own way and do what they want to do and so do 1000 Planets,'' said Rob.

Doing it their way on Saturday, 1000 Planets will be playing at the Queen's Tap in Station Road, Swindon.

Joining Rob in the band are lead singer Dave Andrews, Neil Scully on bass and Rob's brother Jim on drums.

The musicians got together to work out the 1000 Planets formula in 1993.

They started gigging in 1996 and Rob says they are still enjoying it.

"We have developed over the years, become tighter. We'll be the best band in the world when we're 65,'' said Rob.

At the Queen's Tap the musicians will be playing around eight of their own songs including two new ones and the rest will be popular covers.

Rob wrote one of the new tracks, Nothing To Fear, which is a heavy rock song with a groove.

"We write about the observations of life, broad issues and personal relationships,'' he said.

The gig kicks off around 8.30pm-9pm and is free entry.