Where did Killing Joke get their name from?
It would be fascinating if Notting Hill-formed rock band Killing Joke borrowed their name from Alan Moore and Brian Bolland’s popular 1980s Batman comic The Killing Joke. This hit comic narrated the origin story of the beloved character, the Joker, adding a newfound layer of psychological depth to the supervillain and his calculated antics. Nonetheless, the renowned ‘Eighties’ musical collective found inspiration for their moniker from a very different source.
According to various unreliable sources across the internet, the concept of a killing joke is either something a person finds funny moments before their death or someone who intentionally stops a joke from being funny altogether. However, when it comes to understanding Killing Joke’s choice of band name, it’s probably best left to frontman Jaz Coleman to explain their thinking.
As Coleman put it: “The killing joke is like when people watch something like Monty Python on the television and laugh, when really they’re laughing at themselves,” the musician explained. “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 … and then suddenly he realises that some cunt back in Westminster’s got him sussed – ‘What am I doing this for? I don’t want to kill anyone; I’m just being controlled’.”
Killing Joke released their self-titled debut album in 1980, which included hits like ‘Wardance’ and ‘Requiem’. At the time, the music arrived at a time where “intense” soundscapes caused intimidation and paranoia, and many deemed the band frightening as a result. “We were intimidating,” Coleman told Uncut. “When you are in Killing Joke, you think everybody is like that. Outside it, people are often terrified by our deregulated humour.”
Pre-empting the genesis of post-punk, Killing Joke followed in the footsteps of pioneers like Joy Division, borrowing similar-sounding intense compositions filled with pounding riffs and dark wave sensibilities. One of their defining pieces was the hit track ‘Eighties’, a distinctive trademark of gothic rock that signified the era’s inventive musical essence.
‘Wardance’, too, showcased the pinnacle of Killing Joke’s artistry. In the eyes of Coleman, it was the band’s best track, a composition that delved into themes of nuclear war paranoia. It became best known for its famous bass line, causing fans to cheer in excitement whenever it played live. Although ‘Wardance’ didn’t chart in the UK, it amassed something of a cult following, in time becoming one of the band’s biggest hits.
Although ‘Eighties’ has been likened to other popular songs, namely Nirvana’s ‘Come As You Are’, the track is simultaneously respected as a standalone effort. “We were very pissed off about that,” Walker said, discussing the comparisons. “It’s obvious to everyone. We had two separate musicologists’ reports saying it was. Our publisher sent their publisher a letter saying it was, and they went, ‘Boo, never heard of ya!’ but the hysterical thing about Nirvana saying they’d never heard of us was that they’d already sent us a Christmas card!”
