Killing Joke

[SteveXFR]

There must ba a few Killing Joke fans here and a few who have learnt some of their bass lines.

I've been having a bit of a search for more interesting bass parts, any suggestions for good ones?

I've just learnt Love Like Blood, simple on the right hand but the left hand muting for the staccato notes causes some hand cramps.

[Doctor J]

Love KJ, there are tasty basslines through their entire career. I've a soft spot for the last three albums. The Great Cull is very enjoyable to romp through, the less subtlety you play with, the better.

[SteveXFR]

2 minutes ago, Doctor J said:

the less subtlety you play with, the better.

 

Subtlety is not a feature of my playing.  I'll give Great Cull a bash

[Lozz196]

5 hours ago, SteveXFR said:

There must ba a few Killing Joke fans here and a few who have learnt some of their bass lines.

I've been having a bit of a search for more interesting bass parts, any suggestions for good ones?

I've just learnt Love Like Blood, simple on the right hand but the left hand muting for the staccato notes causes some hand cramps.

That’s a great line, Steve, a really good groove to it.

[ezbass]

Love Like Blood is one of my favourite tunes of all time. That is all.

[Maude]

If you learn Eighties then you get a 3 for 1 deal with The Damned and Nirvana thrown in. 😁

[Skybone]

Love a bit of KJ, superb stuff all through their career.

 

"Money Is Not Our God"

[Roger2611]

Psyche has a nice bassline, great guitar parts and killer lyrics!

[fleabag]

I saw them live at Trafalgar square in 1980 at a CND rally

 

My pick would be the the ultra dangerous track, Change.  Included on the US release of their first album.  Then a bit later, became the B side of the single Requiem

 

Martin Youth Glover on bass.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 31, 2022 by fleabag

[DGBass]

Seeing Red is always a good warm up tune for finger playing or with a medium flexible plectrum if plectrums are your thing.

[SteveXFR]

Not sure if it's controversial but I always preferred Paul Ravens bass to Youth

[fleabag]

Aye, he was superb.  Kings and Queens, Love Like Blood etc.  Sad he died so young at 46

 

 

Edited January 1, 2023 by fleabag

[SteveXFR]

I'm pleased I saw him with KJ and Ministry. An excellent live performer.

[Skinny]

Please don't mention Killing Joke or you won't shut me up. I like playing Psyche most of all. One riff plus two solos, great. 

[Skinny]

The sadly departed and very talented Anthony who started Killing Joke guitar tabs always wanted to add a bass section to his site which would have been fun. His ears must have been a one off to pick up and work out what Geordie plays. 

[Leonard Smalls]

On 31/12/2022 at 23:54, SteveXFR said:

Not sure if it's controversial but I always preferred Paul Ravens bass to Youth

I think it's the more usual position!

However, I preferred Youth-era - possibly because they were sparser and groovier...

 

 

[Barking Spiders]

Yep, long-standing fan of KJ here, Pandemonium, Night Time and the 2003 self-titled being my faves. Have to admit I've never bothered learning the basslines being more focused on the drums. As a drummer I do rate Big Paul and Martin Atkins. However, the not-so secret weapon has always been Geordie's guitar. It was hearing him for the first time that taught me poxy pentatonic guitar solos aren't necessary to make a song. Much more important are tone, individuality and attack.

[Leonard Smalls]

4 minutes ago, Barking Spiders said:

poxy pentatonic guitar solos aren't necessary to make a song

Indeed!

I've been trying to convince our guitarist to play almost anything but blues-ey widdle by introducing him to Primus, and Marc Ribot and David Fiuczynski, but only limited success so far...

[acidbass]

Love Killing Joke - really just discovered the band around a month ago. Love Like Blood is superb!

[SteveXFR]

Does Geordie play with an unusual style or is it just the overdriven hollow body guitar that creates that distinctive sound?

[bartelby]

Just now, SteveXFR said:

Does Geordie play with an unusual style or is it just the overdriven hollow body guitar that creates that distinctive sound?

 

Technique + hollow body + Chorus + Delay + PA:CE/Bell Electrolabs ADT + Burman Amps

[borntohang]

18 minutes ago, SteveXFR said:

Does Geordie play with an unusual style or is it just the overdriven hollow body guitar that creates that distinctive sound?

 

For the classic tones, hollowbody and big strings helps but I've always got pretty close with any guitar into modulated slapback and stereo double-tracking/light chorus. It's the combination of stereo delay into more chorus for the super wide spread that gets the vibe. He played LOUD and with lots of speakers for physical feedback and sustain rather than distortion.

 

He's got a style of writing that sounds 'Geordie' even with different rigs, as you can tell by the transition from his fairly clean early stuff to the modern hi-gain riff sound. His writing style comes from not being able to leave any space in riffs - every time he stops playing for even a second everything starts howling with feedback so he has to keep the pedal down on his right hand. I did prefer his tones earlier on, but everything from KJ (2003) onwards is absolute powerhouse.

 

[SteveXFR]

Thanks for the explanation. 

I remember an interview (I think with Jazz) where he said when the band first started, Geordie told them he was the greatest guitarist in the world but actually couldn't play at all!

He soon picked it up alright though.

[bartelby]

If anyone hasn't seen it I really recommend finding the documentary "The Death and Resurrection Show"

[SteveXFR]

Here it is

 

 

 

Edited January 4, 2023 by SteveXFR