Where have you been MR? KJ always have been my favorite band. Its usually been a rite of passage that if you like NMA you like KJ!
Got everything they've done, seen them many times.
4 phases of KJ really;
1. The 1970s/early 80's John Peel, rock'n'dub albums leading up to Fire Dances. Snobs like saying this is their best phase or this is the "real" KJ. In my opinion it isn't but they certainly made some fine music and hit big.
2. The commercial 1980s. Starting with the brilliant Nighttime and ending with the less than stellar (but it did have the brilliant My Love Of This Land still one of the best KJ songs ever) Outside the Gate album. Brighter Than A Thousand Suns is one of their best albums, get the extended version as they put out a slew of excellent 12" singles as well around that time (like NMA did) now included.
3. The Heavy Metal Years, the 1990s. While Extremities, Dirt and Various Repressed Emotions is unhinged it unlocked the 1990s as a much heavier guitar sound (Age of Greed is a wall of guitar squall classic). That lasted up until 1996s Democracy. These albums I love, but not as much.
4. Coalescing of all styles. Their absolute one of the best and stone classic Killing Joke album in 2003 started the current era of quality. After Paul Raven died it continued with Youth coming back into the band. After the classic 2003 album, Hosannas from the Basements of Hell was weak in my opinion (save for the brilliant title track), as they tried to rerun the 2003 album success by replicating but the production was crap. Since then though they have produced strong releases and continue to do so.
I always think NMA and KJ go rather hand in hand. Two bands that do well and chart, but should have been much bigger with their massive songwriting talents. But I'm glad they didn't as I think it might have ruined the diamonds they are.
Need any info on KJ. I'm your man!
