FANTASTIC 180 GRAM DOUBLE VINYL RE-ISSUE OF THIS CLASSIC OF ENGLISH POST PUNK, ALBUM FEATURES NEVER BEFORE AVAILABLE ON VINYL EXCLUSIVE TRACKS In late 1979, KILLING JOKE began the Malicious Damage record label with graphic artist Mike Coles as a way to press and sell their music; Island Records distributed the records, until Malicious Damage switched to E.G. Records in 1980. The songs on Killing Joke's early singles were primitive punk rock sometimes mixed with funk ("Nervous System") and dub/reggae ("Turn to Red") styles. Their 'Nervous System/Turn To Red' EP came to the attention of legendary DJ John Peel, who was keen to champion the band's urgent new sound and gave them extensive airplay. They quickly progressed this sound into something denser, more aggressive, and more akin to heavy metal, as heard on their first two albums, Killing Joke (1980) and the more abrasive What's THIS For...! (1981). They toured extensively throughout the UK during this time, and both fans of post punk and heavy metal took interest in Killing Joke through singles such as "Follow the Leaders" (1981).
TRACK LIST Side A 1. The Fall of Because (5:12) 2. Tension (4:34) 3. Unspeakable (5:19) Side B 4. Butcher (6:14) 5. Follow The Leaders (5:38) Side C 6. Madness (7:44) 7. Who Told You How? (3:37) 8. Exit (3:44) Side D 9. Follow the Leaders (dub) (4:07) 10. Madness (dub) (7:28)