Killing Joke will celebrate its 35th anniversary in 2013 with the release of the brand-new, multi-format ‘The Singles Collection: 1979-2012’ — including a 34-disc version — a still-to-be-announced new studio album and a world tour beginning in March, initial dates of which were announced today in Europe and North America.
Killing Joke this weekend announced plans to release two albums in 2013 and perform “a very small run of headline shows” to coincide with the first release — expected some time in March or April — including “limited U.S. tour dates,” according to a short note posted on the band’s Facebook page.
Killing Joke unloaded a flurry of news this morning, announcing that “missing” frontman Jaz Coleman “appeared today from his retreat in the Western Sahara” as well as revealing plans for a 3CD ‘KJ in Dub’ remix project and the cancellation of a planned $300-a-ticket studio concert that was to have been filmed for a DVD.
This week’s roundup of headlines includes items on Killing Joke’s Jaz Coleman, New Order, Ian McCulloch, R.E.M., Aztec Camera, The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Jazz Butcher, Crime and the City Solution, Men Without Hats, Ministry, Public Image Ltd., Close Lobsters, Mojo Nixon and more.
In a bizarre turn of events, Killing Joke today announced that frontman Jaz Coleman has gone missing after apparently taking to Facebook to malign The Cult and The Mission and proclaim — falsely, it turns out — that the band was pulling out of a recently downsized U.K. tour with the two acts this September.
Rumors have circulated that Killing Joke, displeased with the change in venues, has quit the September tour with The Cult and The Mission. The band hasn’t made an official statement, although a scathing note about the tour, purportedly written by Jaz Coleman, was posted then removed from the band’s Facebook page.
The original lineup of Killing Joke — Jaz Coleman, Kevin “Geordie” Walker, Martin “Youth” Glover and Paul Ferguson — next week will release the band’s 15th studio album, ‘MMXII,’ and are preceding it with a new music video for the record’s first official single, ‘In Cythera.’
Q&A: Daniel Ash on Love and Rockets’ reunion, his new band — and figuring out how to play “So Alive” 
Q&A: Chris Frantz talks Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club and new book ‘Remain in Love’ 
Q&A: Steve Wynn on The Dream Syndicate’s first new album in nearly 30 years 
Q&A: Bauhaus’ David J on his ‘accidental’ concept album ‘Not Long For This World’ 
Q&A: Peter Murphy on ‘Ninth,’ Bauhaus’ break-up, reuniting Dalis Car 
Q&A: Joey Santiago on Pixies’ ‘Doolittle’ tour, possible ‘Surfer Rosa’ shows, new album talk 
Q&A: Prefab Sprout’s Paddy McAloon on new album, changing the world with music 
Q&A: Peter Hook talks ‘Unknown Pleasures’ tour, re-recording Joy Division 