Today is the birthday of former Killing Joke bassist Youth, born Martin
Glover on this day in 1960 in Africa. Killing Joke's efforts to bridge the
gap between punk and disco mixed with their energetic stage-show were
trail-blazing in the early
'80s and helped establish industrial rock as a
legitimate genre. The group formed in 1978, just as disco and punk were
beginning to take off. Legendary DJ John Peel was so impressed with
their first single, "Waterdance," that he incorrectly assumed it was
by a bigger act performing under a pseudonym. The energetic
music delivered on Killing Joke's first three albums -- 1980's Killing Joke,
1981's What's This For...! and Revelations; Ha! Killing Joke
Live -- earned the group a devoted cult-following in the U.K. and even in
the U.S., where their albums were only available as imports. Both
"Psyche" and "Follow the Leader" landed on the Billboard disco
charts in spite of the group's punk spirit.
The group briefly disbanded in 1983 but came back without Youth and
guitarist Geordie on
1985's Night Time. Fearing the Apocalypse, Youth hid out in Iceland with
original Killing Joke keyboardist and vocalist Jaz Coleman. When Youth
returned to London, he began working as a producer. Killing Joke continued on
in varying forms but
never again packed the power they once had. Youth still produces records
in addition to running his own U.K. indie-label, Butterfly. Thus far, he
has produced such artists as Tom Jones, The Orb, Paul McCartney and Heather
Nova. In addition, Youth has collaborated with Coleman on two symphonic
tribute-albums: 1994's Symphonic Music of the Rolling Stones and, most
recently, Us and Them: Symphonic Music of Pink Floyd. Youth was also
a co-producer
of the Verve's highly acclaimed Urban Hymns.
Other birthdays: Mike Pinder (Moody Blues), 56; Les
Maguire (Gerry and the Pacemakers), 56; Tracy Nelson, 53; Mick Jones
(Spooky
Tooth/Foreigner), 53; Larry Byrom (Steppenwolf), 49; Terry Bozzio (Missing
Persons), 47; David Knopfler (Dire Straits), 45; and Karla Bonoff, 45.
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