Fire Dances

Last updated

Fire Dances
Fire Dances Killing Joke.jpg
Studio album by
Killing Joke
Released15 July 1983
RecordedFebruary–March 1983
Studio Basing Street, London
Genre
Length39:25
Label E.G., Polydor
Producer Killing Joke, John Porter
Killing Joke chronology
Revelations
(1982)		Fire Dances
(1983)		 Night Time
(1985)
Singles from Fire Dances

Fire Dances is the fourth studio album by English post-punk band Killing Joke, released on 15 July 1983 by E.G. via Polydor Records. [1] It was the band's first album to feature new bass player Paul Raven, recorded at Basing Street Studios in London between February and March 1983. [2] According to Paul Ferguson the band's drug use contributed to the original mix of the album being "tinny". [3]

Contents

Release

Fire Dances was released in July 1983 by E.G. Records. It entered number 29 in the UK Albums Chart, on 23 July 1983. [4]

The album was remastered and reissued in 2008, with eight bonus tracks: the non-album single "Me or You?", an alternate version of "Dominator" (B-side to "Let's All Go (to the Fire Dances)"), an unreleased early version of "The Gathering" and four tracks from a John Peel session from 1983.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [5]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [6]
MusicHound RockStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [7]
Select Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [8]
PopMatters 8/10 [9]

Fire Dances was generally well received by music critics. NME called it "their best [album] yet, and also likely to be their biggest." [10] PopMatters and Trouser Press both qualified the album as "superb", [9] [11] with the latter describing the album's mood as "brighter" and "more joyous" than previous records. [11]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Killing Joke (Jaz Coleman, Paul Ferguson, Paul Raven and Geordie Walker)

Side A
No.TitleLength
1."The Gathering"3:11
2."Fun and Games"4:05
3."Rejuvenation"4:01
4."Frenzy"3:46
5."Harlequin"3:57
Side B
No.TitleLength
1."Feast of Blaze"3:35
2."Song and Dance"5:13
3."Dominator"4:28
4."Let's All Go (to the Fire Dances)"3:19
5."Lust Almighty"3:50
2008 CD reissue bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
11."Me or You?"3:11
12."Wilful Days"5:01
13."Dominator" (Alternate Version)5:33
14."The Gathering" (Original Version)3:25
15."Dominator" (John Peel Session, 12/07/83)5:40
16."Frenzy" (John Peel Session, 12/07/83)3:40
17."Wilful Days" (John Peel Session, 12/07/83)6:00
18."Harlequin" (John Peel Session, 12/07/83)3:56

Personnel

Killing Joke
Technical

Charts

YearChartPeak
position
1983 UK Albums Chart 29 [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Killing Joke</span> English post-punk band

Killing Joke are an English rock band formed in Cheltenham, England, in 1979 by Jaz Coleman, Paul Ferguson (drums), Geordie Walker (guitar) and Youth (bass).

<i>Killing Joke</i> (1980 album) 1980 studio album by Killing Joke

Killing Joke is the debut studio album by English post-punk band Killing Joke, released in October 1980 by E.G. via Polydor Records. It debuted at number 41 on the UK Albums Chart on 25 October 1980 and later peaked at number 39.

<i>Night Time</i> (album) 1985 studio album by Killing Joke

Night Time is the fifth studio album by English post-punk band Killing Joke, released in February 1985 by E.G. through Polydor Records and produced by Chris Kimsey.

<i>Whats THIS For...!</i> 1981 studio album by Killing Joke

What's THIS For...! is the second studio album by English post-punk band Killing Joke, released in June 1981 by E.G. via Polydor Records.

<i>Pandemonium</i> (Killing Joke album) 1994 studio album by Killing Joke

Pandemonium is the ninth studio album by English post-punk band Killing Joke, released on 2 August 1994 by Butterfly Records. The album marked Killing Joke's return after a four-year hiatus, the longest the band had taken since it was founded. It also featured the return of founding member Youth, who replaced Paul Raven on bass.

<i>Revelations</i> (Killing Joke album) 1982 studio album by Killing Joke

Revelations is the third studio album by English post-punk band Killing Joke, released in July 1982 by E.G. via Polydor Records. It was recorded in Cologne, Germany and produced by Conny Plank, making it their first album not to be self-produced. Since bassist Youth departed from the band after the album's release, Revelations was the band's last album to feature the original line-up.

<i>Brighter Than a Thousand Suns</i> (album) 1986 studio album by Killing Joke

Brighter Than a Thousand Suns is the sixth studio album by English post-punk band Killing Joke, released in November 1986 by E.G. Records. It was their first album to be distributed through Virgin Records. It entered the UK Albums Chart at number 54 on 22 November 1986, staying for one week. It was produced by Chris Kimsey, who had produced the band's 1985 album, Night Time.

<i>Outside the Gate</i> 1988 studio album by Killing Joke

Outside the Gate is the seventh studio album by English post-punk band Killing Joke, released in June 1988 by E.G. via Virgin Records worldwide. It was a significant stylistic departure for the band, with complex synthesised arrangements and less prominent guitar. Tensions within the band surfaced during pre-production. Drummer Paul Ferguson was dismissed at the beginning of the sessions and replaced by a studio musician while bassist Paul Raven took part to the recording but ultimately asked his name to be withdrawn from the credits for major disagreement over artistic content. The lead single was "America".

<i>Extremities, Dirt and Various Repressed Emotions</i> 1990 studio album by Killing Joke

Extremities, Dirt and Various Repressed Emotions is the eighth studio album by English post-punk band Killing Joke, released in November 1990 by Noise Records. After the commercial failure of their previous album Outside the Gate in 1988, singer Jaz Coleman and guitarist Geordie Walker were the last remaining members of the group. In December 1988, they recruited new musicians to perform a one-off concert in Porchester and premiered new songs, including early versions of "Extremities" and "The Beautiful Dead". The band didn't have any support of a record company anymore: Virgin had fired them and their label E.G. sued them. Coleman stated that it was a very stressful period of time for him and Walker. The new material was more intense, the band performed it live during a US tour in 1989. Extremities, Dirt and Various Repressed Emotions was recorded in 1990 for a German independent label: bassist Paul Raven was called back before entering into the studio. Drummer Martin Atkins, formerly of Public Image Ltd and Ministry, had joined the band in 1988 and co-composed the songs with Coleman and Walker.

<i>Democracy</i> (album) 1996 studio album by Killing Joke

Democracy is the tenth studio album by English post-punk band Killing Joke, released on 1 April 1996 by Butterfly Records and Big Life.

<i>Hosannas from the Basements of Hell</i> 2006 studio album by Killing Joke

Hosannas from the Basements of Hell is the twelfth studio album by English post-punk band Killing Joke, released on 3 April 2006 by Cooking Vinyl.

<i>Laugh? I Nearly Bought One!</i> 1992 compilation album by Killing Joke

Laugh? I Nearly Bought One! is the first major compilation album by English post-punk band Killing Joke, released in September 1992 by Caroline Records in the U.S. and in October by Virgin Records in the U.K. and Europe.

<i>Ha</i> (Killing Joke album) 1982 live album by Killing Joke

"Ha" or "Ha": Killing Joke Live is the first commercially distributed live recording by English post-punk band Killing Joke. It was recorded at Larry's Hideaway in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on 9 and 10 August 1982 by producer Conny Plank, and released on 4 November by E.G. Records. Rob O'Connor did the artwork for the album.

<i>No Way Out but Forward Go</i> 2001 live album by Killing Joke

...No Way Out but Forward Go is a semi-official live album and video by English post-punk band Killing Joke, recorded on 17 August 1985 at the Lorelei Festival, St. Goarshausen, Germany and originally released in 2001 by Pilot Records. It has been reissued several times, sometimes as Love Like Blood, without the video content.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Requiem (Killing Joke song)</span> Song by Killing Joke

"Requiem" is a song by the English post-punk band Killing Joke. It was released in September 1980 by E.G. Records as the second single from their first studio album, Killing Joke.

<i>Turn to Red</i> 1979 EP by Killing Joke

Turn to Red is an EP and the debut release by English post-punk band Killing Joke. It was released as a 10-inch EP on 26 October 1979 by Malicious Damage and re-released as a 12-inch EP on 14 December by Island Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eighties (song)</span> 1984 single by Killing Joke

"Eighties" is the lead single from English post-punk band Killing Joke's fifth studio album, Night Time (1985), produced by Chris Kimsey. The song had been premiered during a three track live performance for UK TV show The Tube in December 1983. Upon its release, the single reached No. 60 in the UK Singles Chart.

<i>Absolute Dissent</i> 2010 studio album by Killing Joke

Absolute Dissent is the thirteenth studio album by English post-punk band Killing Joke, released on 27 September 2010 by Spinefarm Records, distributed worldwide by Universal Music Group.

<i>Pylon</i> (album) 2015 studio album by Killing Joke

Pylon is the fifteenth studio album by English post-punk band Killing Joke, released on 23 October 2015 by Spinefarm Records, distributed worldwide by Universal Music Group. The album was recorded in the UK and the Czech Republic and co-produced by the band and Tom Dalgety. It was preceded by the release of "I Am the Virus" and "Euphoria" was subsequently released as the album's second single. Jaz told biographer Jyrki "Spider" Hämäläinen that it was their Cold War album.

<i>Murder, Inc.</i> (album) 1992 studio album by Murder, Inc.

Murder, Inc. is the only studio album by the industrial rock supergroup Murder, Inc., featuring members of Killing Joke and Revolting Cocks. Originally released on Invisible Records in 1992, it was subsequently reworked and reissued in 1993, with contributions from JG Thirlwell. The album was recorded by Steve Albini.

References

  1. ↑ "Music Week" (PDF). p. 17.
  2. ↑ Fire Dances (Reissue liner notes). Killing Joke. Virgin Records. 2008.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. ↑ Hämäläinen, Jyrki "Spider" (2020). Killing Joke: Are You Receiving?, p. 87-88. Milton Keynes: New Haven Publishing. ISBN   978-1912587407.
  4. 1 2 "Killing Joke | Artist | Official Charts". Official Charts . Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  5. ↑ Jeffries, David. "Fire Dances – Killing Joke | Albums, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic . Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  6. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN   978-0195313734.
  7. ↑ Holtje, Steve (1999). "Killing Joke". In Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel (eds.). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide (loan required). Detroit: Visible Ink Press. pp.  629–630. ISBN   978-1-57859-061-2 – via the Internet Archive.
  8. ↑ Perry, Neil (July 1991). "Killing Joke". Select . p. 86.
  9. 1 2 Begrand, Adrien (30 April 2008). "Fun & Games: Killing Joke in the Mid-'80s | PopMatters". PopMatters . Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  10. ↑ Snow, Mat (20 August 1983). "He Man and All That Jaz: Killing Joke". NME . Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  11. 1 2 Grant, Steven; Sheridan, David; Fasolino, Greg; Robbins, Ira. "TrouserPress.com :: Killing Joke". TrouserPress.com . Retrieved 5 December 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.