 | An editor has determined that sufficient sources exist to establish the subject's notability.(February 2025) |
Random Killing | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Genres | Punk rock |
| Years active | 1984–present |
| Labels | Raw Energy |
Random Killing is a Toronto-, Montreal-, and Oshawa-based Canadian punk rock band formed in 1984. The band originated as a group of childhood friends who began playing cover versions of their favourite punk rock songs for recreation. This developed into regular rehearsals, original songwriting, and live performances. The band recorded its debut release, Take Our Flag (1985), a 7-inch EP, and produced a music video for the title track. The video aired on Rogers Cable, Citytv News, and MuchMusic, and won a cash prize at Trinity Square Video.
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Following their debut, Random Killing released a series of records and CDs, including This Whole World (1989), Kicked in the Nuts (1990), Welcome (1992), Reissued (1993), Thoughts of Aggression (1994), Urine the 90s Now (1996), and Stranded (1997). The band also released numerous limited-run cassettes, demos, and enhanced CD-ROMs, some of which were available exclusively at live performances. Through Raw Energy Records, Random Killing achieved international distribution via A&M Records, Page Distribution, Black Mark Production, and EMI Records. Their 12-inch record Bring Out Your Dead was released in February 2023 by CursedBlessings Records and its distributors.
In 1995, Random Killing re-recorded their song "12," a punk rock parody of the counting song from Sesame Street , at CBC Studios in Toronto. The recording was released as a series of four animated videos (numbers 2, 3, 4, and 12), which aired internationally on Sesame Street for more than a decade. During the same sessions, the band also recorded an instrumental version of "Johnny Was a Punk," which was later adapted into a video for the letter "J."
In 1998, Random Killing performed and were interviewed live on CTV's Open Mike with Mike Bullard . The interview was unscripted and took place following their performance. Mike Bullard later recounted the appearance in an article published in a major Toronto newspaper, characterizing the band in a humorous manner that contributed to their media exposure.
Random Killing's song "Undertaker" was featured in the documentary Zombiemania, produced for the Space television channel in 2008.
The band have performed across Canada and have shared stages with Canadian and international punk bands including Dayglo Abortions, D.O.A., Propagandhi, SNFU, Forgotten Rebels, Ripcordz, Armed and Hammered, Bunchofuckingoofs, Agnostic Front, Bad Brains, Dead Kennedys, Coffin Break, Submachine, The Restarts, UK Subs, The Vibrators, and GBH.
Random Killing are among the longest continuously active punk bands in Canada and marked their 40th anniversary in 2024.
