Last year saw Killing Joke’s original lineup — Jaz Coleman (vocals, keys), Geordie (guitar), Youth (bass) and Paul Ferguson (drums) — onstage again for the first time in 15 years. This November, the British agit-prop band, which formed in London in the punk aftermath of 1978, added a new record, “Absolute Dissent,” which marked the seminal members’ first album in over 25 years. Time flies, whether you’re having fun or not, but Coleman assures Metro that he’s having a ball.
“I am just so lucky. I’ve been with these guys in one way or another for 32 years. Since I was a teenager,” says the effusive Coleman, who’s a lot friendlier than his maniacal onstage persona might suggest.
Even though he’s now in his early fifties, Coleman still enjoys life on the road.
“It’s the wonderful people you meet along the way,” he says. “My life is amazing.”
As he soon gets off the topic of the band and music and onto politics, it’s clear Killing Joke hasn’t lost any of its prickly political ideologically. Perhaps, Coleman has lightened up a little though.
“Largely I try to think positively about the future,” he says with a wild chuckle. “But crazy things happen. We can be plunged into a nightmare at any time.”
Killing Joke
with Black Helicopter
Saturday, 9 p.m.
The Paradise
967 Comm. Ave., Boston
$15, 18+, 800-745-3000
www.ticketmaster.com
Other hot tickets
Peaches Christ Superstar
Dec. 10
The Institute of Contemporary Art
That title alone is worth about $20 of your cash, so this stripped-down performance of “Jesus Christ Superstar” — featuring electro-punk rocker Peaches and pianist Chilly Gonzales — looks like a bargain from here.
Wu-Tang Clan
Dec. 22
Wilbur Theatre
We know the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard won’t be there, of course, but it will interesting to see exactly which other members of this stacked-roster hip-hop outfit will show up when their reunion tour hits town. It will also be interesting to see them in such a classic hall like the Wilbur.
