Turn to Red

In 1978, Jaz Coleman and Paul Ferguson left Mat Stagger Band to form Killing Joke. In February 1979, they placed an advertisement in the music press which attracted guitarist Kevin "Geordie" Walker and bass guitarist Martin "Youth" Glover. According to Coleman, their manifesto was to "define the exquisite beauty of the atomic age in terms of style, sound and form."{{cite book |last1=Hightower |first1=Laura |last2=DeRemer |first2=Leigh Ann |title=Contemporary Musicians. Profiles of the People in Music / Volume 30 |chapter=Killing Joke |year=2001 |publisher=Gale Research |location=Detroit, Michigan, United States |isbn=0-7876-4641-5 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/contemporarymusi00laur }} The band was formed in June. The first song the band composed was "Are You Receiving?".Hämäläinen, Jyrki "Spider" (2020). Killing Joke: Are You Receiving?, pp. 19. Milton Keynes: New Haven Publishing. {{ISBN|978-1912587407}}.

In late 1979, they began the Malicious Damage record label with graphic artist Mike Coles as a way to press and sell their music.{{cite web |url=http://www.maliciousdamage.biz/about |title=The Label |work=maliciousdamage.biz |accessdate=28 February 2013}}

An advance of the EP was sent to legendary DJ John Peel, who was keen to champion the band's urgent new sound, and the release received extensive airplay. The band was immediately invited to record a John Peel Session for the BBC on 17 October 1979, which was aired on 29 October.

On 26 October 1979,Adverts in New Musical Express Saturday, 27 October 1979 (pages 4, 28, 50 and 73) the EP was officially released in 10" format by Malicious Damage. Melody Maker made it Single of the Week on 10 November 1979.{{cite journal |last=Bohn |first=Chris |date=10 November 1979 |title=Singles Reviewed by Chris Bohn |magazine=Melody Maker |page=30}} A supportive namecheck by John Lydon in NME{{cite journal |last=Goldman |first=Vivien |date=8 December 1979 |title=The Meaning Behind the Moaning |magazine=New Musical Express}} secured more interest in the new band.

On 14 December 1979,Adverts in New Musical Express Saturday, 15 December 1979 (page 38) and Melody Maker (page 22) it was re-released in 7" and 12" format by Island Records, now with "Almost Red" added, a dub remix of the title track.

The Turn to Red release became a collectable for the four scarce "art cards" that were included with the disc in its clear plastic sleeve.{{citation needed|date=February 2013}} The track "Turn to Red" featured a locked groove, repeating the word 'red' infinitely. The building featured on the sleeve is Centre Point in New Oxford Street, London.

Killing Joke quickly developed this sound into something denser, more aggressive and more akin to heavy metal with their debut studio album, Killing Joke.

All songs written and composed by Killing Joke (Jaz Coleman, Kevin "Geordie" Walker, Martin "Youth" Glover, Paul Ferguson).

{{track listing

| headline = Side A

| title1 = Nervous System

| length1 = 4:10

| title2 = Turn to Red

| length2 = 4:10

}}

{{track listing

| headline = Side B

| title1 = Are You Receiving

| length1 = 4:50

}}

{{track listing

| headline = Side A

| title1 = Almost Red

| length1 = 3:48

| title2 = Nervous System

| length2 = 4:10

}}

{{track listing

| headline = Side B

| title1 = Are You Receiving

| length1 = 4:50

| title2 = Turn to Red

| length2 = 4:10

}}

; Killing Joke

• Jaz Coleman – Vocals, keyboards, production
• Kevin "Geordie" Walker – Guitar, production
• Martin "Youth" Glover – Bass guitar, production
• Paul Ferguson – Drums, production

; Technical

• Mark Lusardi – engineering
• Jonz – mastering
• Mike Coles – sleeve graphic design

{{Reflist|2}}

• {{Discogs master|17644}}

{{Killing Joke}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1979 debut EPs

Category:Killing Joke EPs

Category:Post-punk EPs