Last month the five date UK arena tour feauring The Cult was announced, playing alongside them would be the recently reunited The Mission and of course, Killing Joke. But, recently the venues were downsized and now it appears that the tour may have lost its opening band. 

Rumour have been circulating recenty that Killing Joke, unhappy with the change in venue sizes have pulled out of the tour, and singer Jaz Coleman took to Facebook to make his feelings known on the subject, in a rather scathing attack on both the tour, but in particular The Cult. 

In part, that note read: “Frankly, playing at a gig with The Cult never appealed to me in the first place. The only reason we allowed ourselves to be talked into it was to blow both bands off the stage and to steal their respective audiences. As the concert has been downgraded to a venue that we have recently headlined (and sold out) it doesn’t make sense.”

Wayne Hussey of The Mission has also chipped in to have his say,  “I think the promoters have conceded that Killing Joke ARE pulling out of the shows. We have tried to contact the band through their management, agents and promoters and it seems that no one is any the wiser and the band have gone incommunicado.”

Hussey noted that he agreed with some of the points in the Killing Joke post (“These are venues that we could easily play on our own,” he notes), and urges the promoters not to replace Killing Joke and instead just let The Mission and The Cult each play longer.

The new dates/venues for the tour are as follows…

Sept. 10: O2 Apollo Manchester, Manchester, UK
Sept. 11: O2 Academy Newcastle, Newcastle, UK
Sept. 12: O2 Academy Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
Sept. 15: O2 Academy Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
Sept. 16: HMV Hammersmith Apollo, London, UK

Lastly, Hussey advised that the said Facebook note is now rumoured to have been from a fan posting as Coleman and not actually from the man himself. Apparently Killing Joke are actually preparing their own statement to have their say and to confirm they are indeed pulling out of the tour. We wait with baited breath to hear that one…. 

Until then, you can view the alleged statement from Jaz Coleman before, but we warn you, its not a nice read!

The latest from Killing Joke…
The September Gigs are Cancelled.

Dear Gatherers,
It gives me great pleasure to announce the cancellation of the upcoming gigs with The Cult and The Mission.

Frankly, playing at a gig with The Cult never appealed to me in the first place.

The only reason we allowed ourselves to be talked into it was to blow both bands off the stage and to steal their respective audiences.

As the concert has been downgraded to a venue that we have recently headlined (and sold out) it doesn’t make sense. In addition to this Gatherers would only get to listen to a one hour set.

Then there would be a problem with the dressing room and witnessing The Cult charge the fans $200 per head for a Meet & Greet.

Lastly, all their songs suck! They clearly have no integrity (they refer to their hometown as L.A.).

On a more positive note KJ will be recording in Argentina just after Christmas and Brixton Academy is booked for Spring.

I do believe the band will play a private gig at Metropolis Studios (London) which is of course open to all Gatherers (you are the first to know!).

I hope you are all as relieved as I am!

Black Jester

PS I don’t want your money
PPS Life without KJ is unthinkable!