What's THIS For...!

Like Killing Joke's previous, self-titled album, What's THIS For...! was self-produced by the band. It was co-produced by Nick Launay and Hugh Padgham. Launay, Padgham's assistant at that time, finished the album after an altercation resulting in damage to the mixing desk caused Padgham to leave before the album was mixed. Launay continued to work under the band's direction.

Release

What's THIS For...! was released in June 1981 by E.G. It reached No. 42 in the UK Albums Chart.^[1]

One single was released from the album, a double A-side 7" of "Follow the Leaders" and "Tension". The 10" version included "Follow the Leaders (Dub)". It reached No. 55 on the UK singles chart in May 1981.^[1]

A remastered version with three bonus tracks was released in 2005.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[2]
Austin Chronicle	^[3]
Robert Christgau	B^[4]

What's THIS For...! was generally well received by critics. Trouser Press described the album as "nearly as terrific" as their debut album, "bringing funk to ambient music, implying feeling sublimated in a chaotic world".^[5]

Paste magazine's Josh Jackson listed the album at No. 48 on his list of "The 50 Best Post-Punk Albums", noting that "the real genius here is the human emotion that comes through such spare efficiency".^[6]

Track listing

All tracks written by Killing Joke (Jaz Coleman, Paul Ferguson, Martin Glover and Geordie Walker).

Side A
No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Fall of Because"	5:12
2.	"Tension"	4:33
3.	"Unspeakable"	5:20
4.	"Butcher"	6:11

Side B
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Follow the Leaders"	5:37
2.	"Madness"	7:43
3.	"Who Told You How?"	3:37
4.	"Exit"	3:42

2005 CD reissue bonus tracks
No.	Title	Length
9.	"Follow the Leaders (Dub)"	4:06
10.	"Madness (Dub)"	7:28
11.	"Brilliant"	3:58

The 1981 cassette featured the titles "This Is Madness" and "It's Very Nice (Unspeakable!)" instead of "Madness" and "Unspeakable", respectively.

Personnel

Killing Joke

Jaz Coleman – vocals, synthesizer, production
Kevin "Geordie" Walker – guitar, production
Martin "Youth" Glover – bass guitar, production
Paul Ferguson – drums, vocals, production

Technical

Hugh Padgham – production
Nick Launay – production

Charts

Year	Chart	Peak position
1981	UK Albums Chart	42^[1]

References

1 2 3 "Killing Joke | Artist | Official Charts". Official Charts. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
↑ Raggett, Ned. "What's THIS For...! – Killing Joke | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
↑ Gray, Christopher (16 December 2005). "Review: Killing Joke, What's THIS For ...?, Revelations, Ha! – Music – The Austin Chronicle". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
↑ Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau: CG: Killing Joke". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
↑ Grant, Steven; Sheridan, David; Fasolino, Greg; Robbins, Ira. "TrouserPress.com :: Killing Joke". Trouser Press. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
↑ Jackson, Josh (13 July 2016). "The 50 Best Post-Punk Albums". Paste. Retrieved 26 August 2016.

External links

What's THIS For...! at Discogs (list of releases)

Killing Joke

Jaz Coleman Kevin "Geordie" Walker Martin "Youth" Glover Paul Ferguson Paul Raven Dave Kovacevic Martin Atkins Dave "Taif" Ball John Bechdel Nick Holywell-Walker Geoff Dugmore Troy Gregory Dave Grohl Ted Parsons Ben Calvert Reza Udhin

Studio albums	Killing Joke What's THIS For...! Revelations Fire Dances Night Time Brighter Than a Thousand Suns Outside the Gate Extremities, Dirt and Various Repressed Emotions Pandemonium Democracy Killing Joke Hosannas from the Basements of Hell Absolute Dissent MMXII Pylon

EPs	Turn to Red Almost Red Birds of a Feather

Live albums	Ha BBC in Concert The Courtauld Talks ...No Way Out but Forward Go (Love Like Blood) The Peel Sessions 1979–1981 Requiem

Compilation albums	Laugh? I Nearly Bought One!

Singles	"Nervous System" "Wardance" "Change" "Requiem" "Follow the Leaders" "Empire Song" "Chop-Chop" "Birds of a Feather" "Let's All Go (To the Fire Dances)" "Me or You?" "Eighties" "A New Day" "Love Like Blood" "Kings and Queens" "Adorations" "Sanity" "America" "My Love of This Land" "Money Is Not Our God" "Change: Spiral Tribe Mix" "Exorcism" "Pandemonium"

Related articles	Discography Pigface Murder, Inc. The Damage Manual Transmission

Book:Killing Joke Category:Killing Joke

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