Outside the Gate

Outside the Gate
Studio album by Killing Joke
Released	June 1988 (1988-06)
Recorded	July–August 1987, The Whitehouse
Genre	New Wave, synthpop, post-punk, indie rock
Length	50:32 (CD)
Label	EG Records
Producer	Jaz Coleman, Geordie Walker
Killing Joke chronology
Brighter than a Thousand Suns (1986) Outside the Gate (1988) The Courtauld Talks (1989)
Singles from Outside the Gate
"America" Released: April 1988 (1988-04) "My Love of this Land" Released: July 1988 (1988-07)
Alternative cover
Argentinian cover

Outside the Gate (released in Argentina with the title translated into Spanish as Fuera de la Puerta) is the seventh album by English post-punk group Killing Joke and is arguably the most controversial release among their fans.

Production and release

Outside the Gate differs from all other Killing Joke albums in that the dominant instrument is the synthesiser instead of the guitar. Whilst guitarist Geordie Walker is present, his role is much reduced and drummer "Big Paul" Ferguson was dismissed by singer/keyboard player Jaz Coleman during the recording of the album, due to irreconcilable musical differences. Bassist Paul Raven quit shortly afterwards, calling Coleman and Walker "a pair of ego-strokers". It is often considered to be more of a Coleman solo album than a true Killing Joke release, especially since Walker's guitars were minimalised in the final mix.

Coleman has stated that the band's record company forced him (and Walker) to release the album under the Killing Joke name in order to best recoup its considerable production costs. For example, Coleman claims that £15,000 was spent just in trying to record Ferguson's drums, before he was ejected and entirely replaced by session player Jimmy Copley. The album was not promoted with a tour and Coleman and Walker temporarily disbanded the group after its release as they became embroiled in a lengthy legal battle to extricate themselves from their recording contract.^[1]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]
Metal Storm	(7.7)[3]
Piero Scaruffi	4/10[4]

Critical reaction to the album has been less than favourable. David Jeffries of Allmusic said that "pallid synths poorly imitate orchestras, the complex song structures are just tedious, Coleman acts as if he's Freddie Mercury and David Bowie mashed together, and none of the throb, thunder, or heavy riffage so important to the Killing Joke name is to be found. ... If you're anything but a very forgiving completist, pass on this one."^[5]

Alec A. Head of Satan Stole My Teddybear, however, said, "The album itself is actually not as dreadful as its reputation suggests, although it is certainly apparent that it was not intended to be anywhere near What's THIS For...! on the record store racks. ... Once one looks past the blatant commerciality of the music, there are some good songs to be heard here."^[6]

The original album was dedicated to Conny Plank, who had produced several Killing Joke records and had died in 1987. The reissue was dedicated to Paul Raven, who died in 2007, just like the other reissues of 2008.

Track listing

All tracks written by Coleman/Walker

Side one

1. "America" – 3:47
2. "My Love of this Land" – 4:13
3. "Stay One Jump Ahead" – 3:10
4. "Unto the Ends of the Earth" – 6:08

Side two

1. "The Calling" – 4:45
2. "Obsession" – 3:35
3. "Tiahuanaco" – 3:27
4. "Outside the Gate" – 8:47

CD bonus tracks

9. "America" (Extended Mix) – 6:47
10. "Stay One Jump Ahead" (Extended Mix) – 5:46

2008 CD reissue bonus tracks

9. "May Day" – 3:50
10. "My Love of This Land" (Early Version) – 4:16
11. "Obsession" (Early Version) – 3:48
12. "Unto the Ends of the Earth" (Instrumental) – 6:07
13. "Jihad" – 6:03
14. "America" (Extended Mix) – 6:47
15. "Stay One Jump Ahead" (Dub) – 3:30

Personnel

• Jaz Coleman - vocals, synthesizer
• Kevin "Geordie" Walker - guitar, bass guitar
• Paul Raven - bass guitar (uncredited)
• Jimmy Copley - drums (Paul Ferguson had recorded several parts in 1987 but these went unused)
• Jeff Scantlebury - percussion
• JC 001 - Additional rap

Charts

References

External links

• Raven's version of events from this period