Museum Monday: October 20th

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More and more, there are days filled with anniversaries. Today is no different with the 36th anniversary of NiN’s Pretty Hate Machine, but there’s a far heavier anniversary today.

Over the last few months and weeks, we’ve been dialing in the show this November, celebrating the Extremities album I made with Killing Joke back in 90/91. Over this period, there have been coincidences and appearances, from the KWALKER license plate and a lovely exchange with Jaz, too.

Yesterday marked the end of the first weekend rehearsing at the Museum with remarkable guitarist Mark Gemini Thwaite, (Peter Murphy, The Mission and more). His connections to the band first as a fan are lengthy – having attended my last gig with the band in London, then performing with Raven in Mob Research, playing Geordie’s rig after a night of revelry and more.

In Killing Joke ‘Fil’ (crew) tradition I made tea for us all before we went through the songs one more time, already exhausted, but determined. Later, as we were sitting over dinner at Pleasant House, happy and fueled, a message popped up on Mark’s phone ‘Paul Raven died Oct 20th’ – bang. I can’t tell you how hard that hit in that moment, as we bathed in the sweat and blood exhaustion soup of honoring that album and Raven and Geordie. So many signs. So many moments. So fucking right and good.

Neither he nor Geordie can be replaced – we aren’t trying to. We are honoring them, that music, that time. And it feels like we are on the right path. Some cello, some trumpet, some tears, for sure, this weekend. There are forces at work, that is for sure.

18 years ago last night, I sat backstage with Henry Rollins, chatting about Raven, not knowing what devastating news the morning would bring. I miss him and Geordie now, a lot. My youngest son, Cole Vincent Atkins’ next birthday is 18, named, of course, after Paul. I’m so lucky to be able to honor my band mates and this music, it has been so tough in so many unexpected ways, but I am thrilled and energized to my core and wouldn’t have it any other way.

As I said when I joined Killing Joke, ‘there are forces at work, get out of the fucking way.’

See you at Reggies:

Thursday Nov 27th (dress rehearsal by invitation/ VIP only)

Friday Nov 28th with Ganser and Bellhead

Saturday Nov 29th (just added) with Ganser and ClubDrugs

Martin Atkins
Chicago Illannoys