Into the Groovy #40 - "Eighties"

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English post-punk band Killing Joke formed in the late 1970's, after which they became a highly influential group. Many an industrial band, as well as bands such as Nirvana (which we'll get to in a moment,) cite Killing Joke as an influence. Their 1984 album, Night Time, yielded the single "Eighties," which is an aggressive, energetic tune that is often described as danceable (Killing Joke members loved it when they were called a dance band.) It's the riff at the front of "Eighties" that has garnered the most attention over the years. Simply put, the opening riff on Nirvana's "Come as You Are" sounds like it was ripped right off the beginning of "Eighties." At least enough so that litigation was considered. "Eighties" was not a major hit. It peaked at 60 in Britain, with no chart presence in the United States. However, it does remain popular with the alternative music crowd. Remember, not all hits are great songs, and not all great songs are hits (I have no idea where I read that, or if I made it up myself and forgot about it.) "Eighties" is a great song.