Artist description Big Guitars,great melodies and thoughtful lyrics combine to make music that is intense and yet instantly accessible.

Music Style Power pop

Musical Influences XTC, Rush, Killing Joke, Jeff Buckley

Similar Artists Stereophonics, The Ernies, Radiohead, King's-x

Artist History The Joke got started when vocalist Jonny hooked up with Tantric guitarist Dan Morrissey. Dan and Jonny first played together in a pre-God’s Little Joke hardcore project called Rubber Douglas. At that time they were still involved in their respective bands. Dan with the aforementioned Tantric and Jonny with local noiseniks Afghan Sound. The brief collaboration (3 days in a friends attic studio) resulted in a set of 5 songs that clearly showed how creative elements had combined to produce something truly special. With this in mind they both returned to their respective bands. Dan embarked on a tour of Turkey and Jonny returned to the local live circuit where the Afghans had built up a considerable live following.Maybe it was fate, but for a variety of reasons both of these bands came to a conclusion at round about the same point in time. Dan and Jonny saw this as an ideal opportunity to build on their earlier collaboration and got together to form God’s Little Joke.They began writing songs in earnest during a year long period of intense inspiration and built up a sizeable collection of material.An advert in Melody Maker provided contact with American drummer Steve Kilroy. Drawing on Steve’s American connections the three members put together a short stop tour of the US, taking in Boston, New York and Worcester. The band cut their live teeth playing alongside acts such as Skinlab and Kitty.On their return to the UK a permanent basis was found in former ‘Suck Henry’ member Jimmy Pullar. The Picture was now complete.The Joke returned to the US in January 2000 when they were asked to play at the Philadelphia Music Conference. They took the time to build on earlier successes and played further shows in Boston and Providence. God’s Little Joke combine big guitars, great melodies and thoughtful lyrics to make music that is intense, yet undeniably accessible

Group Members Jonny Cottingham, Dan Morrissey, Steve Kilroy, Jimmy Pullar

Instruments Electric and acoustic guitar,bass,drums,

Albums Self-titled CD-ep

Press Reviews God's Little Joke is an interesting rock hybrid experiment, complete with pristine vocal performances and heavy guitar action in all the right places. God's Little Joke's debut self-titled EP, consisting of 4-tracks plus a bonus song, is some of the best music Miles Hunt and the Wonderstuff never wrote. Opening the album with "Brother," followed intensely by "Same As When" and "Wasted Thought," the listener is brought in close into a collage of adequate rock idolatry and intelligent pop sensibilities. I mean GLJ doesn't miss a chord or cymbal smash, and the stellar production of the album is a gift in itself, allowing for an easy, open-minded listen. GLJ have pop stardom written all over them, now it is just a matter of time until the boys find the right label to get them into the marketplace and on a tour with a suitable supporting slot. The world needs more innovative, solid-sounding guitar acts like this, and its a shame more bands have not followed their lead yet. (Alkemist)(DLC LIVE.COM)

Additional Info Undeniably infectious songs.

Location Stoneham, Mass. - USA

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