Joy Of Life - Enjoy / Hear The Children

Joy Of Life were a London based post-punk four piece initially influenced by Joy Division and early New Order.

Their debut LP, Enjoy was released in 1985 on Death In June's New European Recording's label and produced by Douglas Pearce. At the time the band were seen as a DIJ copyist act although their sound was more conventional with considerably milder Germanic overtones.

Joy Of Life were never a neo-folk act like Death In June, but did suffer a great lack of credibility from their affiliations with the other bards of Woking.

Following flirtations with major labels, no actual recordings just presumably lots of tapes and discussion, Joy Of Life did not release the follow up album until 1988 on their own Cadre label. This was a much darker affair with Gothic overtones, though the bass line on opener Liberty sounds very familiar. The band split shortly afterwards, but have reformed several times since to play Goth Festivals in Germany.

Both albums were had very limited runs and are long deleted, though German label, Hyperium reissued them as a single CD and limited edition CD box in 1992 from which these tracks are ripped. Joy Of Life were never an important band and were never really a good band, nobody will really ever miss them, though 20 years on their output does make interesting hearing for those inquisitive enough to listen.

Enjoy : Originaly released on New European Recordings (BADVC 62) in 1985
A1. Another Dream
A2. Missing Presumed Dead
A3. Standing
B1. Sense Of Freedom
B2. Ecstasy
B3. Letter And A Photograph

Hear The Children : Originaly released on Cadre Records (CRJOL 67) in 1988
A1. Liberty
A2. Warrior Creed
A3. Hear The Children
A4. Reunion
A5. Alone
B1. Heartless
B2. Last Fine Day
B3. Robbed While We Slept
B4. Dead Flowers
Extra Tracks from German Compilation
1. Dear Linn
2. Heartless (Remix)

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