Interview by Adrian Hextall
The road can be a cruel mistress, a never-ending stretch of asphalt and anonymous hotel rooms, yet for Paul Ferguson, legendary drummer of Killing Joke, it’s a familiar embrace that feels surprisingly fresh. Currently in Germany on tour with Ministry, Ferguson is revelling in the raw, unpolished energy of a new beginning with his band, Light of Eternity (LOE). For a musician who has spent decades commanding stages and laying down iconic rhythms, this unexpected chapter is proving to be a potent balm for a soul grappling with immense loss.
“We’ve only just arrived after an excruciatingly long drive,” Ferguson recounts, the weariness of eight hours in the back of a van evident in his voice, yet quickly overshadowed by a noticeable levels of excitement. “It’s remarkably familiar, or rather, it’s a reminder… we are starting out again, really. So I’m getting used to carrying my own drum kit and setting up the stage and all of that stuff and living in a van.” He chuckles, a genuine delight bubbling beneath the surface. “It’s not a bad thing. There’s a sense of excitement and newness about it, which is a surprising thing at this time of my life.”
The Unfillable Void: Life After Geordie
The driving force behind this renewed vigour is deeply personal. For years, Ferguson had been working on new Killing Joke material with the late, great guitarist Geordie Walker. Those plans, however, were tragically cut short with Walker’s untimely passing in November 2023. “Geordie and I had spoken… I’d recorded drums on a whole bunch of his songs. We were looking forward to re-recording a few things, we were talking about plans of revisiting some other older Killing Joke material, and perhaps doing the Royal Albert Hall again,” Ferguson reflects, a sombre note creeping into his tone. “And suddenly it’s like, ‘Oh, okay, everything’s turned on its head.’”
The void left by Walker’s death was profound, both personally and professionally. Killing Joke has always been more than just a band; it’s a brotherhood. With no new material from the band on the horizon, Ferguson found himself needing an outlet for his creative energy, and more importantly, a means to heal.
Light of Eternity: A New Chapter Ignites
Enter LOE. The genesis of the band predates Walker’s death, a serendipitous connection forged through an old A&R contact, Alec Byrne. “He said, ‘I’ve got this friend of mine, guitar player in KL8, and he’s got this track that you’d sound really good on,’” Ferguson explains. That friend was Pauly Williams. At the time, Ferguson was growing “a little bit frustrated” with the delays in finishing another Killing Joke album. “One track very quickly led to several more. And then Geordie died.”
What began as a side project quickly morphed into something far more significant. “This thing with Pauly Williams suddenly became, well, you know, this actually, in some sense, it fills a void that is now being left by what I had,” Ferguson states, a quiet gratitude in his voice. The line-up solidified with the addition of Fred Schreck (The Ancients) on vocals, a collaboration that further enriched the band’s dynamic. “Fred’s got a very, very strong, powerful voice, but can go from soulful to very, very angry and whatever. He’s a great bass player and he adds a musical dimension to the whole thing as well. So I consider myself incredibly lucky to have this to put my energy into.”
Forging a Sound: Explosive Power and Pertinent Themes
LOE has wasted no time making their mark, releasing two EPs, “Edge of Fate” and “Aftershock,” and a compilation, “Collateral,” due in 2025. The music is a potent cocktail of industrial, post-punk, electronic, and heavy rock. Listening to tracks like “Explode,” the sheer power of Ferguson’s drumming alongside Williams’ riffing is undeniable. It’s a sound that belies his decades in the industry, possessing an energy that feels as raw and vital as a band just breaking through.
“I feel like a novice on the drums,” Ferguson admits with genuine humility. “It’s such a challenging instrument. Even playing live every night, I feel like I’m just hanging on by the skin of my teeth.”
The lyrical themes of LOE are as compelling as their sound. While Ferguson provides the initial themes and titles, it’s Schreck who develops the lyrics. The band’s name itself, Light of Eternity, sprung from a phrase used by Ferguson’s wife’s law school lecturer: “In the light of eternity, none of this really matters.”
On the Road with Ministry and Beyond
The current tour with Ministry is an unexpected blessing for LOE. “Killing Joke only played with Ministry once, and that was recently at Hellfest,” Ferguson reveals, noting the long overdue collaboration between the two industrial titans. “For us to finally, at this sort of later stage in our careers, play with each other… and then we were obviously, ‘Let’s go out on tour together.’ Which would have been amazing, but that didn’t happen.”
The opportunity with Ministry, facilitated by former Killing Joke keyboardist John Bechdel, is a perfect fit. “They dig what LOE are doing, so we’re really lucky to have this opportunity to open for them,” Ferguson says. “It’s a good fit, isn’t it, as well? The music fits beautifully alongside what Ministry can do. It will be an ideal opener for the shows.”
One of the most remarkable aspects of LOE’s journey is how it’s come together. “Fred and myself, we recorded this whole thing virtually,” Ferguson explains. “We live in different parts of the world. So we only really got together in a room two weeks ago.” Despite the initial trepidation of playing live, especially after a “very intense local death metal band,” the reception has been overwhelmingly positive. “We went down really, really well. The response to what we’re doing has been tremendous and it’s incredibly encouraging.”
Beyond the Ministry dates, LOE has a headline show at the 100 Club in London on August 8th, followed by the Brixton Electric show on August 11th supporting Ministry. The 100 Club gig will feature a full 75-minute set, while the support slots are a more condensed 40 minutes, a challenge Ferguson and the band are navigating by shuffling their setlist. The 100 Club show also boasts an exciting addition: Youth, Ferguson’s long-time Killing Joke bandmate, will be DJing. When asked if Youth might join them on stage, Ferguson simply smiles, “We’ll see about that… He’ll have to slip me a tenner.”
Sevendials and the Future
While LOE is clearly Ferguson’s priority, he also released material with Sevendials in 2025, an experience he describes as fulfilling but different. “LOE is musically part of my expression, and Sevendials is really more of Mark and Chris directing it, and I’m playing drums. I’m contributing in that sense,” he clarifies. “Whereas LOE is more of a lot of riffs and melodies I’ve provided. And, you know, it’s more a vehicle for my own sort of musical expression.”
The current tour with Ministry marks the end of LOE’s live performances for the moment. However, fans can expect new music soon, with another EP “in the bag” for release after the tour, and plans for a third before Christmas. The strategy is to maintain interest with regular releases, “every four or five months,” before embarking on a more extensive headline tour next spring.
In an industry still reeling from the aftermath of the pandemic and the challenges of streaming, touring has become an even more crucial lifeline. “You make money from T-shirts, if you’re lucky, because the touring costs too much,” Ferguson notes wryly. Despite the hurdles, the enthusiasm for Light of Eternity is contagious. For Paul Ferguson, it’s more than just music; it’s a vital expression, a defiant roar in the face of loss, and a testament to the enduring power of creation.
Tickets for the London date with Ministry can be found here:
https://www.electricbrixton.uk.com/events/ministry/
Tickets for the show at the 100 Club in London where Light of Eternity will be headlining
with a guest support slot from Killing Joke band mate Youth, and DeadAudioSaint can be found here:
Other dates include:
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