Killing Joke founding member and guitarist Geordie Walker dies aged 64

Geordie Walker, famed for his unorthodox guitar playing, and founding the influential Killing Joke, who went on to define goth and industrial records for many years has passed away.

Aside from Jaz Coleman, Walker was the only other sole constant member of Killing Joke until his death. His bandmates confirmed the news in a statement, revealing that he died following a stroke yesterday November 26. Walker was 64.

Killing Joke released a statement on the band's Instagram page in which they described Walker as 'Legendary'.

 

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Born in 1958, Kevin Walker’s family moved from Newcastle to Buckinghamshire when he was 14 years old. It was at this time that he acquired the nickname 'Geordie' due to his Newcastle accent, a jarring contrast to his south-east surroundings.

Geordie acquired his first guitar during the Christmas of 1973, when his mother saw a Gibson Les Paul in the shop, and suggested he try it in remembrance of a concert she attended with Jimi Hendrix on the bill. After Walker played about two chords, his mother's verdict was: "We'll take it."

Walker then moved to London to study architecture in 1979.

Walker and bassist Killing joke bassist Martin Glover (better known by his stage name Youth) joined the band in 1979 after responding to an ad other founding members Jaz Coleman and Paul Ferguson put out in British Music Magazine Melody Maker.

The ad read: “Want to be part of the Killing Joke? We mean it man. Total exploitation, total publicity, total anonymity. Bass and lead wanted.”

The band played their first show in August of that year and cited contemporaries such as Adam Ant, Lee “Scratch” Perry, and Public Image Ltd. as influences. Following an EP in 1979, the band released their debut self-titled album in 1980.

The 80s marked the band's most prolific period, during which they released 7 albums over the course of the decade including including 1981’s What’s THIS For…! and Night Time.

In 1982 Killing Joke bassist Youth, was replaced by bassist Paul Raven. In 2008 the band's original four founding members returned to the band's lineup following Raven's death.

Walker and Coleman were the only constant members of the group until Walker's death last night.

Killing Joke was dropped from Virgin Records following their 1986 release Brighter Than a Thousand Suns and 1988’s Outside the Gate.

In 1994, they released one of their best-selling albums with Pandemonium, which arrived in the middle of industrial rock’s boom. That same year they released Democracy. Their self-titled 2003 album was produced by Gang of Four’s Andy Gill and featured Dave Grohl on drums.

The band released their 15th studio album Pylon in 2015, and released their final live record Total Invasion: Live in the USA in 2021.

Geordie Walker’s legacy as a guitarist is immense, his work with Killing Joke looming large as an influence for so many artists across the spectrum of heavy music. Among artists who have cited Killing Joke as an influence are: Metallica, Nirvana, Nine Inch Nails and Soundgarden.

In 2002, James Murphy of dance-punk band LCD Soundsystem sampled the music of 'Change' on his debut single, 'Losing My Edge'.

It’s been claimed that Nirvana borrowed the melody of 'Come As You Are' from “Eighties' while Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine described Walker's work as "this effortless playing producing a monstrous sound"

In addition to his work with Killing Joke, Geordie Walker was in the bands Murder, Inc. and the Damage Manual.