- Geordie Walker, Killing Joke guitarist, dies at 64
- Legacy: Influential sound, 15 albums
- Tributes from music community
The deceased Durham native, who hailed from Chester-le-Street, joined the band in 1979 after discovering an advertisement for them in Melody Maker magazine.
Kevin ‘Geordie’ Walker, the guitarist for the English rock band Killing Joke, has been honored with tributes since passing at 64.
Walker passed away in Prague on Sunday, surrounded by family, following a stroke.
The band stated on social media that they were “devastated” by his passing.
In 1979, the deceased musician from Chester-le-Street, Durham, joined Killing Joke after seeing an advertisement for the group in Melody Maker.
He, along with Jaz Coleman, constituted the sole consistent ensemble member. He also delivered a performance alongside Paul Ferguson and Martin ‘Youth’ Glover.
Influenced by the dub scene’s rhythms, the ensemble released their self-titled debut album in 1980.
Prolific Career with Killing Joke
Walker recorded 15 studio albums with Killing Joke, the most recent being Pylon (2015).
Killing Joke performed live at London’s Royal Albert Hall in March of this year, showcasing their first two albums, Killing Joke and What’s THIS For…?, and releasing their new single, Full Spectrum Dominance.
Killing Joke has been cited by Metallica, Nirvana, Nine Inch Nails, and Soundgarden, among others, as a significant musical influence.
Walker also belonged to the industrial organizations Murder, Inc. and The Damage Manual.
Guns N’ Roses guitarist Duff McKagan was among those who paid tribute to Walker: “May you rest in peace, Geordie Walker. I am thinking about his family and the Killing Joke members.
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Geordie truly invented a tremendous sound that has had an enormous impact on so many of us.” “Moreover, he was a damn nice guy,” he wrote on Instagram.
Randy Blythe, Lamb of God’s lead singer, called Walker’s death “immense.” As he detailed, Walker performed at the Bloodstock Festival in Derby the previous year.
“I personally experienced the weight and power of his playing for the first time at this performance.” “Geordie performed on an old hollow-bodied gold Gibson, which is not the typical choice for this type of heavy music, and he made it look completely effortless and cool,” Blythe wrote.
“I was ecstatic to perform with Killing Joke at the Sick New World festival the following year and to once again witness the prowess of that guitar, but alas, that will not be possible; a true sonic pioneer passed away today.”
Be at peace, Geordie, and many gratitude for the magnificent music.
