KILLING Joke guitarist Geordie Walker has died aged 64 – and his heartbroken bandmates say they are “shattered”.
Walker died yesterday morning after suffering a stroke in Prague, the band announced.
2
Geordie Walker performs with Killing Joke in 2018. Credit: Getty
2
Geordie Walker with his Killing Joke bandmates Credit: Avalon.ed
Killing Joke said: “It is with great sadness that we confirm that at 6:30am on November 26, 2023 in Prague, legendary Killing Joke guitarist Kevin ‘Geordie’ Walker passed away following a stroke.
“He was surrounded by family. We are devastated. Rest in peace brother.”
The band’s drummer Martin Adkins said he was “devastated” by the news of Walker’s death.
Walker joined Killing Joke in 1979 after seeing an ad in the music magazine Melody Maker.
The ad read: “Want to be a part of Killing Joke? We mean it, man.
“Complete exploitation, complete publicity, complete anonymity. Bass and main wanted.”
Walker said: “I liked the sound of it, it looked quite serious, fanatical, I don’t know what it was, but I liked it.
“So I went to see the guy and immediately started arguing with him about his taste in music and whatever.
“I kept in touch and bugged them for some reason. I think I liked her because of the intensity of the fight.”
Walker was a founding member of the band and performed alongside members Jaz Coleman, Paul Ferguson and Martin Glover, also known as Youth.
The band was influenced by the rhythms of the dub scene and in 1980 they released their debut self-titled album.
Killing Joke released their self-titled album in 1980 before going on to make 15 more albums.
The band released a new EP, Lord of Chaos, in March of last year.
Walker’s friend Luca Signorelli said: “I received a phone call this morning that Kevin ‘Geordie’ Walker had passed away a few hours ago in Prague, following a massive stroke last Friday.
“I don’t remember a single time when Geordie was around that he was unpleasant or annoying.
“Geordie had a reputation for being rude and sometimes cut off to people who tried to get close to him.
“But the reality is that he didn’t want to waste time with people he didn’t like.
“And ‘like’ or ‘dislike’ was entirely a matter of instinct for Geordie.”
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education