Killing Jokeguitarist Kevin “Geordie” Walker has died, aged 64.
The news was posted on former Killing Joke drummer Martin Atkins’ Facebook page this evening (November 26). He shared a video of The Damage Manual’s ‘Laugh Track’ – a supergroup of which they were also both a part of – with the caption “gutted”. He also wrote in the comments section: “Geordie has passed.”
He also later posted on Twitter/X writing: “#GodBless Geordie Walker”.
The band released a statement this evening saying they were “devastated” and confirmed that Walker died from a stroke on November 26.
The band’s statement on Instagram read: “It is with extreme sadness we confirm that at 6:30am on 26th November 2023 in Prague, Killing Joke’s legendary guitarist Kevin ‘Geordie’ Walker passed away after suffering a stroke, he was surrounded by family. We are devastated. Rest In Peace brother.”
Walker was best known for playing guitar in the post-punk group where his unorthodox style earned him much acclaim – including from Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page and My Bloody Valentine’s Kevin Shields, who once described Walker as having “this effortless playing producing a monstrous sound.”
Walker was a founding member of the band after answering an advert from Killing Joke founding member, Jaz Coleman in Melody Maker. He was also a member of industrial music supergroups The Damage Manual and Murder, Inc, but played on all of Killing Joke’s albums through the years.
Walker lived in the US until moving to Prague in recent years, where it is thought he died.
Faith No More bassist Bill Gould was among those to pay tribute on social media, sharing: “RIP Geordie Walker, one of, if not THE, the most natural, intuitive, original guitarists I’ve ever seen.”
DJ Marc Riley wrote that “it seems we have lost one of the greatest guitarists I’ve ever seen and possibly the coolest man on the planet,” while writer Simon Price added: “There was a jagged toughness to Geordie Walker’s guitar. He, as much as anyone else you care to mention, defined the sound of 80s Alternative Rock. Those three notes at the start of ‘Love Like Blood’ alone opened up a whole world.”
The band Therapy? meanwhile, hailed him as “a key architect in one of our favourite bands” and an “effortless player with a monstrous sound”, while The Charlatans‘ Tim Burgess revealed: “Killing Joke were one of the first bands I ever saw aged 14, and his guitar sound defined my youth.”
Former Public Image Ltd bassist Jah Wobble simply wrote: “RIP GEORDIE WALKER.”
Tributes for Walker have also poured in from fans on social media – you can see some below:
God bless #GeordieWalker my @Killingjokeband murderinc #damagemanual band mate – tell Paul Raven I said hi xxxx pic.twitter.com/XMtwPu3mFr
— Martin Atkins (@marteeeen) November 26, 2023
Just heard the sad sad news about Geordie Walker – Killing Joke were one of the first bands I ever saw aged 14, and his guitar sound defined my youth. It was an honour to book them to play my stage at The Isle Of Wight Festival 35 years later
— Tim Burgess (@Tim_Burgess) November 27, 2023
Rest in peace Geordie. A true original. His work on the early Killing Joke was largely responsible for curing my guitarphobia. Phenomenal tone/technique. Waves of noise, buried melodies and atonality… Already missed. pic.twitter.com/HI4ngHq3tg
— The Bug(official) (@thebugzoo) November 27, 2023
Extremely sad to hear of the passing of Geordie Walker, a key architect in one of our favourite bands. Effortless player with a monstrous sound, rest easy Geordie.
Our thoughts are with his family, friends & band mates. pic.twitter.com/TJnS8mkGRO
— THERAPY? (@therapyofficial) November 27, 2023
RIP GEORDIE WALKER
— Jah Wobble (@realjahwobble) November 26, 2023
RIP Geordie Walker, one of, if not THE, the most natural, intuitive, original guitarists I've ever seen.
— Billy Gould (@MRGOULD) November 27, 2023
RIP Geordie Walker, guitarist with Killing Joke. Terribly sad news. Here he is working his magic on Wardance at a German festival in 1985 pic.twitter.com/z2ifPJ3F9p
— Birmingham 81 (@Birmingham_81) November 26, 2023
RIP beloved Geordie pic.twitter.com/3Pk3Kstpfz
— maryanne hobbs (@maryannehobbs) November 27, 2023
What a f*cking cool dude.
First saw Killing Joke in 1980, last saw them in 2023
RIP Geordie Walker
Pic: Frank Jenkinson pic.twitter.com/6WAT3bL1zM— Complete Control PR (@pollybirkbeck) November 26, 2023
There was a jagged toughness to Geordie Walker's guitar. He, as much as anyone else you care to mention, defined the sound of 80s Alternative Rock. Those three notes at the start of "Love Like Blood" alone opened up a whole world. R.I.P. https://t.co/XwQFugl1Oj
— Simon Price﮷ (@simon_price01) November 26, 2023
That Geordie Walker news has him me hard. RIP to one of the great guitar anti-heroes. pic.twitter.com/Qp3ODYAVqD
— Bantership Potemkin (@Bonesdrawstuff) November 26, 2023
Wow, sad news. R.I.P. Geordie from Killing Joke. Legendary band, epic Guitarist#geordiewalker #killingjoke pic.twitter.com/6ZzUbFUmVe
— Earache Records ♠️ (@EaracheRecords) November 26, 2023
You could argue his contribution in shaping the definitive sound of eighties alternative rock, and what the nineties and noughties morphed it into is a significant one, but for now I’ll simply reminisce on the wonderful gigs I watched. R.I.P. Geordie Walker 🙏 pic.twitter.com/YdCb74pWzw
— Jack Press (@JackPressy101) November 26, 2023
Oh f*ck no!!! Responsible for one of the best bands out there and the best guitar sound ever #geordiewalker #killingjoke one of my biggest musical inspirations pic.twitter.com/GVHD9gMaDW
— Paul Gestalt (@paulpoker182) November 26, 2023
If a guitar could ever be said to sound nihilist, that was Geordie Walker. If a guitar could ever be said to sound like the power of all endless worlds across all endless time dancing at once, an earthquake deeper than the combined existence of everything, also him. RIP
f*ck. pic.twitter.com/eI1itpUb7A
— Daniel Danger (@tinymediaempire) November 27, 2023
RIP Geordie Walker. As Simon Price put it 'Those three notes at the start of "Love Like Blood" alone opened up a whole world.' pic.twitter.com/u3zBaPf6Bm
— Julianne Regan (@msjulianneregan) November 26, 2023
Geordie Walker. A colossus.
Rest in power 🙏 pic.twitter.com/Zmj3t4RiLC
— Memorial Device (@memorialdevice) November 26, 2023
RIP Geordie Walker one of the best guitarists of my generation 🖤 pic.twitter.com/LPCp6qCBQU
— Complete Control PR (@pollybirkbeck) November 26, 2023
It seems we have lost one of the greatest guitarists I’ve ever seen and possibly the coolest man on the planet. Awful news. R.I.P. Geordie. pic.twitter.com/le5UZc8XGO
— Marc Riley ⚽️🍺🐳 (@marcrileydj) November 26, 2023
There was a jagged toughness to Geordie Walker's guitar. He, as much as anyone else you care to mention, defined the sound of 80s Alternative Rock. Those three notes at the start of "Love Like Blood" alone opened up a whole world. R.I.P. https://t.co/XwQFugl1Oj
— Simon Price﮷ (@simon_price01) November 26, 2023
Killing Joke were formed in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire in 1978 by Coleman, Walker as well as Paul Ferguson and Youth. While adopting a post-punk musical style, their heavier sound was a key influence on industrial rock and had elements of goth, synth-pop and electronica.
Their first album ‘Killing Joke’ was released in 1980 but it wasn’t until their 1985 studio album ‘Night Time’ that the band earned mainstream success with ‘Night Time’.
Walker and Coleman were constant members of the Killing Joke line-up and had been reunited with founding members Ferguson and Youth since 2008 following various line-up changes over the years.
Bands including Metallica, Nirvana, Nine Inch Nails and Soundgarden have all cited Killing Joke as influences on their music.
The band’s last album was 2015’s ‘Pylon’; an EP, ‘Lord Of Chaos’ was released in 2022 with the band’s original members.The band’s single ‘Full Spectrum Dominance’ was released in March this year to celebrate their sold-out show at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
