Killing Joke guitarist Kevin ‘Geordie’ Walker dead aged 64
Killing Joke guitarist Kevin 'Geordie' Walker dead aged 64
Killing Joke has announced the death of its iconic guitarist, Kevin “Geordie” Walker. The statement reads as follows: “With deep sadness, we announce that Kevin ‘Geordie’ Walker passed away at 6:30am on 26th November 2023 in Prague. He was in the presence of his family when he succumbed to a stroke. We are heartbroken. Rest in peace, brother.”
Kevin “Geordie” Walker passed away on Sunday, November 26, in Prague, Czech Republic. He had suffered a massive stroke two days prior and was only 64 years old.
Luca Signorelli, a close friend of Walker, confirmed the news, stating on Facebook: “This morning, I learned that Kevin ‘Geordie’ Walker died a few hours ago in Prague, following a massive stroke last Friday.” Signorelli described Geordie as his closest friend outside of his family, adding that Walker was known for his straightforwardness and selectiveness in social interactions. Martin Atkins from Killing Joke also acknowledged Walker’s passing, expressing his grief by sharing a music video and posting on X (formerly Twitter), with the hashtag “#GodBless Geordie Walker”.
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
Walker, along with Jaz Coleman (vocals, keyboards), were constants in Killing Joke’s lineup, and they had been performing with founding members Paul Ferguson (drums) and Martin “Youth” Glover (bass) since 2008. In a 2006 MTV interview, Coleman spoke highly of Walker, comparing their relationship to that of brothers. Walker, in a Metal Assault interview a decade ago, discussed the evolution of his guitar style, emphasizing his preference for hollow body guitars and a more refined playing technique.
Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin hailed Walker’s guitar sound as “really strong”, while peer Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine praised Walker’s guitar playing, which he described as “this effortless playing producing a monstrous sound”.
Recently, in March, Killing Joke released a new single, “Full Spectrum Dominance”, to celebrate their sold-out show at London’s Royal Albert Hall. The track, mixed by Tom Dalgety, was part of a special event titled “Killing Joke – Follow The Leaders”, where the band performed its first two albums in full, along with several warm-up shows, including one at London’s 100 Club.
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