Killing Joke co-founder and guitarist Geordie Walker died on Sunday after suffering a massive stroke two days prior. Fellow co-founder and bassist Youth shared a heartfelt tribute to his bandmate today, writing that Walker “always seemed indestructible to me,” and adding, “Bullets bounced off him. He was truly destined to be. No man was cooler than Geordie, one of the very best and most influential guitarists ever.”
Youth went on to call Walker a “virtuoso gunslinger” with a “gentle effortless touch,” “my teacher, partner and at times a terrifying foe.” You can read the whole tribute below.
Still in shock and hard to believe he is no longer with us
Always seemed indestructible to me. Bullets bounced off him. He was truly destined to be. No man was cooler than Geordie, one of the very best and most influential guitarists ever.
He was like Lee Van Cleef meets Terry Thomas via Noel Coward. Very charming, inscrutable and gracious, with a gentle effortless touch, (both on the guitar and making you feel welcome) that is, when he wasn’t shredding you with his razor sharp articulate shrapnel. He was a virtuoso gunslinger, both with his music and verbosity. He wouldn’t hesitate to throw his flicknife into the mixing desk and demand a two bar count, not four, for his drop in, which always managed to focus the engineers attention!
He understood that the chemistry was the rub and that’s actually where the magic and soul was ….in the conflict.
He was my teacher, partner and at times a terrifying foe.
Eternally grateful for the stars colliding that brought our fates together.
He is now flying high with The Valkyrie’s, on his way to the halls of Valhalla, where his seat at the table of legends is most certainly assured.
He defined a generation or three with his genius.
I am personally honoured and privileged to have served with him and share a vision with him of what the band could become and then see it go way way beyond that and what any of us could have imagined.
Thinking of his family, mother and loved ones, band mates, all the fans, gatherers and many musicians he has influenced with his visionary playing and writing.
Honour The Fire
KJ4ever
❤️⚡️🙏🏻
