Geoffrey Nigel Laurence Rushton
(16 February 1962 – 13 November 2004), better known under the pseudonyms John Balance or the later variation Jhonn Balance, was an
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
musician, occultist, artist and poet.
He was best known as a co-founder of the experimental music group
Coil, in collaboration with his partner
Peter "Sleazy" Christopherson.
[.] Coil was active from 1982 to Balance's death in 2004. He was responsible for the majority of Coil's vocals, lyrics and chants, along with synthesizers and various other instruments both commonplace and esoteric.
Outside Coil he collaborated with
Cultural Amnesia
Cultural Amnesia (CA) are an England, English post-punk music group, first active between 1979 and 1983 as participants in the so-called cassette culture of the late 1970s and early 1980s in the UK. During this first period the band released t ...
(at the beginning of the 1980s),
Nurse with Wound,
Death in June
Death in June are a neofolk group led by English musician Douglas P. (Douglas Pearce). The band was originally formed in the United Kingdom in 1981 as a trio, but after the other members left in 1984 and 1985 to work on other projects, the grou ...
,
Psychic TV,
Current 93
Current 93 are an English experimental music group, working since the early 1980s in folk-based musical forms. The band was founded in 1982 by David Tibet, who has been Current 93's only constant member.
Background
Tibet has been the only const ...
,
Chris & Cosey
Chris & Cosey, sometimes known as Carter Tutti, are a musical duo formed in 1981, consisting of couple Chris Carter (electronics) and Cosey Fanni Tutti (electronics, guitar, cornet), both previously (and currently the sole surviving) members o ...
,
Thighpaulsandra
Timothy Lewis – best known by the stage name Thighpaulsandra – is a Welsh experimental musician and multi-instrumentalist, known mostly for performing on synthesizers and keyboards. He began his career working with Julian Cope in the late ...
, and produced several
Nine Inch Nails remixes.
Early life and career
Balance was born Geoffrey Laurence Burton. He took the surname 'Rushton' from his stepfather.
During his teens, Balance became acquainted with Christopherson as a fan of the latter's group
Throbbing Gristle
Throbbing Gristle were an English music and visual arts group formed in 1975 in Kingston upon Hull by Genesis P-Orridge, Cosey Fanni Tutti, Peter Christopherson, and Chris Carter (British musician), Chris Carter. They are widely regarded as pi ...
. The duo were both members of
Psychic TV, Christopherson's next project after Throbbing Gristle. They eventually quit Psychic TV to form Coil.
Balance was extremely active as a youth and in his early twenties. Apart from his early musical releases and involvement in bands before Coil, he published seven issues of a fanzine, ''
Stabmental'', and was a tireless correspondent with members of the alternative musical and cultural scene in the UK and also abroad. He also released three compilation albums of music by bands and artists about which he was enthusiastic: ''Endzeit'', ''Bethel'' and ''The Men with the Deadly Dreams''. The compilations are today collector's items and fetch high prices. Also from his youth, Balance was an avid occultist, maintaining a lifelong interest in the likes of
Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley (; born Edward Alexander Crowley; 12 October 1875 – 1 December 1947) was an English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, painter, novelist, and mountaineer. He founded the religion of Thelema, identifying himself as the pro ...
and
Austin Osman Spare
Austin Osman Spare (30 December 1886 – 15 May 1956) was an English artist and occultist who worked as both a draughtsman and a painter. Influenced by symbolism and art nouveau his art was known for its clear use of line, and its depiction of ...
.
Death
On 13 November 2004, during a period of heavy drinking, Balance fell from a two-storey
balcony
A balcony (from it, balcone, "scaffold") is a platform projecting from the wall of a building, supported by columns or console brackets, and enclosed with a balustrade, usually above the ground floor.
Types
The traditional Maltese balcony is ...
at his home and died that evening in the hospital. Peter Christopherson announced Balance's death on the
Threshold House
Threshold House is one of several record labels created by Coil to release their own work and that of affiliated projects. Associated labels include Eskaton and Chalice. It is also the name for the official Coil website.
The label was initi ...
website, and provided details surrounding the accident. Balance's memorial service was held near
Bristol
Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
on 23 November, and was attended by approximately 100 people. November 2014 saw the publication of a retrospective volume of his art called "Bright Lights and Cats with no Mouths" by Edition Timeless.
Discography
Balance first recorded using the alias "Murderwerkers". The Murderwerkers track, "Blue Funk (Scars for E)", was included on the
Sterile Records cassette compilation ''Standard Response''. Balance also published an underground
zine
A zine ( ; short for '' magazine'' or '' fanzine'') is a small-circulation self-published
Self-publishing is the publication of media by its author at their own cost, without the involvement of a publisher. The term usually refers to writ ...
, ''
Stabmental'', and released a track, "A Thin Veil of Blood", also using the
nom de guerre Stabmental. "A Thin Veil of Blood" was included on the cassette compilation ''Deleted Funtime – Various Tunes for Various Loons''. Balance then joined up with Peter Christopherson and
Boyd Rice
Boyd Blake Rice (born December 16, 1956) is an American experimental sound/noise musician using the name of NON since the mid-1970s, archivist, actor, photographer, author, member of the ''Partridge Family Temple'' religious group, co-founder of ...
to record ''
Nightmare Culture'' under the
moniker
A nickname is a substitute for the proper name of a familiar person, place or thing. Commonly used to express affection, a form of endearment, and sometimes amusement, it can also be used to express defamation of character. As a concept, it is ...
"The Sickness of Snakes". Balance subsequently joined
Psychic TV and performed alongside Christopherson; however in 1984, Balance and Christopherson left the group to develop
Coil. A short collaboration with
Zos Kia
''Zos Kia'' (also credited as Zoskia) was a British musical group initially formed by John "Zos Kia" Gosling along with John Balance. This trio, along with Peter Christopherson on sound, and sometimes other guests, recorded and performed severa ...
produced the split tape
''Transparent''.
Credit for the album was shared, and marked Coil's first release. The original Coil / Zos Kia tape, ''Transparent'', was released as a "His-Storical" CD
reissue
In the music industry, a reissue (also re-release, repackage or re-edition) is the release of an album or Single (music), single which has been released at least once before, sometimes with alterations or additions.
Reasons for reissue
New aud ...
in 1997.
During Coil's 23-year career, Balance collaborated with a number of his peers, including
Jim Thirlwell/Clint Ruin (Foetus),
Marc Almond
Peter Mark Sinclair "Marc" Almond, (born 9 July 1957) is an English singer. Almond first began performing and recording in the synthpop/ new wave duo Soft Cell where he became known for his distinctive soulful voice and androgynous image. ...
,
Thighpaulsandra
Timothy Lewis – best known by the stage name Thighpaulsandra – is a Welsh experimental musician and multi-instrumentalist, known mostly for performing on synthesizers and keyboards. He began his career working with Julian Cope in the late ...
,
NON Non, non or NON can refer to:
* ''Non'', a negatory word in French, Italian and Latin
People
*Non (given name)
*Non Boonjumnong (born 1982), Thai amateur boxer
* Rena Nōnen (born 1993), Japanese actress who uses the stage name "Non" since July ...
,
Current 93
Current 93 are an English experimental music group, working since the early 1980s in folk-based musical forms. The band was founded in 1982 by David Tibet, who has been Current 93's only constant member.
Background
Tibet has been the only const ...
, and
CoH; appearing on many of these artists' albums.
With Psychic TV
*''
Dreams Less Sweet
''Dreams Less Sweet'' is the second studio album by English experimental band Psychic TV, released in 1983. It was the last Psychic TV album to feature co-founder Peter "Sleazy" Christopherson.
Recording
The album was recorded using Zucca ...
''
*''
Just Drifting''
*''
Berlin Atonal Vol. 2''
*''
N.Y. Scum''
*''
Mein-Goett-In-Gen''
With Coil
Other groups
*Murderwerkers: "Blue Funk (Scars for E)" on
Sterile Records compilation ''
Standard Response''. (1979)
*Stabmental: "A Thin Veil of Blood" on compilation ''
Deleted Funtime - Various Tunes for Various Loons''. (1980)
*Sickness of Snakes: ''
Nightmare Culture'' (1985)
*
Rosa Mundi: "The Snow Man" on compilations ''
The Final Solstice
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'', ''
The Final Solstice II'' and split album ''Grief''. (1999)
Other contributions
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Balance, John
1962 births
2004 deaths
Accidental deaths from falls
Accidental deaths in England
Alcohol-related deaths in England
Chaos magicians
Chapman Stick players
Coil (band) members
English experimental musicians
English industrial musicians
English male singers
English modern pagans
English songwriters
English gay musicians
People from Mansfield
20th-century English singers
LGBT singers from the United Kingdom
Cassette culture 1970s–1990s
British noise musicians
20th-century British male singers
20th-century LGBT people
21st-century LGBT people
Rosa Mundi (group) members