'The sound that comes out of this man Geordie, it strikes terror into every guitarist on the planet. You know that's Geordie. You know it cannot be any other guitarist. It's sound, it sounds like fire from heaven' - Jaz Coleman
lonewizzard that's because Metallica, the Foo Fighters, Nine Inch Nails, Ministry and quite a few others were massively influenced by Killing Joke. It actually wouldn't be an overstatement to say that Industrial Metal wouldn't exist without Killing Joke.
Geordie invented Djent guitar way before anyone, you can feel the heavy rock that influenced a thousand rock bands and the sonic choral beauty, he is a one of kind, all played on basically a guitar for a jazzer, immense, great guy, awesome tunesmith
I was present for the recording of some of extremities at Townhouse in London. Im American, but had finished a term of law school in Sweden. My bro in law was a new member and I went to London to watch. I tried to watch and stay quiet. Geordie was cool. I'm a guitar player and had an ES330 and was impressed with the hollow bodies the Gibson rep dropped off at Townhouse. He scratched one and asked me if they'd notice. I saw KJ slot for a few years after. Chicago gigs, Milwaukee. Saw them warm up for Tool in Milwaukee in 2019.
Nice Ben! Really enjoyed you HUM version. I've started this new channel with a trio of Geordie riffs (and a full cover) massive influence on my approach to guitar.
Nice 1 ben. I've watched this loads of times & think your the nuts.. well done & thanks for picking out Geordie as an amazingly unique & rather cool guitarist.
Page and Geordie were friends. Page had several quotes and versions of them but basically he called Geordie the best guitarist alive or had ever heard. One of those.
I saw a video snippet of Page, maybe in the KJ documentary saying how he used to go to a bunch of their early gigs. That's a massive endorsement to say the least as Zeppelin are absolute rock gods.
thanks for putting this together. I'm going to show this to my son (12). He's breaking into some of the "darker" stuff to deal with some frustrations in his life.
Thanks for sharing, Ben Ash. Yes, Geordie really is an unsung guitaro hero, and I especially love his dark and ominous tone on the "Night Time" album. There are plenty of videos on TH-cam about the more obvious guitar heroes, but Geordie deserves more credit. It's especially interesting how Killing Joke started out as a post-punk band, but ended up influencing so many metal bands.
What you said about younger bands not being able to keep up with modern-day KJ is spot on. If there is one guitarist out there who'd REALLY deserve your attention for this particular guitar series, it's Voivod's Piggy. About as unique as Geordie, I'd say. That would be great to see, some of his more legendary riffs.
Man, thanks for covering those songs! I thought that Geordie actually tuned his guitar differently from the "standard' , from some article I read a long time ago, but could be mistaken. Great sound, extremities is my favorite, can't top that album.
I believe you're right - it's like standard tuning but down a whole step. He reckons it fits the sound of the ES-295 better. Totally agree about Extremities - absolute force of nature. :)
Always liked the guitar in Killing Joke. Very well done job explained some of the magic behind Gordies riffs. The new Pylon LP is also full of these interesting riffs.
@BenPigIron you have completely opened my mind to guitar playing, i love killing joke and you have given me a whole new depth to them , i never knew or thought that there were so many layers to the whole outcome as i just listen to the whole but they still rank as my fave but you have just given me new light to the masterdom of Geordie and watcthin him live in a gig he just seems so effortless. KJ rule
Great video, thanks for sharing! I know exactly zero about how to play guitar, but as a listener, Geordie has been putting some of the best sounds out there for decades now. Pretty telling that you included riffs from songs ranging from the late 70s to the mid90s. Wish you would've touched on the guitar work on KJ 2003 or Hosannas From The Basements of Hell. Both superb albums.
Hi mate - don't normally leave comments but you have revealed all the dark (but good) art of GW's playing - I've been trying to work out the man's riffs forever & they never sounded quite right but now I've got all the good 'uns thanks to this tuition vid ! - Had the pleasure of meeting the great man after a gig in 2003 in M/cr in a late bar for a couple of hours & he was a real gent & totally unpretentious & 'star-like'...got his round in too but Jaz owes me a double whiskey !
I wasn't introduced to Killing joke until the mid eighties, when I was in my mid-twenties and playing in a band in Austin, Texas. As a drummer who a decade later pursued studies in music composition and jazz theory, I have tremendous admiration for Geordie Walker's musicality. There are those few rare musicians that find that sweet spot and connect on both a visceral and intellectual level. At that moment, words can't convey the joy of that connection. I'm happy you paid tribute to him.
Love his style so much,been a fan forever,just got my head around Kieth Levine today but Geordie is another level .have always loved his style of tone and the killer riff patterns.thanks an inspiring post. I'm waiting for my blue tooth lead to charge up and then I can at least try to play like him❤️🤘
"Ha!" has one of the sickest guitar tones ever, I liken it to the bellowing of a wounded elephant. Geordie may not be known for soloing, but he's still one of my guitar heroes and his sound is unique.
One superb detail in Geordies' guitar playing - that I've only experienced once when I saw KJ Live in 1982 right front stage in the middle - was his syncopated muted string strokes that he interspersed with his normal playing mid-riff in a totally mind blowing way. This was especially powerful in concert with Paul Ferguson's polyrhythmic drums. Thing is I can't say I hear that amount of these small but effective things on the albums of from the era: "KIlling Joke" (1980) and "What's this for…!" (1981).
Hi, It's praising what you've said about Geordie, I've been fan of KJ since the early 90's, and I've gone back to their whole amazing catalog. You have said something true about him, he's UNIQUE and that's the way I've always defined him. Also, I would add he's "perfect" in his complexity, his tunes seem to be easy to play, but they are difficult in many ways. Thanks for the video.
Hello from Spain, thank you for the valuable information you give us about one of my favorite guitars, for its innovative sound that does not age, its harmonic management of the chords that create those peculiar atmospheres and its good taste with the guitar. I have a question, what equipment (amp, speakers, effects ...) do I need to make my guitar sound like Geordie's?
hola! lo ideal sería alguna guitarra de caja con pastillas P90, una distorsión con alta ganancia, Electro-Harmonix Metal Muff o cualquier Muff. Chorus o flanger ( EHX Electric Mistress es cortante y metálico ) y algún delay corto, solo un ligero toque de estos pedales. Como ampli creo que va mejor tipo Marshall o Laney que ya traerán además su propia distorsión, con más cuerpo que los Fender. Dale duro
@herrkaliyuga Good Question. For the debut LP, i used Standard 'E' concert tuning, and from 'Revelations' onwards i used 'D' concert (down a whole tone/step) which Geordie often uses. The set up is not the most authentic to his own ( check out JJAAHH's videos for a more 'true' set up), but i made the most of what i had. Besides that, did you enjoy the vid?:)
@anaemiabag It is a little different to the origional due to the tunings being in E concert and i was also trying to capture some of those underlying harmonics Geordie gets.
First off you gotta have an ES295 and some Vox amps to really cop his sound. I've read elsewhere that he was using a pair of 'doubler' pedals to embiggen his guitar. Not a delay or chorus really AFAIK. I wonder if they were Deltalab effectrons or cooper time cubes? As far as his style, he's just a great rhythm guitarist. And with some bands thats all you need.
Good morning Frank, I'm pretty sure it was a phaser or a flanger with a very wide setting (its been a long time since i've been back to this video). Thanks for stopping by. \mm/x
Thank you so much to everyone who has shown interest and supported this vid (as it has kind of taken on a life of its own)! For more videos, please check back at my channel. Keep rockin' and stay inspired! Ben \m/
Hmmm... I doubt Kings and Queens is played like that with the octaves... Most of the time, Geordie doesn't move his hand and prefers playing that kind of riffs through a chord shape. As far as I'm concerned, his most impressive guitar playing is on the Extremities album. Alas, this album was mixed like shit. Also, the riff from Zennon was so fucking fantastic I still don't understand why it was chosen as a B-side...
Mistakes in everything you play & a lot to do with wrong guitar sound / effects.....100% important when you try to play something by the the best guitarist in the world...
'The sound that comes out of this man Geordie, it strikes terror into every guitarist on the planet. You know that's Geordie. You know it cannot be any other guitarist. It's sound, it sounds like fire from heaven' - Jaz Coleman
he has that sort of bitter, biting, twang to his guitar-- Youth
Hi, sorry I'm late to this, but this is a great overview. Thank you Cole!
A man who developed a guitar sound all of his own. Fantastic guitarist.
Iam amazed at how he makes his guitar produce such a wall of noise with minimum effort! Surely the coolest dude on the planet!
I’ve watched him play a whole set without looking at his guitar once. It’s just crazy.
His riffs sound like buildings melting. Just really amazing.
apt description since Jaz was obsessed with nuclear war back then
Geordie's riffs were so bloody epic….. Empire Song, New Day, Requiem, Eighties…so many of them...
Great tribute video! Geordie thank you for your guitar gold!!
Yes, Walker is a HUGE influence on modern guitarists to the point that many don't even realize it. I sure do enjoy your playing abilities!
lonewizzard that's because Metallica, the Foo Fighters, Nine Inch Nails, Ministry and quite a few others were massively influenced by Killing Joke. It actually wouldn't be an overstatement to say that Industrial Metal wouldn't exist without Killing Joke.
@@Spermwhales93probably what might be things just considered genres at this point but more subgenres of music than any band ever.
Geordie invented Djent guitar way before anyone, you can feel the heavy rock that influenced a thousand rock bands and the sonic choral beauty, he is a one of kind, all played on basically a guitar for a jazzer, immense, great guy, awesome tunesmith
I agree entirely… thanks for going to the trouble of posting….loved his sinister riffs and chords… he was such an influence.. can’t believe he’s gone
Very good job! The most underrated guitarist ever! Geordie Walker is great and his wall of sound is unique and unparalleled
!
I was present for the recording of some of extremities at Townhouse in London. Im American, but had finished a term of law school in Sweden. My bro in law was a new member and I went to London to watch. I tried to watch and stay quiet. Geordie was cool. I'm a guitar player and had an ES330 and was impressed with the hollow bodies the Gibson rep dropped off at Townhouse. He scratched one and asked me if they'd notice. I saw KJ slot for a few years after. Chicago gigs, Milwaukee. Saw them warm up for Tool in Milwaukee in 2019.
Jaz Colman - Geordie's guitar sounds like fire from heaven.
THE SOUND OF THE EARTH VOMITING 😀😀😀
Geordie is a real unsung hero.....
Nice Ben! Really enjoyed you HUM version. I've started this new channel with a trio of Geordie riffs (and a full cover) massive influence on my approach to guitar.
Geordie doesn't need to shred.
Or play solos.
R.I.P.😪
Nice 1 ben. I've watched this loads of times & think your the nuts.. well done & thanks for picking out Geordie as an amazingly unique & rather cool guitarist.
The story is that Page called up Geordie to do an album together, but he wouldn't do it because "I don't want his fucking solos all over my music."
Really? I thought the guys in KJ loved groups like Zeppelin and Floyd.
Page and Geordie were friends. Page had several quotes and versions of them but basically he called Geordie the best guitarist alive or had ever heard. One of those.
I saw a video snippet of Page, maybe in the KJ documentary saying how he used to go to a bunch of their early gigs. That's a massive endorsement to say the least as Zeppelin are absolute rock gods.
thanks for putting this together. I'm going to show this to my son (12). He's breaking into some of the "darker" stuff to deal with some frustrations in his life.
Thanks for sharing, Ben Ash. Yes, Geordie really is an unsung guitaro hero, and I especially love his dark and ominous tone on the "Night Time" album. There are plenty of videos on TH-cam about the more obvious guitar heroes, but Geordie deserves more credit. It's especially interesting how Killing Joke started out as a post-punk band, but ended up influencing so many metal bands.
What you said about younger bands not being able to keep up with modern-day KJ is spot on.
If there is one guitarist out there who'd REALLY deserve your attention for this particular guitar series, it's Voivod's Piggy. About as unique as Geordie, I'd say. That would be great to see, some of his more legendary riffs.
Definitely. Akercocke are my favourite band for a reason - so much Piggy and Geordie in the riffs!
Man, thanks for covering those songs! I thought that Geordie actually tuned his guitar differently from the "standard' , from some article I read a long time ago, but could be mistaken. Great sound, extremities is my favorite, can't top that album.
I believe you're right - it's like standard tuning but down a whole step. He reckons it fits the sound of the ES-295 better. Totally agree about Extremities - absolute force of nature. :)
Got drunk with Geordie in 1984. What a nice guy.
Met him 2010. Got high with he and Jaz while I got got play Geordie's Gibson. Oddly enough, I played Blues and Jazz. Way cool guy.
@@jasoncharboneau4117 Cool. Must have been a hell of a time. Love that golden Gibson. Would be interesting to hear Jazz or Blues style on it!
@@jasoncharboneau4117 You have no idea how jealous am i of you hahah
Definitely the unsung hero,I've always been watching his style. I just love it
Always liked the guitar in Killing Joke. Very well done job explained some of the magic behind Gordies riffs. The new Pylon LP is also full of these interesting riffs.
@BenPigIron you have completely opened my mind to guitar playing, i love killing joke and you have given me a whole new depth to them , i never knew or thought that there were so many layers to the whole outcome as i just listen to the whole but they still rank as my fave but you have just given me new light to the masterdom of Geordie and watcthin him live in a gig he just seems so effortless. KJ rule
Great video, very powerfull riffs, Geordie was a big influence on me, well played!
Great guitarist one of my biggest influences for me . Loved his sound.
Most unsung lead guitarist ever!
He was the guitarist but he never played lead lines he just was an amazing rhythm player not one solo in his entire career.
I have watched this vid of yours many times now and never get bored with it. Top man. cheers Ben..
Great sound 😊
Great video, thanks for sharing! I know exactly zero about how to play guitar, but as a listener, Geordie has been putting some of the best sounds out there for decades now. Pretty telling that you included riffs from songs ranging from the late 70s to the mid90s. Wish you would've touched on the guitar work on KJ 2003 or Hosannas From The Basements of Hell. Both superb albums.
Hi mate - don't normally leave comments but you have revealed all the dark (but good) art of GW's playing - I've been trying to work out the man's riffs forever & they never sounded quite right but now I've got all the good 'uns thanks to this tuition vid ! - Had the pleasure of meeting the great man after a gig in 2003 in M/cr in a late bar for a couple of hours & he was a real gent & totally unpretentious & 'star-like'...got his round in too but Jaz owes me a double whiskey !
I love his work on SUN GOES DOWN, minimalism in and extreme way.
Sun Goes Down is a great example of Geordie's dissonant percussive style.
I wasn't introduced to Killing joke until the mid eighties, when I was in my mid-twenties and playing in a band in Austin, Texas. As a drummer who a decade later pursued studies in music composition and jazz theory, I have tremendous admiration for Geordie Walker's musicality. There are those few rare musicians that find that sweet spot and connect on both a visceral and intellectual level. At that moment, words can't convey the joy of that connection. I'm happy you paid tribute to him.
Love his style so much,been a fan forever,just got my head around Kieth Levine today but Geordie is another level .have always loved his style of tone and the killer riff patterns.thanks an inspiring post. I'm waiting for my blue tooth lead to charge up and then I can at least try to play like him❤️🤘
"Ha!" has one of the sickest guitar tones ever, I liken it to the bellowing of a wounded elephant. Geordie may not be known for soloing, but he's still one of my guitar heroes and his sound is unique.
Yes! That's the first time I've seen someone else liken it to an elephant. So difficult to describe him
Thanks so much for this.
He makes it look so easy and effortless. *pout*
indeed, great guitarist, great band.. loved since the start. just spotted new tour!
Jimmy Page is also a big fan of his guitar playing!
Amazing guitar player!!! Long live Killing Joke and Geordie!!
Geordie Walker is the "best", totally unique. Great vid!
I met Geordie, Jaz, and Martin Atkins, back in 1989 during the Extremities tour. Great guys!
One superb detail in Geordies' guitar playing - that I've only experienced once when I saw KJ Live in 1982 right front stage in the middle - was his syncopated muted string strokes that he interspersed with his normal playing mid-riff in a totally mind blowing way. This was especially powerful in concert with Paul Ferguson's polyrhythmic drums.
Thing is I can't say I hear that amount of these small but effective things on the albums of from the era: "KIlling Joke" (1980) and "What's this for…!" (1981).
+M Stromkraft yes i've noticed the string mutes too...kind of using the guitar like a percussion instrument
Love the Geordie wall of sound ...
The Wait! aaaaarrgghhh!!!!!! 4 weeks till Camden, can't wait.
Fucking brilliant gig, wasn't it? Getting KJ withdrawal symptoms like a bastard now
Thanks for the upload, very helpful. Great guitar player and a truly great band.
Great stuff, a truly unique player - particularly on the 'Firedances' album
Hi, It's praising what you've said about Geordie, I've been fan of KJ since the early 90's, and I've gone back to their whole amazing catalog. You have said something true about him, he's UNIQUE and that's the way I've always defined him. Also, I would add he's "perfect" in his complexity, his tunes seem to be easy to play, but they are difficult in many ways. Thanks for the video.
Superb mate. Fitting tribute to Geordieland.
spot on fellla...soundsjust right
thxu. excellent demonstration and dialog.
10 out of ten for the vid matey, damm good geetarist!!! about the closest i have heard ( and you wernt on a semi accoustic!!! well done
Hello from Spain, thank you for the valuable information you give us about one of my favorite guitars, for its innovative sound that does not age, its harmonic management of the chords that create those peculiar atmospheres and its good taste with the guitar.
I have a question, what equipment (amp, speakers, effects ...) do I need to make my guitar sound like Geordie's?
hola! lo ideal sería alguna guitarra de caja con pastillas P90, una distorsión con alta ganancia, Electro-Harmonix Metal Muff o cualquier Muff. Chorus o flanger ( EHX Electric Mistress es cortante y metálico ) y algún delay corto, solo un ligero toque de estos pedales. Como ampli creo que va mejor tipo Marshall o Laney que ya traerán además su propia distorsión, con más cuerpo que los Fender. Dale duro
Brilliant!
Great Job... Really nice job...
Thanks for the Killing Joke riffs, brother, fucking killer, not so much the waffle, but you took the time to publish, so kudos
Great vid dude, thanks!
@herrkaliyuga Good Question. For the debut LP, i used Standard 'E' concert tuning, and from 'Revelations' onwards i used 'D' concert (down a whole tone/step) which Geordie often uses. The set up is not the most authentic to his own ( check out JJAAHH's videos for a more 'true' set up), but i made the most of what i had. Besides that, did you enjoy the vid?:)
The few that do not recognise a guitar genius when they see and hear it are not worthy to comment on this site!
Great video.
Respect.
Not a word about Geordies Epic guitar work from 1986 album Brighter than a thousand suns ?
I love this tribute and good job! However, no Fire Dances because NO-ONE else could do it - I get that and fair play to you anyway 🙂
Hi great video! Could you give some tips how is possible to sond like Geordie like the pedals and set ups, please?
@Heyanto The Hum is one of my fav old school KJ riffs, so ahead of its time. \m/
Nice job on 'The Hum'
Good shout for Geordie. I have included him in my unsung guitar heres video on my profile
this guy's a fucking genius
Very nice. You may want to add this tag to correct the aspect ration of your video:
*yt:stretch=16:9*
Great stuff! Good for your karma! And LONG LIVE THE JOKE!!!
@anaemiabag It is a little different to the origional due to the tunings being in E concert and i was also trying to capture some of those underlying harmonics Geordie gets.
RIP 👃MAESTRO👃👃
First off you gotta have an ES295 and some Vox amps to really cop his sound. I've read elsewhere that he was using a pair of 'doubler' pedals to embiggen his guitar. Not a delay or chorus really AFAIK. I wonder if they were Deltalab effectrons or cooper time cubes?
As far as his style, he's just a great rhythm guitarist. And with some bands thats all you need.
great video! how about Steve Howe, I know not unsung but after the 80's not that well known amongst the populace!
@BenPigIron no probs mate, amazing.
@bingsy100 Thats a really cool compliment. Glad I could help.
Any chance of digging out the tabs for 'New Day', Ben?
4:00 That maybe inspired Richard Kruspe too. Hint: Rammstein - Bestrafe mich
RIP Geordie
I like that way.what is the tuning for this and tabs,please.
Cheers ben, A well put together vid.your playing is damm good, have you seen the playing by " KJtabs" on here ?
is that just a phaser on the hum riff, or chorus also?
Good morning Frank, I'm pretty sure it was a phaser or a flanger with a very wide setting (its been a long time since i've been back to this video). Thanks for stopping by. \mm/x
Thank you so much to everyone who has shown interest and supported this vid (as it has kind of taken on a life of its own)! For more videos, please check back at my channel. Keep rockin' and stay inspired!
Ben \m/
the hum ....ya !
Could it be argued that Geordie was the precursor to the Shoegaze wall of sound a la Kevin Shields. I think the case is very strong.
What pedals are you using to get the sound?
+Shaun Sivertsen i want to know too ..;.the echoes delay etc
Why did you choose Georgie Walker? Because Killing Joke are amazing.
would be great if you covered Paul Wright Fields of the Nephilim
no firedances ):
this exactly NOT the Geordie sound.
Hmmm...
I doubt Kings and Queens is played like that with the octaves... Most of the time, Geordie doesn't move his hand and prefers playing that kind of riffs through a chord shape.
As far as I'm concerned, his most impressive guitar playing is on the Extremities album. Alas, this album was mixed like shit.
Also, the riff from Zennon was so fucking fantastic I still don't understand why it was chosen as a B-side...
you got the wait wrong....
Mistakes in everything you play & a lot to do with wrong guitar sound / effects.....100% important when you try to play something by the the best guitarist in the world...
Ha ha I'm 15 and I know all these bands :D
Geordie is a truly great pioneer. But to play this stuff don't you at least need to use the same tuning?...
Well my friend you screwed that all up! Not even close bro... tab is so evident... but hey good try. 😅🤣😂😆 just messing...
Pssyche wrong, requiem wrong, wardance wrong, the wait wrong.
Respect.
RIP Geordie