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,

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 1 ...

, 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. 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 pr ...

and Austin Osman Spare.

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 ...

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 work of original or appropriated texts and images, usually reproduced via a copy machine. Zines are the product of either a single person or of a very s ...

, '' 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 "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 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 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. ...

, NON,

, and CoH; appearing on many of these artists' albums.

With Psychic TV

*'' Dreams Less Sweet'' *'' 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 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