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 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 (at the beginning of the 1980s), Nurse with Wound, Death in June, Psychic TV, Current 93, Chris & Cosey, Thighpaulsandra, and produced several Nine Inch Nails remixes.
Early life and career John Balance was born Geoffrey Laurence Burton in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.Result for "Geoffrey Burton" in Civil Births Genes Reunited. Retrieved 10 November 2020 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 and Austin Osman Spare.
Death On 13 November 2004, during a period of heavy drinking, Balance fell from a two-storey balcony at his home and died that evening in the hospital. Peter Christopherson announced Balance's death on the Threshold House website, and provided details surrounding the accident. Balance's memorial service was held near Bristol 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. Timeless published a further archival book of a collection of Balance's notebooks "The Cupboard under the Stars" edited by Claus Laufenburg in 2023.
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, 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 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, Thighpaulsandra, NON, Current 93, 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 Date of first pressing Song title Album Group name released under Musical Role1981The Men with the Deadly Dreams(various)conceived, commissioned and edited compilation, released as a number of Stabmental fanzine1981"Words from a Radio"The Men with the Deadly DreamsA Housetapes, effects1981"Yellowsong"Video RideoCultural Amnesiaorgan and violin1982Endzeit(various)conceived, commissioned and edited compilation1983Bethel(various)conceived, commissioned and edited compilation1983"Here to Go"Sinclair's LuckCultural Amnesiawrote lyrics, also designed packaging (with assistance of Peter Christopherson) and wrote sleeve notes for album1983"Scar for E"The Uncle of the BootCultural Amnesiawrote lyrics1983Music for HashashinsVagina Dentata Organcreated wolf growl sample (along with Peter Christopherson) and helped in the recording process of the album1984 JanuaryLAShTALCurrent 93featuring1985Bar MaldororCurrent 93bass guitar, miscellaneous1985Live at Bar Maldoror: Gyllensköld, Geijerstam And FriendsNurse with Woundfeaturing1985The Sylvie and Babs Hi-Fi CompanionNurse with Woundfeaturing1986Happy Birthday Pigface ChristusCurrent 93featuring1986In Menstrual NightCurrent 93featuring1987"Europa: The Gates of Heaven"To Drown a RoseDeath in Junevocals1987"We Are The Lust"Brown BookDeath in Juneco-wrote and appears on track1987DawnCurrent 93bass guitar, miscellaneous1987ImperiumCurrent 931988Earth Covers EarthCurrent 93performer1988"Anti-Christ Anti-Christian"PeyrereCurrent 93performer1988Swastikas for NoddyCurrent 93featuring1988The Red Face of GodCurrent 93featuring1989Crooked Crosses for the Nodding GodCurrent 93vocals1991A Document of Early Acoustic & Tactical ExperimentationLustmordfeaturing1992"LAShTAL", "Salt"Nature UnveiledCurrent 93performer1992"All the Stars Are Dead Now", "Rosy Star Tears from Heaven"Thunder Perfect MindCurrent 93vocals1993The Nodding FolkThe Apocalyptic Folk in the Nodding God Unveiled1993"Great Black Time I (Excerpt)", "Sucking Up Souls (Excerpt)", "Great Black Time II (Excerpt)", "Great Black Time III (Excerpt)", "Maldoror Is Ded Ded Ded Ded"Emblems: The Menstrual YearsCurrent 93featuring1993"Hitler as Kalki (SDM)", "Christ and the Pale Queens Mighty in Sorrow"Hitler as KalkiCurrent 93featuring1994"Lucifer Over London Parts I & II"Lucifer Over LondonCurrent 93vocals1995"Where the Long Shadows Fall (Beforetheinmostlight)"Where the Long Shadows Fall (Beforetheinmostlight)Current 93vocals1996"The Long Shadow Falls", "Twilight Twilight Nihil Nihil", "The Inmost Light Itself"All the Pretty Little HorsesCurrent 93vocals1998"To Drown a Rose"KameradschaftDeath in Juneprovides vocals, this is an outtake version of the song1999"Grief"BorderlandsTactileprovides vocals1999"The Snow Man"The Final SolsticeRosa Mundiprovides vocals1999"Lucifer over London"Calling for Vanished FacesCurrent 93vocals1999"Misery Farm"Misery FarmCurrent 93featuring2000"Silence Is Golden"Vox TinnitusCoHwrote lyrics2000 March 1"Black Nurse", "Tudor Fruits"Some Head EPThighpaulsandravocals2001"Love's Septic Domain (Health & Deficiency)"Love UncutCoHprovides vocals, duet with Louise Weasel2001Cats Drunk on CopperCurrent 93featuring2001 August 6"Fouled"The Michel Publicity Window E.P.Thighpaulsandra"vocals and text", album art2001"Optical Black"I, ThighpaulsandraThighpaulsandra"vocals and text"2003 June 23"He Tastes of the Sea"Double VulgarThighpaulsandrafeaturing2004"Lucifer Over London"Sixsixsix SicksicksickCurrent 93vocals2004"E2 = Tree 3"Toilet ChantsBlack Sun Productionsprovides vocals2005"Fj Nettlefold", "Make Room for the Mushrooms"A Nature of NonsenseAural Ragevocals, written by2005"A List of Wishes"operettAmoraleBlack Sun Productionsvocals2005 December 23"Christ's Teeth"...It Just IsThighpaulsandravocals2006 February"Star Malloy"Not AloneThighpaulsandraARP 2600 synthesizer2006 July 1"A Tree Now"The Impossibility of SilenceBlack Sun Productionsprovides vocals (howling)2007 July"Fetish for Today", "Scars for E", "Here to Go"Enormous SavagesCultural Amnesiawrote lyrics2007 November"Hot in the House", "Scars for E (alternate take 2)", "Spoilt Children"Press My Hungry ButtonCultural Amnesiawrote lyrics, album cover features sleeve notes by Balance dating from 19832007 November"Scars for E (alternate take 1)"Still HungryCultural Amnesiawrote lyrics2009 May"Fetish for Today", "Scars for E", "Here to Go"Enormous Savages EnlargedCultural Amnesiawrote lyrics2016 June"Hot in the House"Ring The Hungry BellCultural Amnesiawrote lyrics, official video for "Hot in the House" features mailart and other images by Balance
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