John Balance

John Balance

John Balance (first name also spelled Jhon and Jhonn; born Geoffrey (Geff) Laurence Burton, later taking his stepfather's surname of Rushton; 1962–2004), born in Mansfield, founded the experimental music group Coil, in collaboration with his partner Peter 'Sleazy' Christopherson. He was responsible for vocals, lyrics, chants, synthetics and various esoteric sound-making instruments and devices. Outside of Coil he collaborated with Nurse with Wound, Death in June, Psychic TV, Current 93, Chris & Cosey, Thighpaulsandra and produced several Nine Inch Nails remixes. His early work and wide-ranging collaborations made him one of the most influential figures in the industrial, experimental minimalist and neofolk music scenes.

Balance died on 13 November 2004, after falling from a two-storey balcony at his home. Peter Christopherson announced Balance's death on the Threshold House website, and provided details surrounding the tragedy. Balance's memorial service was held near Bristol on 23 November, and was attended by approximately 100 people. Ossian Brown, a long term collaborator and member of Coil, dedicated his first book Haunted Air to Balance.

"Coil was the only band based around a gay male couple and they delighted in the 'male sexual chemistry' this created. In the mid-1980s, gay pop was coming out of the closet, but Coil were the first resolutely queer group; their words dealt with desire, disease, dirt, death and drugs, and their collages sounded dark, dank and dangerous.