RIP Jhon Balance, Dead at 42 (taken from side-line.com)

After John Peel, Chrislo Haas and New Model Army founding member Robert Heaton, another name that marked the musicscene for the past 20 years has died. Yesterday morning Side-Line was informed that John Balance (aka Geff Rushton, Jhon Balance) died, aged 42, in a tragic accident at his home on Saturday afternoon (November 13th). Apparently Balance fell from the first floor, and landed some 15 feet below. It was Peter "Sleazy" Christopherson who found Balance unconscious, though still breathing. Although rushed to hospital, his condition deteriorated, and he died soon after, without ever regaining consciousness. It was Chris Carter who contacted Side-Line early Monday morning with the sad news. In a reaction Cosey Fanni Tutti and Chris Carter say: "We were stunned when we received news from Sleazy that Geff had died. That word 'died' is so final and we know Geff would not perceive his own passing as an end to his presence in this world. We of course are left with the feelings of physical loss and the thoughts of never hearing his voice again or feeling his embrace. He has been a dear friend for over 25 years and we hold that as a privelege. He was one of the very few treasures in this troubled world and he remains so in our hearts. His voice always made me shiver and touched places within me that are seldom tapped by any other artist. I remember asking him recently to sing more at gigs as I adored the intimacy of his voice. We have talked and talked for hours on every subject imaginable and of course much on sex and the goddess. We have his music and spirit always beside us in our sadness but always smiling and feeling deep affection when we think of him." Born in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England on 16th February 1962 as Geoffrey Laurence Burton, he co-founded Coil on May 11th, 1983. At that time Balance was also a member of Psychic TV. Initially, Coil co-existed with another project called Zos Kia, with the core members of both bands being Balance, his fellow Psychic TV member John Gosling (aka Joan d'Arc) and Min. This line-up played four live performances as Coil and/or Zos Kia throughout 1983, often aided by Peter "Sleazy" Christopherson (ex-Throbbing Gristle, and also a member of Psychic TV). Soon after the appearance of Coil/Zos Kia and Psychic TV at the infamous Berlin Atonal Festival on December 3rd, 1983, Balance and Christopherson left Psychic TV and Zos Kia, becoming the core of Coil and continuing with the name until today. Other current members of Coil include producer Danny Hyde, Thighpaulsandra (Spiritualized, Queen Elizabeth), Simon Norris aka Osian Brown (ex-member Death In June, Cyclobe). In 1994, Coil started releasing material under other names. Names used so far include The Eskaton, ELpH, Black Light District, Time Machines and Rosa Mundi (the latter in collaboration with Rose McDowall and Robert Lee of Sorrow).