Punk legend dies
Published March 11, 2004
John McGeoch, a veteran of the British punk movement, has died at the age of 48. A co-founder of Manchester band Magazine and later guitarist with
Souxsie & the Banshees and Public Image Limited, the musician died in his
sleep.
Confirming the news, Banshees' bass player Steven Severin wrote on his website: "Deepest sympathies to those close to him."
As well as his work on several Banshee's hits and three PiL albums, McGeoch
worked with a number of other bands, including Generation X, Visage, Ultravox and Heaven 17. However since the mid-nineties he had cut back on his music work and became a qualified nurse.
Marty's band, Growing Old Disgracefully, can be found at: Disgraceful Music. His Cthulhu tales can be found at Temple of Dagon. 
- Punk legend dies
- Published: March 11, 2004
- Type:
- Section: Music
- Filed Under: Music: News
- Writer: Marty Dodge
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More stuff:
- Steven Severin, bass player for the Banshees, said in a statement on
his website: "I was shocked and saddened to hear that John passed away in his sleep last Thursday. Although we hadn't worked together for a long time
and I hadn't seen him for a couple of years he was always in my heart and
often in my thoughts."
He added: "Without doubt the most inventive guitarist of our generation
and my favourite Banshee. Love to all his friends and family. Bye John."
According to press reports, McGeoch qualified as a nurse in 1995 after
giving up performing. However, he continued to work on music for
television.
Born in Greenock, Scotland in 1955, the guitarist moved to Los Angeles in
1986 only to return to the UK in the Nineties.
His distinctive guitar playing and sound can be heard on such Siouxsie
And The Banshees hits as 'Happy House', 'Spellbound' and 'Christine'.
One of my favorite bands.....a sad day.
Having seen John live and been influenced by his recordings with the above mentioned bands all I can say is that the music world has taken a great loss from a crucial era of the music scene. Magazine, Siouxsie, PIL, Ultravox, etc. I have all seen or opened for. John's creative contribution is outstanding. May the light of his influence shine down.
Just to say how sad I was to hear of the death of John McGeoch. I worked with him for a day on a reworking of 'The light Pours out of me' for Pete Murphy's album 'Should the world Fail to fall apart" and he was brilliant.
To watch him play the riff ( check it out, it sounds like two guitarists, he does it on his own) was a great moment in my life. And a top guy too, unassuming, calm but real deep.
My sincere sympathies to friends and family
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Sad times for my generation... am i the only one seeing the punk rock scene lose it players much earlier than any other music genre? this excludes the rap wars of course.