Geordie is a hard/glam rock band originating from Newcastle upon Tyne, North East England, United Kingdom. The band was established in 1971 under the name U.S.A. and adopted the name Geordie in 1972.
From 1971 to 1975, Geordie's lineup remained consistent, featuring vocalist Brian Johnson, principal songwriter and guitarist Vic Malcolm, bass guitarist Tom Hill, and drummer Brian Gibson. During this period, the band released two albums: Geordie I in 1973 and Get Back in 1974. This era marked the peak of Geordie's success, with five singles from their first album—“Don't Do That,” “All Because Of You,” “Can You Do It,” “Electric Lady,” and “Black Cat Woman”—charting in various European countries.
The narrative of Geordie became more complex in 1975 when original guitarist Vic Malcolm departed from the band. He was succeeded by Micky Bennison. Notably, the band's third album, Hope You Like It, contains tracks featuring both guitarists—five tracks recorded with Malcolm and seven with Bennison. However, prior to the album's release in August 1976, Brian Johnson had already released a solo single, “It's a Long Way to the Top,” in January 1976, indicating that the band had effectively disbanded by the time the album was launched. This was further evidenced by the absence of any singles or tour dates after the album's release.
In a surprising turn, a fourth album titled No Good Woman was released in 1978, featuring two distinct versions of Geordie. Three tracks were recorded by Brian Johnson alongside guitarist Derek Rootham, bass guitarist Dave Robson, and drummer Davy Whittaker. The remaining seven tracks were recorded by Vic Malcolm with vocalist Dave Ditchburn, bass guitarist Frankie Gibbon, drummer George Defty, and keyboardist Alan Clark. Notably, original members Hill and Gibson did not participate in this record. In an interview, Dave Ditchburn noted that the lineup with Malcolm formed in 1976 and that this iteration of Geordie, which can be heard on No Good Woman, was referred to as Brass Alley 2 due to copyright ownership of the name Geordie by the Red Bus label.
In 1980, Brian Johnson's version of Geordie released the single “Electric Lady,” but the band disbanded when Johnson transitioned to the role of lead vocalist for AC/DC following the death of Bon Scott.
Two years later, in 1982, a new Geordie single was released, featuring Malcolm, Hill, and Gibson, along with vocalist Rob Turnbull and guitarist David Stephenson. This was followed in 1983 by a fifth album, No Good Woman. After the album's release, Malcolm and Stephenson left the band, leading the remaining members—Turnbull, Hill, and Gibson—to form Powerhouse with guitarist Martin Metcalf. Powerhouse released their self-titled album in 1986 before disbanding.
In 1989, an album titled Brian Johnson and Geordie was released. Although it initially appears to be a compilation, it consists of re-recorded and often significantly rearranged versions of twelve Geordie songs, embodying a typical 1980s sound. The exact lineup of musicians involved in this album remains unclear, but the booklet credits Johnson, Malcolm, Hill, Gibson, Bennison, Rootham, Robson, Whittaker, and Hiam Romano.
Geordie saw two new recordings in 2001 and 2002, released under the name Brian Johnson. These tracks were included in compilations released in 2001 and 2002 and were recorded in October 2001, coinciding with a five-date UK tour billed as Geordie II featuring Johnson, Rootham, Robson, and Whittaker.
In 2018, Geordie re-emerged with a new lineup comprising Tom Hill and Brian Gibson, alongside vocalist Mark Wright and guitarist Steve Dawson. In 2021, Wright was succeeded by Terry Wilson-Slesser. This incarnation of Geordie released its first single, “Red White And Blue,” in November 2022. Although not actively performing, Vic Malcolm continues to contribute to the band by writing songs.
