cEvin Key | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Kevin William Crompton |
Also known as | Kenny King, Scaremeister |
Born | February 13, 1961 |
Origin | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
Genres | |
Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, producer, multi-instrumentalist |
Instruments | Drums, vocals, guitar, bass, synthesizers, violin |
Years active | 1980–present |
Labels |
Subconscious Communications Synthetic Symphony Nettwerk Records Metropolis Records American Recordings |
Associated acts |
Skinny Puppy ohGr Bananasloth Scaremeister Download PlatEAU Tear Garden Images In Vogue Doubting Thomas Hilt Involution Cyberaktif |
Website | Subconscious Studios |
cEvin Key (born Kevin William Crompton, February 13, 1961) is a Canadian musician and founding member of the industrial music band Skinny Puppy. In addition to his work with Skinny Puppy, Key has had several side projects, including Doubting Thomas, Cyberaktif, and Hilt. After Skinny Puppy disbanded in 1995, Key's main project was electronic noise group Download, as well as some solo releases.
Much of 2001-03 was spent on his own solo material, Music For Cats, The Ghost Of Each Room and The Dragon Experience, as well as an undertaking of an exclusive subscription-only music service entitled the From the Vault series—seven CDs of previously unreleased material from his various projects (Skinny Puppy, Download, Tear Garden, PlatEAU, and Hilt) Key also served as a drummer on ohGr's 2001 tour. 2004 brought about the reformation of Skinny Puppy for a new album, The Greater Wrong Of the Right, and they embarked on a worldwide tour until 2005. Work began underway for their next LP, Mythmaker, shortly thereafter, and was released in 2007. Key worked on another From the Vault series for 2007–08, before embarking on yet another Skinny Puppy tour.
2009 saw Key working on new Skinny Puppy and also on several new albums by his existing side projects, as well as the creation of several new projects. Key collaborated with long-time friend and engineer Ken 'Hiwatt' Marshall on a project entitled Scaremeister, which focuses on "mini-scores" for television, movies and video games. He went on a series of Download/platEAU-based DJ sets across America as well as Japan. In 2009, Key embarked upon the Skinny Puppy In Solvent See tour across the U.S.
In late 2011, Key began a new project for Subconscious Communications by going into Eurorack synthesizer manufacturing, starting with a rare license of an Oscillator and LFO from a defunct company called Plan B, Key redesigned the modules to be built by machine. Moving forward into 2012,Key partnered with Metropolis records for the reissues of many of the Subcon titles including Doubting Thomas, The Infidel, Download Furnace and Fixer and PlatEAU's album Kushbush. Key returned to Subconscious Studios in 2013 for Skinny Puppy's Weapon album. He returned to Japan for another mini tour with Djoto and Utero ZZZAAA, and then brought a trio of bands from Japan to introduce to the U.S.