Front Line Assembly | |
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Background information | |
Origin | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
Genres | Industrial, electro-industrial, EBM, industrial metal |
Years active | 1986 | –present
Labels | |
Associated acts | Blackland, Conjure One, Cyberaktif, Decree, Delerium, Equinox, Fauxliage, Fear Factory, Intermix, Left Spine Down, Mutual Mortuary, Noise Unit, Pro>Tech, Revelstoker, Skinny Puppy, Stiff Valentine, Synæsthesia, Unit 187, Will |
Website | www |
Members |
Bill Leeb Jeremy Inkel Jared Slingerland |
Past members | Michael Balch Rhys Fulber Chris Peterson |
Front Line Assembly (FLA) is a Canadian electro-industrial band formed by Bill Leeb in 1986 after leaving Skinny Puppy. Influenced by early electronic and (post-)industrial acts such as Cabaret Voltaire, Portion Control, D.A.F., Test Dept, SPK, and Severed Heads, FLA has developed its own sound while combining elements of electronic body music (EBM). The band's membership has rotated through several members over the years, including Rhys Fulber and Michael Balch who are both associated with several other acts.
Between 1985 and 1986, Bill Leeb performed with Skinny Puppy under the name Wilhelm Schroeder, a combination of his first name and the name of the Peanuts character and was meant as a joke. Leeb had no musical training, and learned to play synthesizer while contributing bass synth and backing vocals for the band, He also supported their 1985 tour. Not prepared for another tour, Leeb left Skinny Puppy in early 1986.
Having developed some instrumental skills and music industry experience, and wanting to do more vocal work, Leeb decided to take the risk of starting his own project. Leeb decided to call the project Front Line Assembly to reflect his belief that strength lies in working together.
Leeb started by producing a demo tape, Nerve War, which was distributed on a limited basis. Contacts in the music scene he had gathered while with Skinny Puppy led to contract offers from the first two labels that Leeb later approached with cassettes.