Walter Flakus
| Stabbing Westward | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Macomb, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1986–2002, 2016–present |
| Labels | |
| Associated acts | |
| Website | stabbingwestward |
| Members |
Christopher Hall Walter Flakus Jim Sellers Andy Kubiszewski Stuart Zechman David Suycott Chris Vrenna Jim Clanin Johnny Haro |
Stabbing Westward is an American industrial rock band. Christopher Hall and Walter Flakus formed the band in 1986 in Macomb, Illinois, but did not release their first studio album until eight years later. The band released three more studio albums before announcing a dissolution on February 9, 2002. Stabbing Westward reunited in 2016 to celebrate their 30th anniversary together, and will play more shows in 2017.
Christopher Hall and Walter Flakus formed the band Stabbing Westward when they were in college. They came up with the name while working at the college radio station WIUS-FM. In a 1996 interview, Hall stated, "Since we went to Western Illinois University, Stabbing Westward had a certain 'kill everybody in the school' vibe to it! The school's way out in farm country and the country is really close minded. I was walking around like Robert Smith with real big hair, big baggy black clothes, black fingernail polish and eye makeup. They just didn't get it. We hated the town."
Moving to Chicago in 1986, the original lineup consisted of Hall on bass and lead vocals, Flakus on keyboards, and Jim Clanin on guitar. In 1990, a four-song demo tape was recorded by an early conception of Stabbing Westward. This EP, called Iwo Jesus, featured an early version of "Violent Mood Swings" (titled "Violent Mood Swing") which eventually wound up on the compilation CD, The Cyberflesh Conspiracy.
Hall took a brief break to tour with Die Warzau as that group's percussionist before continuing work on Stabbing Westward. Hall and Flakus later recruited Jim Sellers on bass and Chris Vrenna (Nine Inch Nails) on drums, as Hall had met Vrenna when playing in Die Warzau. Vrenna played drums on all the demo recordings that ultimately landed Stabbing Westward their record deal with Columbia Records. Those demo recordings included "Violent Mood Swings," "Lies," and "Nothing." They were recorded at a studio in Evanston, Illinois and included Stuart Zechman on guitar. After Vrenna returned to Nine Inch Nails, the band hired David Suycott, who was a high school friend of Flakus.
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