Bill Leeb

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Bill Leeb
20160305-Frontline-Assembly-E-tropolis-Oberhausen-5668.jpg
Bill Leeb performing in 2016
Background information
Birth nameWilhelm Anton Leeb
Also known asBill Leeb, Wilhelm Schroeder [1]
Born (1966-09-21) 21 September 1966 (age 57) [2]
Vienna, Austria
Origin Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Genres Industrial, electronica
OccupationsMusician, songwriter, composer, record producer
Instruments Vocals, synthesizer, sampler, percussion
Years active1984–present
LabelsKK, Dossier, Third Mind, Wax Trax!, Roadrunner, Cleopatra, Off Beat, Metropolis, Dependent, Zoth Ommog
Website http://www.mindphaser.com

Wilhelm Anton "Bill" Leeb (born 21 September 1966, [2] in Vienna, Austria) is an Austrian-Canadian [3] electronic musician and record producer. He is best known for being a founding member of the industrial music group Front Line Assembly and Delerium. [4] Additionally, Leeb is known for his work with groups such as Noise Unit, Intermix, and Skinny Puppy, among others. [5]

Contents

Career

Leeb began his musical career with industrial band Skinny Puppy in 1985 under the pseudonym Wilhelm Schroeder, [1] contributing bass synth and occasional backing vocals to a few of their recordings and concerts. He left in 1986 and formed his own industrial project Front Line Assembly with Michael Balch, and later Rhys Fulber [6] and Chris Peterson. Though Front Line Assembly has had consistent underground success, Leeb's most widely known efforts are through his side project Delerium, which had a major hit in the late 1990s with "Silence". [5] Leeb composed the soundtrack to the 1999 video game, Quake III Arena , of which the expansion pack, Team Arena, was composed by his band, Front Line Assembly.

In 2017, Leeb appeared as guest singer on the single A Shiver of Want, a release of John Fryer's project Black Needle Noise. [7]

In 2022, Leeb contributed vocals for Black Asteroid's single Methane Rain. [8]

Musical projects in which Bill Leeb has participated in include:

Dispute with Trent Reznor

In an interview with music magazine Spin in 1992, Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails made derogatory remarks about Front Line Assembly, calling them "a textbook case of a band" for industrial music and their music "monotonous, boring, uninspired bullshit". [9] Before the release of the issue, Reznor sent Leeb an apology letter. Spin printed the letter, along with a letter from Leeb dismissing the notion that Reznor was "leading the industrial revolution in music" [10] in one of their following issues.

Acting

In 1990, Leeb appeared in the trailer for the horror movie Chunk Blower together with Dwayne Goettel from Skinny Puppy, [11] playing one of the victims of a killer. Due to the lack of funding, the movie was never made. [12] Director Jim Van Bebber and Leeb would later use footage from the trailer in the video for the single "Virus".

Personal life

Leeb has both Austrian and Canadian citizenship and speaks English as well as German. He received education at a convent school in Austria where he learned to play the violin. He moved to Kitimat, British Columbia, Canada with his family when he was 14, where he learned English and developed a keen interest in music. [13] [14] He was a high school student at Mount Elizabeth Secondary School. [15] Leeb went to Camsoun College in Victoria, British Columbia to study journalism for two years. [15] He lives in Vancouver.

Leeb was married to the Canadian artist Carylann Loeppky. [16] Loeppky was part of the tour personnel on Front Line Assembly tours "designing and selling merchandise and put together a visual presentation for the live performance." [16] She continued to create artwork for albums of Delerium. [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skinny Puppy</span> Canadian industrial band

Skinny Puppy was a Canadian electro-industrial band formed in Vancouver in 1982. The group was among the founders of the industrial rock and electro-industrial genres. Initially envisioned as an experimental side-project by cEvin Key while he was in the new wave band Images in Vogue, Skinny Puppy evolved into a full-time project with the addition of vocalist Nivek Ogre. Over the course of 13 studio albums and many live tours, Key and Ogre were the only constant members. Other members have included Dwayne Goettel, Dave "Rave" Ogilvie, Bill Leeb, Mark Walk (2003–2023), and a number of guests, including Al Jourgensen (1989), Danny Carey (2004), and many others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delerium</span> Canadian band

Delerium is a Canadian new-age ambient electronic musical duo that formed in 1987, originally as a side project of the influential industrial music act Front Line Assembly. Throughout the band’s history, their musical style has encompassed a broad range, including dark ethereal ambient trance, voiceless industrial soundscapes, and electronic pop music. They are best known for their worldwide hit "Silence". The band is known to feature female guest vocalists on their albums since their 1994 album Semantic Spaces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Front Line Assembly</span> Canadian electro-industrial band

Front Line Assembly (FLA) is a Canadian electro-industrial band formed by Bill Leeb in 1986 after leaving Skinny Puppy. FLA has developed its own sound incorporating elements of electronic body music and electro-industrial. The band's membership has rotated through the years, including Michael Balch, Rhys Fulber, and Chris Peterson, all of whom are associated with several other acts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dwayne Goettel</span> Canadian musician

Dwayne Rudolph Goettel was a Canadian electronic musician, best known for his work in the industrial music group Skinny Puppy. Starting his career playing for a variety of acts around Edmonton, he joined Skinny Puppy in 1986 following the departure of keyboardist Bill Leeb. A classically trained pianist, he helped to broaden Skinny Puppy's sound with his extensive knowledge of equipment and sampling. He assisted bandmate cEvin Key on a number of side projects such as The Tear Garden and Doubting Thomas, and helped form the experimental electronic group Download. He also created the independent record label Subconscious Communications with friend and colleague Phil Western as a means to release his solo work.

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Kevin William Crompton, known professionally as cEvin Key, is a Canadian musician, songwriter, producer, and composer. He is best known as a member of the industrial music group Skinny Puppy, which he co-founded in 1982 with singer Nivek Ogre. Initially a side project while he was with the new wave band Images in Vogue, Skinny Puppy quickly became his primary musical outlet after landing a record deal with Nettwerk Records in 1984.

<i>Tactical Neural Implant</i> 1992 album

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<i>Mind: The Perpetual Intercourse</i> 1986 studio album by Skinny Puppy

Mind: The Perpetual Intercourse is the second studio album by Skinny Puppy, released on September 5, 1986. It contained the single "Dig It", which inspired several industrial music contemporaries, including Nine Inch Nails. "Dig It" received extensive airplay on MTV and was listed by Billboard as a recommended dance track. The song "Stairs and Flowers" was also released as a single.

<i>Too Dark Park</i> 1990 studio album by Skinny Puppy

Too Dark Park is the sixth studio album by the industrial music group Skinny Puppy. The album cover features the debut appearance of the band's "SP" logo. The cover art was created by Vancouver based artist Jim Cummins. The artwork for this album and its associated singles was inspired by cosmic horror stories such as the Cthulhu Mythos. Lyrical themes include collapse of society due to destruction of nature, drug addiction, and psychological issues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhys Fulber</span> Canadian producer and musician

Nowell Rhys Fulber is a Canadian electronic musician and producer. He is a member of Front Line Assembly and Delerium, along with Bill Leeb. He also records under his own name and under the name Conjure One.

<i>Caustic Grip</i> 1990 studio album by Front Line Assembly

Caustic Grip is the fifth full-length studio album by Front Line Assembly, originally released on Third Mind Records in Europe and on WaxTrax! Records in the United States in 1990.

<i>Civilization</i> (album) 2004 studio album by Front Line Assembly

Civilization is the twelfth full-length studio album by Vancouver industrial band Front Line Assembly, released on January 20, 2004 through Metropolis. The album was produced by band founder Bill Leeb and returning member Rhys Fulber, who had departed in 1996. Civilization has been described by reviewers as being a more stylistically diverse and relaxed album compared to the band's previous releases.

<i>Nerve War</i> 1986 demo album by Front Line Assembly

Nerve War is the first release by the Canadian band Front Line Assembly. Having a limited cassette release in 1986, it remains the most sought-after release from Bill Leeb and company. The songs on the tape sound more abrasive and industrial than Leeb's subsequent output which leans more toward an EBM style. It has never been officially released after Front Line Assembly became more popular, however, MP3s of it have appeared on the Internet since about 2002.

<i>Morpheus</i> (album) 1989 studio album by Delerium

Morpheus is the second studio album by Canadian industrial/electronic music group Delerium in 1989.

<i>Epitaph</i> (Front Line Assembly album) 2001 studio album by Front Line Assembly

Epitaph is the eleventh full-length studio album by Vancouver industrial band Front Line Assembly, released in 2001.

<i>The Initial Command</i> 1987 studio album by Front Line Assembly

The Initial Command is the first full-length studio album released by Canadian industrial band Front Line Assembly, released in 1987 through Belgian label KK.

<i>Echogenetic</i> 2013 studio album by Front Line Assembly

Echogenetic is the fifteenth full-length studio album by Vancouver industrial band Front Line Assembly, released on July 9, 2013. It was well received both by critics and fans and charted in German and US charts. Critics commented on the band's return to a purely electronic approach and on the dubstep influence on the album. Front Line Assembly toured extensively in Europe and North America in support of this album and remix follow-up Echoes, which included a tour with vocalist and band leader Bill Leeb's former band Skinny Puppy. This was the last studio album to feature Jeremy Inkel before his death in 2018.

<i>Cryogenic Studios</i> 1998 compilation album by Front Line Assembly, Equinox, Delerium, Pro>Tech and Synæsthesia

Cryogenic Studios is a compilation album that contains songs from several of Canadian electronic musician Bill Leeb's projects including Front Line Assembly, Equinox, Delerium, Pro>Tech, and Synæsthesia. It was released by Cleopatra in 1998. The album title refers to the name of Cryogenic Studio in Vancouver that serves as headquarters studio for Front Line Assembly and related side projects. The Zoth Ommog release for the European market came with a different artwork. All tracks except for "Infra Stellar (Remix)" were re-released in 2005 by Cleopatra on the compilation album The Best of Cryogenic Studio.

<i>Cryogenic Studio, Vol. 2</i> 2000 compilation album by Front Line Assembly

Cryogenic Studio, Vol. 2 is a compilation album, released in 2000, and the follow-up to the 1998 album Cryogenic Studios. It is composed from songs of electronic music bands Front Line Assembly, Noise Unit, Delerium, Pro>Tech, Equinox, and Synæsthesia, all of which are projects of Canadian electronic musician Bill Leeb. The album title refers to the name of Cryogenic Studio in Vancouver that serves as headquarters studio for Front Line Assembly and related side projects. All tracks except "Biosphere", "Eros", "Door to the Otherside", "Miracle", "Inner Chaos", and "Re-Thread" were re-released in 2005 by Cleopatra on the compilation album The Best of Cryogenic Studio, together with most of the tracks from previous compilation album Cryogenic Studios.

<i>Orbiting Cathedrals</i> 1997 studio album by Pro>Tech

Orbiting Cathedrals is the only album by Pro>Tech, a side project of Canadian industrial musician Bill Leeb with the help of industrial musician Chris Peterson. The project was launched in 1997 in the wake of the release of the album [FLA]vour of the Weak from industrial band Front Line Assembly, which at the time consisted of Leeb and Peterson. Orbiting Cathedrals is supposed to be a musical twin of [FLA]vour of the Weak. The album was released through German label Dossier and re-released in 2000 by Hypnotic. Tracks from Orbiting Cathedrals have also appeared on Cryogenic Studios and Cryogenic Studio, Vol. 2, compilation albums with songs from Front Line Assembly and related projects.

<i>Tenebrae Vision</i> 1991 studio album by Cyberaktif

Tenebrae Vision is the first album of Canadian industrial band Cyberaktif, which consisted of cEvin Key and Dwayne R. Goettel of Skinny Puppy and former Skinny Puppy member Bill Leeb of Front Line Assembly. For Cyberaktif, Leeb is credited as Wilhelm Schroeder, the stage name he used while in Skinny Puppy. The album was released in 1991 through Wax Trax! and features Blixa Bargeld of German industrial band Einstürzende Neubauten. The project folded after Goettel's death in 1995, and laid dormant until 2024 when Key and Leeb reestablished the name with Rhys Fulber for the album eNdgame.

References

  1. 1 2 Leeb, Bill (8 May 2013). "Bill Leeb (musician)". RAD1Radio (Radio).
  2. 1 2 Bauer, Henrik (24 March 2004). "Mindphaser > People > Bill Leeb > Biography". Mindphaser.com. Archived from the original on 2 January 2005. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  3. ↑ Raven, Daniel (2 June 2011). "Front Line Assembly Leads Cyborg Armies Through Post-Apocalyptic Soundscapes". Phoenix New Times . Voice Media Group. Archived from the original on 21 October 2014. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
  4. ↑ Ankeny, Jason. "Front Line Assembly Biography". Allmusic. allmusic.com. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  5. 1 2 Huey, Steve. Bill Leeb: Artist Biography by Steve Huey at AllMusic . Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  6. ↑ Humberstone, Nigel (January 1995). "Bill Leeb: Front Line Assembly". Sound on Sound . Cambridge, United Kingdom: SOS Publications Group. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  7. ↑ Palfrey, Sean (3 May 2017). "Review: Black Needle Noise w/ Bill Leeb – 'A Shiver Of Want'". Intravenous Magazine. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  8. ↑ Teeple, Alice (17 May 2022). "Black Asteroid Debuts New Single "Methane Rain" Featuring Front Line Assembly". post-punk.com. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  9. ↑ Greer, Jim (March 1992). "Nine Inches of Love" . Spin . Vol. 7, no. 12. New York City: Camouflage Associates. p. 41. ISSN   0886-3032. OCLC   970690651 . Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  10. ↑ "Point Blank: Letters: Pretty Hate Mail" . Spin . Vol. 8, no. 3. New York City: Camouflage Associates. June 1992. p. 12. ISSN   0886-3032. OCLC   970690651 . Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  11. ↑ Hall, Oliver (14 January 2016). "'Chunk Blower', the unfinished horror movie starring members of Skinny Puppy". Dangerous Minds. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  12. ↑ Alexander, Chris (January 2014). "The Politic Spasmolytic". Fangoria . No. 329. Atlanta: The Brooklyn Company. p. 54. ISSN   0164-2111. OCLC   46637019 . Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  13. ↑ Leeb, Bill (23 November 2016). "Bill Leeb talks about Front Line Assembly, Delerium and more". Altvenger Magazine (Interview). Interviewed by Marija Buljeta. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
  14. ↑ Leeb, Bill (21 August 2013). "Front Line Assembly (Bill Leeb) Interview". dsoaudio.com (Interview). Interviewed by Rob Dyer. dsomedia. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  15. 1 2 Leeb, Bill (1999). "Q&A with Bill Leeb". Outburn (Interview). Interviewed by Rev. Moose. Thousand Oaks, California.
  16. 1 2 Loeppky, Carylann (12 November 2006). "Morpheus Music Interview - Carylann Loeppky". Morpheus Music (Interview). Archived from the original on 22 October 2014. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  17. ↑ Carylann Loeppky at AllMusic . Retrieved 17 October 2014.

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