Front 242

Daniel Bressanutti - mix Jean Luc de Meyer - chant Patrick Codenys - synths Richard 23 - percussions, singing The Front 242 adventure began in Brussels in 1981 around Daniel Bressanutti and Dirk Bergen (very soon replaced by Richard 23), joined shortly afterwards by Patrick Codenys and Jean-Luc De Meyer. Influenced by the German band D.A.F., the band made its debut in the exploration of electronic music on a single "Body To Body/Principles that attracted very little attention, followed by the first album Geography . Although part of the industrial movement of the Throbbing Gristtle and Cabaret Voltaire , Front 242 inserts into his music a dancing side allowing him to claim the paternity of the name Electronic Body Music (EBM). In 1984, following the signing with Wax Trax, Front 242 embarked on a US tour alongside Ministry after which Richard 23 began working with Alan Jourgensen and Paul Barker. In the same year he produced the single "Natural Love" and extended the cooperation by integrating the Revolting Cocks until 1988. Belgians join RRE, a division of PIAS and record the album Official Version . Front 242 will then make the first part of the European tour of Depeche Mode to promote Front by Front . The 1990s were a turning point for Brussels training. With Tyranny for you, Front 242 now evolves towards more complex sounds that reach their fullness on 06:21:03:11 Up Evil and 05:22:09:12 Off , both released in 93. During the following summer, the band was shown in the USA at the Loolapalloza Tour alongside Rage Against The Machine , Alice In Chains and Primus , before a tour of sixty dates leading the bill.
Exhausted by incessant tours, and undermined by internal conflicts, Front 242 ceased all activity in 1994 for a period of three years during which its members explored other musical horizons. But the band was reformed in 1997 with the firm intention initially to do some concerts. However, as success was on the table, Front 242 decided to speed up the pace and return seriously to business. In 2003, the Belgians released Pulse , ten years after the last studio album and went back on tour in 2005, in Europe and in the States.
Although there has never been unanimity, particularly in his country, Front 242 is a considerable influence for such diverse formations as Nine Inch Nails, Ministry and U2.