Leæther Strip

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Leæther Strip

Country	Denmark
Years active	1988 – 2001 2005 – present
Genres	electro-industrial electronic body music
Labels	Zoth Ommog, Cleopatra Records, Metropolis Records, Bloodline Records, Alfa Matrix
Members	Claus Larsen (pictured)

Leæther Strip is a Danish musical project founded on the 13th of January in 1988 by Claus Larsen. Its influence has been most felt in the electronic body music, industrial music, and film score genres. It was one of the earliest and most prominent acts on Germany's now defunct Zoth Ommog record label, and has also released music on the U.S. Cleopatra Records and Metropolis Records labels, as well as Germany's Bloodline Records. Leæther Strip is currently signed with the Belgian Alfa Matrix label.

1 History
2 Discography
3 Side projects
4 Influenced
5 External links

[edit] History

According to founder Claus Larsen, Leæther Strip is, and always will be, only him. Larsen was born on November 13th 1967 in Aalborg, Denmark. He first released music under the name of Leæther Strip in 1988. However, his mid-1990s release G.A.W.M.U.S. included two early demos from 1982 and 1984, with the latter forming the unknown beginning of the band according to an interview conducted with Claus Larsen.

It can be argued, and is by many, that the sound of Leæther Strip throughout the early 1990s helped define what is today known as electro-industrial. In 1994, Claus Larsen drastically changed the sound of Leæther Strip, with the release of a synthesized semi classical album. Conceived as a soundtrack to a fictional film, it was titled Serenade for the Dead. The releases since then have reincorporated electronic dance elements, and have redefined Leæther Strip into what Larsen calls, "symphonic electro".

Leæther Strip remained silent for several years after the release of the single Carry Me in 2000 and the official band website, which once contained a wealth of information regarding the project, was taken offline. In an interview conducted late 2005, Larsen revealed that label problems, as well as personal concerns, have caused the dormancy of the band during the 2000 - 2005 period. In foreshadowing the return of his band, Larsen's remix of the band KiEw's song Graograman on the Diskette EP (2003) states at the beginning of the song, in a sing-song computer-generated voice, "Leæther Strip will return for more electronic mayhem".

October 28, 2005, has marked the official return of Leæther Strip with the EP release Suicide Bombers on the Alfa Matrix label. Claus Larsen has opened a blog to inform fans of his current activities and progress on the project. A string of releases followed including the 2-CD album After the Devastation, and the 2006 EP releases Walking on Volcanos and Fætish. Also in 2006, Claus Larsen released a free song via his MySpace page, a remix of Frank Tovey taught me things. The song was subsequently downloaded over 10.000 times.

Leæther Strip's first DVD release is planned to be bundled with Larsen's forthcoming album The Giant Minutes To The Dawn limited box edition.

[edit] Discography

12" releases

1989 - Japanese Bodies
1989 - The Pleasure of Penetration
1990 - Aspects of Aggression
1990 - Science for the Satanic Citizen
1991 - Object V
1992 - Material
1992 - Solitary Confinement

CD releases

1989 - The Pleasure of Penetration
1990 - Science for the Satanic Citizen
1992 - Penetrate the Satanic Citizen
1992 - Solitary Confinement
1993 - Underneath the Laughter
1993 - Fit for Flogging
1994 - Serenade for the Dead
1995 - Legacy of Hate and Lust
1995 - Double or Nothing (2 CD)
1995 - Getting Away With Murder: Murders from 1982 to 1995
1996 - Best of Leæther Strip
1996 - The Rebirth of Agony
1996 - Yes, I'm Limited Vol. II
1997 - Retrospective
1997 - Self-Inflicted
1998 - Yes, I'm Limited Vol. III (2 CD)
1999 - Serenade for the Dead (re-mastered) (2 CD)
2005 - Satanic Reasons: The Very Best Of (2 CD)
2005 - After The Devastation (2 CD)
2006 - Fætish

EP/single releases

1991 - Object V - EP CD
1991 - Material - EP CD
1992 - Yes, I'm Limited - EP CD
1994 - Positive Depression - EP CD
1997 - Anal Cabaret: A Tribute to Soft Cell - EP CD
2000 - Carry Me - CDS
2005 - Suicide Bombers - EP CD
2006 - Walking on Volcanos - EP CD

Other releases

2006 - After the Devastation (Limited 3 CD Special Bag Edition)

Limited edition of the double album includes: After The Devastation" Limited Edition 3-CD Box Set, "Evacuate Or Die", Double Sided Printed T-Shirt, Poster and Deluxe Bag, Matri-X-traX Chapter I

2006 - Fætish (Limited 2 CD Box)

Limited to 2000 copies including "Hælloween" 5-track EP, some special fetish goodies (condom, button, postcards) and a booklet full of Leæther Strip fans fetish artwork.