Editing Stabbing Westward (section)

== History ==
===Early years (1985–1992)===
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|WIUS-FM]]. It was allegedly from a 1950s speech regarding political fears of Communism "stabbing westward".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Entertainment Ave! The Concert Hall - A Question & Answer Interview with Andy Kubiszewski of Stabbing Westward, November 21, 1996.|url=https://entertainmentavenue.com/concert_hall/q_and_a/stabbing_westward/sw112196.htm|access-date=November 18, 2020|website=entertainmentavenue.com}}</ref> During an interview in 1996, Hall stated, "Since we went to [[Western Illinois University]], [the name] 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 (musician)|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."<ref>Interview by George Lecorchick, R & R Reported, April 1996</ref>

Moving to [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]] in 1985, the original lineup for Stabbing Westward consisted of Hall on bass and lead vocals, Flakus on keyboards, and Jim Clanin on guitars. Clanin would briefly be replaced on guitars by Andrew Hunter, and bassist Jim Sellers was added on as well. Angelo Negrette was also added as a live drummer.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://soundcloud.com/angelo-negrette/potus-stabbing-westward |title=Angelo Negrette's Page |access-date=June 5, 2024}}</ref><ref name="AngeloDeath">{{cite web |url=https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/chicago-il/angelo-negrette-8151887 |title=Angelo Negrette Obituary |date=February 4, 2019 |access-date=June 5, 2024}}</ref> This lineup of the band recorded the 1991 <ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.stabbingwestward.com/blog/iwo-jesus-resurrected|title=IWO JESUS RESURRECTED|website=STABBING WESTWARD|language=en-US|access-date=April 25, 2019|archive-date=April 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190425012321/https://www.stabbingwestward.com/blog/iwo-jesus-resurrected|url-status=dead}}</ref> extended play [[Cassette tape|tape]] ''Iwo Jesus'', and featured four songs: an early version of "Violent Mood Swings" (titled "Violent Mood Swing"), "P.O.M.F." (which contains elements of the later song "The Thing I Hate"), an early version of "Shame", and "Plastic Jesus". "Violent Mood Swing" was also included on the 1992 compilation CD ''The Cyberflesh Conspiracy''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/release/cyberflesh-conspiracy-mr0000133427|title=Cyberflesh Conspiracy - Various Artists - Release Info|website=AllMusic}}</ref>

The band's official website stated that "the original EP was recorded on an eight-track tape machine synched to an Emax II Sampler and an EMU SP1200 sampling drum machine. 100 copies were originally printed and sold both at local shows and in the legendary Wax Trax Record store in Chicago."<ref name=":0" />

Hall took a brief break to tour with the band [[Die Warzau]] as that group's percussionist before continuing to work on Stabbing Westward. Hall, Flakus, and Sellers later recruited [[Chris Vrenna]] ([[Nine Inch Nails]]) on drums to replace Negrette,<ref name="LarkinHR">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Virgin Encyclopedia of Heavy Rock]]|editor=[[Colin Larkin (writer)|Colin Larkin]]|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=1999|edition=First|isbn=0-7535-0257-7|page=420}}</ref> as Hall had met Vrenna when playing in Die Warzau. Vrenna played drums on all of the demo recordings that ultimately landed Stabbing Westward their record deal with [[Columbia Records]].<ref name="LarkinHR"/> The demo recordings included "Violent Mood Swings", "Lies", and "Nothing". They were recorded at a studio in [[Evanston, Illinois]]. At the insistence of the band's record label, Stuart Zechman was brought in on guitar, as previous guitarist Hunter was no longer in the band.<ref name="LarkinHR"/> After Vrenna returned to Nine Inch Nails, the band hired David Suycott,<ref name="LarkinHR"/> who was a high school friend of Flakus.

===''Ungod'' (1993–1995)===
With a solidified lineup including Zechman on guitar and Suycott on drums, the band in 1993 recorded at [[Eden Studios (recording facility)|Eden Studios]] in London with producer John Fryer.<ref name="LarkinHR"/> This resulted in their major label ([[Columbia Records]]) debut album, ''[[Ungod]]'', which was released on February 15, 1994.<ref name="LarkinHR"/> The band landed an opening slot on [[Depeche Mode]]'s [[Exotic Tour/Summer Tour '94|Exotic Tour]] in summer 1994,<ref name="LarkinHR"/> and opened North American tour dates in fall 1994 for [[Killing Joke]], but Stabbing Westward's album sales still didn't increase.<ref name="LarkinHR"/>

David Suycott abruptly dropped out of the band toward the end of the ''Ungod'' tour.<ref name="LarkinHR"/> Andy Kubiszewski was called in to replace Suycott's position for the remainder of the shows.<ref name="LarkinHR"/> This fast replacement required Kubiszewski to learn all of Suycott's parts while on his flight to meet with the band. Kubiszewski became a permanent fixture of Stabbing Westward.

The "Thread Mix" of the song "Violent Mood Swings" was included in the [[Clerks: Music from the Motion Picture|soundtrack]] to the 1994 film ''[[Clerks (1994 film)|Clerks]]'', and briefly appeared in the movie itself for one scene. The song "Nothing" was featured in the 1995 motion picture ''[[Bad Boys (1995 film)|Bad Boys]]'', but was not included on the film's soundtrack release. "Nothing" was later included in the credits of the movie ''[[Johnny Mnemonic (film)|Johnny Mnemonic]]'' and both it and "Lost" were featured on the movie's soundtrack. The songs "Lies", "Lost", and "Can't Happen Here" were also all featured in the first ''[[Mortal Kombat (1995 film)|Mortal Kombat]]'' movie in 1995; however, these songs were not featured on the CD soundtrack.

===''Wither Blister Burn & Peel'' (1995–1997)===
When Stuart Zechman departed the band after the ''Ungod'' tour due to personal differences,<ref name="entertainmentavenue1">{{cite web|url=http://www.entertainmentavenue.com/concert_hall/q_and_a/stabbing_westward/sw112196.htm|title=Entertainment Ave! The Concert Hall - A Question & Answer Interview with Andy Kubiszewski of Stabbing Westward, November 21, 1996|website=Entertainmentavenue.com|access-date=February 20, 2015}}</ref> the remaining band members found themselves without one of their major songwriters. New drummer Andy Kubiszewski took over some songwriting duties afterward.<ref name="LarkinHR"/> Prior to playing in Stabbing Westward, Kubiszewski had not only played drums in [[The The]], recorded one song for [[Nine Inch Nails]],<ref name="LarkinHR"/> and played in [[Prick (band)|Prick]], but had been the singer and songwriter in the Cleveland-based [[Exotic Birds]]. Shortly after Zechman's departure, Kubiszewski played the band dozens of demos and Exotic Birds recordings. Included were "What Do I Have to Do?",<ref name="LarkinHR"/> "Haunting Me", "Sometimes It Hurts", "Crushing Me",<ref name="LarkinHR"/> "Slipping Away", "Desperate Now", and "Goodbye". These tracks would later find space on both the ''Wither'' and ''Darkest Days'' albums. When the band headed to [[Bearsville Studios]] in Woodstock, New York, without a permanent guitar player, they decided to play all the guitar parts themselves, with Sellers and Kubiszewski taking on most of the guitar duties.

In 1996, the ''[[Wither Blister Burn & Peel]]'' LP became a success,<ref name="LarkinHR"/> landing them their first [[certified gold]] album, aided by the singles "Shame" and "What Do I Have to Do?" which granted the band heavy rotation on [[MTV]], [[MuchMusic]], and radio. Tour mates for this album included [[Sponge (band)|Sponge]]. "What Do I Have to Do?" was featured in 1997's ''[[Masterminds (1997 film)|Masterminds]]'', as well as in the episode [[Tempest (Smallville)|"Tempest"]] of ''[[Smallville]]'' years later. The band later recruited Mark Eliopulos after the ''Wither'' recording sessions were completed to handle the live element of the main guitar parts.

===''Darkest Days'' (1998–2000)===
Stabbing Westward relocated to Los Angeles, where they began work on the 1998 album, titled ''[[Darkest Days]]''.<ref name="LarkinHR"/> ''Darkest Days'' was envisioned as a four-act story by the band (but never marketed as such). This is the only release featuring studio work by Mark Eliopulos. The first single "Save Yourself" had success yet the album failed to sell as well as its predecessor. Stabbing Westward continued to tour with bands like [[Placebo (band)|Placebo]], [[The Cult]], [[Monster Magnet]], and [[Depeche Mode]], while playing numerous summer festivals. Due to a broken collarbone, Kubiszewski was forced to sit out the remainder of the touring cycle. He was replaced for three dates by former drummer Chris Vrenna, then Johnny Haro for the remaining dates. Haro joined [[Econoline Crush]] after Kubiszewski's return.

The song "The Thing I Hate" was featured as the opening theme song in the [[Sony]] [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]] game ''[[Duke Nukem: Time to Kill]]'', which was released in September 1998. A remixed version of the song "Torn Apart" was featured on the ''[[Spawn (1997 film)#Soundtrack|Spawn]]'' movie soundtrack in July 1997. The song "Save Yourself" was featured in the 1998 films ''[[Urban Legend (film)|Urban Legend]]'' and ''[[Tekken: The Motion Picture|Tekken]]'', in addition to the 2012 ''[[True Blood]]'' Season 5 finale. The song "Haunting Me" was featured in the opening scenes of the 1998 teen horror flick ''[[The Faculty (film)|The Faculty]]''.

In 2000, the day before the band was to fly to [[Hawaii]] to record the follow-up to ''Darkest Days'' with producer [[Bob Rock]], the band was dropped by Columbia Records.

===''Stabbing Westward'' and breakup (2001–2002)===
After signing with [[Koch Records]], the new manager wanted the band to create an album with a heavy pop influence. Christopher Hall, Walter Flakus, and Mark Eliopulos fought against the decision. Mark Eliopulos was fired by the manager who then brought in Derrek Hawkins as both a studio and live musician, as well as a new producer, [[Ed Buller]].<ref name="youtube1">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvzqzrpV4_o | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308201538/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvzqzrpV4_o| archive-date=March 8, 2016 |title=Christopher Hall Interviewed about Stabbing Westward & The Dreaming |publisher=[[YouTube]] |date=November 9, 2011 |access-date=February 20, 2015}}</ref>

The demo for the self-titled album was considered too dark. Old guitar parts from the demos were muted and new pop-driven riffs were created by the new guitarist.<ref name="youtube1"/>

The self-titled album, ''[[Stabbing Westward (album)|Stabbing Westward]]'', was released on May 22, 2001, and featured the hit "So Far Away". The album did well in Australia, but ultimately failed to sell worldwide.<ref name="youtube1"/> Before a fifth LP could be recorded, the band did not sign for a new record deal and formally announced that they had disbanded on February 9, 2002.

===Post-breakup (2003–2015)===
* Lead singer Christopher Hall formed the Los Angeles-based band [[The Dreaming (American band)|The Dreaming]] in 2001. They released their debut album ''[[Etched In Blood]]'' in June 2008. Songs from the album received airplay on [[XM Satellite Radio]] and rock stations nationwide. The album was distributed in [[Hot Topic]] and [[Best Buy]]. The band spent three years touring as a headliner and co-headliners with bands such as [[Trust Company (band)|Trust Company]] and [[Flaw (band)|Flaw]]. In November 2011, the band released its second album, ''Puppet''. It reached No. 32 on the [[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] [[Heatseekers Albums]] chart.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/401935/dreaming/chart |title=The Dreaming - Chart history |publisher=Billboard |access-date=February 20, 2015}}</ref> Their third album, ''Rise Again'', was released in February 2015. ''From the Ashes'', a [[remix album]], was released in June 2017.
* Walter Flakus has been working with [[The Clay People]] and [[Chokt]]. He was the APD/Music Director/Afternoon host for Chicago alternative station [[WKQX (FM)|101 WKQX]]. He is now an afternoon DJ for Seattle alternative station 107.7 The End. He joined Hall's band The Dreaming in 2015.
* Jim Sellers and his wife opened a natural foods market called Sellers Market in 2005. It appears to have closed in 2012.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2012/10/30/sellers-markets-shutters-in-financial.html|title=Sellers Markets shutters in Financial District, prepares for express shops|last=Frojo|first=Renee|date=October 30, 2012|website=Bizjournals.com|access-date=July 7, 2017}}</ref>
* Jim Clanin left the music industry. He owned and operated a [[Dairy Queen]] in [[Illinois]].
* Andy Kubiszewski has filled in as the drummer for a handful of [[Prick (band)|Prick]] shows, joined a new project called Affected with Chris Schleyer, written and produced several songs for the popular Russian pop duo [[t.A.T.u.]], and has composed music for dozens of TV shows, including ''[[Monster Garage]]'', ''[[Monster House (U.S. TV series)|Monster House]]'', ''[[Ax Men]]'', ''[[America's Toughest Jobs]]'', ''[[The Colony (2009 TV series)|The Colony]]'', and most recently ''[[Storage Wars]]''. Other film credits include ''[[Jam (film)|Jam]]''. Andy also composes the music to the popular ''Habla Blah Blah'' line of kids CDs.
* Mark Eliopulos played guitar in the bands Violent New Breed, HTH, Super Model, and Brave Ulysses.
* Johnny Haro joined [[Econoline Crush]] after briefly playing drums for Stabbing Westward. He eventually formed The Dreaming along with Christopher Hall.
* Stuart Zechman retired from the music industry. He moved to New York and started a family.
* David Suycott joined [[Machines of Loving Grace]] in 1995 as their new drummer. He continues to do production and remix work with various bands.
* Derrek Hawkins continued to work in the music industry, notably contributing to the song "Outer Space" on [[Ace Frehley]]'s 2009 solo album [[Anomaly (Ace Frehley album)|''Anomaly'']].

In June 2010, a rumor was afloat that Stabbing Westward would reunite to tour and possibly work on new material;<ref>{{cite web|title=Stabbing Westward Reunited; Planning Tour This Year|url=http://tunelab.com:80/2010/06/08/stabbing-westward-reunited-planning-tour-this-year/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100611150947/http://tunelab.com:80/2010/06/08/stabbing-westward-reunited-planning-tour-this-year/|archive-date=June 11, 2010|website=Tunelab.com|date=June 8, 2010|access-date=August 14, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Stabbing Westward "Reunion" Update|url=http://tunelab.com:80/2010/06/09/stabbing-westward-reunion-update/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100615233337/http://tunelab.com:80/2010/06/09/stabbing-westward-reunion-update/|archive-date=June 15, 2010|website=Tunelab.com|date=June 9, 2010|access-date=August 14, 2018}}</ref> however, this proved false. In July 2012, a fan created a petition which asked frontman [[Christopher Hall (musician)|Christopher Hall]] to reconcile with his former Stabbing Westward bandmates for a reunion tour;<ref>{{cite web|last=Garcia |first=Mike |url=http://www.idioteq.com/stabbing-westward-reunion-in-the-works/ |title=STABBING WESTWARD reunion in the works? |website=Idioteq.com |access-date=February 20, 2015}}</ref> again, the reunion never happened.

Christopher Hall, Walter Flakus, and Johnny Haro reunited at one of The Dreaming's shows in Las Vegas on November 15, 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://musictourreviews.com/2013/11/18/the-dreaming-4#sthash.L4XkAfFL.jlWzi2Nd.dpbs |title=» The Dreaming &#124; Stabbing Westward Reunion |website=Musictourreviews.com |access-date=February 20, 2015 |archive-date=June 11, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210611024556/http://musictourreviews.com/2013/11/18/the-dreaming-4#sthash.L4XkAfFL.jlWzi2Nd.dpbs |url-status=dead }}</ref> Flakus would later join The Dreaming on a permanent basis.

===Reunion and ''Chasing Ghosts'' (2015–present)===
Stabbing Westward reunited in 2015 after Eliopulos joined them onstage to play a set of Stabbing Westward songs when the Dreaming came through Chicago on their "Rise Again" tour on June 11, 2015. The band officially reunited for two shows, which coincided with the band's 30th anniversary. The first show took place in Chicago on September 22, 2016, as a part of the Cold Waves Festival, a charity festival benefiting suicide prevention causes. The lineup featured Christopher Hall, Walter Flakus, Mark Eliopulos, and Johnny Haro along with [[Carlton Bost]] (mainly known from The Dreaming, and also the reunited bands Orgy and Berlin). Jim Sellers did not take part in the reunion because of work commitments. The second show took place at Dracula's Ball in Philadelphia on October 31, 2016, at the Trocadero Theatre.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.draculasball.com|title=Dracula's Ball Halloween 2016|work=draculasball.com|access-date=January 26, 2017}}</ref>

In a January 2017 interview with [[audioBoom]], Walter Flakus was asked if there would be more Stabbing Westward reunion shows in the future. His response was, "We'll see. I don't have anything planned yet, but I'm always open to opportunities. It was great to get back on stage and play those songs again."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://audioboom.com/posts/5468436-071-walt-flakus-on-stabbing-westward-s-rise-fall-and-rebirth-his-radio-career-and-filling-in-for-the-great-matt-pinfield|title=071 – WALT FLAKUS – on Stabbing Westward's rise, fall, and rebirth; his radio career; and filling in for the great Matt Pinfield|work=audioboom.com|access-date=January 26, 2017|archive-date=January 18, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118062438/https://audioboom.com/posts/5468436-071-walt-flakus-on-stabbing-westward-s-rise-fall-and-rebirth-his-radio-career-and-filling-in-for-the-great-matt-pinfield|url-status=dead}}</ref> Dates for a full tour began to be announced in February 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.treesdallas.com/event/1420773-stabbing-westward-dallas/|title=Stabbing Westward - Tickets - Trees - Dallas, TX - April 28th, 2017|work=treesdallas.com|access-date=January 26, 2017|archive-date=January 30, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170130094924/http://www.treesdallas.com/event/1420773-stabbing-westward-dallas/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The band also performed at the 2017 edition of Cold Waves Festival in Chicago, Illinois.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://music.mxdwn.com/2017/03/30/news/cold-waves-festival-announces-2017-lineup-featuring-front-242-kmfdm-and-stabbing-westward/|title=Cold Waves Festival Announces 2017 Lineup Featuring Front 242, KMFDM and Stabbing Westward|author=Lee, Christopher|date=March 30, 2017|work=music.mxdwn.com|access-date=April 7, 2017}}</ref>

The band released new material after their formation, such as a re-recorded version of the song "Plastic Jesus" (released on the ''Cold Waves V'' compilation on September 22, 2016) and an outtake from 2001 entitled "Home in You" (released on the ''Cold Waves VI'' compilation on September 28, 2017).

On August 17, 2018, Johnny Haro had been "let go" from the band, and will not be participating in any further band activities. In his Facebook post of that date, he stated that "The Dreaming is done." Stabbing Westward announced Bobby Amaro, from Orgy, as a replacement for Haro. The band embarked on a U.S. tour from October to December 2018 by celebrating the 20th anniversary of the release of ''Darkest Days'' and performing most of the album, along with other songs. 

In June 2019, the ensemble stated via their [[Facebook]] page that they were working on a new album,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/stabbingwestwrd/posts/2397166530345032 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/192440274151013/2397166530345032 |archive-date=2022-02-26 |url-access=limited|title=Stabbing Westward|website=Facebook.com}}{{cbignore}}</ref> with Eliopulos via his Facebook site stating that he has left the band.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2603431573042158&set=a.101044543280886&type=3&theater|title=Log In or Sign Up to View|website=Facebook.com}}</ref> In early 2020, 19 years after the band's self-titled album, the first proper release of all new material was put out by the band, titled ''[[Dead and Gone (EP)|Dead and Gone]]''.

In May 2020, the band announced their signing to label [[COP International]] for their forthcoming studio album ''Chasing Ghosts'', the band's first full studio album since 2001. The lead single was "I Am Nothing" and the album was released on March 18, 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Price|first=Jason|url=https://www.iconvsicon.com/2022/03/14/chasing-ghosts-christopher-hall-on-the-long-strange-road-to-stabbing-westwards-most-pure-album/|title=Chasing Ghosts|website=IconvsIcon|date=March 14, 2022}}{{cbignore}}</ref>