Editing Stabbing Westward (section)

===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.