Biography

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Ever heard of “Keith LeBlanc”? “King Of The Beat”?

More than just a session drummer, Keith is also an accomplished solo artist and maverick producer . Keith Leblanc was active in the rise of both hip hop and industrial musical genres as they transitioned from underground ideas to commercial industries. His early recordings on drums with The Sugarhill House Band, Tackhead and a near endless list of production and performance credits put him way ahead of the musical curve. Always the innovator Keith LeBlanc's musical story continues.

Keith started playing drums at the age of four. In the summer of 1979 Keith Leblanc met Doug Wimbish and Skip McDonald. This trio would become the legendary rhythm section behind the hits for Sugar-hill Records. They performed on such classics as Grandmaster Flashes The Message and Freedom, It's Nasty, , White Lines, The Sugar Hill Gangs Eight Wonder and Funky Fours Thats the Joint and Angie Stones first record, Funk You Up.

Moving on from the early 80's rap explosion, drummer Keith Leblanc released some solo work on Tommy Boy Records, mixing the DMX drumbeats with his own special drum sound. His release No Sell Out featured the cut-up raps of civil rights activist Malcolm X pitched against the infamous DMX drumbeat to acknowledged as the first ever 'sampling record'. Ahead of the time and timeless. Keith worked with Africa Bambatta and James Brown and many of the Tommy Boy artists. He also contributed to the Artists United Against Apartheid Released 1985.

Leblanc, moved to London working with British mixer/producer Adrian Sherwood of On-U Sound. Together creating the sound of funk noise giants Tackhead. Keith's landmark album "Major Malfunction" (WR005) was of great influence to a whole generation of musicians. The album, a reaction to the 1986 disaster with space shuttle Challenger, started off a whole new genre of industrial music.

Apart from his work as member of the legendary On-U Sound posse, Leblanc released twenty five sampling cd's with loads of drum samples and sound effects, and also many solo projects from his label Blanc Records. Keith's writing production and drumming skills have attracted the likes of Living Color, Peter Gabriel, The Cure, Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, James Brown, Trevor Horn, Seal, R.E.M., The Rolling Stones, Annie Lennox, Jalal (Last Poets), The Stone Roses, Robert Palmer,ABC,Little Steven ,Will Downing,Tina Turner,Depeche Mode,and many more.

See Discography