Voice Industrie

Wikipedia:

Voice Industrie (1989 - present) http://www.voiceindustrie.com

Electronic music (industrial/techno/trance) from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

VI version 3

Alan Levesque (music, lyrics, keyboards and programming, electronic drums, production)

Allie Queue (lyrics, vocals, keyboards)

VI version 2

Alan Levesque (music, lyrics, keyboards and programming, electronic drums, production) 1989-present

Francis Tetrault (keyboards) 1995-2005

Also, Shane Handford (keyboards) and Monique Albert (vocals) both stepped in for brief stints.

VI version 1

Alan Levesque (music, lyrics, keyboards and programming, electronic drums, production) 1989-present

Alex Brodsky (keyboards) 1989-1995

Lance White (keyboards) 1989-1994

Richard Abbass (electronic drums) 1991-1995

History

The group performed their inaugural live show in 1992 at the Bronx in Edmonton, and went on to open for 2-Unlimited and other prominent bands of the era. White left VI in 1994 and the band continued as a three member act opening for the likes of Cassandra Complex and others. Brodsky and Abbass left VI in 1995, a mere 10 days prior to VI's "The Anatomie" scheduled CD release which opened the door for keyboardist Francis Tetrault to come in and fill the vacancy until his departure in 2005 to pursue his interests in Fashion Photography.

In 1994, VI was signed to indie label 'Factoria Records', then in 1997 to 'Interdimensional Industries'. Both labels helped the band get introduced locally and abroad, culminating in an appearance in the Belgium's "Sideline Magazine" 'Heartbreaker Top 10' section with VI's 'Transmission' in 1997, but it wasn't until VI was signed to the A Different Drum synthpop label (Salt Lake City, USA) that the band began receiving global attention. (VI's music is currently available through the A Different Drum label website). With pounding dance beats, driving percussion and unrelenting electronic bliss, Levesque's smooth "Gahan-esq" voice had become a trademark of the band and was touted as one of the best male voices in electronic music. They were known as one of the few electronic bands that maintained a melodic and integral vocal presence regardless of how driving or intense the music was. Several of the more prominent electronic bands of the era mentioned VI as having influenced their vocal sound in one way or another.

From the DM-like offerings of the early years (Psychotica - 1992) to a more industrial period (The Anatomie - 1995), it seemed Levesque was not content to let the music remain stagnant. It continued to evolve -- touching on pseudo-trance infused soundscapes (Transmission - 1997) eventually to find a trance synthpop flavour in the final VI offering (Power - 2003). Critics cited Power as Depeche Mode meets Underworld and one review claimed "VI makes music for the mind that shakes the behind." The 2-CD "Voice Historie" was released in 2004 and featured songs from the previous albums.

Voice Industrie performed live with KMFDM, Assemblage 23 and numerous other high profile bands and artists of the era. To date, VI has released five full length albums and has had tracks featured on numerous compilations and remixes.

In February of 2013, although not officially announced by the band, rumors began surfacing on social media of a new upcoming VI album and the possibility of live appearances with recently acquired keyboardist Allie Queue. In typical minimalistic fashion, The VI website offered very little information other than a cryptic clue that there was something in the works and due sometime in 2013. With Levesque's seemingly deliberate desire to avoid the Social Media scene, information and details surrounding a new album and live appearances were sketchy at best.

VI's music is available at A Different Drum and Amazon, CD Baby, and other online stores

News

Mar 2013 - A minimalistic VI website page offered a hint of possible new tracks and live appearances sometime in 2013.

Feb 2013 - Allie Queue (keyboards/lyrics/vocals) joined Voice Industrie.

2007 - Levesque performed on drums and produced "The Basement Tapes" EP for Edmonton-based post-punk trio "Cockatoo". In 2012, Levesque was invited to rejoin the group and help co-write and co-produce new and existing tracks along with guitarist/synthesist/producer Nano Uribe (Storyboard, Aurora) for a new album due out in August 2013 but both left the project after 10 months and prior to the album's completion, citing reasons of unprofessionalism and "irreconcilable differences" with the group's vocalist as the main reasons for leaving.

==Voice Industrie Discography==