Keith LeBlanc

American hi-tech drummer / producer. Founder of Blanc Records. Born on November 10, 1954 in Bristol, Connecticut (USA). Died on 4 April 2024. aged 69. Worked very closely with bassist Doug Wimbish and guitarist Skip McDonald (real name Bernard Alexander), first in Wood, Brass & Steel, later in the (the house band for Sugarhill Records), later still on various projects. Their tight & precise playing can be heard on the vast majority of the Sugar Hill label's output. In 1984, LeBlanc left Sugarhill to produce & arrange for Tommy Boy Records. That same year he met Adrian Sherwood and started working with him in Fats Comet and later Tackhead,. LeBlanc's fist solo album Major Malfunction is considered to be the first Tackhead recording, and was very influential in the industrial scene.
LeBlanc's drumming is unique for his bassdrum approach, which consisted of very precise 16th notes. His hi-hat approach was also unique, in that he rarely played straight 8th's or 16th's, but rather syncopated patterns which were considered modern at the time. LeBlanc also drummed on songs for Living Colour, Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, REM, Peter Gabriel, Tina Turner and Little Axe. LeBlanc also went into drum programming and sampling, e.g. on No Sell Out (Tommy Boy 1984).