Login
Login

Keith LeBlanc

{{Short description|American drummer (1954–2024)}}

{{More citations needed|date=April 2024}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| image = Keith Leblanc - Little Axe, Vienna 2009a.jpg

| caption = LeBlanc performing with Little Axe in 2009

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1954|11|10}}

| birth_place = Bristol, Connecticut, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and given age|2024|4|4|69}}

| occupation = {{hlist|Drummer|record producer}}

| years_active = {{circa|1980s}}–2024

}}

Keith LeBlanc (November 10, 1954 – April 4, 2024)[https://pitchfork.com/news/keith-leblanc-drummer-on-grandmaster-flash-and-sugarhill-gang-songs-dies-at-69/ Keith LeBlanc, Drummer on Grandmaster Flash and Sugarhill Gang Songs, Dies at 69][https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/keith-leblanc Keith LeBlanc Interview | NAMM Oral History Library (2021)] was an American drummer and record producer who was a member of the bands Little Axe and Tackhead.{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p13471|pure_url=yes}}|title=Biography: Keith LeBlanc|last=Dougan|first=John|website=AllMusic|access-date=1 August 2010}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.skysaw.org/onu/artists/keithleblanc.html|title=On-U Sound In The Area - Keith LeBlanc biography|website=Skysaw.org|access-date=January 23, 2020}}

His record "No Sell Out" was one of the first sample-based releases.{{cite book|title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of Dance Music|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Virgin Books|date=1998|edition=First|isbn=0-7535-0252-6|page=195}} The song was a success, charting at No. 60 on the UK Singles Chart,{{cite web | title=Malcolm X - Singles | publisher=officialcharts.com | url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_/malcolm%20x/ | access-date=30 September 2014}} and becoming the single of the week for several major music publications.{{cite journal |first=Jon |last=Savage |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q6opAQAAIAAJ |title=Radical Chic |journal=New Society |publisher=New Society Limited |date=20 February 1984 |volume=67-68 |page=186 |access-date=30 September 2014}} His career started out on Sugar Hill Records recording with hip hop pioneers Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel, and released several singles on and was a studio musician for Tommy Boy Records. He is also featured on several tracks on the album Pretty Hate Machine by Nine Inch Nails.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/pretty-hate-machine-mw0000207551/credits|title=Pretty Hate Machine - Nine Inch Nails | Credits |website=AllMusic|accessdate=23 June 2021}} He had his own record label on which he released music, samples records, and experiments.{{Cite web |title=Blanc Records |url=https://myspace.com/blancrecords |access-date=2024-04-05 |website=Myspace}}

Early life

LeBlanc was born in Bristol, Connecticut,{{Cite web |title=Keith LeBlanc |url=https://www.metal-archives.com/artists/Keith_LeBlanc/16892 |access-date=2024-04-05 |website=www.metal-archives.com}} in 1954{{Cite web |last=Rimbaud |first=Robin |author-link=Robin Rimbaud |date=April 5, 2024 |title=Sad to read of the passing of drummer Keith LeBlanc (1954-2024). His superglue percussive skills locked together so much music I've loved over the years. 'No Sell Out" (1983) remains an utter sonic gem and redefined dance music at the time. |url=https://www.threads.net/@robinrimbaud/post/C5X3Y8krTZd |access-date=April 5, 2024 |website= |via=Threads}} and grew up there. He got his start playing drums after seeing Ringo Starr from the Beatles on TV. After showing an early interest and focus, his parents bought him a practice pad, and he joined the orchestra in school. A drummer in school encouraged his early interest, inspiring him to cobble together a makeshift kit which he played along to records on his father's HiFi system. He performed his first show at 14 after being snuck into the club by his older bandmates.{{Citation |title="TRUTH IN RHYTHM" - Keith LeBlanc (Sugar Hill, Tackhead), Part 1 of 3 | date=February 7, 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwW7UUrPSiA |language=en |access-date=2022-05-05}}

Sugar Hill Records

LeBlanc's friend Harold Sargent, the drummer for the house band at Sugar Hill Records, was retiring and needed to find his replacement. He brought in LeBlanc to audition for Doug Wimbish and Skip McDonald, who agreed to take him on after hitting it off with LeBlanc. After replacing Sargent, LeBlanc worked as the session drummer for Sugar Hill Records for four years.

Death

LeBlanc died on April 4, 2024.{{Cite web |last=Robb |first=John |date=2024-04-04 |title=Keith LeBlanc RIP |url=https://louderthanwar.com/keith-leblanc-rip/ |access-date=2024-04-04 |website=Louder Than War |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=Addio a Keith LeBlanc. Aveva 70 anni |url=https://www.rockol.it/news-743676/addio-a-keith-leblanc-aveva-70-anni |access-date=2024-04-05 |website=Rockol |language=it}}{{Cite web |date=2024-04-05 |title=Keith LeBlanc, Drummer and Nine Inch Nails Producer, Dead |url=https://consequence.net/2024/04/keith-leblanc-drummer-nine-inch-nails-producer-dead/ |access-date=2024-04-05 |website=Consequence |language=en-US |quote=Keith LeBlanc, (...), has passed away at the age of 70.}} His death was confirmed by his label On-U Sound.{{Cite web |title=Keith LeBlanc Obituary |url=https://on-usound.com/Keith-LeBlanc-Obituary |access-date=2024-04-05 |website=on-usound.com |language=en}}

Discography

= Solo albums =

Source:{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/keith-leblanc-mn0000077361/discography|title=Keith LeBlanc | Album Discography|website=AllMusic|access-date=23 June 2021}}

= Remixes =

= Tackhead =

{{Main|Tackhead discography}}

= Session work =

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [http://www.keithleblanc.com/ Official website]
  • [http://www.skysaw.org/onu/discography/keithleblancdiscog.html Unofficial discography]
  • [https://www.nme.com/artists/keith-leblanc On NME]
  • [http://www.sundaymercury.net/entertainment-news/pop-music-news/cd-reviews/2008/06/17/keith-leblanc-chess-moves-66331-21088952/ Sunday Mercury]
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20090225224624/http://www.drumdrops.com/content/show/PAGE-DRUMMERS On Drumdrops]
  • [https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/keith-leblanc Keith LeBlanc Interview] NAMM Oral History Library (2021)

{{use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}

{{Keith LeBlanc}}

{{Tackhead}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Leblanc, Keith}}

Category:1954 births

Category:2024 deaths

Category:People from Bristol, Connecticut

Category:Tommy Boy Records artists

Category:American male drummers

Category:American record producers

Category:Tackhead members

Category:Fats Comet members

Category:Drummers from Connecticut