Stroke

With "First In Last Out", Stroke was the first rock band to be signed to electronica/dance label XL (other signed bands include Prodigy and Maxim). London based, Stroke was formed by core member Jason Kelly (Manchester). The band, which also includes members Paul Beard (keyboard), Matt Bristow (bass), Tom Hooper (drums) and Pascal Glanville (guitar) released a number of vinyl and cd singles for the label in late 1998 and 1999, then issued First In, Last Out early 2000. - "England's Stroke lay out a moody, sometimes menacing blend of hard rock-tinged industrial and trip-hop which relies mostly on electronic instrumentation for its impact. Yet the group has a sense of subtlety as well, never going so far over the top as to turn their darkness into a cartoonish caricature." - Steve Huey (All Music Guide)