VNV Nation is an electronic music group formed in London in 1990, now based in Hamburg, Germany, that combines elements of trance, synthpop and electronic body music (ebm) into what they call futurepop. VNV Nation began as a one man project from Ronan Harris. In 1995 Mark Jackson joined the band permanently as a live drummer.

VNV Nation's inspiration was originally the clash of the modern and classical European cultures, where mythology and technology live in an uneasy fusion, but this has since broadened to encompass a world view. The music ranges from electronic dance music to ballads and classically inspired music. Inspirations are taken from a wide range of styles including contemporary underground club culture, industrial, trance and classical music. The lyrics draw on philosophy, religion, literature, art, politics and different forms of symbolism, although VNV Nation does not advocate any ideology. It is a metaphor for expression. The letters VNV stand for "Victory Not Vengeance". The meaning behind this stylised motto is that one should strive to achieve, not sit in bitter regret.

VNV Nation's first releases were in 1990 with two self produced vinyl releases, "Body Pulse" and "Strength of Youth" (which are now long deleted with Ronan Harris himself not having a copy). After working on some VNV Nation tracks and supporting Nitzer Ebb on tour whilst living in Toronto, Canada, Ronan returned to London and released some tracks on sampler CDs. This caught the interest of German label Discordia and in July 1995, "Advance and Follow" was released. At around about the same time, Mark Jackson joined the band.

In January 1998, VNV Nation signed with the German label, Off Beat Records, releasing their second album "Praise the Fallen" in June 1998 and the EP "Solitary EP" in September 1998. With VNV Nation increasing in popularity, they began their first headline tour in Germany in September 1998.

In 1999, the Off Beat label collapsed, leading to VNV Nation (along with other artists such as Covenant, Suicide Commando and Velvet Acid Christ) collaborating with Stefan Herwig (a former A&R manager with Off Beat) to create Dependent Records. In late 1999, the album "Empires" was released, staying at number 1 in the German Alternative Chart (DAC) for seven weeks, and winning the award for DAC Album of the Year.

From "Empires" two singles were released "Darkangel", which tops the DAC for 5 weeks in mid 1999 and "Standing", which stays at no.1 in the DAC for 8 weeks in early 2000 (the maximum a single can remain in the DAC) winning a German Alternative Music Award for most successful single of 2000 and sharing the place for most successful single in the DAC's history with the Chemical Brothers. A limited edition of the "Standing" single was also released entitled "Standing / Burning Empires" which contained alternate versions and remixes by VNV Nation of tracks from "Empires". This remains one of the most sought after VNV rarities, fetching large sums on auction sites, although it has recently been released on iTunes to allow casual listeners to purchase it.

In March 2001, "Advance and Follow v2" was released as a limited edition, which was a remastered and partially re-recorded version of the original 1995 album "Advance and Follow". The band were never particularly happy with the first album due to it being recorded in less than a week, so the release was seen by the band as a way to put that right.

In October 2001, VNV Nation embarked on their "Futureperfect" tour of Europe and North America, promoting the album "Futureperfect" which was released in January 2002. It reached number 25 in the full German Album Charts, with the single "Beloved" reaching number 60 in the full German Singles Chart. Following the release of "Beloved", VNV Nation part ways with Dependant and create their own label "Anachron Records".

In June 2003, the Honour 2003 EP is released, promoting the "Pastperfect" live DVD, which following many delays and problems was finally released in May 2004. Following this the rest of 2004 and beginning of 2005 was spent producing the album "Matter and Form", which was released in April 2005. Preceeding the album release, one of the tracks "Chrome" was sold in March 2005 as a download on the VNV Nation website, as well as iTunes.

In April 2007, the album "Judgement" was released, and an extensive world tour in support of the album followed. In January 2009, VNV Nation published their plans for 2009 on their website, indicating that the long delayed "Reformation" EP would be available, but now as a full "CD Pack". Also due for release in 2009 is the new album entitled "Of Faith, Power and Glory".

To read more about Ronan Harris and his motivations behind the band and 2009's "Of Faith, Power and Glory," please visit http://www.dieselpunks.org/profiles/blogs/interview-ronan-harris-of-vnv

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Straftanz is an industrial band from Germany.

members:
k-x
J-ing
-jl-
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Comrades, Revolutionaries, Nominal Members,

on Friday the 13th of June Phase 1 of the Dancefloor Liberation Movement ends. With the Release of our Album "Forward Ever" Straftanz is going to set a landmark. This is not the goal of our efforts and this is not the end of our Action. It is merely a staging area for the great march to come. Since the weekend of Whitsun in Leipzig, we know that our campaign is not to be ignored any more. The know-it-alls are afraid now, because they know, their credibility is lost. They announced to come in order to see "who in the world wants to see THAT". They wanted to place their derisiveness and malice at us, but they did not get to see what they expected. They saw what we all showed them: The fire of the Future in a thousand Eyes! Angry Fists raised toward the ceiling! The Idiots they expected where nowhere to be seen. Now they know that they can not continue as they did, because now it is our turn.

Dance will no longer be vertical expression of horizontal desire. It will be for its own sake and nothing more. "Forward Ever" will bring the Soundtrack to that notion. The March towards the future is not to be done alone. We are not afraid, for giants are among us. Myk Jung of "The Fair Sex", Miland Petrozza of "Kreator" and Carsten Jacek with [:SITD:] allowed us through their support to record an album as unique as our followers.

We see the world at its abyss. Despair has become a good that is easy to be sold, because it not only enables us to flee from our responsibility. It also is unjustified. Together we are better than that. We will once more give the Dancefloors shape and form, we will slash away the old plunder, drive the people of yesterday in their corner and remove the know-it-alls from a culture that is no longer their own.

Praise the Panic. Forward ever. Backward never.

Straftanz ZK

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