Grindcore pioneers Extreme Noise Terror formed in Britain in early 1985, originally comprising vocalists Phil Vane and Dean Jones, guitarist Pete Hurley, ba**ist Mark Bailey and drummer Pig k**er; after just one live appearance, the group was signed to Manic Ears Records, soon releasing a split LP with Chaos UK titled Radioactive. Pig k**er then left the group, with Napalm d**h drummer Mick Harris coming aboard as his replacement; winning the admiration of Radio One DJ John Peel, in 1987 Extreme Noise Terror recorded a notorious session for Peel's show, their first of many appearances on the program. Drummer Tony "Stick" Dickens replaced Harris to record the band's first full-length effort, A Holocaust in Your Head; in the wake of their sophomore record, Phonophobia, ENT collaborated with the KLF on a cover of the latter's "3am Eternal" which earned "Single of the Week" honors in NME. Extreme Noise Terror's appearance at the 1992 Brit Awards triggered a national furor after the band aimed a machine gun at the audience, firing off a round of blanks; over the next two years the group toured relentlessly, adding guitarist Ali Firouzbakht and substituting ba**ist Lee Barrett for the exiting Bailey. Original drummer Pig k**er also returned to fold for 1995's Retro-bution, but again left after only a few months; his replacement was former Cradle of Filth member Was. More serious was the defection of Vane, who joined Napalm d**h; ironically, ex-Napalm d**h frontman Mark "Barney" Greenaway then joined ENT, making his debut on 1997's Damage 381. In It for Life followed two years later. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide