The band began life in 1976 with CAMERON HAWKINS (Synthesisers, Bass, Vocals) and NASH THE SLASH (Jeff Plewman) (Electric Violin, Mandolin, Vocals) coming together as a duo, making an appearance on national TV in Canada in the Summer of 1976. By March 1977 FM became a trio with the addition of MARTIN DELLAR on Drums. The Canadian Broadcasting Company offered to release the band's debut album, "Black Noise" on the CBC label later that year. By the end of the year Nash the Slash had been replaced by BEN MINK on Electric Violin and Mandolin in time for the sessions for "Direct to Disc", an album that featured one track per side and was recorded directly to a master disc from which records were pressed, rather than from a master tape. This mid-priced Esoteric Recordings release is the first time "Direct to Disc" has been issued in Europe and has been newly remastered and includes an illustrated booklet and a new essay.