Lostprophets were a Welsh rock band from Pontypridd, formed in 1997 by singer Ian Watkins and guitarist Lee Gaze. The group was founded after their former band Fleshbind broke up. They later recruited Mike Lewis on guitars, Stuart Richardson on bass and Mike Chiplin on drums.[1] After Lostprophets' demo was featured in Kerrang! magazine, U.K. independent label Visible Noise offered them an album deal in 2000. That year's The Fake Sound of Progress was recorded over the course of a week for roughly $4,000. The Fake Sound of Progress in 2001, one that had been remixed and "retooled" by famed producer Michael Barbiero. A North American tour followed. The album's successor, 2004's Start Something, debuted at number five on the U.K. charts and reached number 33 on the Billboard Top 200 despite having been leaked early on the Internet. More touring followed, including a sold-out show at the giant Cardiff International Arena and a main-stage performance at the 2004 Reading Festival. In 2005 the bandmembers were considering different producers for their third effort before deciding on Bob Rock, Drummer Chiplin departed so Rock and the band recruited drummer Josh Freese -- who had worked with A Perfect Circle, Rob Zombie, and many others -- for recording sessions. The completed album, Liberation Transmission, was released at the beginning of summer 2006. The Betrayed arrived in 2010, followed by the group's fifth studio album, Weapons, in 2012. ~