Front 242 was formed in 1981 in Aarschot, Belgium, by Daniel Bressanutti and Dirk Bergen. Patrick Codenys and Jean-Luc De Meyer had also formed a group called Under Viewer at around the same time. The two duos joined together in 1982. In 1983, Dirk Bergen left the band and Richard Jonckheere, called Richard 23, joined as vocalist.