Who were some of A23's early influences?

First and foremost, Depeche Mode probably had more to do with Tom Shear getting into electronic music than anyone else. Not only was the band Shear's introduction to electronic music, but indirectly, they also served as Shear's introduction to industrial dance music. During Shear's initial interest in electronic music, some of the favored bands included New Order, the Cure, Fad Gadget, early Human League, & Soft Cell. At the same time, Shear had an affinity for punk music and was a big fan of bands such as the Clash, the Buzzcocks, the Sex Pistols, the Circle Jerks, and others. As Shear's interest in electronic grew, he began discovering some of the less accessible electronic composers such as Phillip Glass and Carl Stone, as well as becoming addicted to just about anything that came out on the then-thriving Wax Trax! label.