Chris Carter was born in the City of London on 28 January 1953. In 1967, whilst still at school, Carter played bass guitar in a band called The Dragsters. Carter attended Friern Barnet Grammar School between 1964-1966, before moving on to Winchmore Hill County School which he attended until April 1969.

His first solo gig, under the name Waveforms, took place at Thurrock Technical College on 13 March 1975. He then toured the show around the university and college circuit. Although billed as solo performances, John Lacey, usually, or Chris Panayiotou, occasionally, would help operate the lighting and special effects whilst Carter played his self-built synthesisers and keyboards. Carter reciprocated Lacey's help by assisting him on his projects, including various multi-media presentations and experimental films.

Lacey, born in 1952, studied Fine Art and Painting at Goldsmiths College, London, from 1971 to 1974. His father was the artist Bruce Lacey, the creator of disturbing robotic sculptures, performer with The Alberts and caretaker at Martello Street studios. John Lacey often met P-Orridge and Tutti at the studios and had performed with COUM using the pseudonym John Gunni Busck.

Lacey told P-Orridge and Tutti about Carter and they were immediately intrigued; he sounded perfect for the group. They arranged a meeting, everything clicked, and from then on Carter became a regular visitor to the studio. And so it was, during the summer of 1975, that the COUM story became complicated by, and intertwined with, the TG.

Shortly after the demise of the band in 1982 Chris Carter and Cosey Fanni-Tutti formed the Conspiracy International record label CTI (with backing from Rough Trade) and began working together as Chris & Cosey and CTI. Initially releasing only music they soon moved into producing video works, and with the help of Doublevision released a number of CTI experimental video films and soundtracks.