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.

John Lacey told P-Orridge and Tutti who had formed COUM transmissions 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 Throbbing Gristle in 1981 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.