Once More With Feeling: A (very!) Brief Introduction To Placebo

Placebo has been playing together since 1994, although its current lineup has only been together since 2008. Brian Molko (lead vocals, guitar) and Stefan Olsdal (guitar, bass) have been playing together for that entire period, but drummer Steve Forrest only joined in 2008 after the previous drummer left. Placebo has actually always had a bit of trouble with drummers: Robert Schultzberg was the first, but left and was replaced by Steve Hewitt due to some conflicts within the band. Hewitt was replaced by Forrest. Lineup changes happen.
Anyways, they have been playing together since 1994, and have released six albums:

Placebo (1996)
Without You I'm Nothing (1998)
Black Market Music (2000)
Sleeping With Ghosts (2003)
Meds (2006)
Battle For The Sun (2009)

They have also confirmed that they are working on a seventh, so yay to that.
Placebo has enjoyed tremendous success. All of their albums have reached the top 20 in the UK, and they have now sold over ten million records worldwide.
They have enjoyed a little bit of controversy due to the drug references in their songs - they aren't in every song, but they are noticeable. They even have a song called Special K, so you know. Brian Molko has also endured some criticism due to his androgynous appearance and openness about his bisexuality. Fuck the haters, though, he is (at least in certain ways) a class act, as we will see in our discussion about Rock En Seine and Rock Im Pott.

From their official website.

They've got the look, and they've got the sound to back it up, and that's pretty much where I'll leave it. 

Also, hey, the livestream has died for me, but the Red Hot Chili Peppers should still be going from Rock Im Pott here.