The Shining

Following the Verve's 1999 breakup, bassist Simon Jones—one of the band's founders—withdrew into isolation inside his London apartment. In 2000 guitarist John Squire, formerly of the Stone Roses, disrupted that retreat by reaching out to Jones about writing fresh songs. Still unsettled by the Seahorses' split, Squire was eager to resume making music. He joined Jones, Verve guitarist Simon Tong, drummer Mark Heaney, and singer Duncan Baxter; the five adopted the name the Shining, drawn from both the Stephen King novel and Stanley Kubrick's film. The planned partnership with Squire soon diverged from expectations, prompting an early, amicable departure for both him and Jones. With guitarist Dan MacBean now in the lineup, the Shining cultivated a rough-edged pop style. Their first singles, "Quicksilver" and "Wonder How," surfaced in early 2002 alongside a U.S. contract with Epic. The group's debut studio album, True Skies, was slated for release in early 2003.