Then Jerico

In the wake of Duran Duran's fading allure, late-'80s Britain saw numerous guitar-driven acts from London scrambling to claim similar pinup status. Among them stood Then Jerico, a quartet whose photogenic frontman Mark Shaw shaped its direction. At 21, Shaw assembled the lineup by enlisting bassist Jasper Stainthorpe and drummer Steve Wren while drawing guitarist Scott Taylor away from Belouis Some. The band issued its debut single, "The Big Sweep," via Immaculate Records in 1985, yet its pivotal breakthrough arrived later that year during the New Music Seminar in New York, where multiple labels expressed keen interest. Upon returning, Then Jerico inked a deal with London Records, prompting reissues of "The Big Sweep" alongside the fresh track "Fault," both of which gained club traction. Further singles and mounting live audiences steadily elevated the group's visibility, culminating in its initial chart entry in early 1987 via the song "Muscle Deep." "The Motive," a melodramatic fusion of rock and soul, advanced into the Top 40, mirrored by the debut album First -- The Sound of Music. To strengthen its road configuration, Then Jerico incorporated second guitarist Rob Downes and collaborated with Roxy Music producer Rhett Davies for the more polished 1989 follow-up The Big Area, which extended prior momentum. Its title track achieved the band's peak placement at number 13 on the U.K. charts, while the album itself, bolstered by guest contributions from Belinda Carlisle and ex-Kajagoogoo bassist Nick Beggs, reached the Top Five. Momentum collapsed abruptly when Shaw pursued a solo path, only for disputes with EMI to stall his long-awaited debut Almost until its eventual late-1991 release, after which he parted ways with the label. The live set Mark Shaw Etc. Alive and Exposed surfaced in 1992 amid his search for fresh representation. A contract with Eagle Rock materialized in late 1997 once Shaw restored the Then Jerico name to his backing musicians, leading to the album Orgasmaphobia, which appeared in mid-1998. Shaw has maintained an active schedule of Then Jerico performances while joining occasional outings alongside ex-Spandau Ballet frontman Tony Hadley and the SAS Band, whose rotating lineup has featured Roger Taylor of Queen, Paul Young, and former Marillion vocalist Fish.