Timbo
12-13-05, 08:21 AM
One of my fave bands from the 80's, here's their story:
The Story of Then Jerico...
It all started in 1983 when, after being sacked from his eighth job in as many months, a 21 year old, unemployed Mark Shaw decided to take an active hand in his future and placed an advert in Melody Maker which read:
"Brilliantly experienced singer seeks band"
and, from having never auditioned musicians before, he ended up with 30 people crammed into a rehersal room - which wouldn't have been so bad had they all been playing the same song!
However, the result of this fiasco was the acquisition of Jasper Stainthorpe on Bass, Steve Wren on drums and, within weeks, guitarist Scott Taylor was stolen from another band.
The ploys they adopted to get themselves noticed are now well documented, with the most famous involving their 'borrowing' five pounds from everyone they knew in order to fly themselves to the New Music Seminar in New Yourk where they created a buzz about themselves as to have A&R men falling over themselves with ludicrous offers. They signed to London Records soon afterwards and were hailed in the press as the next new phenomenon, and after four singles that had entered the lower regions of the charts and their debut album 'First (The Sound of Music)', the band had culltivated a devoted live following and a solid - if somewhat contoversial critical foundation! Mark remained philosophical about the fact that their live success was not reflected in the charts, " I just keep thinking about Bowie, he had to release several albums before he had a hit".
The Jerico didn't have to wait that long, their very next single 'The Motive' touched all the right nerves in the summer of '87and gave them the hit that has so far eluded them. Their second hit with 'Muscle Deep' consolidated their by now already strong position and ensured that both of their subsequent tours were completely sold out.
Despite an apparent low profile before the release of 'The Big Area' album, the band had never stopped working. Tracks for the LP had been recorded and mixed in England and also in Los Angeles where Belinda Carlisle popped into the studio and sang backing vocals on one of the tracks 'What does it Take'. At one stage pressure to complete the LP was so great that the group were mixing in five seperate studios in LA simultaneously. In between recording commitments the group also found time to sign a major US record deal.
Then Jerico then released a new single 'Big Area' in January '88 and marked their return with a vengeance when it reached No.13 in the charts. Now augmented by guitarist Rob Downes their new album 'The Big Area'` was released mid February and immediatly went in at No.4 in the album chart.
1989 'Sugar Box' was the next single which reached No.22 in the charts and their final release 'What Does it Take' went in at No.33.
During their eurpoean tour in 1989 - a fight broke out within the band and Scott Taylor left - six months later Mark Shaw left Then Jerico to persue a solo career with EMI records.
Three further albums were released despite the demise of the band - 'Electric' an album full of Bsides in '94, next 'The Best Of' album in '97, and finally 'Radio Jerico' - an excellent live album in '98.
The Story of Then Jerico...
It all started in 1983 when, after being sacked from his eighth job in as many months, a 21 year old, unemployed Mark Shaw decided to take an active hand in his future and placed an advert in Melody Maker which read:
"Brilliantly experienced singer seeks band"
and, from having never auditioned musicians before, he ended up with 30 people crammed into a rehersal room - which wouldn't have been so bad had they all been playing the same song!
However, the result of this fiasco was the acquisition of Jasper Stainthorpe on Bass, Steve Wren on drums and, within weeks, guitarist Scott Taylor was stolen from another band.
The ploys they adopted to get themselves noticed are now well documented, with the most famous involving their 'borrowing' five pounds from everyone they knew in order to fly themselves to the New Music Seminar in New Yourk where they created a buzz about themselves as to have A&R men falling over themselves with ludicrous offers. They signed to London Records soon afterwards and were hailed in the press as the next new phenomenon, and after four singles that had entered the lower regions of the charts and their debut album 'First (The Sound of Music)', the band had culltivated a devoted live following and a solid - if somewhat contoversial critical foundation! Mark remained philosophical about the fact that their live success was not reflected in the charts, " I just keep thinking about Bowie, he had to release several albums before he had a hit".
The Jerico didn't have to wait that long, their very next single 'The Motive' touched all the right nerves in the summer of '87and gave them the hit that has so far eluded them. Their second hit with 'Muscle Deep' consolidated their by now already strong position and ensured that both of their subsequent tours were completely sold out.
Despite an apparent low profile before the release of 'The Big Area' album, the band had never stopped working. Tracks for the LP had been recorded and mixed in England and also in Los Angeles where Belinda Carlisle popped into the studio and sang backing vocals on one of the tracks 'What does it Take'. At one stage pressure to complete the LP was so great that the group were mixing in five seperate studios in LA simultaneously. In between recording commitments the group also found time to sign a major US record deal.
Then Jerico then released a new single 'Big Area' in January '88 and marked their return with a vengeance when it reached No.13 in the charts. Now augmented by guitarist Rob Downes their new album 'The Big Area'` was released mid February and immediatly went in at No.4 in the album chart.
1989 'Sugar Box' was the next single which reached No.22 in the charts and their final release 'What Does it Take' went in at No.33.
During their eurpoean tour in 1989 - a fight broke out within the band and Scott Taylor left - six months later Mark Shaw left Then Jerico to persue a solo career with EMI records.
Three further albums were released despite the demise of the band - 'Electric' an album full of Bsides in '94, next 'The Best Of' album in '97, and finally 'Radio Jerico' - an excellent live album in '98.