THEN JERICO

1982 /83: Mark Shaw formed Then Jerico in via an advert in Melody Maker and debuted the band live in London in 1983. After a lineup change and just 6 more live gigs in London & New York they signed a 7-album deal with London Records in August 1984. The band recorded several tracks with producer Martin Rushent, but London refused to release the first single ‘The Big Sweep’ due to Shaw’s controversial lyrical subject matter (Rupert Murdoch & Robert Maxwell); so in 1985 the band released it as a 1,000 Limited Edition 12” Single on the ‘Immaculate’ indie label owned by Rushent & Pete “Buzzcocks” Shelley. It entered the Indie Charts at #12; finally persuading London Records to pay to release a further 500 the following week. In 1986 dance-rock anthem ‘Fault’ was released on London (also produced by Rushent & remixed in NYC by John Luongo) as a 7” single and just 10,000 x 12” singles, bringing international underground club success, followed by the album ‘First [The Sound Of Music]’- co-produced by Mark Shaw & Owen Davies. It featured 3 chart singles: ‘Let Her Fall’, Muscle Deep’ and 1987’s Top 20 hit ‘The Motive’ which remained in the UK Top 20 for 6 weeks & spent 14 weeks on the chart, becoming the highest-played record on BBC Radio One in 1987. ‘Muscle Deep’ was then remixed by Julian Mendlesohn and re-released, entering the U.K. Top 40 but subsequently being banned by Radio One for it’s antiapartheid lyrics. The ‘First’ album was re-released bringing worldwide attention and the band toured constantly playing support tours with Iggy Pop, INXS, Propaganda, The Explorers, along with sold-out headline shows including 2 at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

1989: In March the second album was released: ‘The Big Area [Outside]’, selling over 100,000 copies within 40 minutes it immediately attained Gold and Platinum status. Featuring several producers including Mark Shaw & Peter Henderson; Rick Nowles; Rhett Davis & Bruce Lampcov; and Gary Langan (who produced the hugely successful Top 20 hit single ‘Big Area’). The album included 2 more UK Top 30 hits: ‘What Does It Take?’ (featuring Belinda Carlisle) and ‘Sugar Box’ . The album earned the group a global following and the 1989 ‘The Big Area Tour [Outside]’ drew over 200,000 fans to their explosive live concerts.

1990 – 1993: Mark Shaw disbanded Then Jerico and signed solo to EMI Records, releasing the 1991 self-penned album ‘Almost’ as Mark Shaw Etc., (co-produced by Mark Shaw & Andy Taylor of Duran Duran ) which included hit the singles ‘Love So Bright’ and ‘Under Your Spell’ and toured Britain & Europe.

In 1992 Mark set up his own record label ‘Murder Records’ to release the live album ‘Alive & Exposed’ as an Enhanced CD – a live concert recording of Shaw Etc., at The Grand Theatre in London, featuring all the Mark Shaw and Then Jerico hits along with 4 brand new songs and 2 live videos of the concert; followed by releasing a Double-CD titled ‘Radio Jerico’, featuring all the band’s BBC Radio One ‘Live In Session’ recordings and the 1989 BBC Radio One ‘In Concert’ recording of Then Jerico live at Hammersmith Odeon (voted Concert of The Year in 1989 and Concert of The Decade by BBC Radio One listeners). Throughout the 1990’s Mark Shaw continued as both solo artist and as Then Jerico and in 1995 signed to Spanish dance label Kong Records to record new techno versions of ‘The Motive‘ ,’Muscle Deep’ and ‘Big Area’, released in 1996 to commercial, critical and huge radio success in Europe, performing frequent live solo shows in Spain. Shaw also created the underground dance music duo ‘Heretic’ with co-writer / co-producer Tarquin Gotch, releasing seminal underground track ‘The Way’. The track was trance-remixed by Mike Twangling released on 2012 Records.

1994 -1998: Mark Shaw & Andy Taylor tour the U.K. in 1994 as Then Jerico and from 1993 – 1997: Shaw wrote, recorded, produced & mixed the self-financed album of new Then Jerico material: ‘Orgasmaphobia’ released in 1998 (Eagle Rock/ Murder Records). The album includes musical, songwriting & production collaborations between Shaw & Andy Taylor: also Mark Shaw & Mick MacNeil (Simple Minds); Shaw & Guy Pratt (Pink Floyd); and author Iain Banks reading a piece from his book ‘ Walking On Glass’. Then Jerico performed ‘special guest’ appearances with Brian May at The Royal Albert Hall and Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.

1998 – 2002: Shaw headlined at ‘The Rat Pack’ weekly club night in London’s West End, a night of live music & comedy dedicated to the music of Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jnr., along with cutting-edge stand-up comedians; and in 1999 he fulfilled a lifetime ambition performing at the Edinburgh Festival with ‘The Rat Pack’, receiving 4-star reviews from both ‘The Scotsman’ and ‘The Guardian’. Since 2000, Mark has continuously headlined the live lounge music night ‘The Kitsch Lounge Riot’ at London’s Cafe de Paris. He is member of the all-star ‘SAS Band’ – recording two albums and playing concerts with a group of music legends including: Queen’s Roger Taylor & Brian May, Paul Rogers, Madeline Bell, Paul Young, Kiki Dee, Tony Hadley, Chakka Kahn, Chris Thompson, Curtis Stigers, Roy Wood, Fish, Roger Chapman, Andy Fairweather-Low, Tom Robinson.

2002 / 03: Shaw remixed and re-released the live Enhanced CD ‘Alive & Exposed’ on Murder Records / Almafame). Forming a new Then Jerico line-up he performed 4 x tours of duty for the British and UN / NATO Allied armed forces, playing concerts in active war theatres in Kosovo, Bosnia and also in Adana, Turkey (during the Iraq war) at several other international UN / British Military bases. Shaw also regularly performed U.K. concerts and live appearances for his chosen charities.

2012 / 2013: Shaw reunited the 1989 Then Jerico line-up in 2012 after 23 years apart for ‘The Big Area Tour 2012’ playing venues throughout Britain; culminating in their first-ever acoustic show at The Bedford (theatre), London, which was filmed & released as Double DVD/ CD and solo CD titled ‘Acoustic:Live – London 2012’ (Then Jerico Productions) produced & mixed by Gary Langan & Shaw.
MARK SHAW : THEN JERICO BIOGRAPHY 2025 / 2026 (P2 of 2)

In February 2013 Shaw and the 2 guitarists played 3 x Then Jerico Acoustic shows at the 9th Belfast ‘Belnash Songwriters Festival. In May 2013, Mark Shaw curated and released ‘Reprise’ (Warner Music / Rhino Records) a new Then Jerico double album compilation of hit singles, album tracks, rare single mixes and dance remixes on digital download and the band performed the ‘Reprise’ UK Tour at ‘Let’s Rock Bristol’ festival, and Shaw and guitarist Scott Taylor performed at ‘Rewind Henley’ Festival in 2013. In 2014 Mark formed a new Then Jerico line-up who were the only band to play all 5 ‘Let’s Rock’ Festivals.

2015/18: Shaw was commissioned as Music Supervisor Consultant by British independant film company Moli Films’ to perform and produce a new version of David Bowie’s ‘Golden Years’ as the title track for the black comedy film ‘Golden Years’, released in Spring 2016 in U.K. cinemas and DVD. In 2016 Then Jerico headlined ‘CISCO LIVE! BERLIN 2016’ for Cisco Systems’ biggest-ever multi-media show before an international audience and at ‘Lets Rock London 2016’ along with a series of ‘Then Jerico Acoustic’ shows accompanied by just a solo guitarist.

2019 – 22: After performing 3 x arenas on the Let’s Rock Winter Tour in December 2019, Shaw also played 2 remote performances in May & July 2020 for the Let’s Rock 80’s Lockdown Festivals, singing live to over 2 million viewers on Facebook and YouTube in aid of Child Bereavement UK. In 2021, Mark performed as ‘Then Jerico’ with a full band at 4 x Let’s Rock Festivals and played a series of ‘Then Jerico Acoustic’ dates as a duo. In 2022: Mark performed festival appearances with Then Jerico including Northern Kin in Durham, UK, and as a solo artist at the Forever Young Festival in Kildare, Ireland with the house band, plus a series of ‘Then Jerico Acoustic’ duo shows throughout 2022 .

2023: Then Jerico played their first full band club gigs in 10 years at The O2 Academy’s around Great Britain and Manchester’s Irlam Live Festival, The Absolute 80’s Big Weekend at Butlins Skegness and The Platform Morecambe. Mark performed a series of Then Jerico Acoustic shows around the UK, and solo shows in Spain and the U.K. including several dates with BBC Radio 2 DJ Gary Davies on his ‘Sounds Of The 80’s Live Tour’.

2024: Then Jerico Acoustic performed 3 shows in Qatar (for Qatar Airways & Holidays) at the Asian Football Cup Finals. Then Jerico full band played 2 x U.K. festivals: ‘Sign of The Times’ and ‘Northern Kin’, followed by 4 x headline shows at O2 Academy venues in November / December. Mark also played 3 x Then Jerico Acoustic UK shows, along with 3 x solo performances at festivals in Spain, and several more solo performances with Gary Davies on his BBC Radio 2 ‘Sounds Of The 80’s Live Tour’. On August 23rd 2024 Mark released a 4 x CD Boxed Set of the full Then Jerico 1980’s back catalogue entitled Then Jerico: ‘Before The Future -1984-1989’ on Cherry Red Records; featuring 65 tracks featuring 19 tracks previously unreleased on CD, including 7 x 24-track demos. The Set entered the Official UK Independent Album Chart at #20 and the Official UK Album Chart at #50. Shaw is planning a vinyl format for release in Autumn 2025. Throughout 2025/‘26 Mark Shaw will be performing a series of solo dates as ‘Mark Shaw:Then Jerico’ and also headline shows with his ‘Then Jerico Acoustic’ duo, and with his Then Jerico full band including club gigs and festivals in the U.K. and Europe.