Mark Shaw was born in Chesterfield, Derby on June 10th 1961 into a Geordie / Scottish family. His father worked in the Tyneside Docks until the Shipbuilding industry collapsed – his Mother a Ballroom Dance Champion from Glasgow. The family moved all over the UK to wherever there was work. Consequently, Mark went to 14 different schools, moving from town to town, a way of life that prepared him for life on the road. He bought his first single at 4 years of age (‘Reach Out’ by The Four Tops) and his first album at 5 (‘Play Bach’ by Jacques Lousier Trio).

He cites Duke Ellington, Scott Walker, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Clash, Joy Division, John Lee Hooker, Stan Kenton, Marc Bolan, Roxy Music, Jacques Brel, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Cockney Rebel and Iggy Pop as his influences and David Bowie as his biggest inspiration.

Shaw formed Then Jerico in 1983 via an advert in Melody Maker and signed to London Records (FFRR) in 1984. Two singles were released on 12” vinyl only; and after two years of constant touring, the group released their debut album titled ‘First’ (The Sound of Music) in 1986. The album was co-produced by Shaw and Owen Davies and included hit single ‘The Motive’. The track was a huge success and remained in the UK Top 40 chart for three months, becoming the most-played record on BBC Radio 1 in 1987. The track brought Jerico worldwide recognition, playing headline sell-out shows along with support tours with Iggy Pop and Propaganda, amongst others. Two other hit singles from the album were ‘Let Her Fall’ and ‘Muscle Deep’, the latter being banned by Radio 1 due to it’s political subject matter – Apartheid.

Nevertheless, the chart-topping combination of Mark Shaw (lead vocals / guitar) Scott Taylor (guitar), Jasper Stainthorpe (bass) and Steve Wren (drums) toured the world with the ‘Artist Against Apartheid’ banner and in 1988 wrote and recorded their second album. Released in 1989, their classic album ‘The Big Area’ entered the British album chart at Number 4 and immediately attained Gold status by selling over 100,000 copies within 40 minutes – consequently reaching Platinum sales.

The album featured three more Top 30 hits for the band, including their biggest hit ‘Big Area’ (which sold 35,000 per-release copies and went on to sell over 200,000 across the world) along with ‘Sugarbox’, and ‘What Does It Take?’(featuring Belinda Carlisle). The band toured relentlessly, establishing a massive worldwide following and sell-out concerts of their explosive live shows.

In 1990, Shaw disbanded Then Jerico and embarked on the next chapter of his career, releasing a solo album entitled ‘Almost’, co-produced by Andy Taylor (Duran Duran / Power Station). The album featured the hit singles ‘Love So Bright’, and ‘Under Your Spell’ and Mark set out on his first solo tour in 1991 to promote the album, playing gigs throughout Britain and Europe.

1992 saw Mark set up his own record label called Murder Records, recording a live album of material gathered from all three studio albums plus several new songs. The album was recorded and filmed live at the London Grand Theatre in Clapham and was titled ‘Shaw Etc.’ – ‘Alive & Exposed’. Shaw and the band spent the rest of the year playing gigs in the UK and Europe. The album was released as a limited edition of 1,000 copies to fans only, but subsequently re-released in 2002 on Almafame / Murder Records and a DVD of the concert was released in 2004.

1993 and 1994 saw a change of direction for Mark. He continued with his music career, but also branched into acting. His quite literal ‘baptism of fire’ in the world of theatre came when he took on the lead role in the banned musical ‘Bad Boy Johnny & The Prophets of Doom’, alongside Scots comedian Craig Furgeson, written by Daniel Abineri of Rocky Horror Show fame. The show received huge media attention from TV and radio and also in the press due to its outrageous subject matter (the Vatican) and wild performances from the cast – Shaw in particular. Staged at the Union Chapel in North London, and much to the disgust of the clerical establishment, the play featured a naked nun, the Virgin Mary as a stripper and a corrupt Pope.The show was described as ‘blasphemous’ by the Catholic Church, and after public protests and death threats to the cast, it was then forced to close half way through its run amidst a storm of controversy.

Shaw has also acted in Sky One’s TV football drama ‘Dream Team’ and appeared in British feature films ‘Plastic’ and ‘The Estate (released in 2011) currently available on DVD. Shaw has also acted in Sky One’s TV football drama ‘Dream Team’

In 1995 Shaw once again teamed up with Andy Taylor for a British and European tour as Then Jerico. After the resounding success of the tour, the time seemed right to produce another TJ album, and whilst writing the album, Shaw also had a huge hit in Spain and Portugal in 1996 / 97 with a dance recording of ‘The Motive’ on Kong Records, and played over fifty live shows at nightclubs and at festivals throughout Spain.

In 1999 Then Jerico released ‘Orgasmaphobia’. The self-financed album took three years to complete and features collaborations with Andy Taylor, Simple Minds’ keyboard maestro Mick MacNeil, plus a spoken contribution from Scots’ author Iain Banks. The CD was recorded in both England and Scotland at Beckbury Hall Studios in Shropshire and Millennium Studios in Edinburgh (co-produced by Shaw and Taylor, mixed by Shaw and Pete Henderson). The album was released through Eagle Rock Records in 1999 and features a CD-ROM including lyrics, photo gallery and screen saver.

In 1999, Mark also fulfilled a lifetime ambition by performing at the Edinburgh Festival singing with ‘The Rat Pack’- a night dedicated to music of Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jnr. – receiving 4-star reviews from both ‘The Scotsman’ and ‘The Guardian’. The evening consequently evolved into ‘The Kitsch Lounge Riot’ and from March 2000 through 2007, Shaw headlined the weekly lounge evening at Café De Paris, Leicester Square, London to capacity crowds.

In April 2003, Mark appeared in ITV1’s ‘Reborn in the USA’ and after walking out of the show in disgust, he consequently toured Europe and Britain playing new material to loyal Jerico fans. Shaw has also toured with a new Then Jerico line-up for the UN peace-keeping forces in active war in theatres around Eastern Europe, including Kosovo, Bosnia and Turkey, and most recently in Northern Ireland. Mark is also a member of the SAS Band (also featuring Tony Hadley, Paul Young, Fish, Roger Taylor and Brian May of Queen) and has played shows in New Orleans, L.A, Tokyo, Scandanavia and Malta.

Most recently Then Jerico headlined the Delta Sound Festival at the Delta de l’Ebre – the ECO festival in Ebre, Spain as well as gigs around Britain for Motorcycle News, Shooting Star Hospice, Peta, NSPCC and Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Mark and the band are currently writing new material and just completed a reunion Then Jerico tour with original band members in September 2012.