The story
Founded in Aberdeen, Scotland in 1985 by Colin Angus, Derek McKenzie, & Keith McKenzie with the band name Alone Again Or. The group changed its name to The Shamen in late 1985. Early Alone Again Or and The Shamen material was primarily psychedelic indie rock. The group's first album under the name The Shamen was 1987's "Drop".
By 1987, Colin was inspired by M/A/R/R/S and similar new groups that used sampling and beats. As he delved into exploring new technology and dance sounds, the new direction caused the Shamen lineup to shift: Derek McKenzie, unimpressed with the changes, left the fold to return to school in 1987. Colin added energetic new bass player Will Sin (a.k.a. Will Sinnott) in October 1987 and he himself moved to concentrate on vocals and guitar. At this point, the pieces were in place for the group to become what they would eventually be remembered for: one of the early pioneers of what became known as "indie-dance", inspiring a glut of late-'80s pop bands like EMF and Jesus Jones and also paving the way for more influential groups like Saint Etienne.
The Shamen single "Jesus Loves Amerika" (1988) was both a politically-charged release and an advancement of their sonic aesthetic, showcasing the group's adventurous new electronic-rock hybrid sound with the newly-added Will Sin. After 1989's "In Gorbachev We Trust" album, the group relocated to London. They fell in with Paul Oakenfold, Orbital, Mixmaster Morris, Evil Eddie Richards, and the Synergy tour. Soon they released the drastic sea change that was their mini-album "Phorward", which embraced electronic completely and was the final stepping stone into the group's most successful and influential era.
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