Original Line-Up: Tony Mills - Vocals Steve Harris - Guitar Mark Badrick - Bass Alan Kelly - Drums Paddy McKenna - Keyboards
Current Line-Up: Lee Small - Vocals Ian Richardson - Guitars Steve Harris - Guitars Roy Stephan Davis - Bass Bob Richards - Drums Joe Basketts - Keyboards
Formerly known as TROJAN, SHY were blessed with an extremely powerful vocalist in Tony Mills. Also on board was much revered guitarist Steve Harris, classically trained keyboards player Paddy Mckenna, bass player Mark Badrick, and the line up was completed by stix-man Alan Kelly. Original bass player Mark was replaced by former TROUBLE and KOREA bass man Roy Davis when the band secured their first "major" on signing to RCA. The group's debut album “Once Bitten, Twice Shy” was released in 1983. After receiving great critical acclaim and some commercial success, the band toured the UK, supporting MAGNUM and TWELFTH NIGHT, promoting their new "Brave The Storm" major label debut. Further supports included UFO and TWISTED SISTER.
Their subsequent "Excess All Areas" (1987) was recorded in Holland with producer Neil Kernon (DOKKEN / QUEENSRYCHE) and saw SHY touring extensively, opening for MEAT LOAF, GARY MOORE and BON JOVI. The single lifted from the album, co-written with Don Dokken, saw SHY gain much valuable radio play.
Shortly after the 1987 Reading Festival, SHY changed labels for the EP “Just Love Me”. The band performed a number of showcase gigs later that year and were duly signed to MCA Records.
The group’s MCA album, "Misspent Youth", released in 1989, was recorded in Los Angeles with production by Roy Thomas Baker. SHY promoted the album in America with guest slots to ENUFF Z NUFF and the SLEEZE BEEZ.
Returning to Europe, the band opened for HUNTER / RONSON.
Shortly after, Tony Mills parted company with the band and was replaced by ex-XS / AFTER HOURS vocalist, Jon Francis. The band then billed itself as BLACK CAT. This line-up and name change was exceedingly short lived, and was changed almost immediately. The band adopted the moniker CRAZY CRAZY for a solitary gig at London's Limelight Club with the addition of former TROUBLE / SHAME vocalist John Ward. Ward had returned from LA where he had fronted HURRICANE, LONDON & MADAM X, prior to Sebastian Bach. Now, with a stable line up again, it was time to return to the more familiar name SHY!
In 1994, the band signed to the new label and once again touched base with Neil Kernon. The result was the critically acclaimed "Welcome to the Madhouse" album. The album saw a Japanese release through the major label Phonogram, but failed to be released elsewhere.
In 1998, SHY made a deal with Neat Records to re-release “Once Bitten, Twice Shy” including previously unreleased material and some new tracks. This also saw the return of original vocalist Tony Mills !
The last full-length album “Unfinished Business” was released in 2002. It received enthusiastic press feedback and has been voted “Album of the Month” in many rock magazines.
It was just the spur the band needed to get back into doing what they are famous for: writing brilliant AOR music. Now, the band is back with "Sunset And Vine" which features great songs and Tony Mills who is in brilliant shape again! A truly great AOR album! One song from the forthcoming album was pre-released on the latest “MTM COMPILATION - Volume 10” in November 2004.
