BIOGRAPHY

Birmingham based Melodic Rock band, Shy received much praise for their debut independent album. First ever vinyl cut was Tonight on the Ebony Records compilation album, Metal Warriors.

Previously known as Trojan, the band were an extremely powerful unit with stix-man Alan Kelly and much revered guitarist Steve Harris, classically trained keyboards player Paddy Mckenna, bassist Mark Badrick, and the line up was completed by vocalist Tony Mills . Original bass player Mark was replaced by Roy Davis when the band secured their first "Major" on signing to RCA.

The group's debut album, Once Bitten, Twice Shy was released on the Hull based Ebony label. After receiving great critical acclaim and some commercial success, the band left the confines of Ebony, and signed with RCA. The group 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 and saw Shy touring extensively, opening for Meatloaf, 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 to indie FM Revolver Records 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 groups 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 themselves 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 couple of gigs at Russia’s ‘White Nights’ festival and London's Limelight club with the addition of former Shame vocalist John ‘Wardie’ Ward. Wardie had recently returned from LA where he had fronted a number of bands. With the line up now stable again it was time to return to the familiar moniker of Shy!

In 1994 the band signed to the new Birmingham based Granite 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 major label, Phonogram but failed to make in-roads elsewhere.

In 1998 Shy did a deal with Neat Records to release previously unreleased material .