The Jesus and Mary Chain are a Scottish alternative rock band formed in East Kilbride in 1983. The band revolves around the songwriting partnership of brothers Jim and William Reid, who are the two founders and only consistent members of the band since its formation. They are recognized as key figures in the development of the shoegaze and noise pop subgenres.After signing to independent label Creation Records, they released their first single “Upside Down” in 1984. Their debut album Psychocandy was released to critical acclaim in 1985 on major label WEA. After its release, drummer Bobby Gillespie left the band to work on his own band Primal Scream. The band’s biggest commercial success came with their second album Darklands, which reached No. 5 on the UK Albums Chart in 1987 and spawned the hit single “April Skies”, peaking at No. 8 in the UK. It was the band’s only top ten album. After releasing six albums, the band broke up in 1999 as a result of an onstage altercation the year prior that saw William Reid prematurely depart a tour after fighting with an intoxicated Jim Reid. They reunited in 2007 and released the album Damage and Joy in 2017, their first in 19 years. The band recorded twelve top 40 singles and two top 10 hits on the UK Singles Chart throughout their career.