Was The Shins formed before Natalie Merchant left the rock band 10,000 Maniacs?
Natalie Merchant Natalie Anne Merchant (born October 26, 1963) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She joined the American alternative/folk rock band 10,000 Maniacs in 1981 and left it to begin her solo career in 1993. She has since released seven studio albums.
The Bluetones The Bluetones are an English indie rock band, formed in Hounslow, Greater London, in 1993. The band's members are Mark Morriss on vocals, Adam Devlin on guitar, Scott Morriss on bass guitar, and Eds Chesters on drums. A fifth member, Richard Payne, came on board between 1998 and 2002. The band was originally named "The Bottlegarden".