Emerald, Vik and Zapeep had been in a punk band called Subversion in 1979, and both Emerald (keys)had been part of The Aristocrats releasing a track on the Elegance Charm & Deadly Danger LP (along with Jesu Vik and Katmandu) in 1982. Bubblekeys and Tjunca - along with another pseudonymous musician, "Flimb" (drums) and Doug Eglin (vocal/guitar) - had worked together as the Academy Of Unrest (who released the "Sheol Hex/Rise of Doubt/Hope" 12" EP in 1986 and the track 'Sensitive' on compilation album 'Elegance, Charm and Deadly Danger'). By 1985, Jesu, Emerald & Vik were in a band called Moon, to which they recruited Tjunca, initially as keyboard player - he would subsequently move to bass guitar on the arrival of Bubblekeys. Zapeep was the next addition to the band, in early 1986: later in the same year Katmandu was recruited (initially as a proposed replacement for Greenshade, but subsequently as his singing partner).