The Gun Club

{{Use American English|date=July 2023}} {{Short description|American rock band}} {{about|the band|gun clubs generally|Shooting range}} {{confused|The Gunn Club}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}

{{Infobox musical artist  | name = The Gun Club | image = The Gun Club 1983.jpg | landscape = yes | caption = The Gun Club in 1983. From left to right: Terry Graham, [[Jeffrey Lee Pierce]], [[Kid Congo Powers]] and [[Patricia Morrison]]. | background = group_or_band | origin = [[Los Angeles]], California, U.S. | genre = {{Hlist|[[Post-punk]]|[[punk rock]]|[[psychobilly]]|[[alternative rock]]|[[punk blues]]|[[cowpunk]]}} | years_active = 1979–1996 | label = {{Hlist|[[Ruby Records|Ruby]]|[[Slash Records|Slash]]|Animal|[[Red Rhino Records|Red Rhino]]|[[Fire Records (UK)|Fire]]|New Rose|[[Triple X Records|Triple X]]}} | alias = The Cyclones, the Creeping Ritual | website = | current_members = | past_members = [[Jeffrey Lee Pierce]] [[Kid Congo Powers]] Don Snowden Brad Dunning Terry Graham [[Rob Graves (guitarist)|Rob Ritter]] Anna Statman Ward Dotson Billy Persons Annie Ungar [[Patricia Morrison]] [[Jim Duckworth (musician)|Jim Duckworth]] [[Bush Tetras|Dee Pop]] Jimmy Joe Uliana Desi Desperate Romi Mori [[Nick Sanderson]] Simon Fish Rainer Lingk Robert Marche Efe [[Mike Martt]] Randy Bradbury Brock Avery Elizabeth Montague Ian Shelton }}

'''The Gun Club''' were an American [[rock music|rock]] band from Los Angeles that existed from 1979 to 1996, formed and led by singer-songwriter and guitarist [[Jeffrey Lee Pierce]]. They were notable as one of the first bands in the [[punk rock]] subculture to incorporate influences from [[blues]], [[rockabilly]], and [[country music]]. The Gun Club has been called a "tribal [[psychobilly]] blues" band,<ref>{{cite web|last=Sullivan |first=Denise |url={{AllMusic|class=artist |id=p4414/biography |pure_url=yes}} |title=The Gun Club |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=February 21, 2012}}</ref> as well as initiators of [[punk blues]] and [[cowpunk]] – "He (Pierce) took [[Robert Johnson]] and pre-war acoustic blues and 'punkified' it. Up until then bands were drawing on [[Iggy & the Stooges]] and the [[New York Dolls]] but he took it back so much further for inspiration."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/doublej/music-reads/features/preaching-the-blues-remembering-the-gun-clubs-jeffrey-lee-pierce/10273208|title=Preaching The Blues: Remembering The Gun Club's Jeffrey Lee Pierce|date=July 9, 2014|website=Abc.net.au|access-date=June 18, 2021}}</ref>

== History == === Early days (1979–1980) === The Gun Club were formed by [[Jeffrey Lee Pierce]] (guitar and vocals) with friend, chief of the [[Ramones]] fan club and fellow music enthusiast Brian Tristan, also known as [[Kid Congo Powers]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newyorknighttrain.com/zine/issues/1/kidgun1.html|title=NEW YORK NIGHT TRAIN – issue 1: Kid Congo Powers Oral History Pt. 2|website=Newyorknighttrain.com}}</ref> Pierce was the former head of the [[Blondie (band)|Blondie]] fan club in Los Angeles and previously a member of the Red Lights, the E-Types, [[The Individuals (New Jersey band)|the Individuals]], Phast Phreddie & Thee Precisions, and the Cyclones.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fromthearchives.com/gc/chronology1.html|title=From The Archives -The Gun Club- Concert Chronology / Gigography|website=Fromthearchives.com|access-date=August 4, 2017}}</ref>

The Gun Club's precursor band, the Creeping Ritual, formed in late 1979.<ref name="Larkin">{{cite book |title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music]] |editor-first=Colin |editor-last=Larkin |editor-link=Colin Larkin |publisher=[[Virgin Books]] |date=1997 |edition=Concise |isbn=1-85227-745-9 |pages=553–554}}</ref> Along with Pierce (lead vocals and guitar), the first lineup consisted of Brian Tristan (lead guitar); Don Snowden (bass), who was at the time a music critic for the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''; and Brad Dunning (drums), now a prominent designer and writer.<ref name="Larkin" /> In April 1980, they changed their name to "The Gun Club" on a suggestion by singer [[Keith Morris]], then Pierce's roommate and also singer for [[Circle Jerks]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jeffreyleepierce.com/wpsite/biography/|title=A Jeffrey Lee Pierce and Gun Club Chronology|website=Jeffreyleepierce.com|access-date=May 3, 2026}}</ref> Kid Congo commented that the early Gun Club incarnation were "too arty for rock people, far too rock for arty people, too cuckoo for the blues crowd and too American for punk".<ref>{{Cite web|first=Sylvie|last=Simmons|url=http://sylviesimmons.com/jeffrey-lee-piece/|title=Jeffrey Lee Pierce and The Gun Club|website=Sylviesimmons.com|date=2005|access-date=February 10, 2020|archive-date=February 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200213060544/http://sylviesimmons.com/jeffrey-lee-piece/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Snowden and Dunning departed in June 1980, replaced by two ex-members of the [[Bags (Los Angeles band)|Bags]], [[Rob Graves (guitarist)|Rob Ritter]] and Terry Graham, respectively.<ref name="Larkin" /> Ritter was temporarily replaced on bass by Anna Statman for two months in the fall of 1980. [[Kid Congo Powers]] then left, on amicable terms, to join [[the Cramps]] in November 1980 and was replaced by lead and slide guitarist Ward Dotson (ex-Der Stab) who had initially hoped to join the Cramps. During this period, the Gun Club often opened for [[X (American band)|X]], the Bags, Circle Jerks and [[the Blasters]].

=== ''Fire of Love'' and ''Miami'' (1981–1982) === Securing a record deal with [[Ruby Records]], a division of [[Slash Records|Slash]], the group released their debut album, ''[[Fire of Love (album)|Fire of Love]]'', on August 31, 1981.<ref name="Larkin" /> The album was produced by [[Tito Larriva]] (of [[the Plugz]]) and [[Chris D.]] (frontman of the Flesh Eaters). Critic Stevo Olende wrote that the "album's lyrical imagery is plundered from [[Haitian Vodou|voodoo]], '50s [[EC Comics]] and the [[blues]]", while Thom Jurek of [[AllMusic]] noted that "nobody has heard music like this before or since".<ref>{{cite web|last=Jurek |first=Thom |url={{AllMusic|class=album |id=r8754/review |pure_url=yes}} |title=Fire of Love – The Gun Club |website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=February 21, 2012}}</ref> ''Fire of Love'' sold well and received strong reviews upon release. Billy Persons of [[the Weirdos]] temporarily replaced Ritter for several shows in late 1981.

In April 1982, the Gun Club signed to Blondie guitarist [[Chris Stein]]'s Animal Records, a subsidiary of [[Chrysalis Records]].<ref name="Larkin" /> The band temporarily relocated to New York City to record their follow-up album, 1982's ''[[Miami (Gun Club album)|Miami]]''. This album featured not only Stein as producer, but Blondie's [[Debbie Harry]] singing backup vocals on several tracks. Ritter left in June 1982 to concentrate on his other band, [[45 Grave]], and changed his name to Rob Graves. Before leaving, Ritter taught the bass parts to his former Bags bandmate [[Patricia Morrison]] (also ex-[[Legal Weapon]]) and trained her as his replacement. For their West Coast shows in August 1982, Annie Ungar was added as a second guitarist. Upon the release of ''Miami'' on September 20, 1982, the album received good reviews but has been criticized for Stein's thin production. Due to increasingly frequent arguments, Pierce dismissed Graham and Dotson in December 1982.

=== ''The Las Vegas Story'' and first breakup (1983–1985) === In January 1983, Graham and Dotson were replaced by guitarist [[Jim Duckworth (musician)|Jim Duckworth]] (formerly of [[Tav Falco's Panther Burns]]) and drummer Dee Pop (formerly of the New York band [[Bush Tetras]]). A spare recording session, originally booked for another band, led to the impromptu recording of the ''[[Death Party]]'' EP with bassist Jimmy Joe Uliana quickly filling in for Morrison and Linda "Texacala" Jones on backing vocals.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dangerousminds.net/comments/the_birth_the_death_the_ghost_revisiting_the_gun_club|title=The Birth, The Death, the Ghost: Revisiting The Gun Club's 'Death Party' EP|date=February 18, 2015|website=DangerousMinds.net}}</ref> Released April 13, 1983, by Animal, it was the only recording of the short-lived lineup featuring Duckworth and Pop. During this time Pierce refrained from playing guitar, focusing solely on singing. After eight months Graham returned, replacing Pop, and on the eve of the October 1983 Australian tour, both Duckworth and Graham quit, refusing to board the plane. Arriving minus half the band, Pierce recruited drummer Billy Pommer Jr. and guitarist [[Spencer P. Jones]] from support act [[the Johnnys]] to fill in on the tour, while former member Powers also flew over to play guitar. When they returned to the US in November, Graham resumed his place on drums.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://rockbrat.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/imag0277.jpg|format=JPG|title=Photographic image of Review page|website=Rockbrat.files.wordpress.com|access-date=July 23, 2019}}</ref>

Pierce returned to guitar playing during this lineup, and both he and Powers are credited with guitar on their third album, ''[[The Las Vegas Story (album)|The Las Vegas Story]]'' (the Blasters' [[Dave Alvin]] also played lead guitar on a handful of tracks). Released on June 25, 1984, this album marked a significant change for the band; it represented a shift away from the punk rock of ''Fire of Love'' and ''Miami'' and a step towards a more polished [[alternative rock]] sound. After US gigs supporting [[Siouxsie and the Banshees]], in September the band embarked on a European tour in support of the album, but after five weeks Graham again departed after a gig in Paris. The band carried on and he was replaced with former roadie Peter Kablean, known as Desi Desperate, despite having no rehearsal. The Gun Club broke up in January 1985, Pierce remaining in London with then-girlfriend Romi Mori, who he had met during the final December 10–11 shows at Dingwalls, London.<ref name="Larkin" /> [[File:Jeffrey Lee Pierce cropped.jpg|thumb|Jeffrey Lee Pierce performing with the band in 1985.]] After the breakup, Powers, Morrison and Desperate formed a band called Fur Bible (Morrison later joined [[the Sisters of Mercy]] and [[The Damned (band)|the Damned]]), while Pierce embarked on a solo career. Pierce assembled a band, the Jeffrey Lee Pierce Quartet, consisting of former members of [[the Cure]] and [[Roxy Music]], and released ''Wildweed'' in 1985. He organized a new band to tour in support of the album, including Mori on guitar and [[Nick Sanderson (musician)|Nick Sanderson]] of [[Clock DVA]] on drums.

=== Reformation (1986–1994) === After a short stint doing spoken word performances, Pierce decided to reform a new version of the band in October 1986.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fromthearchives.com/gc/chronology2.html|title=From The Archives -The Gun Club- Concert Chronology / Gigography|website=Fromthearchives.com|access-date=August 4, 2017}}</ref> Powers, who had also been recruited into [[Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds]] at this time, resumed his place at guitar, with Mori switching to bass and Sanderson retaining his spot on drums. This lineup of the Gun Club recorded a handful of albums, including ''[[Mother Juno]]'', released October 19, 1987, on [[Red Rhino Records]]. This album, produced by [[Robin Guthrie]] of [[the Cocteau Twins]], was a successful comeback, garnering a positive critical reception.<ref name="Larkin" /> After the release of Nick Cave's album ''[[The Good Son (album)|The Good Son]]'', Powers departed from the Bad Seeds in May 1990 to focus more on the Gun Club.

The band's fifth studio effort, ''Pastoral Hide and Seek'', which Pierce produced himself, was released October 1, 1990, on the [[Fire Records (UK)|Fire]] label. Sanderson departed in December 1990 to focus on his other project, World of Twist. Desperate rejoined to record the ''Divinity'' album, released in August 1991 on New Rose Records, but the band were inactive during the remainder of that year as Pierce was hospitalized during his travels in India and Vietnam. Pierce also recorded with [[Cypress Grove (musician)|Cypress Grove]].

Simon Fish, who had previously played with Pierce on one of his solo albums, joined the band in March 1992. At the conclusion of a European tour in May 1992, Powers left the band to focus on his other project, [[Congo Norvell]]. In February 1993, the band reconvened as a trio of Pierce, Mori and the returning Sanderson, to record the ''[[Lucky Jim (album)|Lucky Jim]]'' album. For their spring 1993 European tour, they were joined by guitarist Rainer Lingk of [[Die Haut]]. ''Lucky Jim'' was released September 20, 1993, by [[Triple X Records]], and Robert Marche (formerly of [[Subway Sect]] and [[JoBoxers]]) joined on guitar in October.

In May 1994, Mori and Pierce split up, and she and Sanderson left the Gun Club (Mori and Sanderson formed [[Freeheat]] in 1999 with [[Jim Reid]] and [[Ben Lurie]] of [[the Jesus and Mary Chain]]). Sanderson and Marche formed Earl Brutus. In the fall of 1994, Pierce put together a new lineup featuring Marche, bassist Efe and the returning Fish, lasting until November.

=== Final days (1995–1996) === An increasingly ill Pierce put together a penultimate Gun Club lineup for two shows in Los Angeles in August and September 1995, including guitarists Powers and [[Mike Martt]] (ex-[[Tex & the Horseheads]]), and the [[Wayne Kramer]] rhythm section of bassist Randy Bradbury and drummer Brock Avery. The final lineup of the Gun Club, with bassist Elizabeth Montague replacing Bradbury (who was touring with [[Pennywise (band)|Pennywise]]), played only one show, the band's last, at [[Avalon Hollywood|The Palace]] in Hollywood on December 18, 1995.

On March 25, 1996, Pierce was found unconscious at his father's home in [[Salt Lake City]], Utah. He was hospitalized and remained in a coma until his death from a [[brain hemorrhage]] on March 31, effectively ending the Gun Club.<ref name="Larkin" />

== Musical style and influences == The Gun Club's music has been described as [[post-punk]], [[punk rock]], [[psychobilly]], [[alternative rock]], [[punk blues]] and [[cowpunk]]. They were influenced by punk rock and post-punk bands like [[Ramones]], [[The Clash]], [[Sex Pistols]], [[The Damned (band)|The Damned]], [[The Jam]] and [[Joy Division]] and blues musicians including [[Son House]], [[Blind Willie McTell]] and [[Robert Johnson]], [[garage rock]] bands such as [[the Kinks]] and [[the Sonics]], the Detroit and England protopunk sound of bands like the [[MC5]], [[Dr. Feelgood (band)|Dr. Feelgood]] and [[the Stooges]], in addition to groups like [[the Cramps]], [[the Velvet Underground]].

== Influence == [[The White Stripes]] played "For the Love of Ivy" and "Jack on Fire" (both from ''Fire of Love'') at live shows. That band's vocalist and guitarist, [[Jack White (musician)|Jack White]], said, "'Sex Beat', 'She's Like Heroin to Me', and 'For the Love of Ivy'...why are these songs not taught in schools?"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2007/jul/18/whythewhitestripeswantto |title=Why the White Stripes want to join the Gun Club |author=Owen Adams |website=Blogs.guardian.co.uk|date=July 18, 2007 |access-date=August 30, 2008}}</ref>

Swedish punk and rock singer-songwriter [[Joakim Thåström]] has referenced the Gun Club and Pierce in several songs, including "{{lang|sv|italic=no|Ingen sjunger blues som}} Jeffrey Lee Pierce", "{{lang|sv|italic=no|Samarkanda}}" and "{{lang|sv|italic=no|Beväpna dig med vingar}}".

Singer [[Mark Lanegan]] included ''Miami'' among his favorite recordings,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thequietus.com/articles/07817-mark-lanegan-bakers-dozen?page=2|title=The Quietus {{!}} Features {{!}} Baker's Dozen {{!}}|website=The Quietus|access-date=July 1, 2019}}</ref> and covered Pierce's "Carry Home" on his 1999 album of cover songs, ''[[I'll Take Care of You (Mark Lanegan album)|I'll Take Care of You]]''.

Canadian rock band [[Japandroids]] included "For The Love of Ivy" on their sophomore album ''[[Celebration Rock]]''. Brian King (vocalist/guitarist) said "the magnitude of discovering The Gun Club cannot be understated."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://spectrumculture.com/2012/06/12/interview-japandroids/|title=Interview: Japandroids|website=Spectrum Culture|date=June 13, 2012 |access-date=July 26, 2021}}</ref>

== Members == === Former members === * [[Jeffrey Lee Pierce]] – vocals, guitar (1979–1996; his death) * [[Kid Congo Powers]] – guitar (1979–1980, 1983–1996) * Don Snowden – bass guitar * Brad Dunning – drums (1979–1980) * Terry Graham – drums * [[Rob Graves (guitarist)|Rob Ritter]] – bass guitar (1980–1982; died 1990) * Anna Statman – bass guitar * Ward Dotson – guitar (1980–1982) * Billy Persons – drums * Anny Unger – guitar * [[Patricia Morrison]] – bass guitar (1982–1984) * [[Jim Duckworth (musician)|Jim Duckworth]] – guitar (1983) * [[Bush Tetras|Dee Pop]] – drums (1983) * Jimmy Joe Uliana – bass guitar (1983) * Desi Desperate – drums * Romi Mori – bass guitar (1987–1994) * [[Hoodlum Priest (musician)|Derek Thompson]] – drums * [[Nick Sanderson]] – drums (1987–1996; died 2008) * Simon Fish – drums (1994) * Rainer Lingk – guitar * Robert Marche – guitar * Efe – bass guitar (1994) * Mike Martt – guitar; ''died 2023'' * Randy Bradbury – bass guitar (1995) * Brock Avery – drums (1995) * Elizabeth Montague – bass guitar * Nigel Preston – drums (1991; died 1992)

== Discography == === Studio albums === * ''[[Fire of Love (album)|Fire of Love]]'' (1981, [[Ruby Records]]/[[Slash Records]]) * ''[[Miami (The Gun Club album)|Miami]]'' (1982, Animal Records) * ''[[The Las Vegas Story (album)|The Las Vegas Story]]'' (1984, Animal Records/Chrysalis Records) * ''[[Mother Juno]]'' (1987, [[Red Rhino Records]]) * ''Pastoral Hide and Seek'' (1990, [[Fire Records (UK)]], The Orchard Music (on behalf of Blixa Sounds); BMI – Broadcast Music Inc.) * ''Divinity'' (1991, New Rose Records) * ''[[Lucky Jim (album)|Lucky Jim]]'' (1993, [[Triple X Records]])

=== Singles and EPs === * "Ghost on the Highway"/"Sex Beat" 7-inch single (1982, [[Beggars Banquet Records]]) * "Fire of Love" 7-inch single (1982, Animal Records) * ''[[Death Party]]'' 12-inch EP (1983, Animal Records) * ''Sex Beat 81'' 7-inch single (1986, Lolita) * "Breaking Hands" 7-inch/12-inch single (1988, Red Rhino Records) * "Sex Beat" CD single (1989, New Rose Records) * "The Great Divide" 7-inch/12-inch single (1990, New Rose Records) * "Pastoral, Hide & Seek (The Lost Song)" 7-inch/CD single (1991, New Rose Records) * "Cry to Me" 7-inch single (1993, [[Sympathy for the Record Industry]]) * "Walkin' With the Beast" 7-inch single (2004, Sympathy for the Record Industry)

=== Live albums === * ''The Birth the Death the Ghost'' (1983, ABC Records; recorded 1980) * ''Sex Beat 81'' (1984, Lolita; recorded 1981) * ''Love Supreme'' (1985, Offense Records; recorded 1982) * ''Danse Kalinda Boom – Live in Pandora's Box '' (1985, Megadisc; recorded 1984) * ''Death Party'' (1987, Revenge Records; recorded 1981–1982) * ''Ahmed's Wild Dream'' (1992, Solid Records; recorded 1992) * ''Live in Europe'' (1993, Triple X Records; recorded 1992) * ''Larger Than Live!'' (2008, Last Call Records; recorded 1990) * ''Destroy the Country'' (2014, [[Cleopatra Records]]; recorded 1983) * ''Moonlight Motel '' (2014, Cleopatra Records; recorded 1983–1984)

=== Compilation albums === * ''Two Sides of the Beast'' (1985, Dojo Records) * ''In Exile'' (1992, Triple X Records) * ''Early Warning'' (1997, Sympathy for the Record Industry) * ''Pastoral Hide & Seek/Divinity'' (1997, [[2.13.61 Records]]) * ''Da Blood Done Signed My Name'' (2007, [[Castle Communications]]) * ''The Life and Times of Jeffrey Lee Pierce and the Gun Club'' box set (2008, Retro Deluxe) * ''Mother Berlin'' (2014, Bang! Records) * ''In My Room'' (2017, Bang! Records)

=== Compilation appearances === * "Devil in the Woods" on ''[[Keats Rides a Harley]]'' (1981, Happy Squid Records) * "Jack on Fire" on ''Rockabilly Psychosis and the Garage Disease'' (1984, [[Big Beat Records (British record label)|Big Beat Records]]) * "Sex Beat" on ''Slash: The Early Sessions'' (1984, Slash Records)

=== Live videos === * ''Live at the Hacienda'' VHS (1994, Visionary Communications/Jettisoundz; recorded 1983) * ''Preaching the Blues'' VHS (1995, Visionary Communications/Jettisoundz; recorded 1984) * ''Live at the Hacienda 1983/84 '' DVD (2006, [[Cherry Red Records|Cherry Red Films]]; recorded 1983–1984) * ''Fire of Love'' DVD (2007, Cherry Red Films; recorded 1983/1985)

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == *[https://www.fromthearchives.org/ The Gun Club archives] *[http://www.gerpotze.com/gunclub/ Discography] – no recent updates, but still very detailed * {{allmusic}} * {{Discogs artist|The Gun Club}} * {{IMDb name|1878442}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gun Club, The}} [[Category:1979 establishments in California]] [[Category:1996 disestablishments in California]] [[Category:Cowpunk musical groups]] [[Category:Musical groups from Los Angeles]] [[Category:American psychobilly musical groups]] [[Category:Sympathy for the Record Industry artists]] [[Category:Musical groups established in 1979]] [[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1996]] [[Category:Punk rock groups from California]] [[Category:Beggars Banquet Records artists]] [[Category:Chrysalis Records artists]] [[Category:I.R.S. Records artists]] [[Category:Cooking Vinyl artists]] [[Category:Slash Records artists]] [[Category:Fire Records (UK) artists]] [[Category:Triple X Records artists]]