Gun (band)

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Gun
Background information
Origin	Glasgow, Scotland
Genre(s)	rock
Years active	1987 - 1997
Label(s)	A&M Records
Associated acts	El Presidente Blind allez
Members
Giuliano 'Jools' Gizzi (guitar) Dante Gizzi (Bass guitar) Mark Rankin (vocals) Stuart Kerr (drums)
Former members
Baby Stafford (guitar) Scott Shields (drums) Alex Dickson (guitar) Mark Kerr (drums) Alan Thornton (drums) Irvin Duguid (keyboards) Cami Morlotti (bass guitar)

Gun were a moderately successful rock band from Glasgow, Scotland, most well known for their cover of Word Up!, originally by Cameo.

1 Biography
2 Current work
3 Trivia
4 Discography
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Biography

Originally called 'Blind allez' then for a short time, 'Phobia', GUN were formed in 1987 by brothers Giuliano (guitar) and Dante Gizzi (bass), with Mark Rankin (vocals), Scott Shields (drums) and Baby Stafford (guitar). Signed in 1989 by A&M Records, they released their debut album Taking on the World. Mark Rankin's cousin Sharleen Spiteri, of fellow Scottish band Texas contributed backing vocals to several songs on the album. The single "Better Days" from the album made the top 40 in the UK. Gun toured the US and supported The Rolling Stones on their European Urban Jungle Tour of 1990.

Alex Dickson replaced Baby Stafford before the release of their second album Gallus, of which the single "Steal Your Fire" was a minor hit. Spiteri again contributed backing vocals to the album.

Both Alex and Scott left before the release of Swagger, Giuliano taking over all guitar duties, and Mark Kerr (brother of Simple Minds singer Jim Kerr) replacing Scott. Swagger was easily their most successful album, propelled by the success of their version of Word Up!, the single of which was a top 10 UK hit and charted well in many other territories as well.

The band took a break and returned three years later with yet another new drummer, Stuart Kerr (formerly of Texas), a keyboard player, Irvin Duguid, a new name (G.U.N.), and a new album 0141 632 6326 produced by INXS keyboard player Andrew Fariss, which was characterised by a much lighter, poppier sound than the more rock-driven sound of their earlier works. However, the album managed to simultaneously alienate existing fans of the band and fail to gain a new audience, and sold poorly in comparison to Swagger.

The band split in 1997 and aside from a few one-off reunion gigs in 1998 and 1999, have not been active as a unit since, although two new Gun CDs have been released (The Collection and The River Sessions - a double live CD), and all the individual members are still working within the music industry. A GUN fan site is also still active with previous members of the band participating in live web chats and contributing to the forums from time to time.

[edit] Current work

In 2005, Dante Gizzi resurfaced in the glam rock band El Presidente. Alan Thornton collaborated on the band's debut album.

Guiliano 'Jools' Gizzi, Alan Thornton and Cami Morlotti have recently (2006) joined up again to reform as Blind Allez. Gizzi has also been collaborating with Deacon Blue and Texas as well as contributing in the studio to El Presidente.

Scott Shields has contributions to the films Black Hawk Down and Bend It Like Beckham and was also playing and touring with Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros until Strummer's death. Scott and other members of the band put the finishing touches to Strummer's last album.

Alex Dickson has played with Bruce Dickinson, Emma Bunton and Robbie Williams since leaving Gun and is also a member of the rock supergroup Sacktrick.

Mark Rankin is currently working for Mercury Records in London promoting up and coming bands.

Mark Kerr has been working in Paris , France on a project called Sly silver sly. He has also played drums on occasion for Simple Minds and for Rita Mitsouko. Other interests include Regency Buck, Scottish dance outfit "Scanners" and Paris based DJ “Unkle O” on a project called, “Jackos One”. The first single, “Xorsister” has just been released in France. Mark also has a song on the new Mellow album and is currently working with Paris based Bob's Symphonic Ochestra and has collaborated with Cathy Burton on the song 'Love without a trace'.

[edit] Trivia

Sharleen Spiteri of the band Texas is a cousin of Mark Rankin
Mark Kerr is the brother of Simple Minds front man Jim.
Mick Jagger personally asked for Gun to tour with The Rolling Stones on the Urban Jungle tour.
Gun received an MTV award as best cover for the single Word up.
Pamela Anderson stripped to Gun's version of Word up in her film Barb Wire.
Gun did a Status Quo tribute in Aviemore, Scotland in 1995 during the High T festival, complete with 'Quo' wigs. The Gizzi brothers traded light hearted insults on stage after both blamed each other for a mistake during the intro to Word Up (a song they had played live, without incident, approx 200 times previously) at the same event.
The Gizzi brothers both own a bistro in Glasgow with their brother and sister.
History repeated itself in 1999 when Gun once again played on the same stage as Simple Minds, following Jim Kerrs invitation to play for charity, at the Scotland Rocks for Kosovo gig at the S.E.C.C.
Gun were managed by GR management in Glasgow, who also managed Texas, Slide and currently, El Presidente.
In 1998 GUN played a gig at the 'Paradise garage' in Lisbon, Portugal as a favour to the owner.