The Gun Club was formed by Jeffrey Lee Pierce, former head of the Blondie fan club in Los Angeles. Joining him was Brian Tristan, who was later renamed Kid Congo Powers during his stint with The Cramps, Don Snowden, who was at the time a music critic for the Los Angeles Times, and Brad Dunning. Pierce played guitar and lead vocals, while Tristan took on lead guitar, Snowden on bass, and Dunning rounding out the quartet on drums. The band was originally a rockabilly band called The Cyclones lead by Pleasant Gehman on lead vocals, but Gehman departed after only one show. Adopting the name The Creeping Ritual, Pierce moved to vocals and they spent some time gigging at local venues. Eventually, the group grew dissatisfied with their name and switched to The Gun Club, suggested by Pierce's flatmate, Black Flag and Circle Jerks singer Keith Morris.
Kid Congo left before the recording of the first album to join The Cramps. He was replaced by Ward Dotson, who would play lead and slide guitar on the band's debut album. Snowden and Dunning also departed at this time, being replaced by two ex-members of The Bags, Rob Ritter and Terry Graham, respectively. Securing a record deal on Slash Records division Ruby, the group released their debut album, Fire of Love in 1981. The album was produced by Tito Larriva of The Plugz and The Flesh Eaters' frontman Chris D. Critic Stevo Olende has written that the "album's lyrical imagery is plundered from voodoo, '50's EC comics and the blues," while another notes that "Nobody has heard music like this before or since." Fire of Love sold well and received strong reviews upon release.
By 1982, the band had signed to Blondie guitarist Chris Stein's Animal Records. The band temporarily relocated to New York to record their follow-up album, 1982's Miami. This album would feature not only Stein as producer, but also Debbie Harry on backup vocals on select tracks. Upon release, the album received good reviews but was widely criticized for Stein's production, which was said to have a thin mix. Rob Ritter left shortly after the album, changing his name to Rob Graves and forming the band 45 Grave. Before leaving, Ritter taught all of his bass parts to his former Bags bandmate Patricia Morrison and trained her as his replacement. Due to increasingly common arguments, Pierce dismissed Graham and Dotson around this time.
The Las Vegas Story and First Break-Up (1984-1986)
Terry Graham and Ward Dotson were replaced with Jim Duckworth on guitar and Dee Pop, formerly of the New York band Bush Tetras, on drums. During this time, Pierce refrained from guitar playing, instead focusing on singing. This line-up was to be very short-lived though; Dee Pop lasted only eight months before Graham returned. On the eve of an Australian tour, both Duckworth and Graham refused to get on the plane. Without a guitarist or a drummer, Pierce had the supporting act's drummer fill in for the remainder of the tour, while Kid Congo Powers returned on guitar. When they returned to the States, Graham resumed his place on drums.
Pierce returned to guitar playing during this line-up, and both he and Powers are credited with guitar on their third album, 1984's The Las Vegas Story. 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. The Blaster's Dave Alvin appeared to play lead guitar on a handful of tracks. The band embarked on a tour throughout Britain in support of the album, though Graham again departed during this tour and was replaced with Desperate. After a tour supporting Siouxsie & The Banshees, the band decided to call it quits and played their farewell shows in the winter of 1984.
During the break-up, Powers, Morrison, and Desperate formed a band called Fur Bible, while Jeffrey Lee Pierce embarked on a solo career. Pierce assembled a band consisting of former members of The Cure and Spear of Destiny and released Wildweed in 1985. He organized a new band in support of the album, including Nick Sanderson of Clock DVA and Pierce's then-girlfriend Romi Mori. Sanderson played drums while Mori played guitar.
Reformation (1987-1992)
After a short stint doing spoken word performances, Pierce decided to reform a new version of the band in 1987. Powers, who had also been recruited into Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds at this time, resumed his place at guitar, with Mori switching to bass, and Sanderson retaining his place on drums. Under this line-up, The Gun Club would record a handful of albums, including 1987's Mother Juno. This album, produced by Robin Guthrie of The Cocteau Twins, was met with positive critical reception and was a successful comeback for the band. After the release of Nick Cave's 1990 album The Good Son, Kid Congo Powers departed The Bad Seeds to focus more on The Gun Club.
1990 saw the release of the band's fifth studio effort, Pastoral Hide and Seek, which Pierce produced himself. Nick Sanderson departed after the release of 1991's mini-album Divinity to focus on his other project, World of Twist. He was replaced with Simon Fish, who had previously played with Pierce on one of his solo albums. During this time, Jeffrey Lee alternated between his solo acoustic material and The Gun Club, which was his outlet for harder-edged songs. In 1992, Powers left the band to focus on his solo project Congo Norvell, and Nick Sanderson soon returned to drums after the dissolution of World of Twist.
Later Years (1993-1996)
Without their lead guitarist, Pierce decided to handle both lead and rhythm guitar parts on what would be their final album, 1993's http://www.last.fm/music/The+Gun+Club/Lucky+Jim]Lucky Jim. Pierce and Romi Mori had, at this point, been dating since the mid-eighties. However, Sanderson and Mori grew increasingly close until finally the two eloped in 1994, leaving The Gun Club without a rhythm section and Jeffrey Lee without a lover. Pierce, by his own account, had been clean for several years but soon switched back to drug and alcohol abuse after the departure of his longtime girlfriend.
He made a few live appearances with The Bad Seeds in 1994 but mostly remained reclusive during this time to write his autobiography, which proved to be exceptionally critical of former members of the band. He returned to Los Angeles, after a 10 year stay in London, where he grew increasingly fascinated with rap music and even recorded a rap cover of Tom Waits' song "Pasties & a G-String" for a Waits tribute album. With his health failing, he was only able to play a handful of shows in 1996 with a new band that consisted of Mike Martt and Kid Congo Powers on guitar, a bassist named Elizabeth Montague, and drummer Brock Avery. Pierce decided to visit his father in Utah where he suffered a stroke and was taken to a hospital. He was to undergo surgery to remove a blood clot in his brain but died on March 31, 1996.
Influence
Being among the first bands to combine punk and blues, The Gun Club has had a lasting influence on many artists. The White Stripes have been known to cover "For the Love of Ivy" and "Jack on Fire", off the band's debut album, at live shows. Of The Gun Club's music in particular, the band's vocalist and guitarist Jack White has said, "'Sex Beat', 'She's Like Heroin To Me', and 'For The Love Of Ivy'...why are these songs not taught in schools?"
Several other artists—such as Henry Rollins, Blanche, the Pixies, Cobra Verde, Noir Désir, The Flaming Stars, Tito & Tarantula, Soul Bossa, The Deadly Snakes, Calla, Lucid Nation, Love Life, Madrugada, The Von Bondies, American Mars, Th' Legendary Shack Shakers, The Fever, Archie Bronson Outfit, and Mark Lanegan of The Screaming Trees, who covered Miami's opening track "Carry Home"—have been influenced by The Gun Club.
Discography
Fire of Love (album 1981)
Ghost On The Highway/Sex Beat (double a-side single 1981)
Miami (album 1982)
Fire of Love (single 1982)
The Birth, The Death, The Ghost (live album 1983; recorded 1980)
Death Party (EP 1983)
The Las Vegas Story (album 1984)
Sex Beat '81 (semi-legal live album 1984)
Two Sides of the Beast (compilation album 1985)
Love Supreme (semi-legal live album 1985)
Danse Kalinda Boom - Live in Pandora's Box (live album 1985)
Sex Beat 81 (semi-legal live single 1986)
Death Party (semi-legal live album 1987); has no tracks from the 1983 Death Party EP
Mother Juno (album 1987)
Breaking Hands (single 1988)
Sex Beat (single 1989)
Pastoral Hide and Seek (studio album 1990)
The Great Divide (single 1990)
Pastoral, Hide & Seek (The Lost Song) (single 1991)
Divinity (album 1991)
Ahmed's Wild Dream a.k.a. Live in Europe (live album 1992)
In Exile (compilation album 1992)
Lucky Jim (album 1993)
Cry To Me (single 1993)
Live at The Hacienda 1983 (live video 1994)
Preaching The Blues (live video 1995; recorded 1984)
Early Warning (rarities and demos double compilation album 1997)
Walkin' With The Beast (single 2004)
Live at The Hacienda 1983/1984 (live DVD 2006; reissue of above videos)
Fire Of Love (live DVD 2007; recorded 1983 and 1985)
Da Blood Done Signed My Name (rarities and demos double compilation album 2007; reissue of Early Warning plus one extra interview track)
Larger Than Live (live album 2008; recorded 1990 - not 1992 as incorrectly listed on sleeve)
The Life & Times of Jeffrey Lee Pierce & The Gun Club (studio cuts and live compilation 4CD box set 2008)
Cry To Me
The Gun Club Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Base our sympathy
You were down
With a sourful heart
Deep in your tent
Never end
Let me be you're friend
You can cry to me
Yes I've heard
Of your misfortune
Our misfortunes
Are nothing new
Yes it's true
I'm watchin' you
This my wish is
To be with you
You can cry to me
Yeah
So your man
He can't agree now
Well your man
Ain't here at all
Love is strange
It is strange
Let's just re-arrange
And you can cry to me
Yes you can cry to me
Whoah I just thinkin' of you
Whoah I might've called
You were sad
Makes me mad
Of all the love you had
Things you cry to me
You can cry to me
All right
(End)
The Gun Club's song Cry to Me depicts a scene where someone who is going through misfortunes is in need of a friend to support and comfort them. The lyrics represent a message of empathy and kindness, reinforcing the idea that when someone is struggling and feeling alone, they have someone to turn to for help. The line "let me be your friend" indicates that the singer is extending a hand to the person in need, willing to provide a shoulder to cry on. The mention of "love is strange" suggests that the source of the main character's woes might relate to a failed romantic relationship. The lyrics imply that no matter how low the person might feel, there is always someone willing to listen and provide a safe space to cry.
Line by Line Meaning
Yes Indeed
The singer confirms the truth of what they are about to say
Base our sympathy
The singer empathizes with the listener's situation
You were down
The listener was feeling sad or depressed
With a sourful heart
The listener was experiencing emotional pain
Deep in your tent
The listener was hiding or isolating themselves
Never end
The listener's suffering seemed endless or without relief
Let me be you're friend
The singer offers their friendship to the listener
You can cry to me
The artist is willing to listen to the listener's problems and offer support
Yes I've heard
The artist acknowledges that they have been informed of the listener's misfortune
Of your misfortune
The listener experienced some kind of misfortune or hardship
Our misfortunes
The singer relates to the listener by acknowledging their own experiences of hardship
Are nothing new
The artist believes that experiencing misfortune is a common human experience
Yes it's true
The singer confirms the truth of what they are saying
I'm watchin' you
The singer is paying attention to the listener and is ready to help
This my wish is
The singer expresses their desire
To be with you
The artist wants to be present and supportive for the listener
You can cry to me Yeah
The artist reassures the listener that they can express their emotions freely without judgement
So your man
The singer refers to the listener's significant other
He can't agree now
The listener's significant other is not supportive or understanding
Well your man
The artist repeats the referral to the listener's significant other to emphasize their lack of assistance
Ain't here at all
The listener's significant other is not physically present
Love is strange
The artist acknowledges the unpredictability and complexity of love
It is strange
The singer reiterates their point about love
Let's just re-arrange
The artist suggests changing the current situation
And you can cry to me
The singer repeats their offer to the listener
Yes you can cry to me
The singer reaffirms that the listener is welcome to share their emotions with them
Whoah I just thinkin' of you
The singer is reflecting on their thoughts of the listener
Whoah I might've called
The artist may have reached out to the listener recently
You were sad
The listener was feeling unhappy
Makes me mad
The singer is angry about the listener's suffering
Of all the love you had
The singer recognizes how much love the listener gave and is upset that it wasn't reciprocated
Things you cry to me
The artist is once again offering a listening ear to the listener
You can cry to me
The artist repeats their willingness to support the listener emotionally
All right
The artist ends the song with an affirmative expression
Writer(s): Jeffrey Lee Pierce
Contributed by Cooper T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
jerome jordan
They went from punk to this. Never seen that kind of evolvement from any band. Bought everything they release from the beginning. Amazing band.
Damien Lynch
jerome jordan they were always a blues band ❤️
Brownie
Man I just found this band and am loving it
Andrew Maynard
Ditto. Spent my uni years wasting my time on the Smiths when I could have been listening to this!! :-(
PAMELA MUÑOZ
@Garluth aaAaaaa
PAMELA MUÑOZ
@Garluth AaaaaaaaA
Billy Aubin
Same here
Arye Bognar
@Garluth , apparently everyone is underrated in YouTube comments.
Rufus Niccolo'
One of my favourite songs ever, thank you Jeffrey, rest in power
Robert Bruce
Fucking love The Gun Club. Been listening to them for about 30 years....haunting,bluesy,rock and roll