Description
On July 3rd, BLIXA SOUNDS will release a Standard Edition of MIAMI, the classic 1982 album by punk rock legends The Gun Club. With a howling and unholy mix of punk rock and the blues, Jeffrey Lee Pierce and The Gun Club exploded upon the L.A. club scene in the early '80s. When it came time to record a follow-up to their acclaimed debut Fire Of Love, the group decamped to New York to work with producer Chris Stein of Blondie and his new label, Animal. Stein produced Miami at Blank Tape Studios in June 1982, with Deborah Harry on hand to sing backup vocals, credited under the pseudonym D.H. Laurence Jr. Despite the involvement of two members of Blondie, Miami was no pop-punk concoction, but rather a further exploration of the neo-swamp blues Pierce and company had mined on Fire of Love, though Stein's production made Pierce's toxic musical stew a little easier to swallow.
Miami didn't get its proper due back in the day, but was hugely impactful. Billy Idol said the closing track "Mother Earth" was a key influence on his 1982 hit "White Wedding." While The Gun Club went on to inspire such artists as Chris Isaak, The White Stripes and Mark Lanegan, the band also highlighted their own influences on Miami. The album includes a howling take on Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Run Through Jungle," a revved up version of the traditional folk song "John Hardy," and a Cramps-like rendition of J.R. Reynolds' "Fire of Love". Along with Debbie Harry's backing vocals, Miami features a constellation of notable guest artists, including Andy Warhol protege Walter Steding on fiddle, Rubber Rodeo's Mark Tomeo on steel guitar, and Chris Stein himself joining in on bongos.
The Gun Club recorded a few albums after Miami, but this one with the original band is considered their masterpiece!
