Interview through Mark Lacey
Reside Footage: Louise Phillips
35 years for the reason that unlock in their iconic debut album ‘Taking at the international’, GUN are again with perhaps the best album in their occupation. The band has observed many line-up adjustments all over their tenure, and while handiest brothers, Dante and Jools Gizzi stay from the ones early days, ‘Hombres’ sees the band go back to the blistering type of that debut. Regularly cited among the best rock bands the United Kingdom has produced, GUN have a hectic 2024, with dates throughout the United Kingdom and Europe. Dante and Jools discovered time to talk to MyGlobalMind.com about their new album, and what lies forward.
“Folks at all times speak about their newest recording being their highest album. I’ve heard many bands do it, and we’ve finished it ourselves. However what I will be able to actually say is, I feel this has actually been essentially the most stress-free time within the studio. It used to be a coming in combination, there used to be nice enjoying, and simply a really perfect surroundings within the studio. It used to be so stress-free, and I feel that tells within the songs”.
MGM: You’re steadily described as Scotland’s largest musical export. That’s somewhat some tag. How do you are feeling about that?
Dante: That’s a little bit far-fetched.
Jools: Neatly, it’s overwhelming, and it’s actually great to listen to that. It makes you pleased with your band, pleased with your tune, what you’ve written, and what you’ve gotten contributed to the tune international. However I call to mind Alex Harvey. I call to mind Nazareth. I call to mind Easy Minds. Those are our icons and I glance as much as them. I feel they’re awesome to what we’ll ever be. But it surely’s really nice to be tagged in conjunction with them.
MGM: Are we able to perhaps return and communicate a little bit concerning the early a part of your occupation? Jules, I feel you began the band out at the beginning as ‘Blind Alley’?
Jools: Yeah, it began out as ‘Blind Alley’ after which it was a band referred to as ‘Phobia’, after which we modified the identify to ‘GUN’.
MGM: After which Dante, you joined the band the next yr. What had your musical paths been up till that time for either one of you? Had you performed in different bands both in combination or aside?
Dante: No, I hadn’t even picked up an tool. On the time I used to be being auditioned because the bass participant I hadn’t ever picked up a bass guitar in my lifestyles. It used to be all very new and it had taken a little bit of persuasion for me to enroll in the band. It took a little bit of time for me to really feel the boldness. I used to be just a little nervous as a result of I used to be handiest 17, immediately out of faculty, and I used to be operating in an Italian delicatessen. I used to be getting a excellent salary, after which up pops Jools asking me to enroll in the band. The band had already been signed to A&M information, in order that they have been getting a salary. The bass participant had left and he’s in fact asking me to return and sign up for the band. It had taken somewhat a large number of persuasion.
Jools: It didn’t figure out with Cami, our unique bass participant. I feel he perhaps felt a little bit too harassed with it. We had already auditioned bass gamers and none of them had cracked it, and our supervisor says “Is there any person to your circle of relatives who’s musical or who would have an interest”? I used to be like, perhaps my wee daft brother. He likes tune. He listens to my tune, and he listens to me enjoying each day. I had an 8-track to list all my concepts. He’s taking note of the tune that I pay attention to, so he likes rock tune. And the chief says, neatly, why don’t we get him in and paintings with him? We were given Dante making an attempt a few tracks on the true album. We went again house and I practised with him, appearing him the notes, after which he simply picked it up himself. Each day he used to be continuously enjoying that bass guitar.
MGM: That’s an extraordinary trail, from operating in an Italian deli, finding out to play bass, after which supporting the Rolling Stones at Wembley Stadium simply 18 months later. And also you needed to persuade your self to do it?
Dante: I felt actually dangerous telling my outdated boss that I needed to go away, as a result of he had simply given me a salary upward thrust the week earlier. I used to be getting £40 every week, and it used to be going as much as £60 every week. After which I needed to inform him that I used to be leaving the delicatessen to enroll in the band. He used to be Italian, and he says in damaged English “In the event you ever develop into actually a hit, can I be your chauffeur”? They took it actually neatly, and I used to be so frightened about telling them.
Jools: The individual I used to be frightened about telling that he used to be leaving his process to enroll in a band used to be my mom, God leisure her, as a result of she used to be like “He’s simply were given a salary upward thrust. Is he nonetheless going to provide me stay cash”?
MGM: It’s now been 35 years, and while you’ve had a variety of line-up adjustments all over that point, and a pause within the heart, you’re the two constants for GUN. Most often it’s the 2 brothers that experience competition however you’re each sat at the identical sofa and also you’re smiling.
Jools: I’ve were given a knife caught in his chest ha ha. However in fact, it will get shut; particularly within the songwriting. You’re within the studio and he’s were given an concept and I’ve were given an concept and it doesn’t somewhat paintings. I’ll be like, why do you no longer like that concept? And he’ll say, “As a result of I simply don’t really feel it”. And I’ll be the similar to him. We’re at all times to-ing and fro-ing within the studio. We’ve got our arguments, however they’re positive. It’s just for the most efficient of the songs, and for the most efficient of the band within the studio and what you are feeling relaxed making a song or enjoying.
Dante: It’s been 35 years folks been in combination as primary contributors of the band. It’s tricky as a result of for those who’re at the highway and also you’re happening excursion for months right here and there, and also you spend a large number of time in combination, and then you definately’re again house and then you definately see each and every different once more.
Jools: I do know what to anticipate from Dante, and Dante is aware of what to anticipate from me. I feel within the studio, we attempt to get the most efficient out of one another, even reside, we attempt to get the most efficient; we’re at all times pushing each and every different. We do have our ups and downs, but it surely’s all positive. I’ve by no means felt dangerous as a result of any person purchased him two extra Jack Daniels than they purchased me.
MGM: Your first 3 albums are extensively recognised as being one of the most highest rock albums to return out of the United Kingdom. However, after the ones albums you had a little bit of a transformation of group of workers. The fourth album used to be somewhat tough for various causes, and led on your cut up in ‘97. Do you consider how that felt on the time? Did it really feel terminal or did it really feel brief?
Jools: For me, I feel it felt a little bit terminal, in fact, as a result of with the 0141 album, from day one I simply knew it wasn’t going to sound correct, it wasn’t going to be us. I don’t know why we went in to list and spend that amount of cash to take a look at and save this list, for the reason that other people I let listen the demos on the time have been all desirous about it. The rationale we labored with Andrew Farriss used to be as a result of our favorite two INXS albums have been ‘Kick’ and ‘Pay attention Like Thieves’ and we simply sought after a heavier rock model. Our greatest hit ‘Phrase up’ used to be a dance tune, but it surely used to be a dance tune that appeared like Metallica recording it, and that’s the place we would have liked to head with those demos. If we got here again with a list with a killer song like ‘Phrase up’, it could have taken us to the following stage. So, we idea, who did we get entangled to do this, we’ve were given Andrew Farriss, however Andrew Farriss didn’t produce any of the information. It used to be Chris Thomas who produced all the ones information.
Dante: It used to be simply a kind of issues, and we hit a stumbling block with Andrew Farriss on the subject of the course we would have liked to head. I consider we sat down with him, and through this level, we have been some huge cash into debt with recording the album.
Jools: At the moment, Hook Finish Manor used to be the most costly residential recording studio in Britain at just about £2,000 an afternoon. And we have been sitting there and sinking deeper into it, and not anything used to be coming again.
Dante: It simply felt like this wasn’t the album that we would have liked to make. We approached him, we mentioned, glance, the speculation used to be for us to create a ‘Pay attention Like Thieves’ / ‘Kick’ sort album. And he used to be like, oh, no, I don’t wish to do this. We needed to make a right kind rock album, and that didn’t occur. Our control workforce, and the list corporate have been all pronouncing the similar factor. Even Mark, to a definite extent, used to be put into the placement the place he used to be siding with the label and the control workforce, and it used to be simply Jools and I at one level towards our workforce, principally, as it wasn’t the album we would have liked to convey out.
MGM: Folks for your fan teams, who’ve heard the ones unique demos were so certain about them. Have they ever been formally launched, or will they?
Dante: The fanatics have requested us; please are you able to re-record them how they will have to have sounded and even unlock the demos? But it surely’s going to take me a little bit of time to take a look at to search out them, as a result of I’ve were given about 150 8-track cassettes, and on just about they all I’m making a song the vocals, for the guides, for Mark to sing. That might be beautiful cool for the fanatics to listen to.
Jools: The demos have been good. So, if we may have made just a little extra of that actual heavy sound within the studio, and saved the massive guitars, however he simply went utterly left box to what we would have liked. We have been already spending fortunes within the studio, and A&M have been like, neatly, we’re no longer writing it off. It simply led to drawback after drawback. On the finish of it, Dante and I have been simply, neatly, you launched this list, honest sufficient. However none folks will probably be doing any promo for it as a result of I’m no longer speaking a couple of list that I actually don’t have any religion in, and I actually don’t like.
Dante: If you’ll be able to’t persuade your self concerning the album, how are you able to persuade others? We had that duration the place all of it stopped and the whole lot completed, and we rapid ahead to 2011 and after we were given in combination and did the ‘Smash the Silence’ album. That used to be us pronouncing to ourselves, we adore enjoying those songs. We adore enjoying the entire outdated songs. Let’s convey out a brand new album. It felt like we nonetheless had one thing to turn out; we didn’t wish to go away it how it used to be again in 1997. We nonetheless had unfinished trade.
MGM: When you were given again in combination, you had a short lived duration the place Toby Jepson used to be your reside vocalist, after which, Dante, you stepped up from bass to develop into the lead vocalist. That will have to have taken some adaptation. Did you are feeling any power to be a clone of Mark while you stepped as much as sing?
Dante: That used to be the cruel phase, and what used to be going thru my head. It wasn’t such a lot about how I felt about the best way I might sing. I used to be desirous about the fanatics, and being continuously in comparison to Mark, as a result of that’s a herbal factor. It doesn’t topic how excellent a singer you’re. You have to be Robert Plant up there making a song the ones songs, but it surely’s nonetheless no longer Mark Rankin. To be able to make that transfer to entrance the band, we needed to convey it new subject material to make it a development, and that’s what we did do. However on the subject of taking up vocals and being a frontman, we had a band referred to as El Presidente, which used to be again within the mid 2000s. That used to be the first actual time I fronted a band, and that used to be one of the daunting sessions of my lifestyles. I consider I performed King Tuts Wawa Hut right here in Glasgow to about 300 other people with El Presidente, but it surely used to be simply me and a backing CD. That used to be my first actual display as a frontman. You have to smoke on the time. All through the solos, I simply didn’t know what to do with my palms, so I simply were given this giant cigar and began smoking within the solo phase. There’s not anything extra scary than when there’s tune getting performed within the background. What do you do? I used to be thrown proper in on the deep finish. Up to I discovered it daunting, I nonetheless loved it. I really like being a singer and I feel that’s one thing that I at all times sought after to do. Taking on in Gun used to be a little bit horrifying in the beginning since you think that persons are simply going to at all times evaluate you, it doesn’t matter what. However presently, at this second in time, I believe like tremendous assured with it.
MGM: Hombres is getting actually excellent critiques. On the 100 membership display you performed six out of ten songs they usually went down a hurricane. What did you wish to have this album to suggest? And what does the Hombres name imply for you each?
Jools: I call to mind the entire territories in Europe the place we’ve been a hit; Germany, Scandinavia and Portugal; Spain has been the most efficient. We’ve been actually so neatly gained and we’re simply perhaps placing out just a little bit homage to the Spanish fanatics. Clearly, we’re within the studio, and there’s the Tres Hombres ZZ Most sensible factor, so why don’t we simply perhaps name it Hombres.
Dante: Folks at all times speak about their newest recording being their highest album. I’ve heard many bands do it, and we’ve finished it ourselves. However what I will be able to actually say is, I feel this has actually been essentially the most stress-free time within the studio. It used to be a coming in combination, there used to be nice enjoying, and simply a really perfect surroundings within the studio. It used to be so stress-free, and I feel that tells within the songs.
MGM: A large number of the albums that experience pop out submit COVID were somewhat depressing, and but your album is actually somewhat upbeat and amusing. So, no longer written all the way through COVID?
Jools: No, we did. There have been giant portions of it that have been, like ‘Shift in time’
Dante: We discovered it actually tough to jot down all the way through that duration as a result of creativity used to be simply utterly lessened on a large scale for us. Now not understanding what the long run used to be going to be. Do we ever play gigs once more? What’s the purpose in freeing new subject material when you’ll be able to’t get in the market and put it on the market or exhibit it? In order that used to be a stumbling block for us. However I feel this album is the most efficient I’ve ever sang on. And that takes one thing for me to mention that, as a result of I don’t ever fee myself, however with this album I believe actually assured.
Jools: I actually do assume we captured a second within the studio. Dante sang his ass off in that studio and as we have been popping out COVID, issues have been beginning to glance up just a little. It were given us all fired up.
MGM: You’ve gotten 3 feminine visitor vocalists in this album, together with Beverley Skeet. What impressed that call?
Jools: They’ve sung with Primal Scream, Red Floyd, and Robbie Williams. They’ve sung with a variety of other people. However we first were given offered to them after we have been doing the ‘Everybody’s a winner’ quilt and Brendan, our supervisor were given them concerned. They’re 3 pretty girls.
Dante: We adore the manner of it. We’ve at all times cherished the sound of getting feminine backing vocalists, even from day one while you pay attention to ‘Taking at the international’ and also you’ve were given Sharleen Spiteri making a song on that album. Possibly it’s one thing we’ve at all times had. We in fact don’t take into consideration it, we simply assume it’s provides to the tune.
MGM: You’ve been doing an entire bunch of promotional displays upfront of the album unlock date. A large number of bands are actually paranoid about appearing new songs reside sooner than the album comes out as a result of they’re nervous that any YouTube bootlegs will detract from that album revel in. You’ve completely embraced it, and it sort of feels to have paid off for you.
Jools: Neatly, that’s the entire level of it. We play them as a result of we fucking love them. We wish to get in the market and let other people listen it as a result of we’re actually up at the list and the whole lot that we labored on within the studio. We simply felt actually assured about it. We actually sought after to let audiences listen six new songs and if they are able to seize what we’re doing, then by the point they pay attention to the album, they’ll love it much more.
MGM: ‘You might be what I would like’ is among the highlights of the album. What used to be the foundation for that tune?
Jools: Musically it got here from Bran Van 3000 or one thing like that? Consuming in LA. There’s this nice actually over distorted guitar and there’s those two chords. I cherished that. We’re giant Stones and Lenny Kravitz fanatics, and I believed if shall we get an concept like that, that will be wonderful. I feel we captured that and I feel it’s considered one of Dante’s highest vocals at the complete album.
Dante: It’s only a cool vibe tune. It jogs my memory of a summer season vibe. I feel that can certainly be a unmarried.
MGM: Any other fascinating tune at the album is ‘Boys don’t cry’. What used to be the concept in the back of that tune?
Dante: It’s near to the ones people who really feel as even though the arena is owed to them. I gained’t cross into any names. We’ve long past thru a large number of musicians, and extra steadily than no longer, it’s all about location. That’s why we’ve ended up with Rudy McFarland enjoying guitar. We went thru an entire duration with other people, no longer such a lot having egos, however simply short of to do their very own factor. That is going again to the very early days when Gun had simply completed up doing the Rolling Stones excursion. It used to be Child Stafford and Scott Shields who then mentioned to themselves, glance, we really feel like as even though we will be able to cross out and do our personal stuff now, so we’re going to depart the band. And that stuff simply came about. I feel that’s the place the speculation of ‘Boys don’t cry’ got here from.
Jools: You’re intended to get actually disillusioned about it, however you simply transfer on. Boys don’t cry.
Dante: We’re too lengthy within the enamel. We don’t want any grief or hassles. We’re of an age now that may’t be with the egos and the entire remainder of it. We identical to to play the tune, and feature a great time.
MGM: You discussed Rudy ‘Roo’ McFarland, who carried out with you on the 100 Membership album release. He’s a powerhouse of a guitar participant. Expectantly you’ve now discovered a ceaselessly line-up for Gun?
Jools: Contact wooden! I might adore it to be a ceaselessly line-up. I’ve at all times mentioned we by no means rehearse sufficient as a band. We’ve by no means actually ever finished that as a result of Tommy, our guitar participant, used to be in Sweden, or Davey Aitkin, who stuffed in, used to be in Milton Keynes. Johnny used to be in Eire and Alex Dixon used to be in London. We simply sought after anyone else who used to be native. We have been knowledgeable about Rudy. And he simply got here in and blew us away. We caught him proper within the deep finish and mentioned, be informed the ‘Scouse borrow your hearth’ guitar solo. And there’s a tune off the ‘Favorite excitement’ album referred to as ‘She is aware of’. They’re actually tough guitar solos. So, the boy got here in to rehearse with us and he completely nailed it. He’s a completely unbelievable man. Palms crossed now we will be able to cross and rehearse each time we wish.
‘Hombres’ is out now
For more info:
www.gunofficial.co.united kingdom
www.fb.com/gunOfficialUK
GUN will probably be appearing reside throughout the United Kingdom and Spain all over 2024:
April
14th: In-store Efficiency & Signing @ Assai Edinburgh
15th: In-store Efficiency & Signing @ HMV Inverness
16th: In-store Efficiency & Signing @ HMV Aberdeen
17th: In-store Efficiency & Signing @ HMV Livingston
17th: In-store Efficiency & Signing @ HMV Ayr
18th: In-store Efficiency & Signing @ HMV Stirling
19th: In-store Efficiency & Signing @ Wax & Beans, Bury
25th: Hombres Release Match @ The city Corridor Montrose
26th: Hombres Release Match @ St Lukes, Glasgow
27th: Hombres Release Match @ PJ Malloys Dunfermline
Might
9th: WOLF Barcelona, Spain
10th: Espacio Las Armas Zaragoza, Spain
11th: 16 TONELADAS ROCK CLUB València, Spain
12th: Sala El Tren Granada, Spain
13th: Sala CUSTOM Sevilla, Spain
15th: Shoko Madrid Madrid, Spain
16th: City Rock Thought Vitoria-gasteiz, Spain
17th: Escenario Santander Santander, Spain
18th: SALA H PONFERRADA Ponferrada, Spain
19th: Sala Capitol Santiago De Compostela, Spain
20th: Porta Caeli Valladolid, Spain
July
19th: Maid of Stone Pageant 2024, Maidstone
December
4th: Scala, London
5th: KK’S Metal Mill, Wolverhampton
6th: Academy 2, Manchester
7th: SWX, Bristol
8th: The Brook, Southampton
10th: Brudenell, Leeds
11th: Wylams Brewery, Newcastle
12th: Lemon Tree, Aberdeen
13th: Mac Arts, Galashiels
14th: Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow
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