Gun was an English psych-rock band from Redbridge that released two albums on CBS/Epic between 1968 and 1969. The guitar/bass/vocal team of brothers Paul and Adrian Gurvitz subsequently co-led the band Three Man Army and its followup The Baker Gurvitz Army during the early-to-mid 1970s.
Members: Paul Curtis [Paul Gurvitz] (guitar, bass, vocals), Gearie Kenworthy (bass, 1967-68), Tim Mycroft (keyboards, 1967-68), Louie Farrell (drums, 1967-69), Jon Anderson (vocals, 1967), Adrian Curtis [Adrian Gurvitz] (guitar, vocals, 1968-70), Pete Dunton (drums, 1969-70)
Background
Gun had its roots in mod-rockers The Knack, an evolution of The Londoners, formed in 1963 by guitarists Paul Gurvitz and Brian Morris.
It all started in 1963 at an Ilford hair salon called Paul Anthony, run by hairdresser Paul Gurvitz (b. 1944), who also played guitar. One of his customers, Brian Morris, turned out to be a guitarist and singer. They formed The Londoners and used the salon as rehearsal space.
Paul’s father, Sam Gurvitz, had industry ties as a former road manager for The Shadows. He linked The Londoners up with his current client, American rockabilly singer Gene Vincent. They served as Vincent’s backing band for a round of gigs at Germany’s Star Club. While there, they cut covers of Elvis Presley (“That’s My Desire”) and Sam Cooke (“Bring It On Home To Me”) for the German market.
1965–67: The Knack
Back in London, the band changed their name to The Knack, inspired by the 1965 Richard Lester mod movie The Knack …and How to Get It. The lineup now consisted of bassist Gearie Kenworthy, drummer Topper Clay, and Morris and Gurvitz on guitar and vocals. During this period, Gurvitz modified his surname to Curtis, which he thought was more marketable. They signed with Decca and teamed with producer Larry Page (The Kinks, The Clique, The Troggs).
On Decca, The Knack cut two 1965 singles: “Who’ll Be the Next In Line,” a cover of a recent Kinks b-side (b/w “She Ain’t No Good”), and “It’s Love Baby (24 Hours a Day)” (b/w “Time Time Time”), two songs also recorded by The Clique.
After Decca dropped The Knack, Sam got them signed to Pye-subsidiary Piccadilly, where they issued three singles in 1966, starting with “Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind,” a cover of the recent Lovin’ Spoonful hit (b/w “Red Hearts”). They followed that with “Stop (Before You Get Me Going),” which hit #22 on the Radio London chart (b/w “Younger Girl,” another Spoonful cover). That and its followup, “Save All My Love for Joey” (b/w “Take Your Love”), were issued in Australia on Astor.
In February 1967, The Knack issued their first self-penned single: “(The Man From the) Marriage Guidance and Advice Bureau,” a Morris original, backed with “Dolly Catcher Man,” credited to Curtis (Gurvitz).
Months later, Piccadilly floundered and The Knack, minus Morris and Clay, renamed itself The Gun with Gurvitz, Kenworthy, organist Tim Mycroft, and drummer Louie Farrell. They played London’s psychedelic haunts, including the famed UFO Club, where they supported Pink Floyd, Tomorrow, and The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. For a brief time, ex-Warriors singer Jon Anderson fronted Gun (en route to Mabel Greer’s Toyshop, which morphed into Yes).
In late 1967, The Gun cut an intended single, “Lights on the Wall.” With its light harmonies, crisp drum rolls, spiraling organ line, gruff low-end riff refrains, and kaleidoscopic fade-out, the song echoes the toytown pop-psych style of contemporaries The Move and The Idle Race. Despite its non-release, they made two appearances on the BBC music program Top Gear.
1968: Gun
In early 1968, the band reconfigured once more as Gun, consisting of Farrell, Paul Gurvitz (on bass and vocals), and his guitarist brother Adrian Gurvitz (b. 1949), who also used the Curtis pseudonym. In this new formation, Gun was a powertrio in the mold of Cream and the Jimi Hendrix Experience.
Gun released their self-titled debut album in 1968 on CBS (UK, Europe, Oceania). Side 1 contains five songs, mostly in the four-minute range, including
Discography:
- Gun (1968)
- Gun Sight (1969)
Sources:
Artist/Album Pages:
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