| Miami | |
| Type: | Album |
| Artist: | The Gun Club |
| Cover: | GCMiami.jpg |
| Released: | September 20, 1982 |
| Recorded: | June 1982 |
| Studio: | Blank Tape Studios, New York |
| Genre: | Punk blues, alternative country, post-punk |
| Label: | Animal Records |
| Producer: | Chris Stein |
| Prev Title: | Fire of Love |
| Prev Year: | 1981 |
| Next Title: | Death Party EP |
| Next Year: | 1983 |
Miami is the second studio album by American rock band the Gun Club, released in 1982.[1] It was released on Animal Records, founded by guitarist Chris Stein of Blondie.[2] Stein also produced the album.
Debbie Harry, also of Blondie, appears as a backing singer on various tracks on the album under the pseudonym "D.H. Laurence Jr." The album front cover photograph doesn't include bassist Rob Ritter who had already left the band. Before leaving, Ritter first taught all the bass-lines to Patricia Morrison, his replacement in the Gun Club and former bandmate in the Bags.[3]
Billy Idol had met up with Pierce in an L.A. bar around the time of Miami and later revealed his commercial hit "White Wedding" had been an attempt to emulate "Mother of Earth" from the album.[4] The song was covered by alt-country band the Sadies on their 2001 album Tremendous Efforts and also by Swedish band bob hund, but with lyrics in Swedish, as “Mamma din jord” on their 2019 album 0-100.
Miami was ranked among the top fifty "Albums of the Year" for 1982 by NME.[5]
In a 1982 article about the band, Scott Isler described their approach as "nostalgic revivalism" which is "unique...in overhauling country blues for a bloodcurdling contemporary impact. Far from camping it up, Pierce respects the elemental power of his inspiration; his eerie semi-coherent imagery are in line of descent." Isler says that the band's "understated accompaniment is similarly effective with its less-is-more minimalism. A potent, unstable blend." According to Pierce, "[e]ven though we idolized an older style of music, none of us were good enough to play it! What we came up with is our own version. I find myself writing about the feeling of being lost."[6]
All songs written by Jeffrey Lee Pierce; except as indicated.
"Special thanks to: Bob Singerman, Linda Cuckovich, Chris D., Robyn Weiss, Lois Graham, Lux Interior, Ivy Rorschach, Kid Congo, Linda Jones, Chris Stein and D.H. Laurence, Jr."