Jeffrey Lee Pierce was born June
27, 1958.....in Montebello, California (East of Los Angeles) and also lived
in El Monte, and Reseda, California. In his late teens, he became a fixure at
many Hollywood clubs and soon was writing for various fanzines including SLASH
magazine....he would write reviews of gigs as well as bands. He was a huge fan
of Blondie and became the president of their fan club as well.Inspired by bands
like X, Television, the Cramps, he met Kid Congo Powers and insisted he learn
guitar, and they formed the Creeping Ritual in 1980-81....the name changed to
Gun Club after a suggestion by the Circle Jerks' Keith Morris....Jeffrey's longtime
friend, then-roommate. The band played regularly at the L.A. clubs including Cathay De Grande, Madame Wongs, Starwood, Whisky etc.....building up a following and a repertoire of songs that would become the first album FIRE OF LOVE in 1981,one of the first releases on Slash Records, born out of the ashes of the magazine.
Their early performances featured a crazed Jeffrey Lee flying around the stage, screaming, falling, rambling and generally amazing the crowd with his antics. Gun Club's influences at that time were old blues like Robert Johnson from where they re-created "Preachin' the Blues" and other ancient songs like "Cool Drink of Water" by Tommy Johnson and "Fire of Love" by Jody Reynolds. Encompassing other sounds including rockabilly, country,and swampy soul, they created a new sound not heard before, and which spawned many imitators in the cow-punk arena. By this time,the Cramps had witnessed their greatness and ended up stealing Kid Congo for their own uses- so he did not appear on Fire of Love, but instead on the Cramps' own Psychedelic Jungle of 1981.
By now, the Gun Club line-up had solidified into the version including Rob Ritter on bass, Terry Graham on drums, Ward Dotson on slide guitar and Jeffrey Lee on vocals and slide guitar....on their Fire of Love debut they were assisted by their friends Tito Larriva from the Plugz (later Las Cruzados and currently Tarantula) who did some violin and production, Chris Desjardins also known as "Chris D" from the Flesheaters (and later Divine Horsemen) who contributed production, backing vocals and some brilliant photography and cover design.
The second album was Miami
,recorded in the summer of 1982 and released on Chris Stein's new label
for Chrysalis, Animal Records. Cover art was again by Chris D. This time, a
guest appearance by the mysterious "D.H. Lawrence", otherwise known as Jeffrey's
idol and friend, Deborah Harry, in the form of backing vocals on a few songs
including "Watermelon Man" and "Brother and Sister". Rob Ritter joined 45 Grave
around this time, and is not pictured on Miami. He then became Rob Graves from
that point....he unfortunately died of a drug overdose while working as a roadie
in 1992 in NYC, with Celebrity Skin. Meanwhile, Patricia Morrison, then known as Pat Bag from infamous L.A. punk pioneers the Bags, joined Gun Club, where she remained until 1984. On September 3, 1983, they recorded their first official live album Danse Kalinda Boom for later release when unauthorized bootlegs flooded the market courtesy of disgruntled ex-members!
Gun Club increased in popularity especially in Europe
and toured heavily. They followed Miami with the Death Party EP
on Animal Records, the line-up for this Ep was Jim Duckworth on lead guitar,Jimmy
Joe Uliana on bass, and Dee Pop from the Bush Tetras on drums, and a vocal debut
by Jeffrey's then-girlfriend Linda "Texacala" Jones. Soon after, Jeffrey assisted
in the formation of Tex's band, Tex and the Horseheads, who created their own
legend soon after..... The following year, the original line-up
returned to form, this time including Patricia Morrison, Kid Congo Powers, Terry
Graham and Jeffrey Lee...the Las Vegas Story was released
in 1984. It featured the guitar skills of Dave Alvin of Blasters fame on "Eternally
is Here" and "Stranger In Our Town," as well as old friend Phast Phreddie on
wooden flute. After various tours,including supporting Siouxsie and the Banshees
on their "Hyaena" tour in America, Jeffrey relocated to London, England, and
also journeyed around the world including points in Asia and Japan--a place
he would head to many many times over the next few years. By this time, the band splintered and things came to a halt... Jeffrey began work on a solo album, Wildweed, and his japanese girlfriend Romi Mori joined him on guitar.....just as he taught Kid Congo, he taught Romi. Jeffrey finally ventured into some spoken word at this point, revealing his words on the 7" bonus single that came with Wildweed...
Meanwhile, Kid Congo was adopted by Nick Cave's Bad Seeds and played on and off with them until 1990. Patricia Morrison joined the new lineup of the Sisters of Mercy, a british band that had supported Gun Club on previous tours of England.
In 1987, Robin Guthrie of the Cocteau Twins met Jeffrey Lee in a pub....Jeffrey Lee was a big fan of theirs and they agreed to work together,Robin producing, thus creating the brilliant, beautiful and lush Mother Juno. It was hailed as the comeback of Gun Club and they once again toured to support it. Romi switched to bass, new british member Nick Sanderson on drums, and original Kid Congo on guitar, as well as Jeffrey Lee on lead guitar and vocals. The songs were wild and fast at times, as on "Thunderhead" and "Bill Bailey", and dreamy and beautiful on "Yellow Eyes" and "Port of Souls". "Yellow Eyes" featured the "inexplicable guitarist" Blixa Bargeld, on loan from his german band, Einsturzende Neubauten, as well as the Bad Seeds.
In October 1987, Jeffrey Lee did one of his first and only spoken word performances at the University of London, sharing the stage with Lydia Lunch and Henry Rollins, reading from his epic tale, The Blue Boy . This piece was also featured in a book published in the eighties, The Judas Jesus, a selection of writings and art from various musicians in alternative/indie music and included his other writing, The Ass Festival.
In 1988, Jeffrey Lee Pierce returned to the USA with his first tour since Wildweed, playing for new and old fans nationwide. 1990 saw the release of Pastoral Hide and Seek in Europe, and more shows and festivals to promote it. It included such greats as "I Hear Your Voice Singing", "St Johns Divine", "Straits of Love and Hate",and Jefferson Airplane's "Eskimo Blueday". That was followed by 1991's Divinity which was an EP with new songs, and live tracks. Jeffrey recorded the old Gun Club favorite, "Keys to the Kingdom," a featured track from the live album, the unauthorized Sex Beat 81album.
In February 1992, Jeffrey headed to the Netherlands to record a blues album Ramblin Jeffrey Lee ....no doubt to exorcise some old blues demons! He was joined by Cypress Grove on guitar, and Willie Love on drums, as well as Carl La Fong on acoustic bass and Kimberley S. on bluesharp. This traditional album featured "Goin Down", originally done by Don Nix, "Moanin' in the Moonlight" by Howlin Wolf, "Hardtime Killing Floor Blues" by Skip James,"Long Long Gone" by Frankie Lee Sims and the Jeffrey Lee Pierce originals, "Stranger in My Heart" and "Go Tell the Mountain"... they fit easily between the old blues songs that have meant so much to Jeffrey since the beginning.
Meanwhile, Kid Congo started a side-project in L.A. called CONGO NORVELL, a collaboration with singer Sally Norvell, a moody ensemble featuring her emotive ballads, including a memorable cover of Crime and the City Solution's "Angel". In 1996, they would re-locate to New York City.
In March 1992, the 2nd official live album was recorded, Ahmed's Wild Dream. It was later released in America on Triple X as the simply titled Live album. The album was recorded by VPRO radio in Utrecht Holland, at the Tivoli. It was originally broadcast on the radio, but was so popular that it eventually was released publicly through Solid Records.
Unfortunately, Lucky Jim was to be the last Gun Club album...it was released in 1993 and the 11 tracks were some of the best they ever wrote and recorded. The frenzied "Day Turn to Night", the melancholy "Cry to Me", and "Lucky Jim,"... the beautiful Romi Mori composition, "Blue Monsoons". Lyrics pointed towards his asian travels and stories--"Kamata Hollywood City"..and life's complexities as in "Idiot Waltz".
World tours followed, always a great success internationally. Jeffrey started to investigate more Japanese bands and dreamed of touring with and bringing attention to these new bands that in fact were influenced by his own band and peers. Such bands were the 5678s, Supersnazz (who covered X's "Year One"), Guitar Wolf, as well as the insane Boredoms who Jeffrey was especially impressed with. Jeffrey moved back to L.A. for awhile in 1994-95, and based many travels to Japan from there. He started to write his long awaited biography/lyric book for Henry Rollins publishing company 2.13.61, a book which will include lyrics, photos, writings and hopefully an account of the Gun Club years told as only Jeffrey can tell a story!
Jeffrey also developed a great love of rap music since several years, and finally recorded a rap style song for the Tom Waits tribute album, Step Right Up--a song entitled "Pasties and a G-String"!
A new Gun Club lineup was formed in August 1995 and included Wayne Kramer's rhythm section as well as Tex and the Horseheads alumni Mike Martt, as well as Kid Congo Powers and Romi Mori. They played a critically acclaimed show at Johnny Depp's club the Viper Room, and old friends Siouxsie and Budgie were even in attendance.
Jeffrey exploded thru old Gun Club songs and even performed Flipper's "That's the Way of the World"! Jeffrey spent a month or two in Japan in late 1995, making connections with new bands and even becoming friends with rap notable Dr. Dre and a few others,who were also hanging out in Japan.....he returned to L.A. in December, to perform at the yearly Ringling Sisters benefit. He did a few songs with his own band, and also an explosive "Fire Spirit" with Gun Club fans, Possum Dixon.
Jeffrey
had been working on his book around this time, but unfortunately while visiting
his father in Utah in March, he fell into a coma (due to a supposed blood clot)
and died a week later on March 31, 1996, despite surgeries and medical attention.
His weakened condition from a recent bout of an alcoholic relapse didn't help.
World musical communities are still in shock. An emotional buddhist ceremony
at the West Los Angeles Buddhist Temple on Corrinth Ave. (where his remains
are kept) in April 1996 in L.A. sent him off, appointing the great Jeffrey Lee
a buddhist name: Shaku Chi Ken..."follower of buddha, with wisdom and vision".....needless
to say, the world is a more silent place with Ramblin' Jeffrey Lee gone, but
his impressive repertoire of timeless music will live on forever.... it truly
has affected many people and changed the lives of those lucky enough to hear
his voice, and experience the life and vision of Jeffrey Lee Pierce. -----by Hellione, April 1996
