Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Gunfire Dance - "Witness To The Crime" (1993, Self Released?)

Don’t let the looks of these guys fool you. No Heartbreakers meets Stooges copycats here nor second rate sleazes of the 80s . Perhaps the biggest mistake in the British rock & roll newest history. Cause along with Thee Hypnotics, Gunfire Dance were (hands down!) the best rock & roll outfits the island produced from 1977 and forth but (guess what?!) sadly IGNORED without any reasonable reason. Or maybe...for just one: 
British forgot their roots, their touch and their importance on rock & roll. They let ignorant ‘journalists’ to rule their minds and tastes (N.M.E. still is the worst piece of paper along with Rolling Stone). I mean, this is the country that produced the Rolling Stones, T-Rex, Mott, Hollywood Brats, Pistols and a million other more or less important bands for Chris sake! What in the bloody hell had happened the last decades? C’mon! They always had the ability to take American music and graft it into excellence! And Gunfire Dance was a prime example. I mean, look at the name of this band! Is it fuckin’ sharply or what?! They sure did love New York City’s rock & roll of the late 70s with a passion. The Dolls, the ‘breakers and the Dead Boys can be heard in all their brilliance on Gunfire’s sound in the same vein you can hear a “Neat,Neat,Neat” period Damned edge! No wonder two of ‘em produced them (Rat Scabies & Brian James). I’ve read many times for Hanoi Rocks comparisons… You know, Hanoi were nastier but not THAT edgy! Gunfire Dance’s guitars shriek the Johnny Thunders patented riffs like if have been played by Cheetah Chrome, their drums roll to the rhythms of Bo Diddley's ancient jungle beat and the voice betrays a street grown howl that CAN actually sing and not just scream and yell. Only great Jeff Dahl acknowledged their existence but Ultra Under was a way too small label to support such a band. Don't know the exact story, but somehow Island records got them into the company's studios for this tape's tracks for a future mini-LP release but mysteriously this never happened. "Suit & Tie" and the storming Kinks cover of "Till The End Of The Day" re-appeared on the aforementioned Ultra Under single. If you're looking for some super adrenaline street rock & roll it's your lucky day pal, you're in the right place!

20 comments:

  1. http://www.sendspace.com/file/d3t7vm

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  2. Dude, great stuff indeed! Daz Birch is a great friend of mine and can be seen playing bass in the Black Bombers. Check 'em out on youtube, rockin'!!! As always awesome blog!

    Stuka Von ferno.

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    1. Hi puzz! The Black Bombers?! I know them already, they rip the fuckin' land! I haven't found anywhere their record, did you have it? Thanks for stopping by!

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  3. Sounds VERY Interesting... I'll listen to this tonight. Thank you my friend!

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  4. This music kicks ass! I hadn't heard of these guys before. Now I wanna hear everything they ever recorded!

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    1. Try the 'Archway of Thorns' compilation on Evil Boy records. I believe it's still in print or quite easy through the net to be found!

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  5. Thank you very much for this. Fantastic.

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  6. Well, I was on the road this week-end and I couldn't help but play these damned tunes in the car over and over... Great post!

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  7. nice one man. Saw them a few times in the 90's and loved em. bought the 3 track demo they had out at the time and played the shit out of it.... but lost it years ago and kinda forgot about them. jus last week bought the Archway comp...... they still sound great! :-) raw as f***k, edgy, the sound of a real rock band. Ozzies drumming is insane! tripping over himself to get to the next fill.... luv it! cant recommend the album enuff. cheers for this

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    1. I wish I had your luck mate! Seeing Gunfire Dance must was quite an experience, right? I have this 3 track demo from an old download. If you still want it, I can give you a link. Thanks for stopping by!
      Cheers

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  8. Hi Mihaleez, they haven't made any records, just recorded a demo which I have, they've got a new singer now and added a sax to some of their stuff, sound even better than before! I design all their logos and stuff! Daz and Ozzie played with Walter Lure the last time he was in Birmingham, humdinger! When they record a new demo I'll send you a copy If you want. Cheers, Puzz.{Stuka Von Ferno of the Von Ferno.s}

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    1. Many thanks puzz! That would be great! Please inform when it’s ready! It’s quite difficult to imagine GD without Ant’s vocals… but I believe you! GB had amazin’ scene (well kind of…) during this period. I’m looking like a maniac stuff by the Hollywood Refugees or Suicide Blonde! Did you have anything?
      Cheers!

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  9. please repost. been looking for this forever.

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  10. I saw them il london on 2005 at purple turtle in camden.Awesome! I'm looking for the lyrics of the song "blue". Can anyone help me please???

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  11. Birchy here...I was bass player in Gunfire Dance...Thanks for the kind comments!! I have a new band Black Bombers...We have a 7'' available from Easy Action Records..Check out our facebook page!!!

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  12. Hey Birchy. Will definitely check out your new stuff. Glad to hear you're rocking on. Take it e.z

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  13. Can u reupload it, pleeze?

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  14. Can u pleeze reupload it? Link is broken, thx!

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