GUN celebrate 30 year anniversary of smash hit single "Word Up", announce tour supports
GUN CELEBRATE 30 YEAR ANNIVERSARY
OF SMASH HIT SINGLE "WORD UP!"
ANNOUNCE SPECIAL GUESTS FOR UK DATES IN DECEMBER IN SUPPORT OF NEW TOP-10 ALBUM HOMBRES
Today - Monday, 1st July 2024 - marks the 30th anniversary of iconic single "Word Up!" by Scottish rock stalwarts GUN. Originally released way back in 1994, this rocked-up remake of Cameo's 1986 Top 5 smash hit not only became GUN's biggest hit but also won them their first-ever MTV Europe Music Award (EMA) in Berlin.
In what can only be described as a fascinating musical conundrum, GUN - a band comprised of Italiano-Glaswegians - achieved monumental success with their version of "Word Up!" This song was originally made famous by Cameo, an American funk group known for their flamboyant frontman.
Listen to GUN's "Word Up!" on Spotify here.
GUN's rendition of "Word Up!" was far from a novelty. By the time they recorded it for their aptly named 1994 album Swagger, GUN had already released two albums, Taking On The World (1989) and Gallus (1992), and had achieved eight self-penned Top 75 singles. The idea of infusing rock guitars into "Word Up!" started as a bit of fun in their rehearsal room.
"As much as we loved bands like AC/DC, Thin Lizzy, and UFO, we also appreciated some dance music," says guitarist Giuliano ‘Jools’ Gizzi. "Because it was such a big hit for Cameo, it had been all over the radio. In a dance club, it just sounded unbelievable."
What began as an experiment quickly turned into a powerful rock anthem. The band, at that time completed by bassist Dante Gizzi and drummer Mark Kerr (brother of Simple Minds’ Jim Kerr), reworked the track with heavier guitar chords giving it a completely new feel. "It started as a good laugh, but we made the song our own. And as the album’s single, it really did the business for us," Jools recalls.
The song’s dancefloor patois, dissing ‘sucker DJs who think [they’re] fly,’ resonated deeply with GUN. "We were into some rap music - as we all were," says Jools. "We were fans of Prince and Parliament, too, so the fact that the words were a little bit unusual didn’t even register with us. The fans would shout them right back at us everywhere we went, so they had no problem with it either!"
Watch the song's original, official video here and GUN's electrifying "Word Up!" performance on Top of the Pops here, or by clicking below.
Still as true now as back then, a night out with GUN is like no other, The Spectator praising it as “terrific fun.” The group have also just announced that special guests on their 10-date UK headline tour in December will be hotly tipped rockers KIRA MAC and COLLATERAL.
Fans should note that the dates for the shows in Southampton and Galashiels have had to be adjusted, all tickets remain valid. For tickets and more info head to www.gunofficial.co.uk.
The current lineup, featuring original members Dante Gizzi (Vocals) and Giuliano "Jools" Gizzi (Guitar), along with Paul McManus (Drums), Andy Carr (Bass), and Ruaraidh "Roo" Macfarlane (Guitar), promises an unforgettable live experience that blends iconic tracks with fresh hits from their latest chart-busting album, Hombres. The record soared straight to #10 in the UK Official Chart on release, the group's highest position & first Top 10 since the aforementioned 1994 LP, Swagger.
Jools expresses his excitement about the tour, enthusing, "We are beyond excited to take 'Hombres' on the road and share it live with our fans. This album has been a labour of love, and the response so far has been incredible. We promise to bring a show full of energy, new music, and the classic hits everyone loves. See you in December!"
Join GUN at:
Sun 24th Nov - GALASHIELS Mac Arts
Sun 1st Dec - SOUTHAMPTON The Brook
Wed 4th Dec - LONDON Scala
Thu 5th Dec - WOLVERHAMPTON KK's Steel Mill
Fri 6th Dec - MANCHESTER Academy 2
Sat 7th Dec - BRISTOL SWX
Tue 10th Dec - LEEDS Brudenell
Wed 11th Dec - NEWCASTLE Wylam Brewery
Thu 12th Dec - ABERDEEN Lemon Tree
Sat 14th Dec - GLASGOW Barrowlands
Hombres track list
Standard edition
1. All Fired Up
4. Fake Life
5. Falling
6. You Are What I Need
7. Never Enough
8. Don't Hide Your Fears Tonight
9. Lucky Guy
10. A Shift In Time
Deluxe edition
11. Coming Back To You
12. Wrong To Be Right
13. Pride
ABOUT GUN
Formed in Scotland by guitarist Giuliano “Jools” Gizzi, GUN have achieved 3 UK Top 20 albums and 8 UK Top 40 singles over their lauded career. GUN has toured extensively over the years, criss-crossing the globe with The Rolling Stones, Black Star Riders, The Cult, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bon Jovi, and more, not to mention a slew of memorable festival sets at everything from Steelhouse to Download to Wacken. 2024 looks set to rack up even more miles in fine fashion.
The rock ruffians latest release was 2022’s collection of acoustic reworkings, The Calton Songs, which delighted fans and brought further chart success, clocking in at #2 on the Scottish album chart, #6 on the UK indie chart, and #13 on the UK physical albums chart. GUN also received two awards in November 2022; the band was honoured with the Rock Legend award at Hard Rock Hell in Great Yarmouth and the Hard Rock Café Legends award at the Scottish Music Awards, the flagship event for the Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy charity. Now, in April 2024, the much loved Scottish group share perhaps their finest collection of work yet, with new album Hombres.
2024 also marks the 30th anniversary of GUN’s silver-certified, third album Swagger, which stormed into the official UK album chart at #5 and spawned 4 UK Top 40 singles including smash-hit cover “Word Up” (#8), "Don't Say It's Over" (#19), "The Only One" (#29), and "Something Worthwhile" (#39). Their boisterous version of Cameo’s “Word Up” also earnt the group their first MTV Europe Music Award.
