The most underrated GUN CLUB record in my book, and until the past few years one of the hardest to find, is the five-song 1983 “DEATH PARTYâ€Â EP. This record came after what many, including me, believe to be a very mediocre album, 1982’s “Miamiâ€Â, which is a classic, textbook sophomore slump. After “FIRE OF LOVEâ€Â, one of the greatest debuts of all time and one of the finest American rock records of any era, expectations were through the roof that these Los Angelinos could turn in another ten songs of hopped-up punk rock bluesarama hellfire, but they didn’t even come close, opting instead to let the folks from BLONDIE (!) put their record out, and allowing them to water down the sound and fury considerably. That’s why a year later, when “Death Partyâ€Â came out, it must’ve been a total slap in the face to hear the snarling, fire-and-brimstone backwater blues of the band back in place again. The EP itself came packaged in one of those thin 12â€Â picture sleeves popular at the time, and I never remember seeing it around. I always thought it was an “importâ€Â, and until Sympathy put it out on CD with a bunch of extra live tracks in 2004, my copy was one of the only ones I’d ever seen.
Here’s the hellish title track, easily the best thing the band ever did outside of the ten masterpieces on “FIRE OF LOVEâ€Â.
Play or Download THE GUN CLUB – “Death Partyâ€Â