Music Q&A: Gun

Glasgow rockers Gun have been playing together for three decades but have enjoyed a recent resurgence as they’ve gained a new cohort of fans. They have a new live album, Frantic, and play Manchester Academy 3, 12 Oct.

Tell us a bit about your sound and your influences.
We have a classic rock sound but we also like to modernise that with what’s current and happening. Our influences are from Thin Lizzy, Led Zeppelin and AC/DC, mixed with Prince, Bowie, Clash and Queen.

How have you evolved as a band over the years?
Absolutely. We always try to modernise our sound through the years but it’s a natural process that comes with age. It’s healthy to keep up to date with what’s happening currently in the music industry.

Were there any alternative aliases before you arrived at Gun?
We were called a bunch of bastards once – not sure if that counts as an alias. Blind Alley and Phobia were names that we used before Gun. We chose Gun because it could be said and understood in every language in the world. It’s very easy to understand but it also sounds quite hard, which suited us. We were pre-Guns and Roses.

What are you up to at the moment artistically?
We are currently in the studio writing and demoing tracks for a new record. We have a tour coming up in October. It’s been a busy time but we really enjoy being in the studio, jamming and creating new music.

How do you stand out from the crowd in a saturated industry?
I don’t think it’s a question about standing out – I think it’s more the fact that we try our best. The hunger has never left us and I think the audience picks up on that. We continue to record and write new material that keeps us excited and, to be honest, we’ve got to concentrate on what we do and not what others do.

What’s on your rider?
A carton of orange juice, a tub of hummus and a packet of pitta breads. Maybe the odd packet of Jelly Babies. We keep it simple. We’re not divas on the road.

Tell us about your worst live show.
There haven’t been very many rough, live shows but we did have the PA turned off on us recently for being too loud.