Jeffrey Lee Pierce

The late Jeffrey Lee Pierce is probably best known for his tenure as the leader of the 1980s, blues obsessed band, the Gun Club. Here, Pierce combined an obsession with the myths of Delta blues artists like Robert Johnson with caterwauling vocals, morbidly poetic lyrics, and extremely raw, yet spirited playing. Pierce also developed a reputation as an unpredictable drunk and drug addict, which predictably added to his cred and growing cult following. Even with substance problems, Pierce consistently grew as an artist, making better and better records with the Gun Club and as a solo artist. He also influenced countless bands from The Cult to Screaming Trees. He had developed into a distinctively unique songwriter and guitar player before his untimely death in 1996.