GUN: Taking On The World: Scotland's favourite albums

It was just 30 minutes before the biggest gig of their career at a football stadium in Rotterdam, Holland.

Not surprisingly, the Scottish rock band were in the grip of pre-show nerves.

The last thing they needed was any kind of distraction from an unscheduled visitor.

Gizzi recalled: “The door opened and he said: ‘I’ve got somebody here to meet you … he’s a bit of a fan of the band.”

It was Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones.

He’d personally chosen the Glasgow rock group to be the Stones’ special guests on their massive Urban Jungle Tour in 1990.

“Jagger walked in, shook our hands, and told us: ‘Have a good time. Play your hearts out and enjoy it. These occasions don’t come around very often, so make the most of it. We’ll all be watching you,” revealed GUN’s guitarist.

“We were sitting there with our mouths wide open, completely stuck for words. What do you say to Mick Jagger?

“But we later found out that we’d only got the gig in the first place because he and Keith Richards genuinely loved our record. They said it was a debut album to be really proud of.”

The album was Taking On The World, recorded at Park Lane Studios in Glasgow with producer Kenny MacDonald, and released just 10 months earlier.

The songs – written by Gizzi and singer Mark Rankin – were the foundation for a successful 35-year career, spanning six further albums and eight UK hit singles.

“In 1987, we demoed a handful of songs including Can’t Get Any Lower, Inside Out and Something To Believe In,” said Gizzi.

“Followed by Money (Everybody Loves Her) and Better Days, which became our first hit.

“But with no record deal, our budget was limited. We were lucky in that our manager owned Park Lane, so we were able to get access to the studio 24 hours a-day.”

Another piece of good fortune was that he also had a proven track record, breaking Scottish acts such as Altered Images, Hipsway and Texas.

Two years later, GUN were signed by A & M Records, whose roster included The Police, Joan Armatrading, Bryan Adams and Supertramp.

In the studio, Gizzi and Rankin pushed each other to the absolute limit.

“We were never told outright: ‘You need to write a hit’. Of course, that’s what all record companies want,” admitted Gizzi.

“But we thought, let’s just try to write the very best songs we can.

“While it’s hard enough to come up with good ideas in the first place, in the studio you’ve really got to PERFORM those songs. That was kind of difficult for us.

“So Kenny would really push us, to get as much down on tape as possible.”

The album’s epic title track proved pivotal.

“I remember playing the chords and Mark saying: ‘We could make this sound really powerful’,” Gizzi recalled.

“We thought of where we’d both come from. How hard it had been for us. It was never easy.

“Mark said: ‘This feels like us, taking on the world’.

“And I replied: ‘That’s the title of the album, right there’.”

Taking On The World was released on July 5, 1989.

Its striking cover shot was taken by US photographer Kevin Westenberg at Meadowside Granary in Partick, then the largest brick building in Europe.

“Kevin has also photographed John Lennon, Radiohead, Paul Weller and Kate Bush … but we were one of his earliest assignments,” revealed Gizzi.

“He wanted this grainy, cold shot to capture a real hard image of Glasgow. It looked fantastic.”

Four weeks later, GUN made their debut on Top Of The Pops with Better Days.

The band’s line-up now featured Baby Stafford (guitar), Scott Shields (drums) and Gizzi’s brother, Dante (bass) – all three were still in their teens.

They opened the show – hosted by Steve Wright and Jenny Powell – and rubbed shoulders with Paul McCartney, Wendy And Lisa, Aswad and Martika.

“I’d watched Top Of The Pops faithfully every Thursday night since I was a kid,” said Gizzi.

“So to be on the show was amazing. We were on tour so I didn’t actually see our performance until I got home.

“My mother, Teresa, had taped it. She couldn’t wait to show it to me. The moment that really got to me was the opening titles, with that famous theme music … and then, bang, we were on.

“It was phenomenal to see it first time with my Ma. She’d watched me as a struggling musician, striving for success. She was worried I was wasting my time by not getting a proper job.

“But now, in her eyes at least, her boy had made it. She said: ‘I’m so proud of you’. That was very special.

“But what I really thank her for is that all through those early years, she always encouraged me. She had total faith. She never stood in my way.”

The Urban Jungle Tour snaked its way across Europe and then into the UK. The itinerary included two shows at Wembley.

“It was an amazing experience. But very intimidating too,” said Gizzi.

“On the first few shows, we were too scared to go anywhere near their dressing room. But Jim Callaghan, their Security Chief, said: ‘Look, the guys want you to hang out with them’.

“He took our Access All Areas laminate passes off us and attached an exclusive sticker – their famous red tongue logo – to each of them. That got us right into their dressing room any time we liked.

“We finally got up the courage to pop in for a chat with Keith and Charlie or have a game of pool with Ronnie.

“Jagger used to say: ‘You played well tonight … the crowd reaction was really good. So they DID check us out. It wasn’t a case of giving us the gig, then turning their backs. They really took an interest.”

But the band were simply counting down the days until July 9 … their final night on the tour at Hampden Park.

“Every gig was one step closer to the National Stadium,” admitted Gizzi.

“Hampden is just a couple of miles from my family home in the Calton area of the city. Our picture was in all the papers. Better Days had been a hit.

“My dad, Mario, who worked in a local biscuit factory, told all his mates that his son was playing with The Rolling Stones. What must it have been like for him to share that news?

“When we walked on stage in front of our home crowd, I’ve never heard a roar like it. We went down a storm.”

The Stones watched GUN’s set that night too, and bid them a fond farewell.

“When we came off, they were waiting for us … we all posed together for a group photo,” he said.

“Keith and Ronnie handed us a couple of guitars to use as props in the shot. When we went to give them back, they said: ‘Keep them. They’re yours … a gift from The Rolling Stones’.

“They were limited edition Fender Stratocaster guitars. Only 175 were ever made. The company also handed them out to Paul McCartney, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and a list of other famous musicians.”

In 2010, Taking On The World was chosen as one of the 150 Greatest Debut Albums Of All Time by Classic Rock magazine.

For Gizzi, it captured a special moment in time. He said:

“I get fans telling me how the record got them through hard times. Sometimes, I can see tears in their eyes.

“I never thought for a minute my songs would have such an impact. So, it’s a record I’m 100% proud of. It’s the iconic GUN album.”

And he added finally: “On tour with the Stones, I remember thinking: ‘How the Hell did we end up here?’

“One night, I said to Mark: ‘We’ve done alright, haven’t we?’

“He looked at me straight in the eye and replied: ‘Of course we have … ya daft b*****d!’”

GUN, U2 and me

FOR an all too brief period in 1989, I became the lead singer of GUN.

During a rehearsal, I’d suggested the only thing preventing them from taking the next step up the rock ’n’ roll ladder was their lack of dynamic lead singer.

“Like me,” I said, tongue firmly in my cheek.

But what started as a joke, was soon no laughing matter.

“Why not show us what you can do”, said vocalist Mark Rankin, eyeing me suspiciously.

The only time I’d ever sung in public was at Sunday School or on the football terraces.

But this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me to channel my inner Robert Plant.

GUN played a note perfect version of Taking On The World, with yours truly on vocals.

I got the words right. I was in tune, I think. But let’s put it this way, Rankin was not reaching for his jacket.

Next, we attempted Love In Vain – a song by blues legend, Robert Johnson – brilliantly covered by the Stones on their 1970 live album, Get Yer Ya Ya’s Out.

When GUN taped the track – through a WEM Echo Unit - it sounded like it had been recorded in Wembley Arena.

I played this “hot” new version of Love In Vain on my radio show, and that’s when things took on a more surreal tint.

I informed listeners it was the new single by U2, featuring guitarist, The Edge, on vocals, instead of Bono.

The response was encouraging, with one letter saying: “I’ve been a U2 fan for years, but sometimes they can get stuck in a bit of a musical rut.

“This new direction with The Edge is a welcome change. Let’s hope they get him to do more.”

At a gig in King Tut’s, a well-known Scottish musician sidled up to me and said: “That new U2 single is brilliant. I never knew The Edge was such a good singer.'

"You can imagine the abusive comments I received when I confessed to my sins on the next programme.

"Months later, I bumped into U2 at The Brit Awards in London and relayed the story. The band p****d themselves laughing.

But, significantly, they promised that should Bono ever be struck down by laryngitis in future, they’d give me a call."

The silence from Dublin has been deafening!