Guitarist, singer and songwriter Jeffrey Lee Pierce formed the Gun Club in 1980, fleshing out the lineup with Kid Congo on guitar, Rob Ritter on bass, Terry Graham on drums, and Ward Dotson on guitar. Inspired by the raucous sound of L.A. punks, the Germs, the Gun Club’s 1981 debut, FIRE OF LOVE, contained a high-energy cover version of Robert Johnson’s "Preachin’ the Blues," alongside originals such as "Sex Beat" and "She’s Like Heroin To Me." After the follow-ups, MIAMI and LAS VEGAS STORY, Pierce began indulging in self-destructive drinking and drug binges. His solo debut, WILDWEED, was notable for its inclusion of the autobiographical "Portrait of the Artist in Hell." Pierce reformed the Gun Club in 1987 for a series of chaotic recordings and live appearances, eventually succumbing to cancer in 1996.