
Gunshot is a British hip hop group, formed by MC Mercury, MC Alkaline, Q-Roc, DJ White Child Rix and DJ/MC Barry Blue in the area of Leyton in east London, around 1988/1989. They were originally called Sudden Impact. They released their debut single "Battle Creek Brawl" (Vinyl Solution, 1990) to some acclaim, which was followed swiftly by the single "No Sell Out/Crime Story" (Vinyl Solution, 1991). Both singles were well received within the hip hop scene, but following this release Q-Roc left the group to join Son of Noise under the name Curoc. Mercury, Alkaline and White Child Rix continued with the group, releasing a succession of singles in 1991/1992, that soon cemented them a place as one of the leaders of the UK hip hop scene. Their style was hardcore and fast, quickly coming to be considered the defining style of the genre.
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Links to Peel[]
Peel played the group's debut single, Battle Creek Brawl in 1990 and a year later invited them to do a session for his programme, in which they performed four tracks. He later played more material from the group in the early 90's and praised them in Interzone magazine in January 1994 describing them as quite opposite to the American hip hop artists who were taken over by big record companies and commercialised:
"It seems that by and large rap in America has been taken over by big record companies and become commercialised. Also it's very sexist while UK rap like Credit To The Nation and Gunshot are quite the opposite." [1]
Around the same time, the group did their second Peel session, but after 1994, it seems JP lost interest in them.
Sessions[]
GUNSHOT John Peel 21st April 1991
1. Recorded: 1991-04-21. First Broadcast: 18 May 1991. Repeated: 27 July 1991
- Construct/Destruct / Bullets Entering Chest / To Those Who Deserve It / Gunshot's History
2. Recorded: 1994-01-04. First Broadcast: 05 February 1994
- Social Psychotics / Mind Of A Razor / Lockdown / Colour Code
Other Shows Played[]
- 19 June 1990: Battle Creek Brawl (12") Vinyl Solution
- 04 July 1990: Battle Creek Brawl (12") Vinyl Solution
- 06 July 1990 (BFBS): Battle Creek Brawl (12") Vinyl Solution
- 09 July 1990: Battle Creek Brawl (12") Vinyl Solution
- 1991
- 03 February 1991: No Sell Out (12" - Crime Story / No Sell Out) Vinyl Solution
- 17 February 1991: No Sell Out (Maxi: Crime Story) Vinyl Solution
- 22 February 1991 (BFBS): No Sell Out (12" - Crime Story / No Sell Out) Vinyl Solution
- 17 March 1991: Crime Story (12" - Crime Story / No Sell Out) Vinyl Solution
- 07 April 1991: No Sell Out (12" - Crime Story / No Sell Out) Vinyl Solution
- 20 October 1991: 'Clear From Present Danger (vocal) (12")' (Vinyl Solution)
- 25 October 1991 (BFBS): 'Clear From Present Danger (vocal) (12")' (Vinyl Solution)
- 01 November 1991 (BFBS): 'Clear From Present Danger (12"-Clear From Present Danger / Interception Squad)' (Vinyl Solution)
- 02 November 1991: Clear From Present Danger (12") Vinyl Solution
- 14 December 1991: Clear From Present Danger (12" single) Vinyl Solution
- 22 December 1991: Crime Story / Clear From Present Danger
- 1992
- 30 October 1992: Killing Season (12”) Vinyl Solutions
- 13 November 1992: Killing Season (12" - Killing Season / Nobody Move!) Vinyl Solution
- 15 November 1992 (BFBS): Nobody Move (12" - Killing Season) Vinyl Solution
- 18 December 1992: 'Killing Season (12 inch)' (Vinyl Solution)
- 1993
- 30 April 1993: Children Of A Dying Breed (12") Vinyl Solution
- 08 May 1993 (BFBS): Children Of A Dying Breed (12") Vinyl Solution
- 14 May 1993: 'Bombing In Five Minutes (Instrumental) (2xLP – Patriot Games (Instrumental Mixes))' (Vinyl Solution)
- 17 May 1993 (BBC World Service): Bombing In 5 Minutes (Instrumental) (2xLP - Patriot Games (Instrumental Mixes)) Vinyl Solution
- 22 May 1993: To Those Who Deserve It (Various Artists 7 inch - Untitled) Vinyl Solution
- 22 May 1993 (BFBS): Bombing In 5 Minutes (Instrumental) (album - Patriot Games (Instrumental Mixes)) Vinyl Solution STEAM 43 L
- 28 May 1993 (BFBS): To Those Who Deserve It (7" Promotional Multi-Artist EP) Vinyl Solution
- 12 June 1993: 25 Gun Salute (album - Patriot Games) Vinyl Solution
- 18 June 1993: ‘Patriot Games (LP – Patriot Games)’ (Vinyl Solution)
- 19 June 1993 (BFBS): 25 Gun Salute (album - Patriot Games) Vinyl Solution
- 25 June 1993: ‘25 Gun Salute (LP – Patriot Games)’ (Vinyl Solution)
- 03 July 1993 (BFBS): Bombing In 5 Minutes (album - Patriot Games) Vinyl Solution
- 12 November 1993: ‘Mind Of A Razor (Single)’ (Vinyl Solution)
- Peel Out In The States (Program 09 & 10): Bombing In 5 Minutes (LP - Patriot Games) Vinyl Solution
- 1994
- 21 January 1994: ‘Mind Of A Razor (12 inch)’ (Vinyl Solution)
- 28 January 1994: Mind Of A Razor (2x12" promo - Mind Of A Razor) Vinyl Solution
- 29 January 1994 (BFBS): Mind Of A Razor (10" single) Vinyl Solution
- 05 February 1994 (BFBS): Mind Of A Razor (10" single) Vinyl Solution
- 12 February 1994: Mind Of A Razor (Jagged Edge Remix) (Radio Version) (single) Vinyl Solution
- 19 February 1994: ‘Mind Of A Razor (Jagged Edge remix) (CD single)’ (Vinyl Solution)
- 19 February 1994 (BFBS): Mind Of A Razor (10" single) Vinyl Solution
- 05 March 1994 (BBC World Service): Mind Of A Razor (10") Vinyl Solution
- 17 June 1994: ‘Colour Code (Single)' Vinyl Solution
- 25 June 1994 (BFBS): Colour Code (Vocal Mix) (12") Vinyl Solution
- 02 July 1994 (BBC World Service): Colour Code (Vocal Mix) (12") Vinyl Solution
- 09 July 1994: ‘Colour Code (CD Single) )' Vinyl Solution
- 23 July 1994 (BFBS): Colour Code (12" - Colour Code / Gunshots History) Vinyl Solution