21 GUNS

21 GUNS

Gus Gary 'Judge' Chambers (Vocals)
Trevor Evans (Keyboards)
Johnny Rex (Drums)
Kevin Turner (Bass)
Stuart Maclean (Guitar)

Single - "21 Guns" b/w "Ambition Rock" - Neville Staples Shack Label 1981.

 In 1981, following in the footsteps of Specials drummer John Bradbury's Race Records, vocalist Neville Staples and his then girlfriend Stella (from The Bodysnatchers) launched Shack Records. Their first signing was ska/reggae band 21 Guns and the single included the songs "21 Guns" b/w "Ambition Rock". The songs were also produced by Neville, and peaking at No46 on the UK Charts after 3 weeks.

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The John Peel Show

21 Guns, formed by ex-Specials roadies Trevor Evans (Keyboards) and Johnny Rex (Drums) and included Kevin Turner (Bass), Stuart Maclean (Guitar) and Gary 'Judge' Chambers (Vocals), had previously recorded a three song session for John Peel in early February 1981 based in their connection with Lynval Golding and The Specials. The session included the A and B side of the single as well as the song "Dark Night".

You can buy the track 21 Guns from Alternative Sounds bandcamp for 79p it supports Two Tone Village. Here https://alternativesounds.bandcamp.com/track/21-guns

The tracks are mentioned on this site and below are these very tracks as they appear on youtube  http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/sessions/1980s/1981/Feb0221guns/

21 Guns by 21 Guns. John Peel Show BBC Radio 1 02/02/1981

Ambition Rock by 21 Guns. John Peel Show BBC Radio 1 02/02/1981

21 Guns / Dark Night (Unreleased) BBC Session 1981

The band scored a support slot opening for Hazel O'Connor and their short set list included their three original songs plus 2 covers ("Too Hot" by The Specials and "Johnny Too Bad" later covered by UB40).

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21 Guns had connections to The Specials as their lead singer Gus Chambers had been
the singer with the Coventry punk band Squad replacing Terry Hall when he left to join The Specials.


Gus Chambers passed away in 2008 - Tribute here on Hobo site

Memories from Trev Teasdel
" I never got to see 21 Guns live as I left Coventry back end of 1980, but I met Stuart

Ceramic guitar

Mclean, the guitar player, at an EMF (Mojo (Tony) Morgan's Sky band) gig when they playing in a pub in Tile Hill. We walked back into Coventry after the gig and he told me about his Ceramic guitar. I never got to see it but obviously it was special. (I found a picture of a ceramic guitar on the net ). 

In 1981, when I was established on my course on Teesside Poly, I was chuffed to find their single Ambition Rock and 21 Guns in the racks of the local WH Smith and bought it straight away - it was never off the turn table while I studied! I think Stuart is still playing in the Huddersfield area these days"