In the mid-’80s, it seemed you couldn’t turn on the television or go to the movies without hearing the slurring bass notes of “Peter Gunn.” Twangy guitar legend Duane Eddy and British avant-garde trio Art of Noise were everywhere. Duane Eddy had been out of the spotlight for over a decade when the project came about. He flew to London in January 1986 and recorded the song. It was included on the album In Visible Silence by Art of Noise and released as a single in March 1986. A promotional video starring comedian Rik Mayall was in heavy rotation on MTV. The song won the Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.
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It All Started Over Tea
In a letter to his fan club, Eddy gave an old friend, musician Eddy Pumer, the credit for starting the improbable pairing. Pumer was having tea with China Records President Derek Green, who brought up the idea of combining a known singer or instrumentalist with Art of Noise to bring more attention to the group. Pumer suggested Eddy. Green was excited by the idea but unsure what song would be the right vehicle. Pumer brought up “Peter Gunn.” Green pitched the idea to Art of Noise, and they loved it. Now, they had to convince the legendary twangy guitarist to take it on.
Pumer returned to the States and tracked down Eddy. He played a cassette tape of the British group for the guitarist. Eddy was also receptive to the idea. A few transatlantic phone calls occurred, and it was finally agreed upon.
The Song
Henry Mancini wrote “Peter Gunn” and recorded it in 1958. The song was released the following year as the theme to the television show of the same name. Ray Anthony released a single the same year and took it to the top 10 in the U.S. Duane Eddy and the Rebels recorded their version in 1959 and took it to the top 10 in the U.K. Later versions were released by Sarah Vaughan, Deodato, and Clarence Clemons. The Art of Noise/Duane Eddy version was performed live on The Tube, a British television show hosted by Jools Holland in March 1986. It started racing up the charts.
The King of Twang
Eddy started playing guitar in country bands in Arizona in the early ‘50s. When rock ’n’ roll exploded across the country, Eddy got the bug. Working with producer Lee Hazlewood, Eddy started recording instrumental originals as well as arranging older songs featuring the low-register twangy guitar sound that utilized an empty water tank to produce the distinctive echo. With the help of appearances on American Bandstand, Eddy had a string of successful singles from 1958 to 1963. The arrival of the British Invasion clearly impacted Eddy’s success on the charts. In 1975, he returned to the U.K. top 10 with “Play Me Like You Play Your Guitar.” He dropped out of the public eye for another decade until the 1986 “Peter Gunn” single’s success.
Musical Sculptors
Art of Noise was formed in early 1983 when Jonathan Jeczalik, Gary Langan, and Anne Dudley were working on Malcolm McClaren’s album Duck Rock.
Keyboardist Jeczalik appeared on albums by Nik Kershaw, The Pet Shop Boys, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Yes, Paul McCartney, and Kate Bush. Engineer/producer Langan worked on albums by Elton John, Queen, Billy Idol, ABC, and Paul McCartney. He won an NME Award in 1980 for his work on the single “Video Killed The Radio Star” by The Buggles. Classical keyboardist/arranger Dudley appeared on “Careless Whisper” by George Michael and “No More Lonely Nights” by Paul McCartney. She co-wrote the song “Hide and Seek” by New Edition.
In an age where beats are constructed in our bedrooms, the idea of sampling car engines and building sonic landscapes doesn’t seem very foreign, but in 1983, it was a very novel concept. “Close (to the Edit)” was the first major success by the band. It was helped by substantial airplay on MTV.
The Aftereffects
The Success of “Peter Gunn” brought Eddy’s career back on track. Huey Lewis and the News added Eddy as the opening act of its U.S. tour. This exposed the rock legend to a whole new audience. Capitol Records inked a deal for a new album, and a who’s who of guest artists appeared on the self-titled record. Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, James Burton, Steve Cropper, John Fogerty, and Art of Noise all pitched in.
“Spies,” a follow-up single with Art of Noise, failed to chart.
In 1988, Tom Jones joined forces with Art of Noise to sing the Prince song “Kiss.” It was a worldwide hit and reached No. 5 in the U.K.
Duane Eddy was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 and The Musicians Hall of Fame in 2008. In 2023, he was added to the Music City Walk of Fame in Nashville.
Photo by David Redfern/Redferns
