ART OF NOISE - PETER GUNN with DUANE EDDY 7" Picture Sleeve Vinyl Single

- Rare Demo Copy

ART OF NOISE - Peter Gunn with Duane Eddy Rare Demo Copy 7" Picture Sleeve Vinyl Single front cover https://vinyl-records.nl

"Peter Gunn" by Art of Noise featuring Duane Eddy is a standout 1986 7" vinyl single that fuses classic rock 'n' roll with cutting-edge 1980s electronic production. Originally composed by Henry Mancini, the iconic "Peter Gunn" theme is reimagined here with Duane Eddy’s signature twang guitar layered over Art of Noise’s punchy synths and Fairlight CMI-driven sampling. Released as a rare demo copy on China Records, this version features a striking picture sleeve designed by John Pasche, making it highly collectible. The single gained international attention, earning a Grammy Award and climbing the Billboard dance charts, cementing its place as one of Art of Noise’s most commercially successful and innovative tracks. This release captures a pivotal moment where retro cool met future sound.

"PETER GUNN" Record Description

In Visible Silence. This album spawned the Grammy Award-winning cover of the Peter Gunn theme, recorded with twangy guitar legend Duane Eddy, who had a huge hit, years earlier, with Peter Gunn in 1959. The Art of Noise collaboration reached number two on the Billboard dance charts. The Peter Gunn video featured comedian Rik Mayall sending up the private eye. From this same album, the "Beat Box"-like single, "Legs," was a mild underground hit in dance clubs, and in 1986, "Paranoimia" achieved some success when a remix of it was released as a single with overdubbed vocal samples provided by the supposedly computer-generated character Max Headroom.

Duane Eddy, the "Sultan of Twang"

Duane Eddy, the "Sultan of Twang", was one of rock and roll's most influential guitarists. His signature sound, a deep, resonant twang dripping with reverb, defined an entire era of instrumental rock. Eddy's hits like "Rebel Rouser," "Peter Gunn," and "Because They're Young" became anthems, their instantly recognizable melodies evoking a sense of cool rebellion. His iconic theme for "Peter Gunn" cemented his place in popular culture.

Beyond his own hits, Eddy's influence is vast. He championed the low-tuned guitar sound, inspiring countless artists from George Harrison to countless surf rock bands. His collaborations with producers like Lee Hazlewood cemented his role as a sonic innovator.

While his career spanned decades, Eddy's music retains a timeless quality. There's a raw power and a touch of the cinematic in his best work, making it as compelling today as it was upon its release. Duane Eddy wasn't just a guitar player; he sculpted a sound that became an integral part of rock and roll's sonic DNA.

Peter Gunn :

Production & Recording Information:

Music Genre:

Rock / New Wave

Collector Notes / Liner Notes
  • Collector Note: Rare demo copy with picture sleeve designed by John Pasche.
  • Liner Note: "Peter Gunn" originally composed by Henry Mancini.
Label & Catalognr:

China Records – VS4 42986

Album Packaging

Standard 7" sleeve with P/S (Picture Sleeve) cover.

The sleeve features stylized graphics typical of mid-80s new wave aesthetics.

Media Format:

Record Format: 7" Vinyl Single / EP

Year & Country:

1986 – United States

Producers:
  • Art of Noise – Producers
Sound & Recording Engineers:
  • Gary Langan – Recording Engineer
Album Cover Design & Artwork:
  • John Pasche – Picture Sleeve Designer

Band Members / Musicians:

Band Members, Musicians:
  • Anne Dudley – Keyboards, Arrangements
    Anne Dudley's cinematic keyboard textures and brass-inspired stabs give the track its bold, dramatic flair, bridging classical tension with electronic groove. A founding member of Art of Noise, Dudley later became an award-winning film composer and orchestral arranger.
  • J.J. Jeczalik – Fairlight CMI Programming
    Jeczalik’s cutting-edge sequencing on the Fairlight CMI — an early digital sampler and synthesizer workstation — provides the rhythmic engine of the track, weaving in sampled effects and punchy digital percussion.
  • Gary Langan – Engineering, Mixing
    Langan’s crisp production and spatial mixing amplify the contrast between Duane Eddy’s vintage guitar and the modern electronic layers.
  • Duane Eddy – Lead Guitar on “Peter Gunn”
    Duane Eddy’s twangy, low-register guitar brings authentic 1960s rock ‘n’ roll grit to the electronic reinterpretation of Mancini’s spy-theme classic.

Complete Track-listing:

Tracklisting Side One:
  1. Peter Gunn (featuring Duane Eddy)
Tracklisting Side Two:
  1. Something Always Happens

Peter Gunn – Album Photo Gallery:

Album Front Cover Photo
Art of Noise Peter Gunn featuring Duane Eddy - rare demo sleeve design with TWANG motif, stylized silhouettes, and multiple guitars beneath a noir detective figure.

This is the front cover of the rare 7-inch demo single "Peter Gunn" by The Art of Noise featuring Duane Eddy. The design is split into two distinct horizontal sections.

The upper portion features a textured blue and black abstract background with text reading "The Art of Noise" in white and "Featuring Duane Eddy" in blue. Below, the title "Peter Gunn" appears in small stencil-style white letters. A pink-tinted image of a hand holding a gun, framed in white, adds a film noir element.

The lower section of the sleeve is dominated by the word "TWANG" in large, distressed capital letters evoking Western or rockabilly posters. Centered beneath the text is a black-and-yellow silhouette of a stern, suited man—possibly a detective—resting both hands on a vintage guitar case. Three guitars and a snare drum are neatly arranged at his feet.

Below the instruments is a white facsimile of Duane Eddy's signature. Flanking the central figure are four stylized human silhouettes in trench coats and fedoras, rendered in deep magenta with stark white outlines. These figures add a mysterious, shadowy tone to the overall composition.

The cover's graphic layout, stark contrasts, and vintage imagery pay homage to both 1950s detective fiction and the roots of rock 'n' roll, underscoring the single’s retro-futurist sound.

Close up of Side One record’s label
Side A record label of Art of Noise's 1986 single Peter Gunn featuring Duane Eddy, China Records VS4 42986, 3:13 runtime, produced by The Art of Noise

This image shows the Side A label of the 7-inch vinyl single "Peter Gunn" by Art of Noise featuring Duane Eddy, released in 1986. The label is pressed on a white paper background with a light blue marbled texture and a small center hole.

At the top left, the label reads "STEREO" and the catalog number VS4 42986 (VS4 42986 AS), with the track’s runtime listed as 3:13. Beneath this, the year and rights holder are noted: © 1986 Chrysalis Records Inc.

In bold uppercase lettering, the performing artist is listed as THE ART OF NOISE, with publishing details: Northridge Music Co., admin. by Arista Music Inc. (ASCAP).

The song title is printed below: PETER GUNN – Featuring Duane Eddy, crediting composer H. Mancini. It is produced by The Art of Noise. A small butterfly logo and the Chrysalis name appear in blue.

At the top center of the label is the China Records logo in red, with a teal dragon emblem just below it. A barcode is printed on the right side, and legal text wraps around the outer rim: All rights reserved. Unauthorized public performance broadcasting and copying of this record prohibited.

Side Two Close up of record’s label
Side B label of Art of Noise's 1986 7-inch single featuring the track Something Always Happens, demo version, China Records VS4 42986, produced by The Art of Noise

This image shows the Side B label of the 1986 7-inch vinyl single from The Art of Noise, featuring the track "Something Always Happens". The white label has a pale blue marble pattern and a small center hole.

In the upper left quadrant, the label reads STEREO and the catalog number VS4 42986 (VS4 42986 BS). The runtime is listed as 2:28, followed by the copyright notice © 1986 Chrysalis Records Inc.

The artist name appears in bold uppercase: THE ART OF NOISE. Publishing credits are listed as Buffalo Music Ltd. – admin. by Warner Bros. Music Corp. (ASCAP) / Polar Union Ltd. (PRS).

The track title is printed clearly: SOMETHING ALWAYS HAPPENS, with songwriting credits to Dudley, Jeczalik, and Langan. The song was produced by The Art of Noise, and the Chrysalis butterfly logo and name appear in blue at the bottom.

The top center features the red China Records logo accompanied by a teal dragon. A barcode is visible at the right with a bold black vertical notice reading DEMONSTRATION NOT FOR SALE, indicating this was a promotional/demo copy.

Legal text curves along the bottom edge, reading: All rights reserved. Unauthorized public performance broadcasting and copying of this record prohibited.

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