Recorded from October to December 2002 at Jacobs Studios in Farnham, it was produced the band's lead guitarist Luke Morley and engineered and mixed by Rupert Coulson.

After disbanding two years earlier, in July 2002 Thunder announced that they were due to reunite in November for a Monsters of Rock tour headlined by Alice Cooper, although it was described by the band's vocalist Danny Bowes as "a non permanent reformation".

[5] During the tour, the band released a limited edition extended play (EP) called Back for the Crack,[4] featuring new tracks "Somebody Get Me a Spin Doctor", "Blown Away", "The Pimp and the Whore" and "When Tomorrow Comes".

[6] The EP was self-funded by the band and initially limited to 1,000 copies, which sold out in three days; according to Bowes, the quick sales of the collection made him rethink the idea of recording a full-length album, claiming that it "seemed to make obvious sense".

[14] "Part 2" of the album's promotional tour featured eleven shows in the UK between 17 and 30 November,[14] including a sold out performance at the London Astoria.

[14] Reviewing the album for AllMusic, Eduardo Rivadavia hailed Shooting at the Sun as "arguably [Thunder's] best, most eclectic collection of new songs since 1992's sophomore triumph, Laughing on Judgement Day".