Gang of Four
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Biography
Leeds, England (1977 – 1984, 2005 – present)
The group had a single in the British Top 60 with “At Home He’s A Tourist” in 1979, which was blacklisted by Top Of The Pops for its use of the relatively innocuous term “rubbers”. Storming, Doc Marten-booted and fueled by a heady cocktail of Gramsci, Marx and lager, out of the Leeds art-school scene that produced The Mekons and Delta 5, they played a stripped-to-the-wire, funk-fueled permutation of punk rock. This is best exemplified by the dry production and forceful polemic of debut effort Entertainment! - Gang of Four’s later albums (Songs Of The Free and Hard) found them softening some of their more jarring qualities, and drifting towards disco.
Critic Stewart Mason has called “Love Like Anthrax” (their first single, later re-recorded as “Anthrax”) not only the group’s “most notorious song” but also “one of the most unique and interesting songs of its time”; it’s also a good example of Gang of Four’s social perspective. After a minute-long, droning, feedback-laced guitar intro, the rhythm section sets up a funky, churning beat, and the guitar drops out entirely. In one stereo channel, King sings a “post-punk anti-love song”, comparing himself to a beetle trapped on its back (“and there’s no way for me to get up”) and equating love with “a case of anthrax, and that’s some thing I don’t want to catch.
Videos
Top Tracks
Top Albums
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Entertainment!
274,894 listeners15 tracks
Released:
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Entertainment
29,292 listeners15 tracks
Released:
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A Brief History Of The 20th Century
20,475 listeners20 tracks
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Return The Gift
34,874 listeners26 tracks
Released:
Events
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AngryGermanKid
ребята, как же давно я вас не слушал
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IanCurtis13
Just to warn people in advance, Andy Gill has reformed the band with just him as the only original member.... fucking disgraceful
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superdiazepam
A NEW ROMANCE EMBEDDED IN THE BEDROOM
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TheBlackRaven87
I only have their first two albums, Entertainment! is very good but I think I like Solid Gold even more. And it's nice to hear a melodica in some songs. Reminds me of Augustus Pablo
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shedds
"Songs of the Free" is incredible. Just incredible.
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Argamocrypt
I'm fan since 1978 of Gang of Four , I saw the Concert Neu-Isenburg 1980 (81-82??) ,and got very grazy before.Damned.Mike. [3]
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k_naruchiha94
Definitely the greatest post-punk band ever. And they're still alive by now :))
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KindMonster
Have a show tonight in Beijing，who want to go？
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cjkisaragi
I'm fan since 1978 of Gang of Four , I saw the Concert Neu-Isenburg 1980 (81-82??) ,and got very grazy before.Damned.Mike. [2]
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MikeJoeCrusher
I'm fan since 1978 of Gang of Four , I saw the Concert Neu-Isenburg 1980 (81-82??) ,and got very grazy before.Damned.Mike.
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Isaaaaaak
guerrilla war struggle is the new entertainment
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flowersonthewal
inspired by the great gang of four :) http://ryanfrailich.bandcamp.com/track/you-fell-into-my-grave
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FailToTheThief
I bought 'Entertainment!' recently by pure chance. I was in HMV and I saw 'Gang Of Four' and remembered somebody had told me that another band I'd been listening to sounded like an "American Gang of Four", so at 8 quid I gave it a whirl. I had a hunch it would be good but not this good. Without a doubt, its one of the best albums I've ever bought. I got two great Pavement CDs for 3 pound each too (top bargain) but they just couldn't match the find that was me listening to GoF for the first time.
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bakhtnassar
Adorno-inspired music is best music.
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interncom
Must feel like having to listen to the Extended Dance Mix of "Is It Love" as the soundtrack of your life all day - or is it just the opposite? (2)
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senrio
I am so angry with how this this wonderful, incredible band is being managed on here. Every song off their masterpiece album 'Entertainment' pops up in scrobble as the remakes of the songs which appeared on their much lesser 'Return the Gift'. I have to skip over some of my favorite songs sometimes, in hope that they'll pop up again later off of the 'Entertainment' album. This hope has never been fulfilled. I'll often times play last.fm on my Xbox and walk around the house. When my friends are there and they hear these songs, I have to explain why I have hearted them and why they suck. (420)
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p0wer_v1olence
@TJGossard Cool story, bro.
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interncom
Dear all, it is strange to see how many people deal with Gang of Four like one would deal with The Monkees or so. Good luck to all of you.
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musivida
<3
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TJGossard
I am so angry with how this this wonderful, incredible band is being managed on here. Every song off their masterpiece album 'Entertainment' pops up in scrobble as the remakes of the songs which appeared on their much lesser 'Return the Gift'. I have to skip over some of my favorite songs sometimes, in hope that they'll pop up again later off of the 'Entertainment' album. This hope has never been fulfilled. I'll often times play last.fm on my Xbox and walk around the house. When my friends are there and they hear these songs, I have to explain why I have hearted them and why they suck.
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