Gang Of Four.

Radio 4 looked like the fucking Mighty Mighty Bosstones after weight loss and a class in Disco-Wave-Punk 101. (Sorry to the Radio 4 lovers.) They're not terrible live, but I'd punch their mugs if I had to deal with them in a bar or, oh say, a dressing room.

Not quite praise there, is it?

i missed radio 4, thank god

Gang of Four I thought were pretty fantasic...a few flubs, but what energy and just the sense of "wow this is what the REAL THING looks/sounds like"

radio 4 can eat a bag of bongo dicks.

1/ Took everyone's advise and walked in just to see the last song by Radio 4. Not terrible live may be true, but seemed way too calculated and faux-earnest. Plus, it didn't help to have Ben Stiller fronting the band
2/ Reminded about how many great drum riffs Hugeo had (has)
3/ Shocked at the intensity of the Gang of Four. I've seen them now 6 times, and this may have been the best. Part of that is the minusing of Sara Lee and the addition of Dave Allen, but part was the abandonement of playing near the end of a tour that may be their last, FOREVER. They seemed older, and that sure hampered Jon's gyrating rhythm into the show, but he sure made up with it with sheer relentlessness.
4/ Little hints that there's still difficulty between them, esp. Andy and Jon.
5/ A bit surprised that Dave played with a pick. When I saw him with Shriekback, he was tremendous, and played without a pick. This time around, the bass sound was way too tinny and had little bottom.
6/ I expected there to be more youngsters there.
7/ I became more solid with the idea of reunions. After last night, and seeing Wire a couple of years ago, I imagined how great it'd be if the young wannabeez could sit at desks, watching these two aged bands play, and LEARN HOW TO DO IT RIGHT.
8/ Was surprised to heard something offa Shrinkwrapped.
9/ wtf, He'd Sent In The Army,? That was amazing!

Because of this thread, I'd expected greatness, and got it.

If you didn't believe me, Ben Rayner said the same thing in this morning's Toronto Star.

"To Hell with Poverty" was the greatest live music moment I've ever been involved with.

Jesus fucking Christ.

Pardon my French.

Worth the 25 fucking dollars.

Goddamn.......my neck hurts.

Anyway, yes, he saw show..

"All that fell away with the set's final song, 1981's "To Hell With Poverty"; as they performed it, everyone in the room held their breath. It belongs to the handful of greatest single-song live performances I've ever seen."

Unreal.

From upthread:

I thought that their sociopolitical stance was what made their aesthetic work. Isn't the tension inherent in their being a pop band critical of pop commodity-selling as an enterprise what makes them still worth listening to today, not just that Dave Allen could really play bass [...] isn't that just the thing that keeps them from being totally rigid and unfun, that they express the confusion and conflict of "false consciousness" and don't just present a line of dogma, like other bands of their ilk? [...] it seems like this is the stuff is what really makes them artists worth listening to and thinking about [...] Are they still coming from somewhere near the same stance that they did back in the day, or is this just a payday for them? And does that matter?

Discuss, please. I mean, they're still totally compelling live singing vowel sounds, but what do people make of the (rest of the) lyrical content in This Year Of Our Lord 2005?

Over on the Rip It Up Thread he seemed to have some. Glad to read that he liked that GO4 show in Seattle.

Regarding the lyrics, criticize 'em if you want, but I think one can be more generous in judging pop music lyrics than in analyzing poetry and literature. Creative music can often make up for less artistic prose.

Damn, it's hard to do post-punk as good as Gang of Four. It really is.

Though many have tried.

And many have failed.

Can anybody transcribe the line from "Why Theory?" that follows "Distant thunder from the East"?

It sounds like "Won't disturb, our mornings go on"

but that seems a bit clumsy.

Now how did you know that is my fave song of theirs and I played it last night? I always thought it was something like "won't disturb our morning car wash" hahaha I'm probably wrong.

I can't find any of the lyrics to Solid Gold anywhere. I also thought it could be "Won't disturb our morning couplings".

Perhaps he just sings "Wun dudurb ah wah wah wah"

Makes sense -- he knows little about sex.

I can see I'm not going to get an answer to this.

Gosh, I feel for you, Phil, but really there's only so many times I can play that bit on my CD player before I figure "fuck it, this groove is the shit, let's just play the song". Maybe some Britishers can help us? Are you British Phil? Is that our problem?

Okay but I've listened to it again now and I'm convinced it's not "couplings". The ending syllable necessary for that just isn't there. There's not even a "P" sound. Goddamnit Britishers help us?!

Yes Bimble. I'm as British as Noel Coward flying a Spitfire over the white cliffs of Dover (to the sound of Elgar).

I think the word "mornings" is correct. It's the last two syllables really. It's quite frustrating, as it sounds like it there should be a great lyric in there.

But yes, I just love the way this song starts with a few syncopated metallic chops, and then just hits this awesome driving gear, like some monster truck, and then the energy dissipates into unsyncopated metallic chops, which then get themselves together rhythm-wise, for the next awesome slam on the pedal.

It's one of the most satisfying experiences in this thing we call "rock".

Hahah. Crikey! You must be a music writer with talk like that! ;)

V. happy you're British, though, at least we've got that angle on this lyric covered.

But Phil, I hate to say it but I'm not going to lose sleep over it if we can't figure out this lyric. The song is so fucking good, dude. In the end, it doesn't matter one jot.

My job is way more interesting than music writing. As for the '4, I shall no doubt continue my quest alone.....

I adore the first 3 Go4 albums as well as a couple of later tracks but I've gotta stand up for _Shrinkwrapped_. It's a stormer of an album (aside from a couple of Andy's spoken word tracks that kinda disrupt the flow) highlighted by "I Parade Myself" which stands with the first 3 albums.

No discussion about _Return The Gift_? I must admit I couldn't understand the purpose of rerecording material that was already perfect but some folks think it surpassed the originals.

Well I'm surprised you're not a music writer, Phil, for I think what you've written here about this song is really cool and talented. I know *I* couldn't have written that.

Mr. Odd! You're going to stand up for Shrinkwrapped! That's wonderful! We are on the same team, mate! No one ever seems to stick up for that one. I agree "I Parade Myself" is the best thing on that.

I still haven't heard Return The Gift.

I have bits of RTG from emusic, its pretty good.

anyone else think the versions of the songs on the damaged goods ep are preferable to the ones on the album? they sound more vital and less practised. the production is a lot less neat too.

Oh loads, no doubt. I also prefer the single version of "At home he feels like a tourist" (less overdubs)

Huh, I never knew the single version of Tourist was different! Is it available on CD anywhere?

I too appreciate the Damaged Goods EP. "Armalite Rifle" in particular - I love the production of that.

Gang of Two

Allen & Burham leave

http://www.pampelmoose.com/mspeaks/index.php

This is when I tip my hat to the ilxor who put "I Parade Myself" in his top "11 songs of the moment, fuck" or whatever thread that was. I listened to that song and the title track from "Shrinkwrapped" this week at work and I thought I was either going to levitate into the air or kick the shit out of anyone who bothered me in my headphones. I tried to sing quietly. That shit is lethal. Just fucking lethal.

Miss you, Bimble. Peace.

So.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=107280105973132&index=1

http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/gangoffour

Don’t just listen to Gang Of Four’s new album - Be part of its launch

Greetings from London.

We’re emerging blinking into the light after many months locked in Andy’s studio, clutching Gang of Four’s new album: Content. Later this summer you’ll be able to buy it on download or CD. But we’re offering weirder and more wonderful options to a limited number of GO4 aficionados. What about taking a helicopter trip to this summer’s Glastonbury Festival with us? Or you might enjoy a listen to our first ever gig (recorded in Leeds in May 1977), provided to you on a cassette inside a Walkman individually decorated by Andy and Jon. A private view of an exhibition of GO4 art combined with a gig in London’s ICA this June are just some of the other possibilities.

We’re also starting a ‘Pledgers Only Updates’ page where we’ll share videos, gigs, conversations, demos, rough mixes, previously unreleased songs from the archives, and also words and photos.

A share of any profits from pledges will go to Amnesty International http://www.amnesty.org.uk/ who campaign for internationally recognised human rights for all, and Plan International http://plan-international.org/ who promote child rights to end child poverty.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Andy Jon Mark Thomas

'Content' on CD £10 - 350 left
T-Shirt + Signed Standard CD £15 - available
New Album Artwork T-Shirt £17 - 200 left
Signed CD + Jon's Spotify Playlist of the week £22 - 10 left
Signed & numbered rare white label vinyl copy of album £30 - 240 left
Box of 4 re-issue badges + Signed CD £35 - 50 left
Vinyl Version Of The Record Cut Live At Metropolis Studio £35 - 250 left
Ultimate Content Can - Signed & Numbered £45 - available
Question and Answer / Discussion Evening £50 - 80 left
GoF Concert & Historical Exhibition - Private View £55 - 240 left
Signed CD + Hand written lyric sheet £55 - 25 left
Signed & numbered rare white label vinyl + lyrics £65 - 10 left
Acknowledgment for sponsoring the recording of 'Content' £75 - 100 left
Raw Footage from our US tour £100 - 10 left
£100 bundle - Private View, Ultimate Content Can & T-Shirt £100 - 50 left
Laminate - entrance to any GoF show in 2010 / 2011! £125 - 30 left
The Lost Cassette - GoF first ever show in cassette Walkman £175 - 20 left
Album playback in London studio £190 - 5 left
Lyric Clinic £250 - 5 left
Authentically damaged signed guitar £450 - 2 left
Helicopter - Home to London After Glasto With GoF £950 - 4 left
Helicopter - London To Glasto With GoF £950 - 4 left
Andy Gill mixes your track £1,500 - 3 left

How about that.

This is when I tip my hat to the ilxor who put "I Parade Myself" in his top "11 songs of the moment, fuck" or whatever thread that was. I listened to that song and the title track from "Shrinkwrapped" this week at work and I thought I was either going to levitate into the air or kick the shit out of anyone who bothered me in my headphones. I tried to sing quietly. That shit is lethal. Just fucking lethal.

― Sacriligiously Dead (Bimble), Saturday, May 23, 2009 11:32 PM (10 months ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

That was me, Bimble. Love you.

So, wait, is the new album available now for donors?

I see many bands going this route, which I think is cool, and a nice way to support your favorite artist and make sure the money goes straight to their pocket. But the irony of GO4 doing it is not lost.

So, wait, is the new album available now for donors?

I can't quite tell. I will not be donating for this launch. I will be acquiring the album on my own and possibly donating $10 to Amnesty International on my own.

I see many bands going this route, which I think is cool, and a nice way to support your favorite artist and make sure the money goes straight to their pocket. But the irony of GO4 doing it is not lost.

Irony is Gang of Four's very raison d'etre, I believe.

(Please shoot me for writing "raison d'etre" kthxbye)

Newsflash-Gang of Four don't like Radio 4 so much

― Morley Timmons (Donna Brown), Monday, May 9, 2005 4:24 AM (4 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
haha, are you going to spill the beans and tell the people why, Ms. Timmons?

― donut debonair (donut), Monday, May 9, 2005 4:26 AM (4 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Let's hear it, Miss Brown or Mr. Donut. This is relevant to my interests.

Even with some lyrics that were kind of undercooked and/or cod-marxist (and others that were flat-out brilliant), Gang of Four were and still are primarily about violent contradictions, expressed performatively (sonically in a multitude of ways, in their "career moves", etc.) as well as discursively; and that, for me, is why they fucking rule all hell, even now when by all logic and history they should not, the fact that they can still BRING IT onstage being merely the evidence. Let us give them lots of 2005 American money. The end.

― box of socks, Sunday, May 22, 2005 6:33 PM (4 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

That was me. I still think this.