Gang Of Four.

Lots of fingerstyle guitar players use artificial nails, not sure if that’s what he is referring to, tend not to think so.

Simon Reynolds doesn't how guitar playing works - shocker!

I've heard stories of particularly bass players using super glue to reenforce calluses.

hardened skin absolutely! i used to play double bass in orchestras so i know exactly how that works -- but i don't think you can't callus fingernails

brb researching nail art, i already discovered tippi hedren is why so many US nail bars are vietnamese-run

gang of four shd write a song abt it tbrr

Maybe he imagines that said nails were gradually vulcanized into steely talons as a consequence of their owners' picking style?
(That's not what happens, no.)

Yes, I believe that is exactly what he thinks

That's not what happens indeed. I love this part in an episode of a Matt Sweeney series, in which James Williams talks about the Fake Fingernail Mojo
https://youtu.be/9OvB-wDt7mA?t=521

rules that legendary stooge james williamson basically confirms my not-entirely serious nail-bar theory

Catherine Mayer, Andy Gill's widow, has a new piece up about his passing. There is a strong possibility -- though as the piece clearly states, no specific evidence -- he was an early victim of COVID-19

https://www.catherinemayer.co.uk/post/2020-vision-14-may-16-00

Many thanks for posting that.

My brother has just texted me, "Respiratory illness after touring Asia". I think I'd hold fire on that one.

― (includes digression on farting) (Tom D.), Saturday, 1 February 2020 21:08 (three months ago) bookmarkflaglink

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/01/spate-of-possible-uk-coronavirus-cases-from-2019-come-to-light

The trajectory of Gill’s illness, which took medics looking after him in January by surprise, is now familiar – sudden deterioration, low oxygen levels and organ failure. He had fallen sick after his band returned from a trip to China in late November. A short time later, his 26-year-old tour manager was taken to hospital in Leeds with a severe respiratory infection.

Knowing what we do now it does seem likely it was covid, although apparently the band cancelled last spring's Chinese dates after he was hospitalised with another chest infection.

MATADOR RECORDS TO OVERSEE CLASSIC
GANG OF FOUR ALBUMS

ENTERTAINMENT!, SOLID GOLD, SONGS OF THE FREE, AND 14 LIVE SHOWS
NOW AVAILABLE TO STREAM

LISTEN TO A CURATED PLAYLIST OF LIVE TRACKS

We are pleased to announce that Matador Records will now oversee a number of key catalog titles by legendary Leeds, UK band, Gang of Four, including the classic albums Entertainment! (1979), Solid Gold (1981), and Songs of the Free (1982).

These records are once again available across streaming services and are joined by 14 live releases capturing performances between 1979 and 1984. Find a curated playlist of highlights from the live tapes.

“Ether,” the introductory track on Entertainment!, was recently sampled by Run The Jewels, who used the song’s core riff to form the backbone of their track “the ground below” on the recently released RTJ4.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCQtCj39TN0

More to come.

yay!

W/r/t live tracks playlist, the entire Mpls gig used to be up on youtube (seems to have been taken down, natch) and it is a fucking scorcher

Ah-ha, I see the whole show is up already up on the various streaming services, nice, I thought they were just doing the playlist

Songs of the Free never gets the love it deserves. "Call Me Up" and "We Live As We Dream...Alone" are as good as anything from Entertainment.

"We Live As We Dream...Alone" is a good one

On the August 1979 Toronto show they cover the Mekons and Rezillos!

I think about "We live.." all the time. it does something powerful to me.

“The Problem of Leisure: A Celebration of Andy Gill and Gang of Four”

http://musicglue-images-prod.global.ssl.fastly.net/gang-of-four-usa/product/the-problem-of-leisure-limited-edition-cd-pre-order?u=aHR0cHM6Ly9tdXNpY2dsdWUtdXNlci1hcHAtcC02LXAuczMuYW1hem9uYXdzLmNvbS9vcmlnaW5hbHMvZWM4MDFkNjgtNmEzNi00MDc1LWIxMDEtYjBjZGY3ZWU0ODU3&mode=contain&width=800&v=2

A new compilation album featuring globally famous names with original artwork by Damien Hirst to be released on May 14, 2021

The Problem of Leisure: CD One

Vinyl One, Side A
1. IDLES - Damaged Goods (UK)
2. Tom Morello & Serj Tankian - Natural’s Not in It (USA)
3. Helmet - In the Ditch (USA)
4. 3D* x Gang of Four feat. Nova Twins - Where the Nightingale Sings (UK)
5. Hotei - To Hell With Poverty (Japan)

Vinyl One, Side B
1. Gary Numan - Love Like Anthrax (UK)
2. Gail Ann Dorsey - We Live as We Dream, Alone (USA)
3. Herbert Grönemeyer feat. Alex Silva - I Love a Man in a Uniform (Germany)
4. LoneLady - Not Great Men (UK)
5. JJ Sterry - 5.45 (UK)

The Problem of Leisure: CD Two
Vinyl Two, Side C
1. La Roux - Damaged Goods (UK)
2. Everything Everything - Natural’s Not in It (UK)
3. Dado Villa-Lobos - Return the Gift (Brazil)
4. The Dandy Warhols - What We All Want (USA)
5. Warpaint - Paralysed (USA)

Vinyl Two, Side D
1. Flea & John Frusciante – Not Great Men (USA)
2. The Sounds - I Love a Man in a Uniform (Sweden)
3. Hardcore Raver in Tears - Last Mile** (China)
4. Killing Joke x Gang of Four - Forever Starts Now (Killing Joke Dub) (UK)
5. Sekar Melati - Not Great Men (live version) (Japan)

Stream the first single - "Natural's Not in It" by Tom Morello & Serj Tankian
http://gang-of-four.ffm.to/naturals-not-in-it

I was just about to say what's with the shitty artwork and then...

All I know is if someone told me Gang of Four was one of the most influential bands ever, and then I saw that track list, I would probably call bullshit.

3. Helmet - In the Ditch (USA)
1. La Roux - Damaged Goods (UK)

I'd fancy hearing these two but that's about it

that certainly is the bloke from System of a Down on that cover version, I'll say that

Box Set Now Due In March (Vinyl & Cassette) and April (CD)

http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/2021/02/02/gang-of-four-77-81-box-set-rescheduled/

Hope this one does well, so they do a second one. I've held out paying $$$ for _Hard_ on Discogs, and will get the next period's cd box set. _Songs of the Free_ ("I Love a Man in Uniform") and _Hard_ ("Independence", "Arabic") are the two I fell for in college.

so uncool to not include the cassette in the CD version

bit shit that it doesn't include the single versions

maybe the Fast Product EP was a licensing issue?

still owned by Bob Last

At Home He's A Tourist was on EMI though

I mean tbh I prefer the album version so maybe it's not a great loss, just if you're gonna do a big box set, with a disc called Singles, you'd think they'd actually put the single on it

unless I am mistaken, there has been no notice on ILM that David Pajo has joined what is otherwise a completely credible lineup of King, Burnham and Sara Lee… while I feel pretty much like a putz for not seeing the 2004 tour, the idea of Pajo having an opportunity to go bugshit on top of Lee and Burnham seems pretty enticing…

Gang of Four Reunite, Plan January Tour!

thank you ufo!

thank you ufo!

Gang of Four without Andy Gill? Sacrilege!

Yeah, but I'll be tempted to go for this Go4, if they come close enough geographically. How's the box? Good remasters, good prev. unreleased?

Ehhhhh, the stuff on the cassette was mostly uninspiring scraps.

I kinda always thought the NY Dolls put it so well with the title of that late reunion record "One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This". Go to the gigs and have fun with what you got, hopefully they will be a good time. I'm sure David Pajo will give it his all to make it work.

Yeah, but I'll be tempted to go for this Go4, if they come close enough geographically. How's the box? Good remasters, good prev. unreleased?

Looks like Sally Timms will be singing backing vox for at least the Chicago date.

Cool

Went to the Brooklyn Made show - it was a lot of fun! Crowd was a pretty good age mix, from I'm guessing late 20's to senior age. The most skeptical remark I overheard was someone saying "it was like watching my dad's older friend's band" which struck me as kind of dumb even though they added they were glad to have seen King et al before they couldn't - the core members have been playing for 45+ years, what did you think they were going to look like? And King performed like a man possessed. He gave it his all and he clearly used up his reserves to deliver - it was likely easier when he was younger, but for someone out-of-shape, I don't think they could've kept pace with the older King for more than a few numbers.

I guess the original line-up played North America for the last time in 2005, correct? Anyone see that tour? I regret missing it - I'm pretty sure I knew and enjoyed at least their debut album by then. How was that tour?

Also splurged on a signed tour poster. Basically the cost of another ticket, but they already had a run of bad luck when they cancelled their Toronto show due to their bus catching fire (!) and they seem to give most of their money to good causes anyway.

Hey there, here is a recording of the Brooklyn gig if you want it, it went up online today and I sent it to a friend who is a diehard fan.

https://www.fromsmash.com/BiS2D6db8e-bt

Ah nice! Thanks man!

FWIW, I found this NY Times article about their 2005 reunion, published on Jan. 24, 2005. Gill's passing aside (I'm still sad he's gone, and I never saw him perform), it's amusing to read in light of the current tour since they joke quite a bit about their age.

https://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/24/arts/music/after-postpunk-postpostpunk-by-the-gang-of-four.html

A relevant excerpt for those who encounter a paywall:

"The goal is to be as incredibly intense as we were the first time around," Mr. Allen said. "What we have to do is leave them with their tongues hanging out again. If not, we don't retain our authority in the musical canon. There's no excuse that we're 23 years older."

Mr. Burnham added, "I realized that we could do it because we all still had our hair."

--

Mr. Gill is the only band member continuing his recording career, writing soundtracks and producing bands including Killing Joke and the Jesus Lizard. Mr. Burnham, who worked as a band manager and recording-company executive after leaving the Gang of Four, teaches at the New England Institute of Art in Brookline, Mass. The other two members have followed the band's media critiques with media jobs. Mr. King is the chief executive of World Television, which produces news reports, Webcasts and corporate video for clients from Greenpeace to Nestlé. Mr. Allen lives in Portland, Ore., and works in digital-music distribution and brand marketing with his company, Pampelmoose.

The band members had to shape up for the tour. Mr. Burnham hadn't played drums since 1985; he started exercising with his wife, a Pilates trainer. Mr. King, who is still lean, teased the other band members with e-mail messages about the "celebrity fat club." But as they started to relearn the songs, old reflexes came back.

"The blueprint was still in my body," Mr. Allen said.

On the 9-foot-by-18-foot stage of the Montague Arms, Mr. King flailed and twitched, dropped to the floor and leaped up like a funky scarecrow, as hyperactive as he was a generation ago. "It's the tragedy of old age that people stop doing stupid things," he said before the show. "When you're young, you're reckless and oppositional, and that's what you should be your whole life. Why should you not take a risk?"

I got to see the ‘05 tour, definitely was a privilege.