Something I Learned Today

Punk Rock and Other Assorted Bullshit

Gang of Four

April 17th, 2006 | Posted by: Eric | Category: 70's Punk, Post Punk


In reviewing the last 300+ posts I don’t think I have covered a single British band. Huh. I guess most of my Britpunk collection (GBH, Subhumans, Chaos UK, and way too much Oi) sounds stale to me these days. As I’ve grown older I’ve phased out much of my earlier British items for the more refined sounds of Wire, The Fall, Joy Division, Mekons, Gang of Four, and the like. I was into my last year of college when a friend introduced me to Gang of Four and their landmark Entertainment! LP. I was hooked instantly by the deft bass lines and the tense, jagged guitar. For years I had a tape of that included the band’s first two albums (Entertainment! and Solid Gold) along with the tracks from 1978’s Damaged Goods 7″. I lost the tape awhile ago but was able to track down Entertainment! and! and Solid Gold. The 7″ tracks I’ve been unable to smoke out until just recently. The versions on the single differ from those on later releases - I prefer the versions of “Love Like Anthrax” and “Armalite Rifle” on this record to those put out later. “Damaged Goods” doesn’t quite measure up to the Entertainment! version, but it’s such a remarkable song that it bears a listen in almost any form

from 1978’s debut 7″
Gang of Four - Damaged Goods.mp3
Gang of Four - Love Like Anthrax.mp3
Gang of Four - Armalite Rifle.mp3

17 Comments so far

  1. JJ April 18th, 2006 6:43 am

    Brilliant.

    I lost a few times bidding for this on E-bay.

    Cheers for all the great rare tracks!

  2. Andrew Weiss April 18th, 2006 12:03 pm

    My friend’s literature professor is Hugo Burnham, and he got Hugo to sign my Entertainment CD.

    http://bitterandrew.livejournal.com/41993.html

  3. Marcel April 18th, 2006 3:51 pm

    This is great!

    Yay! Fast Records, was an overlooked gem from the late 70’s. Releasing not only early Gang of Four, Human League and Mekons, but the UK release of California Uber Alles and several wonderful comps with some rare UK bands.

  4. Daniel April 18th, 2006 7:38 pm

    You sir, are a god amoung men.

  5. malfeitor April 18th, 2006 11:01 pm

    Oh I love me some Gang Of Four. My copy of this is very scratchy so this sounds immensely better. Almost posted it myself but kept forgetting. Equally great is the Another Day Another Dollar 12″ with 2 of their best on it (To Hell With Poverty and Capital). You can pick up for not much $$ or the Solid Gold CD has it on it as a bonus.

  6. Josefritz April 19th, 2006 4:19 am

    Totally was into solid gold. I bought the Rhino 100 blooms comp filled in the catalog nicely. great post.

  7. Elisa April 19th, 2006 7:54 pm

    Nice. Very Nice.

  8. Mark Lansing April 22nd, 2006 11:05 pm

    Saw Gang of Four in 1982 after SONGS OF THE FREE came out and they were nothing short of amazing. Andy Gill’s screaming gibberish introduction to “Cheeseburger” is one concert moment I would give a great deal to witness again. Thanks for the early GoF fix, it was greatly appreciated!

  9. ryan April 23rd, 2006 7:15 pm

    not sure if its worth mentioning but the au pairs were one of they’re piers. if you dont own it already checkout headache for michelle by them for it is infact the sexiest tune ever made.

  10. Flamen Dialis April 24th, 2006 9:03 pm

    Oh please, oh please, oh please - you wouldn’t happen to have that Fast Records VA Sampler “Fast Product,” would you? There were great tracks on there by Mekons, GoF, Human League (when they were actually listenable), Joy Division, The Flowers and a couple of incredible trax by Scotland’s other great criminally ignored talents (besides The Fire Engines) Scars. It’s never been released on CD!

  11. Be the Hokey April 26th, 2006 10:42 am

    Kudos for a brilliant site and a nice post here!

  12. Jon April 30th, 2006 7:48 am

    good stuff

  13. Asgoth A.D. May 3rd, 2006 6:38 am

    Wow! This is what the internet SHOULD be all about! Great site! It’s nice to see someone truly passionate about music and exposing others to great bands like Gang of Four. Damaged Goods is the only song I’m sure I’ve heard before. The other 2 songs kick ass for sure! Love the guitar work!

  14. michael May 7th, 2006 11:08 am

    Thank you,
    I totally agree with you the versions here are far superior to those recorded for EMI, and as an ageing relic from that period I actually owned the original Ep which along with all my vinyl from got left behind in Italy when I divorced, a case of my loss someones gain. Onece again thanks

  15. booblikon May 7th, 2006 6:54 pm

    the “Entertainment!” album seems to have aged better than most british lp’s from this era. never heard the single versions before, tho. thanx again, eric.

  16. Hemaworstje May 10th, 2006 4:06 am

    hmm , half the world is waiting for that euro punk , gang of four is humungous , luuuv it.
    keep the banana’s pumpin

  17. Eric October 16th, 2007 7:51 pm

    ” I guess most of my Britpunk collection (GBH, Subhumans, Chaos UK, and way too much Oi) sounds stale to me these days. As I’ve grown older I’ve phased out much of my earlier British items for the more refined sounds of Wire, The Fall, Joy Division, Mekons, Gang of Four, and the like.”

    -Me too……thanks for posting!

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