16 January 2026
Press photo
Surprising, but great album choice. Entertainment!
the 1979 debut LP by British post-punks Gang Of Four.
Flea releases his solo LP ‘Honora‘ on March 27th.
.
British post-punk legends GANG OF FOUR released their
trailblazing, highly influential debut LP Entertainment!
on 25 September 1979, 45 years ago.
The sublime debut single.
To celebrate the anniversary, the band played some gigs in the UK recently with
3 original members. Singer Jon King, drummer Hugo Burnham, David Pajo now on
guitar instead of the unfortunate Andy Gill, the innovative riff engine of GOF,
who passed away 4 years ago, aged 64, and bassist Gail Greenwood
1980
They also did some concerts in North America
and return next year for a bigger farewell cruise.
Press statement: “2025 will be the 45th anniversary of the release of Entertainment! in the US, and will be our final year as a band. It’s been wonderful, but all things must end. We want to go out with a bang and celebrate with our fans and friends. So, on what will be our last US tour, we’ll play two sets at each show: ‘Entertainment!” from start to finish in the first, and the best of the rest in the second. Come and join in, it’ll be a blast!”
ENTERTAINMENT!
27 August 2023
Leeds‘ post-punk heroes GANG OF FOUR were soundwise, one of the most inventive bands of the late 70s/80s. Jon King‘s poignant voice, Andy Gill‘s groundbreaking guitar style (copied by many), Dave Allen’s rolling bass riffs, and Hugo Burnham‘s steadfast drumming combined was quite spectacular.
R.I.P. Andy Gill
1956-2020
They released (with different line-ups) 9 studio LPs between 1979 and 2019.
Their most famous still is their 1979 debut ENTERTAINMENT!. An impactful record
heavily influenced by Situationism, feminism, and the effect of alienation on personal
life. It peaked at #45 in the UK at the time, but as the group gained countless fans over
the years, the album kept on selling.
It featured their stupefying debut single DAMAGED GOODS,
which came out on 13 October 1978 – 45 years ago.
Here’s the original video clip.
GOF: Bio – Discography
24 September 2019
Leeds‘ post-punk legends GANG OF FOUR released their ingenious and influential debut album ENTERTAINMENT! on 25 September 1979, 40 years ago. Their raw and snappy fusion of punk intensity, crepitating funk rhythms and spiky dub and their, lyrically, social and political criticism made them one of the most important groups of the late 1970s/early 1980s post-punk movement. ‘Entertainment!’ was ranked as fifth-greatest punk album of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine.
AllMusic wrote: “Entertainment! is one of those records where germs of influence can be traced through many genres and countless bands, both favorably and unfavorably. From groups whose awareness of genealogy spreads wide enough to openly acknowledge Gang of Four’s influence (Fugazi, Rage Against the Machine), to those not in touch with their ancestry enough to realize it (rap-metal, some indie rock) — all have appropriated elements of their forefathers’ trailblazing contribution. Its vaguely funky rhythmic twitch, its pungent, pointillistic guitar stoccados, and its spoken/shouted vocals have all been picked up by many.”
Full review here. Score: 5/5
Key tracks tracks: Ether / Damaged Goods / I Found That Essence Rare /
At Home He’s A Tourist / Love Like Anthrax
Album in full…
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GANG OF FOUR: Biography – All Albums – Facebook
Back sleeve
Remarkable albums from the past
Entertainment!
GANG OF FOUR
Released: 25 Sept 1979
Debut longplayer
PITCHFORK wrote: “Gang of Four were a pop band. Their funk was no less stark or forbidding than, say, the more astringent Timbaland productions. They certainly weren’t as twitchy, speedy, or noisy as James Brown at his most energized. Their great innovation– Andy Gill’s morse code guitar, as if playing a riff for more than a few bars caused him physical pain– is post-punk’s most ripped-off idea after badly played disco drums. They had attitude, energy, the big beat, skilled players funneling their virtuosity into the necessary notes, a handy way with a catchphrase, and sweaty live performances. Sounds like pop to me.”
Score: 9.5/10 – Full review here
TURN UP THE VOLUME says: Entertainment! = classic post-punk LP…
TOP TRACK: still as haunting today as back then… DAMAGED GOODS
Album in full…
GANG OF FOUR: Facebook – Website – All Albums
