Gang
of
Four:
Formed
in
1977
by
Leeds
University
students
Jon
King
(vocals),
Andy
Gill
(guitar),
Dave
Allen
(bass),
and
Hugo
Burnham
(drums),
Gang
of
Four
(along
with
the
Fall,
Mekons,
and
Liliput)
produced
some
of
the
most
exhilarating
and
lasting
music
of
the
early
English
post-punk
era
of
1978-1983.
Fueled
by
the
fury
of
punk
rock
and
radical
political
theory,
Gang
of
Four
successfully
welded
the
two
in
an
inspired
display
of
polemics
and
music
that
addressed
the
vagaries
of
life
in
the
modern
world
(including
love
and
romance)
as
matters
of
political
inquiry.
Despite
the
fact
that
this
sounds
rife
with
the
potential
for
being
long
on
rhetoric
and
short
on
groove,
such
was
not
the
case.
What
made
Gang
of
Four's
polemical
clang'n'roll
so
compelling
was
that
it
worked
as
harsh,
bracing,
and
ultimately
liberating
rock
roll.
With
Allen
and
Burnham
combining
as a
formidable
and
frequently
very
funky
rhythm
section,
Gill
didn't
play
guitar
as
much
as
emit
thick
wads
of
semi-tuneful
distortion,
while
King
"sang"
in a
dry,
declamatory
fashion
similar
to
that
of
the
Fall's
Mark
E.
Smith.
The
rhythms
were
stripped
down
and
jagged;
at
times
Gill
would
dispense
with
guitar
solos
entirely
and
"play"
non-solos,
which
were
(surprise!)
silence.
Song
titles
sounded
like
the
titles
of
radical
political
essays:
"At
Home
He's
a
Tourist,"
"Damaged
Goods,"
"It's
Her
Factory,"
"Love
Like
Anthrax,"
"To
Hell
With
Poverty,"
all
of
it
openly
challenging
the
audience's
preconceived
notions
about
rock
music,
performance,
the
cult
of
celebrity,
and
the
nature
of
politics.
And
in
doing
so,
GOF
conveyed
rage,
confusion,
and
loss
of
identity
as
well
as
any
band
of
its
time.
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