[Ed. Note- A Sunday essay by gwilliamrex.]

One of the most incendiary and impactful debut LPs ever turned 45 years old this week.

The impact and joy this record has brought me ever since is almost immeasurable. Bear with me as I tell you some of the story.

“Entertainment” was released by an outfit from Leeds 🇬🇧 with a name referencing a Maoist political faction.

GANG OF FOUR and this debut LP came into my orbit within the first couple of months of my indie music days. I had never heard anything like it before (or, actually, since).

Over 12 tracks of rumbling bass from DAVE ALLEN and tribal- like drumming by HUGO BURNHAM, vocalist JON KING blasted out lyrics that perfectly captured the state of late 1970’s England. The stuff that gave rise to punk music in the first place.

But it was the style of guitar played (and not played) by ANDY GILL that took this music from brilliant to epoch defining. The guitar was played in a slashing stop-start way that was, for me, hypnotic. It was often the gaps in that sound that defined it. It is hard to describe so make sure you listen.

The songs on this LP revolve around a few themes such as what they considered the existential evil of the military / industrial complex, (“Guns Before Butter”, “Not Great Men”), the proliferation of violence on tv (“5:45”, “I Found That Essence Rare”, and love and sex as transactional (“Natural’s Not In It”, “Contract”)

On of my favourite indie days ever was in May of 1980 when the band came to Bookies in Detroit to promote this LP. While EMI had released this LP in the UK in 1979 it had not been released in North America until 1980. That was very typical at that time.

[Ed. Note- rex could remember the month of the gig and the location but not the date. Our crack research team found an ad selling the promotional poster for this gig for sale online.]

Bookies was a gay bar by day and converted to one of the only places hosting punk and post punk bands by night. It was a dump and only had one washroom.

But what a place it was to see this band live! There might have been room for 100 or so patrons. I was stood at what operated at the stage- a few 6” inch risers. I was so close I could have reached out and slashed the strings on Gill’s guitar. To say it was exhilarating is an understatement.

I have seen GANG OF FOUR perform many times over the years. I saw them at the river front nightclub The Roostertail in Detroit, and they even played The Palace movie theatre here in Wïndsor. One night at the after- gig party in Ann Arbor, Michigan my namesake JON KING asked me if I had any drugs to share with him because “Being in a rock band is the worst job ever…” At no point in my life could I ever have obliged him…

The band has existed on and off these many years. LPs 2 “Solid Gold” (1981) and 3 “Songs Of The Free” (1982) were also excellent. After that, the music wavered.

[Ed. Note- Having said that the collector’s box of their 2011 LP content containing a packet of their blood as a sign of their commitment is a treasure in his collection.]

The band started going their own ways. Bassist DAVE ALLEN became a founding member of SHRIEKBACK. HUGO BURNHAM played with PUBLIC IMAGE LIMITED and, incredibly, pop tart SAMANTHA FOX and JON KING became and remains a record company executive in LA. ANDY GILL was the only permanent member of the band until he sadly passed in 1980 not long after the band toured China.

The band released a massive box set of “Entertainment” a few years ago. It was a welcome addition to my collection.

This week it was announced that the current lineup- KING, BURNHAM and DAVID PAJO (originally of the U.S. band SLINT) would be performing one last tour in 2025.

Regrettably the date for Detroit conflicts with a mandatory work attendance and the Toronto date is not convenient either so I may have to figure out a quick travel to get one last blast.

Given the impact of this band and this Top 10 ever LP I have selected three tracks for your listening pleasure.

The first is the most well known song from the LP. “Damaged Goods” cleverly and frighteningly reduces sexual relationships to a supermarket visit-

“Damaged goods, Send ‘em back. I can’t work, I can’t achieve. Send ‘em back. Open the till, Give me the change you said would do me good…”

SPOTIFY-

https://open.spotify.com/track/62uw0iWu8jLB4cYBQxjdcm?si=tRQTmhzsRIKD5x6vhHwuww

(SONG 836)

The second featured is “At Home He’s A Tourist. The band were scheduled to be on the famous British music show “Top Of The Pops.” There was one problem. The shows censors would not let them sing the lyrics

“Down on the disco floor/ They make their profits/ From the things they sell/ To help you cob off/ And the rubbers you hide/ In your top left pocket…

The censors said they would accept the word “rubbish”. That made no sense to the band and they refused to perform. Incredible Their chance at fame was as dashed in the true indie spirit I admire…

They never made it on TOTP. [Ed. Note- BURNHAM did buy as a session player with ABC, PIL and SAMANTHA FOX.]

SPOTIFY-

https://open.spotify.com/track/1fpSdqEoXJBEr4HGQhWcxP?si=d9BMLh5qQ1a19GtgpsXUJg

(SONG 837)

Finally I give you one of the most startling and amazing songs I have ever heard. “Love Like Anthrax“ was the final song on this 12 track masterpiece. It equated being in love with have a case of this insidious, infectious cattle disease. As if that was not enough the song starts out with over a minute of reverb from a speaker and and searing guitar almost heavy metal sounding before the drumming starts. Finally, KING sings “And I feel like a beetle on its back/ And there’s no way for me to get up/ Love’ll get you like a case of Anthrax/ and that’s something I don’t want to catch”. While this occurs Gill is speaking in a monotone voice in the background rather matter of fact about how silly it is that pop groups sing about love.

Listen to this mind- blowing track (SONG 838)-

Here is a live cut from 2009 with GILL and KING where Andy stretches out the guitar solo at the beginning…

SPOTIFY-

https://open.spotify.com/track/0luLrvQxGwkTjCbtGiEaO0?si=AIcDo5UZTTmHyPvb-0ZrGA

RIP- ANDY GILL

PLAY LOUD OR PERISH LIKE GANG OF FOUR

10/6/2025