Red Set

A History of Gang of Four

Abstract

Gang of Four were a British post-punk band with a unique sound based on the democratic balancing of the four basic elements of drums, bass, guitar and voice. They rose to prominence with the 1979 album Entertainment! (which I played almost continuously on headphones as I revised for my O-levels the following year). The initial critical and popular acclaim was not matched by financial rewards and the group’s subsequent progress – in albums from Solid Gold to Shrinkwrapped and then others with a new line-up – involved a musical and intellectual journey and a parallel course of trying to work out their relationship with their existing canon and whether that can be reused in ways that improve it in technical quality but also in a way that would make some money and support the band members as they pursue their various individual interests.