It's been 15 years since their last release, and finally the legendary post-punkers Gang of Four return with a new album Content, on January 25.
Jon King and Andy Gill - most recently released the album Return the Gift with remakes in 2005 - recruited two new members, bassist Thomas McNeice and drummer Mark Heaney, in view of the new album, to replace Hugo Burnham and Dave Allen (founding members of the group who left in 2008).
The surprise is that the album will be released on CD, vinyl but also in a deluxe edition "Ultimate Content Can", which will include works of pottery art of the founding members Jon King and Andy Gill, a book with pictures and lyrics, a scratch and sniff booklet and - without exaggeration - vials of blood from band members...
Jon King and Andy Gill - most recently released the album Return the Gift with remakes in 2005 - recruited two new members, bassist Thomas McNeice and drummer Mark Heaney, in view of the new album, to replace Hugo Burnham and Dave Allen (founding members of the group who left in 2008).
The Gang of Four with this release, are hoping to reach the experimental side of the classic album of 1979 Entertainment!, that "married" with great success elements of punk and funk with the politically charged - Marxist - lyrics, while hoping to win over the new generation of fans. Characteristically King in a comment reports he's excited by the fact that the majority of the fans who listen to Gang of Four music is under 30 years old. None of them expected when they began to write music that their songs would have such lasting appeal.
At a time when the musicians see their earnings from album releases dwindle, Gang of Four choose to include vials with their own blood in the deluxe edition of the album, in exchange for donations of fans made for the purpose of recording the album. The group went to the site PledgeMusic to save the money needed to record the album and promised to reward the fans who have submitted cash amounts, with a limited edition live album of on tape.
Content will be the triumphant come-back of the band that has contributed to the creation and the creativity of new wave bands of the new era, such as Franz Ferdinand, Radio 4, Bloc Party and Rapture, and inspired Nine Inch Nails and Red Hot Chili Peppers, who have admitted that the album Entertainment! has affected their work enormously.
Welcome back then ...
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