UK post-punk band formed in Leeds, Yorkshire in 1977, and named after the radical Chinese group that rose to power during that country's Cultural Revolution. The Gang Of Four - Jon King (b. 8 June 1955, London, England; vocals/melodica), Andy Gill (b. 1 January 1956, Manchester, England; guitar/vocals), Dave Allen (b. 23 December 1955, Kendal, Cumbria, England; bass) and Hugo Burnham (b. 25 March 1956, London, England; drums) - made their debut on Fast Product the following year with Damaged Goods. This uncompromising three-track EP ("Damaged Goods"/"Love Like Anthrax"/"Armalite Rifle") introduced the band's strident approach, wherein Burnham's pounding, compulsive drumming and Gill's staccato, stuttering guitar work, reminiscent of Wilko Johnson from Dr. Feelgood, framed their overtly political lyrics. The quartet maintained this direction on their 1979 debut album Entertainment!, while introducing the interest in funk music that marked future recordings. Its most impressive track, "At Home He's A Tourist", was issued as a single, but encountered censorship problems over its pre-AIDS reference to prophylactics ("rubbers").
Following the release of Solid Gold, internal strife resulted in Allen's departure, later to join Shriekback, in July 1981. He was replaced by Sara Lee, formerly of Jane Aire And The Belvederes, as the band pursued a fuller, more expansive sound. Songs Of The Free featured the tongue-in-cheek single "I Love A Man In Uniform", which seemed destined for chart success until disappearing from radio playlists in the wake of the Falklands conflict. Burnham was fired in 1983 and a three-piece line-up completed Hard with sundry session musicians. This disappointing release made little difference to a band unable to satisfy now-divergent audiences and they split up the following year.
Following several rather inconclusive projects, King and Gill exhumed the Gang Of Four name in 1990. The reunion was marked by Mall for Polydor Records, which justified the decision to resume their career with a set of typically bracing, still politically motivated songs. However, it did little to revive their commercial fortunes, and was never released in the UK. Gill and King subsequently worked on movie soundtracks, one of which, Delinquent, formed the basis of the energetic 1995 release Shrinkwrapped, on which the duo was joined by Curve members Dean Garcia and Steve Monti. The furious rhythms and dark musical scenarios of earlier years made a welcome return, while the lyrics continued to paint the agents of capitalism as the enemy (notably on "Lord Of The Anthill"). Gill and King played some rare live dates to a rapturous reception, but shortly afterwards the latter announced he was retiring from the music business. Gill teamed up with Burnham and Allen in 1998 to compile the excellent 100 Flowers Bloom compilation.
The original line-up of the Gang Of Four announced they were re-forming to play a string of UK dates in January 2005. They were celebrated in the music press for their influence on the contemporary wave of art-punk bands led by Franz Ferdinand, Bloc Party and Radio 4. A new studio album, featuring re-recordings of selections from the band's back catalogue, followed later in the year.
