Has post-911 American imperialism fueled the resurgence of Gang of Four?

[dbi]

How's that for a serious topic to panegyrize the return of dbi? Yeah, go ahead and pretend like you know what that means ;)

No secret that I'm a big Gang of Four fan (although personally I'm very much supportive of both democracy and capitalism) and very much against the direction my country has been headed in the last couple years since the incursion into Iraq, but I'm listening to Gang of Four Entertainment! right now (as I have been quite often lately) and wondering about all the GoF influenced bands on the scene today, as well as the widely reported reforming of the original Gang of Four early next year. Do you think that it's a political reaction to the times, the Bush/Blair alliance as seen in proxy through the bands that protested the Reagan/Thatcher alliance of the early 80s, or is it just related to the sound of the music, that whole disco-punk thing? I'd tend toward the latter, since most of the current bands seem on the surface to be very apolitical, which is a bit of a disappointment to me, even though I know that mixing music and politics doesn't go over well with most rock music fans.

[Finch Platte]

...welcome back, dbi! Wow, two posts to your credit. I can remember those days, he thought wistfully.

Can't add anything to your post on Go4. All I can say is, if they're railing against Bush, more power to 'em. Buck Fush.

fp

[-Jar-]

How's that for a serious topic to panegyrize the return of dbi? Yeah, go ahead and pretend like you know what that means ;)

Do you think that it's a political reaction to the times, the Bush/Blair alliance as seen in proxy through the bands that protested the Reagan/Thatcher alliance of the early 80s, or is it just related to the sound of the music, that whole disco-punk thing? I'd tend toward the latter, since most of the current bands seem on the surface to be very apolitical, which is a bit of a disappointment to me, even though I know that mixing music and politics doesn't go over well with most rock music fans.

I think it's just the systematic recycling that goes on.

the kids gotta rip someone off.

I guess I'm missing the Gang of Four resurgence :confused:

[KEXPMF]

How's that for a serious topic to panegyrize the return of dbi? Yeah, go ahead and pretend like you know what that means ;)

No secret that I'm a big Gang of Four fan (although personally I'm very much supportive of both democracy and capitalism) and very much against the direction my country has been headed in the last couple years since the incursion into Iraq, but I'm listening to Gang of Four Entertainment! right now (as I have been quite often lately) and wondering about all the GoF influenced bands on the scene today, as well as the widely reported reforming of the original Gang of Four early next year. Do you think that it's a political reaction to the times, the Bush/Blair alliance as seen in proxy through the bands that protested the Reagan/Thatcher alliance of the early 80s, or is it just related to the sound of the music, that whole disco-punk thing? I'd tend toward the latter, since most of the current bands seem on the surface to be very apolitical, which is a bit of a disappointment to me, even though I know that mixing music and politics doesn't go over well with most rock music fans.

Funny that this came up. I recently played (at a DJ gig), in this order :
Gang of Four "Damaged Goods"
Le Tigre "Decepticon - DFA Remix"
!!! - Me & Guilani Down By the Schoolyard

I'd say it's more the latter ("the whole disco-punk thing")... some of the new bands have mentioned Gang of Four in the press lately which is cool. :cool:

[Mr MidFi]

I think Go4 reunion talk is part of the "hugely influential 80s bands reforming to enjoy the acclaim they deserved years ago" trend. See the recent Pixies reunion.

Oh yeah, and what Elf Pee said about Bush.

[Troy]

Panegyrize. Great word, never heard it before. But it means to eulogize. dbi, you are not dead, you are coming back from the dead. Glad to see that you didn't look into the light. Welcome back.

Because these bands are expressly apolitical, it's obvious that it's because they think the music is cool, not becauase they agreed with the Go4 political agenda.

We have the current state of political affairs in this country because too many people are apolitical. It's changing slowly. It feels like 1966, doesn't it?

[Davey]

I guess I'm missing the Gang of Four resurgence :confused:
Well, it's part of that whole mass of post-punk bands but I think a lot of them have an appreciation of GoF at the core, even though some of them certainly mix in other influences like XTC, the Jam, the Buzzcocks, Wire, etc. I'm mainly thinking of bands like Franz Ferdinand, the Futureheads, the Walkmen, Dogs Die in Hot Cars, Hot Hot Heat, and ones that have been around a little longer like the Strokes and Clinic. But there's a bunch of Clash/Jam bands too like the Libertines and Razorlight and all the others that could be grouped in there, although I don't really think of them as having quite as much GoF factor. Andy Gill actually produced the new Futureheads album that I like so much. But I guess this trend has really been going on for a few years now and that GoF sound never left the scene anyway. Just hasn't been so much in the "mainstream" before in my recollection of recent times.

[Davey]

Panegyrize. Great word, never heard it before. But it means to eulogize. dbi, you are not dead, you are coming back from the dead. Glad to see that you didn't look into the light. Welcome back.

Because these bands are expressly apolitical, it's obvious that it's because they think the music is cool, not becauase they agreed with the Go4 political agenda.

We have the current state of political affairs in this country because too many people are apolitical. It's changing slowly. It feels like 1966, doesn't it?
Yeah, it may have been slightly out of context, but like you say, great word. The definition I saw is: To praise highly; to extol in a public speech; to write or deliver a panegyric upon; to eulogize. - but I was looking for a synonym of commemorate and that popped up :)

The political climate does seem to be slowly changing with more and more young people becoming involved. I think many of them are only beginning to realize that apathy and lack of political thinking wasn't always the norm for the younger generation. Been quite a while coming :)

[-Jar-]

It feels like 1966, doesn't it?

yea! I keep feeling like I'm cramped up in an ovary..

[-Jar-]

Well, it's part of that whole mass of post-punk bands but I think a lot of them have an appreciation of GoF at the core, even though some of them certainly mix in other influences like XTC, the Jam, the Buzzcocks, Wire, etc. I'm mainly thinking of bands like Franz Ferdinand, the Futureheads, the Walkmen, Dogs Die in Hot Cars, Hot Hot Heat, and ones that have been around a little longer like the Strokes and Clinic. But there's a bunch of Clash/Jam bands too like the Libertines and Razorlight and all the others that could be grouped in there, although I don't really think of them as having quite as much GoF factor. Andy Gill actually produced the new Futureheads album that I like so much. But I guess this trend has really been going on for a few years now and that GoF sound never left the scene anyway. Just hasn't been so much in the "mainstream" before in my recollection of recent times.

I guess when you get down to it, I'm not a huge post-punk fan, at least as far as bands like the Buzzcocks and the Jam and Gang of Four go.. and especailly the really funky stuff.. I appreciate the music but they don't really scratch me where I itch.. I guess I like the darker, less funky ones like Joy Division, Gary Numan and the Cure much more..

I realize there are gaping holes in my appreciation of 80's music, especially early 80's music.. but on the other hand, if any of that stuff had really reached out and grabbed me I would have paid more attention.


-jar

[dbi]

I guess when you get down to it, I'm not a huge post-punk fan, at least as far as bands like the Buzzcocks and the Jam and Gang of Four go.. and especailly the really funky stuff.. I appreciate the music but they don't really scratch me where I itch.. I guess I like the darker, less funky ones like Joy Division, Gary Numan and the Cure much more..
Yeah, I can kind of understand that, but I wonder if you've ever lived with the Entertainment! album for any length of time? Really brilliant music that would seem to mesh well with what I know of your music taste. It is pretty dark like Joy Division and not really that funky. If you don't have a copy I could probably set you up with a demo of the 1995 EMI remaster. It really is one of the standouts of that whole punk era. There was a nice GoF history and Entertainment! appreciation piece in Uncut a few years ago penned by Simon Goddard and reproduced at <a href=http://www.gillmusic.com/go4_history.html>Andy Gills'</a> website along with a piece by Greil Marcus. Cool read....but make no mistake - at some point you will be assimilated :)

[-Jar-]

Yeah, I can kind of understand that, but I wonder if you've ever lived with the Entertainment! album for any length of time? Really brilliant music that would seem to mesh well with what I know of your music taste. It is pretty dark like Joy Division and not really that funky.

I have SONGS OF THE FREE... seems that's not their strongest release huh?


-jar

[dbi]

I have SONGS OF THE FREE... seems that's not their strongest release huh?
Ya know, I haven't heard that one for years. I only have that and Hard on LP. Definitely not the same caliber as their debut, but that said, it is still the same band so it could be you really don't like the sound of GoF. The debut isn't nearly as new wave disco sounding and has a pretty hard edge and much darker sound. Kind of like the difference between early Clash and Combat Rock (or even the awful Cut The Crap). Still some of The Clash in both of them.

[audiobill]

[QUOTE=dbi]How's that for a serious topic to panegyrize the return of dbi? Yeah, go ahead and pretend like you know what that means ;)

QUOTE]

Welcome back dbi. We all missed you.

Panegyrize must come from the Greek word "panegyri". Now, I've been to many panegyris, especially those in small village houses in Greece. Similarly, I like to create that euphoric feeling of "panegyri" whenever I throw a party.

So, let's all celebrate the return of dbi.
Bill

Btw., what happened to you alter-ego -- that fellow by the name of davey??

[Troy]

yea! I keep feeling like I'm cramped up in an ovary..

Well, watch your head . . .

[dean_martin]

How's that for a serious topic to panegyrize the return of dbi? Yeah, go ahead and pretend like you know what that means ;)

No secret that I'm a big Gang of Four fan (although personally I'm very much supportive of both democracy and capitalism) and very much against the direction my country has been headed in the last couple years since the incursion into Iraq, but I'm listening to Gang of Four Entertainment! right now (as I have been quite often lately) and wondering about all the GoF influenced bands on the scene today, as well as the widely reported reforming of the original Gang of Four early next year. Do you think that it's a political reaction to the times, the Bush/Blair alliance as seen in proxy through the bands that protested the Reagan/Thatcher alliance of the early 80s, or is it just related to the sound of the music, that whole disco-punk thing? I'd tend toward the latter, since most of the current bands seem on the surface to be very apolitical, which is a bit of a disappointment to me, even though I know that mixing music and politics doesn't go over well with most rock music fans.

Whatever counter-culture springs up in this post-9/11 tight-assed society we live in now should be interesting. Maybe music/musicians will be at the forefront and actually take some creative risks.

[Stone]

I have SONGS OF THE FREE... seems that's not their strongest release huh?


-jar

Not by a mile. Entertainment! is where it's at, man. That's not to say you'd like it necessarily, but it blows Songs of the Free out of the water.

[Ex Lion Tamer]

I have SONGS OF THE FREE... seems that's not their strongest release huh?


-jar

If you don't have Entertainment and the Yellow ep, you don't have Gang of Four. I believe that these are required if you want to maintain your status as an elitist-indie-snob.