Gang Of Two: Original Rhythm Sections Quits Gang Of Four
The reunion's over. That's right, the post-punk quartet who got back together in 2005, a couple years after every band in Brooklyn was trying to sound like them, are down to two now that the original rhythm section of bassist (and stellar blogger) Dave Allen (on the left of the pic to the right) and drummer Hugo Burnham (on the right) have called it finis. Vocalist Jon King and guitarist Andy Gill plan to soldier on with the Gang Of Four name, though it's unclear who'll be joining them. According to a press release, "Burnham last performed with the band at All Tomorrow's Parties in the UK in December 2006, while Allen played a few shows alongside a session drummer in 2007, and recently worked on new material with King and Gill." And there are statements from the recently departed.
Allen says, "At the beginning of April, I decided that I could no longer continue to be a member of Gang of Four. My ability to give 100% to the band is limited and I feel that if I can't do so, then I shouldn't continue. As I expand my research and thinking about contemporary music distribution on Pampelmoose.com, and as I focus on online technology and social networking at Nemo Design here in Portland, I find myself conflicted about how the band's new music should be released. To retain any credibility for Pampelmoose.com about what the future of music distribution will look like, I have to move on and not hold back Jon and Andy's music plans. I have had a side project for a while now with John Askew of Tracker and Menomena's drummer Danny Stein called Faux Hoax, and I look forward to fun times finding ways to get our music into peoples' hands in unique ways."Burnham writes, "It was a great couple of years of intermittently reminding people old and new, far and wide just how powerful the original four of us were together. Age only increased our power and focus onstage, and it was a rare pleasure to work with the original band once again. Being in a band requires handling the business side of it too, and that became boring and the constant travel became debilitating. I am soon to start my Doctorate, as well as broadening my teaching at more than one college here in Massachusetts, so my free time has become increasingly limited, making it difficult to be involved with them going forward. Musically, I am recording and writing with members of Boston noise-merchants, The Bags and I have also been doing some recording lately with Mike Watt. I wish Jon and Andy luck with their new musical endeavours; I am sure they will be interesting."
Well, that was Entertainment!
Posted at 11:53 AM
Tags: Gang Of Four
They only made one great album, anyway.
Posted by: kidacomputerok at May 7, 2008 12:25 PM | ReplyScore = 0
One good album? What was wrong with Solid Gold?
Posted by: Dave Allen at May 7, 2008 5:16 PM | ReplyScore = 0
Nothing's wrong with "Solid Gold." It's very good. But not great.
Posted by: kidacomputerok at May 7, 2008 6:07 PM | ReplyScore = 0
Another Day/Another Dollar was righteous, too. Live, they were unbelievable. Not any more, I guess.
Posted by: Steve Far-I at May 8, 2008 6:03 AM | ReplyScore = 0
"Songs of the Free."
Because having fun is my reason for living.
Posted by: anonanon at May 9, 2008 2:28 PM | ReplyScore = 0