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Product Description
Legendary 1980 debut album which influenced everybody. Remastered by Andy Gill. 3 bonus tracks too!
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 21 people found the following review helpful
By A. Skudder
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Audio CD
Whenever anyone asks me what is my favourite record, I have no hesitation in saying Entertainment! by The Gang Of Four, it really is that good.
I am not someone who is living in the past and clinging to it, I still buy all the latest stuff and would love to find something that grabs me by the throat the way this album does. The closest anything has come is Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magik by the Red Hot Chillis, which brings us back to this particular CD, because this is a re-issue which I bought to replace my over-played vinyl original, and inside the sleeve is a note from Flea saying how this album is "what shaped the sound of the rookie Red Hot Chilli Peppers." Michael Stipe also says in the sleeve notes "I Stole a lot from them."
I am not someone who is living in the past and clinging to it, I still buy all the latest stuff and would love to find something that grabs me by the throat the way this album does. The closest anything has come is Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magik by the Red Hot Chillis, which brings us back to this particular CD, because this is a re-issue which I bought to replace my over-played vinyl original, and inside the sleeve is a note from Flea saying how this album is "what shaped the sound of the rookie Red Hot Chilli Peppers." Michael Stipe also says in the sleeve notes "I Stole a lot from them."
The later Gang of Four albums had their moments, but this one is all highlights from beginning to end. Everything just came together: the bass and drums give a solid and beat-perfect core to the sound and the guitars and vocals can only be described as scary. I saw the Gang play live years after their prime, with a replacement drummer and bassist but Andy Gill and Jon King were still as intense as ever. For me the magic is all about that juxtaposition of absolute, pounding, rhythm and stabbing, almost random at times, guitar and then those intense vocals over the top. And those angry, anti-establishment lyrics which struck such a chord in Thatcher's Britain are still relevent in today's world of anti-globalisation demonstrations.
The three bonus tracks on this re-issue are nearly as good as the main album and the only complaint I could have is that the track Armalite rifle was not included as well.
Even after all these years, Entertainment! still gives me two great pleasures.
... Read more ›14 of 16 people found the following review helpful
By ascensus
Format:Audio CD
Looking back a quarter of a century, it's obvious now that with the preceding "Damaged Goods" EP (on the independent Fast label) and this album The Gang of Four were the most incisive and complete of Britain's post-punk, highly politicised groups. Perhaps only The Au Pairs came close to matching them.
The Gang of Four at this time were a heady, dancing and shattering mix; trenchant political lyrics, funk or reggae basslines coupled with propulsive drum patterns and dissonant, shearing, tearing guitar. The themes of alienation, dehumanising consumerism and political manipulation running through the words merged perfectly with their insistent sonic assault, producing a fitting soundtrack to the times and one of the most accomplished debut albums ever. I was fortunate enough to catch them just before it was released and "Entertainment!" also captures the potency of their live performance.
Unfortunately, the situationist subversion they intended by signing to EMI instead seemed to neuter The Gang of Four; not much they did after this was as good. However, this album is, along with Joy Division's "Unknown Pleasures" and The Au Pairs' "Playing With A Different Sex", an indispensable document of music in late 70s/early 80s Britain. It is "Entertainment!".
The Gang of Four at this time were a heady, dancing and shattering mix; trenchant political lyrics, funk or reggae basslines coupled with propulsive drum patterns and dissonant, shearing, tearing guitar. The themes of alienation, dehumanising consumerism and political manipulation running through the words merged perfectly with their insistent sonic assault, producing a fitting soundtrack to the times and one of the most accomplished debut albums ever. I was fortunate enough to catch them just before it was released and "Entertainment!" also captures the potency of their live performance.
Unfortunately, the situationist subversion they intended by signing to EMI instead seemed to neuter The Gang of Four; not much they did after this was as good. However, this album is, along with Joy Division's "Unknown Pleasures" and The Au Pairs' "Playing With A Different Sex", an indispensable document of music in late 70s/early 80s Britain. It is "Entertainment!".
11 of 13 people found the following review helpful
By Ted Maul
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Audio CD
Gang Of Four's Entertainment!,their debut album,has,like other albums of 1979- Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures, PiL's Metal Box,and Talking Heads' Fear Of Music,to name a few-not dated at all,and has been a valuable influence on any number of genuinely great bands-R.E.M,Jane's Addiction,Fugazi/Minor Threat (And arguably many other Dischord bands),The Rapture,etc.
Entertainment! is one of the few LPs to be released that has no bad songs.A few random highlights? Opener Ether's talk of "dirt behind the daydream";At Home He's A Tourist's "two steps forward...Six steps back,six steps back...",the guitar playing,particularly on Return The Gift and Guns And Butter,the glorious anti-rockism displayed throughout,and perhaps most of all,the spectacularly bitter closer Anthrax.
This version of Entertainment! also features three bonus tracks,which surprisingly don't detract from the overall listening experience-in fact Outside The Trains Don't Run On Time is as good as the best of the original album.
Entertainment! is one of the few LPs to be released that has no bad songs.A few random highlights? Opener Ether's talk of "dirt behind the daydream";At Home He's A Tourist's "two steps forward...Six steps back,six steps back...",the guitar playing,particularly on Return The Gift and Guns And Butter,the glorious anti-rockism displayed throughout,and perhaps most of all,the spectacularly bitter closer Anthrax.
This version of Entertainment! also features three bonus tracks,which surprisingly don't detract from the overall listening experience-in fact Outside The Trains Don't Run On Time is as good as the best of the original album.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Get a tighter than tight brick-outhouse as your drummer...Set him up with a white-guy who can play funk ,who isnt a messed-up jazz fusion fool...In the corner we have a wired,fret thrashing noise terrorist...and he's loud...To finish off,a ranting, all limbs flaying Marxist singer,and we have a startling group..Record them,and what we have is pure invention and intent..Truly original.They were more powerful live but on this debut they rarely sounded more together and finely honed.This machine kills Trad.Rock.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Hard edged metallic punk welded into bristling cutting guitar sparks ripped to the shape of abstract funk. Over the top with bayonet ready, were neo Marxist critiques of the banality of every day life. Not for GO4 the sterile debates of Milliband v Poulantzas, the angels on a pin head debates stultifying social sciences in sterile paralyis in the early 80's. The themes deal with the problems of relationships, leisure and work where everything is consumed, masticated and belched out in physical processes. The alienation was loud and not proud "At home he's a tourist," alienation at work "Naturals not in it," alienated leisure "return the gift," the power of the state "Ether"
GO4 harnessed academic theories of alienation; Situationism, Lukacs, Gramsci and Lefebvre making them into practical themes The topics of everyday life arise; the alienated semi consciousness of love, sex lust, fulfillment, dreams and power.
Whilst funk rapped about the smell of musk, the power of love pumping to the beat, GO4 pointed out the inculcated innante need to compete in fake orgasms with as partners, all consumed as a marker of the man. Whilst the mainstream ignored erectile dysfunction, ugly bodies and the desire to escape in the morning GO4 confronted it.
Making connections in lust in brief moments of infatuation. When the daylight poured in, the sweet kiss turns to sour breath, the bodies exposed and a quick exit beaten to the door a night promising so much turns to dust. GO4 nailed the lie behind the daydream, the antidote to love to love you baby; "Damaged Goods."
The pull of comsumer items to make everyone satiated is net. Buy buy to be be.... Read more ›
GO4 harnessed academic theories of alienation; Situationism, Lukacs, Gramsci and Lefebvre making them into practical themes The topics of everyday life arise; the alienated semi consciousness of love, sex lust, fulfillment, dreams and power.
Whilst funk rapped about the smell of musk, the power of love pumping to the beat, GO4 pointed out the inculcated innante need to compete in fake orgasms with as partners, all consumed as a marker of the man. Whilst the mainstream ignored erectile dysfunction, ugly bodies and the desire to escape in the morning GO4 confronted it.
Making connections in lust in brief moments of infatuation. When the daylight poured in, the sweet kiss turns to sour breath, the bodies exposed and a quick exit beaten to the door a night promising so much turns to dust. GO4 nailed the lie behind the daydream, the antidote to love to love you baby; "Damaged Goods."
The pull of comsumer items to make everyone satiated is net. Buy buy to be be.... Read more ›
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A post-punk great
A classic that's inspired many a subsequent band. Love Will Get You Like A Case of Anthrax should be on karaoke machines across the nation.
Published 6 months ago by Alex Gardiner
5.0 out of 5 stars
Entertaining.
Was aware of it when it came out 30-odd years ago but never appreciated it then-different now,very 'angular' caustic geetar playing,an throbbing bas,s all making for difficult pop... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Kezia60
5.0 out of 5 stars
Marxism meets mind-blowing music
Proving that politics can also make you shake your booty, Gang of Four's debut is one of those albums that drives you crazy from the instant you hear it. Read more
Published 16 months ago by millyem
5.0 out of 5 stars
nearly perfect
I bought this album shortly after its release, I thought then, and I think now its one of those almost perfect albums. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Rob Gittins
2.0 out of 5 stars
A Bad Start From A Good Band (redone)
This was my original review:
"Entertainment!" gained a large following for the Gang Of Four, but maybe it was not the one that should have. Read more
"Entertainment!" gained a large following for the Gang Of Four, but maybe it was not the one that should have. Read more
Published on 17 May 2011 by Paperback Critic
3.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing then and now
I bought this the week it was originally released. Initially I was disappointed with it. I couldn't put my finger on what was wrong, but it had none of the danger and excitement of... Read more
Published on 15 Dec 2010 by neumatic
5.0 out of 5 stars
Under-rated springs to mind.
Gang of four are way before my time and if it wasnt for a recommendation I may not have come across them. What struck me was how timeless this album is. Read more
Published on 4 Jun 2010 by L. Morris
5.0 out of 5 stars
A sign of the times....
I bought this after winning a copy of the poorly-received 'Hard' album in a CD bundle. I had read a lot of very positive reviews about G.O.F. Read more
Published on 4 April 2009 by Mr. S. J. Whitehead
5.0 out of 5 stars
"However unsavoury , events are shown in a palatable way"
Post punk 1978 - around 1984 is one of the great fertile periods for British music and one often overlooked. Read more
Published on 11 Feb 2009 by russell clarke
5.0 out of 5 stars
White Funk???!
Is there a less appealing musical term than `white funk'? The phrase conjures up any number of appalling possibilities, but that's exactly what `Entertainment!' is. Read more
Published on 29 April 2007 by Tiny Montgomery
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