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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
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
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!".
17 of 19 people found the following review helpful
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. One is in listening to it (obviously) and the other is in introducing it to someone who has not heard it before and seeing their reaction.
11 of 13 people found the following review helpful
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.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
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 3 months ago by millyem
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 6 months ago by Rob Gittins
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 12 months ago by Paperback Critic
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 17 months ago by neumatic
No Deviation
Hard edged metallic punk welded into bristling cutting guitar sparks ripped to the shape of abstract funk. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Dr. Delvis Memphistopheles
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 24 months ago by L. Morris
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
"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
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
Yes, Yes, Yes!!!!
You think the Sex Pistols were better than this lot? Get a grip. This is one hell of an album, including some great bass playing. Come on, buy it!!
Published on 8 Feb 2006 by James Archer
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