Farewell to the revolution: Gang of Four to embark on final North American tour

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As a lifelong music enthusiast with a predilection for the edgy and politically charged, I can hardly contain my excitement for Gang of Four’s “The Long Goodbye” tour. Growing up in the 80s, their raw, confrontational sound was like a breath of fresh air amidst the pop-culture landscape, providing a much-needed critique of modern culture and politics that resonated deeply with my generation.

In 2025, legendary British post-punk band Gang of Four, formed in 1976, has declared a goodbye tour across North America, signaling their final major excursion. Appropriately titled “The Long Goodbye” tour (which should not be mixed up with Deep Purple’s tour), this musical journey will honor the groundbreaking fusion of punk rock and funk/dance rhythms that Gang of Four pioneered, paving the way for countless alternative rock and post-punk musicians to follow.

Beginning April 20, the Crystal Ballroom in Somerville, Massachusetts will host a tour commemorating the band’s history and their 45th anniversary of their debut album, Entertainment!. This influential work from 1979 is renowned for its socially-relevant lyrics, rhythmically intense, minimalist, and frequently experimental sound, which helped establish the group’s unique identity.

As a gaming enthusiast, I’m super pumped to share that the legendary band Gang of Four is going to play their album “Entertainment!” from start to finish! That’s right, every single track! And if that wasn’t enough, they’ve got a second set lined up with all our favorite tunes and chart-toppers. Can’t wait for this unforgettable concert experience!

The band announced they will embark on their final North American tour after 45 years, a momentous occasion marked by the tour. Tickets for all 25 stops in the U.S. and Canada became available on October 4th, though there’s still an opportunity to secure tickets at certain venues.

More on Gang of Four

Born and bred in Leeds, England, I’m a member of Gang of Four, a band founded by the late Andy Gill on guitar, Jon King on vocals, Dave Allen on bass, and Hugo Burnham on drums. Over time, we’ve had various musicians join our ranks, including Albert King, Busta “Cherry” Jones from Talking Heads, and Gail Ann Dorsey, who played with David Bowie. As innovators in the post-punk genre, we’ve used raw, pulsating rhythms and minimalistic guitar work to express our political views while crafting atmospheres that echo some of the legendary “krautrock” bands.

The music they produced was rugged and provocative, characterized by a style that critically examined contemporary society and politics. This unique approach to their craft has left an indelible mark on music history. In many aspects, their work resonated with the ideals John Lennon expressed in “Imagine,” which strike a nerve with conservative commentator Ben Shapiro: “Envision a world where there are no countries, it’s not difficult to conceive. No more reasons to fight or die, and no faith either. Envision all the people living life in harmony…

2019 saw Gill expressing regret and stating, “While many believed we were making progress towards a more progressive, equitable world, with fewer right-wing, sexist views and a narrowing wealth gap, the opposite has occurred. This serves as a reminder that history doesn’t always follow a straight path; it can take unexpected turns, even looping back on itself.

(Gill died in 2020 — on the bright side, at least he didn’t have to witness January 6th, 2021.)

Known for shaping multiple music genres such as indie rock and dance-punk, the biography on AllMusic highlights Gang of Four as one of the most impactful and innovative bands to emerge from the British punk movement in the late ’70s. Spanning almost five decades, this influential band produced ten studio albums, starting with “Entertainment!” in 1979 and ending with “Happy Now” in 2019, which Metacritic deemed as generally well-received by critics.

Discography highlights

Apart from studio albums, they additionally put out live records, collections, and extended plays (EPs). One of their most famous songs in the U.S., “I Love a Man in a Uniform” from the album titled “Songs of the Free“, was originally released as a single in 1982. This track is still widely recognized in America.

Significantly, Matador Records re-released the album “Songs of the Free” on October 25, 2024. This new version is a remastered one, using the original Abbey Road tapes to preserve the album’s vibrant sound quality. Some standout tracks by Gang of Four, such as “Anthrax,” “Damaged Goods,” “To Hell With Poverty,” and “At Home He’s a Tourist,” have come to symbolize the post-punk genre, serving almost as anti-anthems in their defiance.

Beyond these well-known tunes like “He’d Send in the Army” and “Cheeseburger”, they continue to demonstrate their dedication to tackling societal and political matters via music, employing an unconventional sound that may not resonate with typical music enthusiasts.

How significantly has their impact been on social and political fronts? As stated by political scientist Ray Pratt, music doesn’t single-handedly organize our emotional investments in the world, but it can make notable contributions to temporary emotional states. Notably, Rage Against the Machine’s guitarist Tom Morello was substantially influenced by them, not just musically, but also politically.

In the later stages of their remarkable music journey, Gang of Four are presenting their admirers with a unique opportunity – the “Long Goodbye Tour,” which allows fans to witness these pioneers perform their groundbreaking music and messages live one last time.

The question of commercial success in left-leaning political bands

Indeed, similar to Rage Against the Machine, Gang of Four has faced allegations of selling out due to their association with major labels. A certain website counters this argument, pointing out that critics often question, “Wouldn’t die-hard Marxists refuse to sign recording contracts with EMI and Warner Brothers?

However, their idea was to at least put some ideas out into the ether…and speaking of “Ether”:

Regardless, the band’s odyssey is drawing to a close, but this goodbye concert tour won’t address all societal problems. To be honest, it’s essentially a rock show. Nevertheless, it’s not as if they haven’t contributed anything.

This tour not only emphasizes the band’s enduring impact, but also acknowledges their significant influence on punk and post-punk music since the late 1970s. They may not have completely revolutionized the world, yet they certainly expressed their views, which is a core function of art in many instances.

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2024-10-29 23:01