Gang of Four (l-r) Gill, King, Allen, Burnham
Allen (l) and Burnham (r) in happier times, May 5th 2005 backstage at Portland’s Crystal Ballroom (pic: Jamie Francis)
GANG OF FOUR MINUS TWO
The original and best-loved line-up of famed post-punk icons Gang of Four reunited in 2005 to great acclaim and success – unfortunately all good things must come to an end. Bassist Dave Allen and drummer Hugo Burnham are moving on, although singer Jon King and guitar-player Andy Gill will continue, focusing on writing and recording new music as Gang of Four. Burnham last performed with the band at All Tomorrows Parties in the UK in December 2006, while Allen played a few shows alongside drummer Mark Heaney in 2007, and recently worked on new material with King and Gill.
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 Seim called Faux Hoax (pronounced Folks), 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.”
I gasped as I read this. I was soooo looking forward to finally seeing the original lineup live some day. Your explanation makes sense. All the best!
May 6th, 2008 at 6:40 pmDave–congratulations/sorry to hear about your departure. It was great to have GoF’s original lineup at it again while it lasted. Personally, Entertainment! was a constant player for me when I discovered the group. Solid Gold also essential listening…Cheeseburger is hands down one of my favorites.
They say spring is a time for new beginnings, death and rebirth, all that…I sincerely hope your new musical endeavors go far and that they’ll bring you back to Chicago sometime soon. Would love to see you again—and by all means come back to the DJ booth again, eh? It was a most enjoyable time two summers ago hearing you spin Jonathan Richman and all…
So here’s to your next and long live the P-Moose!
May 6th, 2008 at 7:32 pmHi Dave,
You friended me on facebook awhile back and I’m thrilled you did. You always post relevant, fascinating material about technology and music there and on this blog, which I check in with often. This new direction you’re taking in life seems very consistent with your online activity that I’ve been observing in the past several months. The path you’ve chosen makes a lot of sense.
I wish you all the best in your endeavors!
May 6th, 2008 at 10:51 pmSaw you guys at The Commodore in Vancouver on the reunion tour and from the first notes played I was reminded why I loved the music you made together so much. It was an awesome display.
May 6th, 2008 at 11:04 pmThank you very much for the pleasure. Thank you very much for the music you four made as the Gang Of Four.
Onward to the future!
[...] Gang of Four now Gang of Two? Allen and Burnham Exit Gang of Four. (tags: gangoffour daveallen pampelmoose music postpunk) [...]
May 6th, 2008 at 11:32 pm[...] Lo informa Allen en su propio y magnÃfico blog: [...]
May 7th, 2008 at 2:04 amHi Dave,
May 7th, 2008 at 8:13 amOf course I am quite disappointed to hear this but your explanation makes a lot of sense. Are there any plans to release a live dvd to commemorate the reunion?
Thanks for some amazing shows,
John
Sad news, but understandable. Good luck with your future projects, Dave. Also looking forward to Hugo’s work with Mike Watt, another hero of mine.
May 7th, 2008 at 8:30 amI’m now more happier than ever that I saw you in Chicago in 05. Good luck with your endeavours!
May 7th, 2008 at 8:51 amgutted to never get the chance to see the full lineup. but completely respect and understand your reasons. really like this blog too!
May 7th, 2008 at 8:54 amHello Dave, well I’ve been a fan of GO4 since last year and I’m currently 16 and I live in Colombia (yes, the South American country)…I’m sorry to hear this story as I wanted to see and feel the legend myself…but I realize it doesn’t really matter as GO4 and all of it’s original members will remain legends for a very very long time, and though barely any bands that used your musical style to rise up to fame give credit to the wonderful GO4 (ahem U2) the memory will kept as long as there is someone who will remember it and I’m prettt sure I will continue spreading the word (and hearing you) for a long time aswell.
I also wish that your musical creativity expands from now own…and that everyone’s future musical endavours have success in the years to come, hope the best for Burnham and now as I’ve found your blog I will keep reading it in the future.
My regards from Colombia,
Federico Nieto
May 7th, 2008 at 9:37 am(you can also check a group I made on Facebook of Gang of Four that is growing in a surprising way).
Is the line up going to be new for the Meltdown Festival then?
May 7th, 2008 at 10:02 amHere’s to one of the best rock lineups ever!
http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=4760466
Lance
May 7th, 2008 at 10:06 amhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/risa/50135229/
the memories i have of the Irving Plaza and Across the Narrows shows in NYC are some of my best. you’ll be greatly missed.
May 7th, 2008 at 10:45 am[...] and Dave Allen have left the semi-recently reformed Gang of Four. The story from Dave’s blog. Hugo, aka DGS BLX, and Dave were SXSW regulars and always good [...]
May 7th, 2008 at 11:33 amDave,
I saw the DC show and it was awesome… I had seen Hugo, Jon, and Andy with Sara Lee (Songs of the Free tour) and the Hard tour in Milwaukee, then saw Jon and Andy in a weird show on a snowy night in DC. But the original line up was the best.
Speaking of snowy nights… I saw you with Shriekback on a snowy night in Milwaukee… it was incredible… any chance of a Shriekback reunion? (I know, Barry still has a band, but you know… All Lined Up, Suck!, My Spine Is The Bassline, Fish Below The Ice…)
Dan
May 7th, 2008 at 11:40 amDave and Hugo, this is a highly respectable move on both your parts. I am glad to commend you both for pursuing what you want and what you believe as opposed to what could have been and what people want/expect.
Power to you,
-royc.
P.S. I guess I can go ahead and run our unfinished interview “as is” now, huh, Dave?
May 7th, 2008 at 1:26 pmWell I’m looking forward to what Hugo will be doing with Mike Watt. Mike Watt is a sweetheart! Best of luck to Dave and Hugo as well as Andy and Jon. Cheers then!
May 7th, 2008 at 2:09 pmmy favorite gang of four memory has to be karaoke night in tokyo:
http://joshkneedler.net/display/tokyo/pics/IMG_1176.jpg
ps oh yeah, the show was amazing too!
May 7th, 2008 at 2:11 pm[...] update was planned, but now that Dave has parted ways with Gang of Four (along with drummer Hugo Burnham), I figured I’d go ahead and run this talk as is. [...]
May 7th, 2008 at 2:57 pmthat 06′ GO4 Paris show was TUFF, but as long as Dave (and his ‘angular’ bass playing- YES! heh) is up there on stage I’ll be in the audience. seriously, all the best to all you guys and big up’s for whatever DA does next.
May 7th, 2008 at 3:10 pmOh, fuck you, Jon. You make fun of my use of “angular” (which I actually used to describe the guitar sound) and you say “big-ups”? Who are you, Busta Rhymes?!
May 7th, 2008 at 3:51 pmHaving had and still do, the opportunity to play with such a great musician and fwd thinker as Dave Allen, I know that Gang of Four, minus Dave, will not be the same. Portland shld feel lucky to have such an awesome mind in the mix!!
May 7th, 2008 at 4:14 pmSad but understandable news.
Thanks for reforming, if only for a short while. I had the enormous pleasure of seeing you play the Indian Summer festival in Glasgow a couple of years ago and you were stunning. Every bit as good live as I could possibly have hoped for.
Good luck in all future endeavours.
May 7th, 2008 at 4:22 pmIndeed sad…but having been able to see GO4 live, appreciate the music and message, making Dave’s acquaintance, seeing Pampelmoose flourish, and looking forward to future Faux Hoax music, etc., I’m confident that this is a good decision and is a sign of good things to come! OK, now I feel like I’m signing a retirement card…enough.
May 7th, 2008 at 5:02 pmP.S. Ragel taught Bustah Rhymes everything he knows! :)
EARTH TO COURTNEY ‘ROY’ CHRISTOPHER-CHRISTOPHER!: I got your angular RIGHT HERE, PAL!
May 7th, 2008 at 5:29 pmCalm down. Jon. “Angular” is not a M.I.A. record.
May 7th, 2008 at 5:49 pmDave,
I’m flummoxed but appreciative that you and your four mates were able to change two generations of lives in my family tree (1980-82 NYC shows: me / 2005 Across The Narrows: my bass-playing son).
I look forward to your future endeavors, and I hope to see you soon (this month?) in PDX. Bass duo anyone?
SS
May 7th, 2008 at 7:30 pm28 comments. could be a moose record. lets bust this open and get a comment from everyone! 200? 500? sign in moose peeps!
May 7th, 2008 at 10:58 pmI’d just like to say thanks to Hugo and Dave for doing the shows they have in the last few years and agreeing to the reunion in the first place. By I saw two of the reunion shows and had a great time. For us fans it was a rare gift and I appreciate it tremendously. Best of luck to both of you, and to Jon and Andy as well. Thanks for all the wonderful music.
May 7th, 2008 at 11:50 pm@Roy: the only thing more angular in this room then Dave’s bass playing is your handsome jaw-line. Stay angular, baby!
May 8th, 2008 at 7:42 amOh, Jon, you always know just what to say.
(Nice grammar, by the way.)
May 8th, 2008 at 8:07 amWay way back when I was still bashing away on my guitar in Nomeansno we would often take part in, along with our friends, the inevitable debate of Entertainment vs. Solid Gold. (Drummer John and I spent many a sound check playing the hypnotic What We All Want riff over and over and over again if that gives you any idea what side of the fence we were on!). Then To Hell With Poverty / Capital came out and it was so great no one seemed very bothered with the old debate anymore. But then Dave left, then eventually Hugo. And as much as I admired (and still admire) the work of Jon and Andy, for me it was never quite the same. When the reformed GO4 came to Amsterdam a short while back I went not quite knowing what to expect. (I had seen them once before, but with Busta Jones). But it was great. Just great. I danced ALL night with a big smile on my face.
And now this. These things happen. All I can say is good luck to all concerned, all four of you shaped my vision of playing music more than you will ever know. Thanks, thanks, thanks and thanks.
Andy K
May 8th, 2008 at 8:49 amGood luck guys. It was right to do it and it was good to see you again in Leeds a couple of years ago. Please finally release a GO4 DVD.
May 8th, 2008 at 10:32 amI think Dave and Hugo should start a side project with Jon and Roy and make a webcast reality show out of whatever unfolds. It has huge potential, I promise.
May 8th, 2008 at 12:40 pmFelt a little like a punch to the stomach when the words that GO4 would be G-Less registered with permanence. It felt sad. You see enough shows, and after a while fewer and fewer pass through my jaded filter, and rise to memorable enough to make it to the pantheon. The G4 show in Los Angeles in 2005 was a surpassing live experience for me; I understood the legend in a way that would not have been possible with the timeless recordings (especially Entertainment!) alone. Certain things you don’t want to have missed out on, and the original Gang of Four in concert was one of them. I’m grateful for that.
May 8th, 2008 at 12:56 pmI personally would like to see a Dave vs. Pampelmoose remix project ala Reznor where selected songs are made available to Moose readers so we could have a go at a remix. Could this be a contest? Top prize–a recording project with Monsieur Allen at the helm for a day. OK, two days since I am greedy.
Not that I think I have the chops to actually WIN, mind you, but I’d make life very amusing on listening day…..very amusing indeed. As in, “Who let this berk into the studio?”
May 8th, 2008 at 1:30 pmI got my Bush/Cheney financial salvation gesture the day I found out about the second demise of Gang of Four. I feel like a starving dog chewing on a rubber bone. My favorite writer, Denis Johnson, gift wraps this thing in one line: “Disappointment lights it’s stupid fire in my heart.”
May 9th, 2008 at 4:58 amYeah, I was thinking American politics had made the prospect of a new gof disc truly viable. It was a pleasure to see you all on the road again, and I wanted to see what the four of you could create together again — new stuff, not just the great old. Sorry it didn’t happen — sorry for us, the listeners…you guys seem to have more to do! Best wishes..noel
May 9th, 2008 at 5:45 amSame old same old huh guys?…It just wouldn’t be a “reunion” if it did not break apart as it did back in the day. Please don’t make another Hard or Mall and keep Andy away from the locking tremelo guitars. It’s been 3 years and still no new material. Not many bands get a second or third chance . So much for the socialist/marxist work ethic.
May 9th, 2008 at 6:28 amBest wishes, Dave. What you’re doing is so important to the future of the industry.
May 9th, 2008 at 7:12 amDid Dave exit Pampelmoose as well?
May 9th, 2008 at 7:46 am@Roy–Dave Allen leave the Moose? Hell, Dave IS the Moose. With all due respect to the other (excellent) posters naturally. I would be very disappointed if this space went on a Dave Allen-free diet, as this is one of the very few places I am actually attracted to reading on a daily basis. I don’t have one of those “everybody sucks” mindsets, I just enjoy the attitude and the freshness of what’s going on here more than the stuff I give an occasional glance to…
But yes, Monsieur Allen, you have been very quiet lately. I suspect you are in your fortress of solidude in the Swiss Alps contemplating your next move, perhaps wearing a monocle and cackling over the future of music. Pampelmoose is to the music industry what SPECTRE is to James Bond.
In all the best ways, of course ;-)
May 9th, 2008 at 8:23 amThe Moose has left the building.
May 9th, 2008 at 9:18 amThe Moose is loose.
(But he’ll be back very soon).
@Roy: I’m getting grammar lessons. Just kidding. Actually, I’m making incorrect use of parenthesis a new ’style’. Have your advanced studies made you aware of grammatical mashup culture? Dude. It’s cutting edge. I can give you my email addy if you want to interview me for your next book.;)
May 9th, 2008 at 9:26 amI seem to remember a recent photograph of Dave sporting a wild, Grizzly Adams-looking beard. Maybe the events associated with his Go4 divorce have driven him into the mountains of the Olympic Peninsula. He’s probably eating bugs with a bunch of Vietnam vets. Should we chip in and get him a flea collar or something?
May 9th, 2008 at 9:36 amyeah, we had to let dave go. he was finding too much new music, talking about too many new bands, and his take on the music industry didn’t have enough buzz words for our liking. we couldn’t keep up!
May 9th, 2008 at 9:38 amI am sure the man is out of town working hard.
May 9th, 2008 at 11:04 amI’m sure you will be succesful and influential with whatever projects you turn your hands to. Can i presume there won’t be a “Live at Leeds” album now? Good Luck
May 9th, 2008 at 12:04 pmI saw Dave in the building today. Fresh back from another speaking gig.
May 9th, 2008 at 7:09 pmRespect for your decision. Though a pity there’s only a gang of 2 left now. I’ve been to your concert in 1980 and your fabulous come back at Manchester Academy, de Melkweg Amsterdam and Minhead (thanx for playing twice!). Mindblowing! The best review came from the toilets. 20 men (half twenty-ers, half forty-ers) lined up after the ‘2nd gig pissing in silence. One fellow broke the silence with a ‘fucking brilliant that was’..’ and 19 men kept pissing, sighing ‘yeahhhh…. Thanx a lot, especially to the hardest rythmsection ever!
May 10th, 2008 at 6:54 amWell, that was a strange week! I have been down in San Francisco as a panelist on the SanFranMusicTech conference which went very well. The Gang of Four news followed me there of course. Also this week the Moose received the first cease and desist or a ‘takedown’ letter from the International Federation of Phonographic Industries (IFPI) as I was hosting a Portishead track that I mistakenly or correctly believed had come from the band itself. I complied with the request and then set about removing all major label tracks from our database as I’m not sure what’s legal or not now. One thing’s for certain the indie labels will continue to get our wholehearted support here at the Moose while we bypass major label artists.
May 10th, 2008 at 9:04 amI have to say thanks to you all for leaving such positive comments. It hasn’t been lost on me and I feel a strong sense of support for the decision that has been made. Now for me it’s back to work posting…
Best, Dave
Well Dave, I’m pretty bummed I won’t get to see you perform with GO4 – however, I do truly respect a man who has passionately defended the new vanguard of getting art economically into the hands of the masses – and when it all came down to the wire – you were willing to drink your own hemlock (or was it kool-aid?)
Congrats man, and Godspeed to you…
May 10th, 2008 at 12:45 pmHear hear! Godspeed, you…er, beige emperor.
May 10th, 2008 at 1:19 pmOk, I’m old. Old and sad. I first saw GoF in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, in Summer 1980. I have been a huge fan and now am trying to convince my daughter. Best wishes all and thanks.
May 12th, 2008 at 1:41 pmBy the way, I posted the talk Dave and I had last summer on my site. It explains a lot.
May 13th, 2008 at 6:56 amRoy–thanks for that. Great interview….
May 13th, 2008 at 7:08 am[...] can be seen germinating in the talk below.” Have a read it might give more insight into my recent departure from Gang of Four. Share this Post: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and [...]
May 13th, 2008 at 7:51 amHi! I am a Japanese. Though I looked for English study in various ways, I commented because contents were interesting. I was able to enjoy it very much. In addition, I come to look. Please keep it for us. Thank you!
May 26th, 2008 at 3:35 amSorry to hear it, Dave. Pardon my bluntness, but am I correct in my assumption that Jon and Andy are just total fucking cunts, or what? Anyway, thank you all for the great music. Cheers.
June 24th, 2008 at 12:02 am@xxxx,
You are entitled to your opinion but no actually they are not. In any group dynamic, say sports teams for instance, there will always be disagreement and a difference of opinion. With G4 I disagreed on how to move forward releasing new songs – my idea was to give away MP3s and re-energize the fan base to continue attracting new fans to the fold. Jon and Andy didn’t agree with that. I also didn’t like the mixes of the new material that we three had written and recorded. Jon and Andy didn’t agree with that. I decided I didn’t have the energy to fight over it so I left, kind of got out of the way if you will.
June 24th, 2008 at 8:00 amUmm I understand all of the above and can see that any ongoing situation with the Gangof4 might be difficult for both Dave and Hugo…..but, but…the first question on everyones lips at the recent Go4 show at Massive Attacks Meltdown were….umm where are you two guys!
Now with by my crude reckoning its 30th anniversary of Entertainment quite soon……now heres an idea not just a Go4 occasion involving you chaps, but how about the whole Leeds scene Go4, Mekons and Delta 5….could just take it to another place if you know what I mean :)
Its a thought, whould be more than worth it, really hope you chaps would be up for it…..now how to get some momentum for such an event….???!!!
July 9th, 2008 at 3:07 pm[...] room and you’re not going to get just any old cover songs…. This will be my first foray outside of Gang of Four in a long time and having worked so speedily Jon beats my other outfit Faux Hoax to the finish [...]
August 7th, 2008 at 12:35 pm[...] room and you’re not going to get just any old cover songs…. This will be my first foray outside of Gang of Four in a long time and having worked so speedily Jon beats my other outfit Faux Hoax to the finish [...]
August 7th, 2008 at 12:39 pm[...] I can discuss my long career in music and hopefully give advice. I can write about the travails of a reformed Gang of Four and our lengthy tours. I can opine about the end of rock music as a cultural force, overtaken by [...]
August 17th, 2008 at 10:13 amBloody hell, couldn’t you given those of us who were too young to see you the first time out, and who live outide of american metropolises, and chance to see you and hear new music just once time? Why did you two have to wank off just as you were all getting together and recording some music? I cannot tell you how disappointed that I am.
August 19th, 2008 at 3:48 pmI was not asking you to recreate the past…..I was just asking you to give your careers a chance, both for the benefit of your careers and for the sake of new generations of fans. Now I will never have any hopes at all for seeing the real Gang of Four live. Now I will never experience a chance to buy a new Gang of Four single or album.
I have spent years telling people how great you guys were, and have spread the word that you are back and finally ready to claim all the credit that was yours…..but now that’s all destroyed.
Thanks a lot for giving us hope and then completely crushing us….
I just can’t belive it. I am destroyed. I want to fucking cry.
jeff,
We toured Europe extensively during our reunion from late 2004 through my leaving in April 2008. England, Ireland, Scotland, Spain, France, Turkey were all covered. America only got 2 tours. I left because of disagreements over the new material and how it would be released. I would have liked to have continued but circumstances worked against that….sorry.
August 19th, 2008 at 5:31 pmFun one-off concert or tour idea of the second:
Allen and Hugo team up with Gillian Gilbert and Stephen Morris: The Other Two and The Other Other Two
I’d fly to Manchester at current airfares to see that one.
August 19th, 2008 at 7:27 pmbonus points for a “The Other Two” reference! i’m making a “The Other Two and You” playlist right now. Tasty Fish anyone?
August 20th, 2008 at 12:22 amI love that album…great stuff. Can’t wait to hear the mix!
August 20th, 2008 at 5:56 am[...] 08 with Dean and Randy aka No Age in which we discuss Wire’s Pink Flag, Dean asks about Gang of Four and I don’t reply, they both discuss Portland and vegans and how amazing the city [...]
September 5th, 2008 at 9:56 amJust heard about this. Damn, I missed seeing the original line up live…AGAIN. Oh well, sic transit gloria mundi. Good to hear Jon and Andy are keeping the Gang alive, and I can’t wait to hear Mike Watt bring the Thudstick to Hugo’s awesome drumming. Good to also hear that you continue with your music as well, Dave. Thanks for giving it another go, guys.
September 30th, 2008 at 5:10 pmDave, Any word on the gang of four touring the US; I missed their show at the Gibson a few mouths back. Thanks.
October 18th, 2008 at 3:41 pmEr, did you read this post? If you want to know what Andy and Jon are up to you’ll have to visit the G4 MySpace….
October 18th, 2008 at 5:08 pm[...] after calling it a day with Gang of Four in early 2008, I turned my attention to getting some music recorded and released by Faux Hoax, a whacky trio [...]
January 12th, 2009 at 1:48 pm[...] in the north of England is where I co-founded a little band called Gang of Four so it’s nice to see that more angry young men are still keeping it real up there. Check out [...]
September 21st, 2009 at 11:07 am[...] has been more than a decade since I was last fully immersed in the recorded music business [and then only peripherally as GM of eMusic.com,] and I have long held out hope that musicians [...]
December 2nd, 2009 at 4:18 pm[...] Storm: A Novel The interview took place entirely online and the resulting 9000 word discourse on Gang of Four, Shriekback and my work as a Digital Strategist will appear in January in Blip, formerly [...]
December 12th, 2010 at 5:32 pm