gang of four, istanbul backstage
November 11th, 2007 by Dave Allen
Andy, is that F sharp diminished? Click image to play
Almost a year ago I shot some footage of Sonic Youth working out one of their songs backstage before their performance at an All Tomorrows Parties show in the UK. Now it’s Gang of Four’s turn. I was not involved in the writing or recording of I Love A Man In A Uniform as by then I’d formed Shriekback, and consequently whenever we’ve tried to play it live it sounded to me as if it was too stilted and never ‘in the pocket’ rhythmically-speaking. Here we are backstage in Istanbul giving it the semi-unplugged version - we didn’t play it on stage that night anyway….
November 11th, 2007 at 11:48 pm
so cool to see part of the process….
November 12th, 2007 at 1:34 am
Why don’t you just tell the boys that you don’t want to do any of the post stuff :P
Although I would think that spending sometime with Songs for the Free might help you realise that it’s a great album, but alas with another feel than the earlier stuff. Especially the guitars on that album are so beatiful.
/Joakim
November 12th, 2007 at 2:20 am
@joakim, yes good point..I have said that of course but there are a few that I like to play such as I Parade Myself and We Live, As We Dream. Uniform is just too stiff for my liking, it doesn’t swing properly. And I agree with you, Songs of the Free is a great album.
November 12th, 2007 at 4:27 am
Great pics - but where’s Hugo?
November 12th, 2007 at 4:35 am
Never mind. I found it. *sigh*
November 12th, 2007 at 5:08 am
@John,
Well there’s a lot of back story of course and I’m not sure how much is to be detailed for public consumption…that’s up to him, but for wonderer’s wondering here’s a comment from Hugo from an earlier post that had some discourse on what’s up…
hugo b Says:
November 6th, 2007 at 5:50 am e
Ease up, Starsky! Dave, by all means give Jim Dooley my e-mail address….no problem.
In the interest of that public discussion (and if anyone else is interested) - sadly, I am not being included in future G4 works. It’s complicated, of course, involving management and money issues - but I am not a willing ‘non-participant’. My post above was meant to be humorous/teasing. Dave and I have been friends for many years…unlike his relationship with JK and AG…and recent months of avoidance and non-communication have been a shame. But spats pass…
As far as I am concerned, I am G4’s ‘real’ drummer, and while they plough forward with writing and recording new material with a session guy - which I wish them luck with and hope they enjoy - I would expect to be involved with any ATP/Don’t Look Back-type events…being the right and honest thing to do.
Regards,
Hugo Burnham
November 12th, 2007 at 10:32 am
Wait a second.
You’re in a BAND?
November 12th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
This sorta sucks. I thought Hugo was the one everybody liked. Don’t bother coming back to LA without him. It’d be like the Who with Kenny Jones.
November 12th, 2007 at 6:00 pm
Wait a second.
The Who had a drummer before Kenny Jones?
November 12th, 2007 at 8:47 pm
yeah…i sensed something was up with Hugo. Anywho, I like the transparency Dave, into g4’s shit. By the way, Kiala needs to update the facial hair for where in the world is Dave Allen, Dave’s got his Stanley cup shit going on!
November 12th, 2007 at 9:04 pm
@Bryan, well spotted re the beard. It was colder than hell in Istanbul so the facial hair came in handy…I’m working on a full-blown Sam Beam look right now. So yesterday we cracked out a barnstorming cut of which I have a rehearsal room recording which I think I’ll post later today, followed by the studio session which of course is better quality…
November 12th, 2007 at 9:10 pm
@Mike Bone, thanks for the tip, I’ll let the boys know…..
November 12th, 2007 at 11:01 pm
@Bryan, BTW the hirsute look I\’m sporting is apparently fashion-forward…
November 12th, 2007 at 11:07 pm
Let’s try that link again…. Kitty Genius
November 13th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
well, keeping warm is always critical! Sam Beam is a crazy mo fo. I once introduced myself to him at the Satyricon a few years back and he told his beard to stop growing so that he could have an uninterrupted conversation with me.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:42 pm
Dave; I’m not Mike Bone, but I know who he is (and I sometimes get e-mail meant for him…weird).
I’m just a fan who used to be in the industry. Was at the 2005 LA show, and first saw the band play in the ’80s. Rocked my world. I saw Shreikback play, too….the 2nd bald guy was funny. I still think Hugo rocks hard, whatever’s been going on. Peace.
November 14th, 2007 at 2:23 pm
Mike, really weird because I have never, since getting an email address in 1995, received anyone else\’s emails and the emails that Hugo sends around all the time to a group that includes me has a Mike with the exact same email address that you signed up to the Moose blog with - mike and lori nafshun-bone - clifthouse1 @earthlink.net. So you\’re saying that you are not Mike Bone, friend of Hugo\’s with a long history in the music business huh? Sorry but it doesn\’t wash with me. Either way what\’s with the passive aggressive comments? Readers here can just do their own Google look ups, they don\’t need to take my word for it because I refuse to get into a public spat about something Hugo should be dealing with. He\’s the one who used this forum to go public, I was trying to keep things under wraps until we had an official position on this matter. Currently 1032 music blogs link here so the word is now out….
November 14th, 2007 at 3:29 pm
Dude - I’m clifthouse2…maybe get some reading glasses?
November 14th, 2007 at 11:24 pm
Reading glasses not required. You or someone uses both of those addresses or at least Hugo uses both of those addresses to send you his emails. Early this year Hugo sent me an email entitled Sadam’s (sic) Cat that was a forward of an email from you/someone (see below). It may be a coincidence that there are 2 Mike Bone’s in the world that, according to the Who Is look up, both live in LA. They then both chose an email that was identical except for one digit. And then one of them signed up here to leave a comment as clifthouse1 but then returned and left a comment as clifthouse2…(or maybe that was two different Mike’s).
At the end of the day I don’t care because as far as I’m concerned this is not the forum for talking about what Hugo’s up to. Feel free to email me directly and I’ll pass your comments to Hugo, Andy and Jon that way. Hugo clearly needs to straighten out his email lists though. He could also jump in and clear all of this up. Or maybe the real Mike Bone could stand up? Over and out.
Begin forward message:
Subject: Sadam’s Cat
From: Mike Bone
Date: January 9, 2007 6:48:57 PM EST
To: ‘Hugo Burnham’
November 15th, 2007 at 12:47 am
[...] Related Post: Gang of Four backstage in Istanbul Share this Post: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. [...]
November 16th, 2007 at 4:37 am
This should have gone to e-mail where it belongs, instead of trying to embarrass somebody. Not good netiquette. Didn’t want to stir up such a hornet’s nest.
And I’m not IN LA…further north.
A. Michael Barackstein.
November 16th, 2007 at 7:35 am
“Radical Transparency” at it’s bass-playing, wine-sipping best. Good looks, Dave.
November 27th, 2007 at 10:03 am
Dave, many thanks for this vid-not to mention the 30 yrs. plus of inspiration and ‘entertainment!’.
Have found GoF an inspiration ever since I first heard the opening strains of ‘entertainment!’ on imported vinyl in dee-troit michigan a couple weeks after its’ release…it went on to influence everything I went on to do musically in one way or another, over the course of 7 albums w/ various bands…so glad that GoF continue on - it was brilliant seeing you play at the Majestic here in Detroit a couple of years ago, and looking forward so much to the next opportunity.
Best to all.
David L.
November 27th, 2007 at 11:43 am
I’m truly saddened to hear that Hugo is not part of the reunion. I think the rhythm section of Dave and Huge were one of the best in Rock history. Please tell me there is a chance this can be ironed out.
November 27th, 2007 at 4:10 pm
hey!
thanks so much for sharing the works–what a treat! so glad to know you’re back and working on new product–will follow the progress… I played keys for Jon in Mechanic Preachers US tour : please pass on a big “hello!” to him, thanks
November 28th, 2007 at 7:31 pm
sad to hear hugos absent from GO4. it was great to see him as well as the OG line-up last year. but typical GO4…all the changes: different bass players, drummers, back-up singers, etc.I have all the albums. King and Gill rule! Dave I really hope you stay. The fans( I know) you have really enjoy to hear you play. Its great to see you playing I love a man in a uniform. good luck guys…
November 30th, 2007 at 10:20 am
[...] I’m not sure why I received this press release so late although I do know I was in Turkey playing a festival at the time so maybe I missed it. So Radiohead seem to have opted for the non-environmentally friendly plastic disc package; and so soon after releasing In Rainbows as an online only album. A rather odd strategy I think, I need time to ponder this news. [...]
April 2nd, 2008 at 10:36 am
That Mike guy sounds like a fucking cock. Don’t come back to la without Hugo. Who the fuck does he think he is. Fucking dick.