Entertainment!
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Entertainment! | |||||
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| Studio album by Gang of Four | |||||
| Released | 1979 | ||||
| Recorded | The Workhouse, Old Kent Road, London, 1979 | ||||
| Genre | Post-punk | ||||
| Length | 39:53 | ||||
| Label | EMI/Warner Bros. | ||||
| Producer | Andy Gill, Jon King and Rob Warr | ||||
| Professional reviews | |||||
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| Gang of Four chronology | |||||
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| Alternate cover | |||||
1995 reissue cover: Infinite Zero
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Entertainment! is the 1979 debut album by English post-punk band Gang of Four. This album was released on EMI in the U.K. and on Warner Bros. in the U.S..
The music on the first album shows clearly the influence of punk, yet also incorporates funk and less-obvious influences of reggae and dub, similar to other bands at the time such as Public Image Ltd., Pere Ubu, and Au Pairs. As with these other influential post-punk bands, the bass is mixed much more prominently than it typically is in rock or punk.
The album has attracted praise from rock musicians. Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers stated that the first time he heard the record, "It completely changed the way I looked at rock music and sent me on my trip as a bass player." [1] In 2003, the album was ranked number 490 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. In March 2005, Q magazine placed the track "At Home He's a Tourist" at number 52 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks.
Contents |
All songs written by Dave Allen, Hugo Burnham, Andy Gill, and Jon King, except as indicated.
- "Ether" – 3:52
- "Natural's Not in It" – 3:09
- "Not Great Men" – 3:08
- "Damaged Goods" – 3:29
- "Return the Gift" – 3:08
- "Guns Before Butter" – 3:49
- "I Found That Essence Rare" – 3:09
- "Glass" – 2:32
- "Contract" – 2:42
- "At Home He's a Tourist" – 3:33
- "5.45" – 3:48
- "Anthrax" – 4:23
The Infinite Zero/American CD reissue includes songs from the Yellow EP:
- "Outside the Trains Don't Run on Time" – 3:27
- "He'd Send in the Army" – 3:40
- "It's Her Factory" – 3:08
- "Armalite Rifle" – 2:48
In addition to the Yellow EP, the Rhino release adds four previously unissued tracks:
- "Guns Before Butter (Alternate version)" – 4:25
- "Contract (Alternate version)" – 2:48
- "Blood Free" (Live @ Electric Ballroom) – 3:17
- "Sweet Jane" (Live @ American Indian Center) (Lou Reed) – 3:20
- Dave Allen - bass guitar, vocals
- Hugo Burnham - drums, vocals
- Andy Gill - guitar, vocals
- Jon King - vocals, melodica
- ^ Liner notes to Infinite Zero reissue, 1995
Single
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | "Damaged Goods"/"I Find That Essence Rare" | Billboard Club Play singles | 39 |
| 1979 | "At Home He's A Tourist" | UK Singles Charts | 58 |