Gang of Four & Opinions on Radiohead
Jim and Greg sit down with Andy Gill and Jon King, founders of the pioneering post-punk group Gang of Four. Plus they review the new album from Radiohead.
Music News
Wherever there's youth culture and protest, there's rock and roll. So it's not surprising that heavy metal is at the top of many playlists in Bahrain right now. According to Evolver.fm, the mood of that country is "triumphant" and "warlike" if the music's any indication. Lastmood.fm uses Last.fm's audioscrobbler to monitor people's listening habits and gauge the vibe in almost real time. The most popular song in one hour was "The Ivory Gate of Dreams" by Fates Warning. But, activists and musicians from the region are also popular. A Bahraini activist, Esra’a Al Shafei, started mideastunes.com which highlights everything from Jordanian punk to Palestinian trance.
Fast Company has named its top ten most innovative companies in music, and a the top of the list is Pandora. It's remarkable, considering that Pandora was nearly put out of business by royalty debates a couple of years ago. Now it's valued at $55.2 million and has gone public. The streaming site has also inked a deal with GM. Last year's #1 Spotify didn't even make the cut, but it's been reportedly valued at $1 billion -- despite the fact that the digital music service has yet to launch stateside.
Gang of Four
When your musical heroes have their own musical heroes, you know it's worth checking out. And one name that always gets checked by everyone from Franz Ferdinand to REM is Gang of Four. The British band debuted in 1979 with Entertainment!, an album that showcased Andy Gill's unorthodox guitar style, Jon King's smart lyrics, and a whole lot of danceable groove. The band is still going strong on its latest release Content, and Jon and Andy sat down with Jim and Greg while they were on tour.
In Rainbows Radiohead
Whenever Radiohead releases a new album, it always makes news – sometimes more for the business than the music. 2006's The Eraser was a quiet solo effort by Thom Yorke. 2007's In Rainbows had a revolutionary "pick-your-own-price" model. And now we have The King of Limbs, which was released early, quickly and without much hype. Gone is the freebie option, back is tiered pricing. The music, to Greg, is also a bit of a step back. It's less impactful and melodic than In Rainbows. But there are a few moments of greatness, especially when the group channels the abstract funk that Greg heard on Yorke's recent Atoms for Peace tour. He would like to see Radiohead go more in that direction on the next record and gives this one a Burn It. Jim remarks that the tables have turned – he is much more impressed by The King of Limbs. It does take time to grow, but is worth owning, especially if you are a headphone listener. The interaction of Yorke's twisted vocals and the grand piano especially works. Jim says Buy It.
Greg
The Gang of Four were heavily influenced by Chicago blues, and perhaps no label better represents that sound than Alligator Records. The label, run by blues fanatic Bruce Iglauer, is celebrating its 40th anniversary. To toast them, Greg adds one of his favorite tracks by Hound Dog Taylor to the Desert Island Jukebox. It's the stripped down, raw, mood-setting song "Give Me Back My Wig."
Featured Songs
- Fates Warning, "Ivory Gate of Dreams," No Exit, Metal Blade, 1988
- May Alqasim featuring Phelony, "Win," single, Outlaw Productions, 2011
- Eagles, "Fast Company," Long Road Out Of Eden, Polydor, 2007
- Gang Of Four, "Damaged Goods," Entertainment!, EMI, 1979
- Gang Of Four, "I Found That Essence Rare," Entertainment!, EMI, 1979
- Gang Of Four, "Anthrax," Entertainment!, EMI, 1979
- Robert Johnson, "Possession Over Judgment Day," King Of The Delta Blues Singers, Columbia, 1961
- Gang Of Four, "I Party All The Time," Content, Yep Rock, 2010
- Gang of Four, "Contract," Entertainment!, EMI, 1979
- Jimi Hendrix, "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)," Electric Ladyland, Reprise, 1968
- Gang Of Four, "What We All Want," Solid Gold, EMI, 1981
- Gang Of Four, "Glass," Entertainment!, EMI, 1979
- Gang Of Four, "Ether," Entertainment!, EMI, 1979
- The Band, "The Unfaithful Servant," The Band, Capitol, 1969
- Gang Of Four, "He'd Send In The Army," Solid Gold, EMI, 1981
- Gang Of Four, "Natural's Not In It," Entertainment!, EMI, 1979
- Gang Of Four, "5:45," Entertainment!, EMI, 1979
- Gang Of Four, "At Home He's A Tourist," Entertainment!, EMI, 1979
- Radiohead, "Lotus Flower," The King Of Limbs, XL, 2011
- Radiohead, "Codex," The King Of Limbs, XL, 2011
- Hound Dog Taylor, "Give Me Back My Wig," Hound Dog Taylor, Alligator, 1971
- Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers, "Get Off The Phone," L.A.M.F., Track, 1977
- Gene Pitney, "It Hurts To be In Love," I'm Gonna Be Strong, Stateside, 1965
- Monkees, "Goin' Down," Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Colgems, 1967
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