Entertainment!
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Entertainment! is the 1979 debut album by English post-punk band Gang of Four.
An EP titled Damaged Goods preceded Entertainment!. The music is influenced by, and the result 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 Limited, Pere Ubu, and Au Pairs. As with these influential genres, the bass is mixed much more prominently than it typically is in rock or punk. The lyrics tend to deal with political and social justice topics such as hunger, war, gender roles and consumerism and sometimes utilize irony and cynicism. This album was released on EMI Records in the U.K. and on Warner Bros. in the USA. Artwork was designed by two members of the band, Jon King and Andy Gill, typical of their DIY approach. Many of the tracks on Entertainment! can also be found on the Gang of Four compilation 100 Flowers Bloom, a two-disc set on Rhino Records.
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Personnel
- Dave Allen: bass, vocals
- Hugo Burnham: drums, vocals
- Andy Gill: guitar, vocals
- Jon King: vocals
Track listing
Original recording
- "Ether"
- "Natural's Not In It"
- "Not Great Men"
- "Damaged Goods"
- "Return the Gift"
- "Guns Before Butter"
- "I Found That Essence Rare"
- "Glass"
- "Contract"
- "At Home He's a Tourist"
- "5.45"
- "Anthrax"
Additional tracks
The CD reissue includes songs from the Yellow EP:
- "Outside the Trains Don't Run on Time"
- "He'd Send in the Army"
- "It's Her Factory"