GANG OF FOUR FACE THE CAPITALIST THREAT

It seems funny now that I thought the Gang Of Four might be an “unpleasant” interview. The band’s image as one of England’s most overtly political groups, coupled with such charmingly sensitive lyrics as “Love will get you like a case of anthrax,” seemed to indicate a gang of four grouchy snot-heads who’d probably make fun of me for liking cheeseburgers. Witness Hugo Burnham, a close-cropped, thickset out-and-out scary drummer who looks like his idea of fun might be pushing young American faces into old American brick walls. And witness the actual name, Gang Of Four, derived from the revolutionary group that tried to take over China after Mao died. Early mentions in the British press as a possible “Communist band.” It all added up to four stone-faced, thoroughly unpleasant individuals who, I thought, would probably be as pretentious as they were contemptuous.

And when I met the band, I told them as much.