Andy Gill
If Andy Gill has smiled even once during a live performance, it would surely have been with his back to the audience.
Gang of Four’s co-founding guitarist, songwriter and sometimes-vocalist instead prowls the stage with a perpetually glaring countenance—one-part post-punk rock star, one-part political provocateur—while coaxing staccato funk riffs, stripped-down power chords, and waves of feedback from whatever guitar he happens to be punishing at the moment. Like his band’s music and lyrics, Gill’s playing is somehow both cerebral and blunt at the same time.
It’s one of a number of contrasts that have characterized the band, whose origins go back to the late ’70s, when Gill first met Jon King, soon to become Gang of Four’s primary lead vocalist, while attending Leeds University. It was there that their shared worldview first came into focus while taking theory-heavy classes with Marxist-feminist scholar Griselda Pollock and art historian T.J. Clark, the latter a prominent figure in the avant-gardist Situationist International political movement.
Fast forward to 2019, which finds Gill as sole proprietor of the Gang of Four name and legacy. The band is currently on tour promoting the soon-to-be-released album Happy Now—their second since King’s somewhat contentious 2012 departure—while celebrating the 40th anniversary of Gang of Four’s influential debut album Entertainment!
When it comes to live performances, current singer John “Gaoler” Sterry does an admirable job of evoking King’s urgent vocal style, which has always served as a stark contrast to Gill’s more deadpan delivery. Bassist Thomas McNeice and drummer Tobias Humble are no less impressive when it comes to recreating the band’s angular funk style.
We caught up with Gill to discuss Gang of Four’s life and legacy, as well as the prospects of reuniting with King.
There’s obviously never been a shortage of political references in Gang of Four’s lyrics, but there’s also a very dry sense of humor, ranging from a line like “Show me a ditch and I’ll dive in it” on the Solid Gold album to that “Girls will love to see you shoot” refrain on “I Love a Man in a Uniform.” Did people tend to overlook that part of the band’s approach, back before irony and cynicism became the norm?
Yeah, it’s caught on. But when Jon King and I were writing lyrics back in the day, people didn’t used to get the humor. They were like, what? The third album is called Songs of the Free, and obviously, that’s ironic. And of course, a song like “I Love a Man in a Uniform” is just one dirty joke after another.
With this latest album, you’re incorporating a lot of electronics into the Gang of Four sound, including some electronic drum parts and that wobbly bass and synth on “Paper Thin.” Would you say your production values have changed through the years?
I mean, yeah, I’m the opposite of one of these bands that has a sound they keep doing exactly the same way. I suppose you could say I make things difficult for myself. I’m not some guy stuck in 1980, I’m here now, and I’m responding to the world around me, both in the words that I write and the music that I come up with. And with this record, I was really into a lot of these kind of wobbly bass sounds and tortuous effects. A lot of what sounds like electronic stuff is actually my guitar going through some kind of weird effect.
You and Jon King keep getting back together, and I’ve heard rumors that will happen again this summer. Is that true?
No, it’s not true.
What about the following year?
No. No, that will never happen.
Really? What happened between the two of you?
[Pauses.] Well, OK, in a nutshell, when Jon quit about seven years ago, I said “Well, I hope you don’t mind if I work with another singer.” And he said, “No, of course, that’s fine.” He subsequently got irritated and suggested that, no, I shouldn’t work with anybody at all. And I think that’s not a reasonable position. So it’s a little tiresome working with someone who then quits, and then you work with them again, and then they quit again. It’s like “OK, are you in or are you out?” And he was like, “I am definitely out.”
I’m really, really happy with the band that I’m working with. You know, Gaoler is a brilliant stage man. Thomas is a great friend—he’s been playing bass for longer than any other person that has ever played bass in Gang of Four—and he’s superb. And damn good-looking, as well.
I think you said that once about yourself on Twitter.
I probably did. That was a while ago. Age is catching up with me, mate.
Gang of Four play Shank Hall on Thursday, Feb. 14, with The Quilz at 8 p.m.
