Entertainment!

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This article is about the Gang of Four album. For other uses, see entertainment (disambiguation).
Entertainment!
Entertainment! cover
Studio album by Gang of Four
Released September 1979 (1979-09)
Recorded The Workhouse, Old Kent Road, London, 1979
Genre Post-punk
Punk-funk
Length 39:53
Label EMI/Warner Bros.
Producer Andy Gill, Jon King and Rob Warr
Professional reviews
Gang of Four chronology
Entertainment!
(1979)		 Yellow EP
(1980)
Alternate cover
1995 reissue cover: Infinite Zero
1995 reissue cover: Infinite Zero

Entertainment! is the 1979 debut album by English post-punk band Gang of Four. This album was released on EMI in the UK 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.

In 2005 the album was performed live in its entirety as part of the All Tomorrow's Parties-curated Don't Look Back series.

Contents

[edit] Track listing

All songs written by Dave Allen, Hugo Burnham, Andy Gill, and Jon King, except as noted.

[edit] Original track listing

  1. "Ether" – 3:52
  2. "Natural's Not in It" – 3:09
  3. "Not Great Men" – 3:08
  4. "Damaged Goods" – 3:29
  5. "Return the Gift" – 3:08
  6. "Guns Before Butter" – 3:49
  7. "I Found That Essence Rare" – 3:09
  8. "Glass" – 2:32
  9. "Contract" – 2:42
  10. "At Home He's a Tourist" – 3:33
  11. "5.45" – 3:48
  12. "Anthrax" – 4:23

[edit] 1995 bonus tracks

Infinite Zero Archive/American Recordings CD issue includes the Yellow EP:

  1. "Outside the Trains Don't Run on Time" – 3:27
  2. "He'd Send in the Army" – 3:40
  3. "It's Her Factory" – 3:08
  4. "Armalite Rifle" – 2:48

[edit] 2005 bonus tracks

In addition to the Yellow EP, the Rhino release adds four previously unissued tracks:

  1. "Guns Before Butter (Alternate version)" – 4:25
  2. "Contract (Alternate version)" – 2:48
  3. "Blood Free" (Live @ Electric Ballroom) – 3:17
  4. "Sweet Jane" (Live @ American Indian Center) (Lou Reed) – 3:20

[edit] Album Art

The album cover was designed by Jon King and Andy Gill[2] and shows three small drawings of a Cowboy shaking hands with a Native American. Wrapped around the pictures is the text: 'The Indian smiles, he thinks that the cowboy is his friend. The cowboy smiles, he is glad the Indian is fooled. Now he can exploit him.'

[edit] Personnel

[edit] References

  1. ^ Liner notes to Infinite Zero Archive/American Recordings reissue, 1995
  2. ^ Liner notes

[edit] Charts

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
Languages