when did the band form / name themselves? all I can find is 1976 but mao died in september and the gang were arrested / denounced in october and the name takes on whole new connotations after that - I'd always assumed it was a possibly tongue in cheek "anti-revisionist" response to the rise of deng but it seems too early for that and maybe I'm thinking about it more than they did in any case
― Left, Thursday, 12 October 2023 07:37 (seven months ago) link
Can’t tell if my syntax was poor or if Mark G is making a joke, but here’s what I was referring to.
https://pitchfork.com/news/58779-gang-of-four-on-viet-cong-name-controversy-ridiculous-undemocratic-anti-progressive/
― bbq, Thursday, 12 October 2023 07:48 (seven months ago) link
oh I thought you meant defending *their* bandname
― Left, Thursday, 12 October 2023 07:51 (seven months ago) link
those capitalist roaders at p4k seem to think it's a loaded bandname but I don't recall reading about any Go4 controversy, it's not like their lyrics were about chucking teachers out of upper storey windows. I'm of that age when I first saw that term on the tv news, it was in reference to the fookin' SDP.
― vodkaitamin effrtvescent (calzino), Thursday, 12 October 2023 08:53 (seven months ago) link
I've never heard of any controversy about Go4's name
― The First Time Ever I Saw Gervais (Tom D.), Thursday, 12 October 2023 09:24 (seven months ago) link
“something something American imperialism something something the struggle”
i once chatted with a member of the soft pack/muslims where he was on some bullshit like that, complaining about "having" to change the name because no one understood the complex multivalent political/religious/historical commentary they were making maaan, iirc the holocaust was somehow involved even? it was truly moronic and embarrassing
― waste of compute (One Eye Open), Thursday, 12 October 2023 13:30 (seven months ago) link
most artists are dumb
― deep wubs and tribral rhythms (Boring, Maryland), Thursday, 12 October 2023 13:59 (seven months ago) link
MC Hamas is probably thinking twice right now
― Beyond Goo and Evol (President Keyes), Thursday, 12 October 2023 14:32 (seven months ago) link
same with Vanilla ISIS
― real warm grandpa (Neanderthal), Thursday, 12 October 2023 14:41 (seven months ago) link
BBQ, I don't follow but when the SDP party formed in the UK, the originators were called "The Gang Of Four". That's what I was referring to.
― Mark G, Thursday, 12 October 2023 15:03 (seven months ago) link
"Gang of (Number)" is also a common name for a group of legislators from different parties collaborating on a bill
― Beyond Goo and Evol (President Keyes), Thursday, 12 October 2023 15:05 (seven months ago) link
Also, Gang of Four was an explicitly political band
― kirsten gilla band (Whiney G. Weingarten), Thursday, 12 October 2023 15:59 (seven months ago) link
Mick Lynch spotted at a recent Gang of Four gig, so that all checks out
― Ward Fowler, Thursday, 12 October 2023 16:27 (seven months ago) link
Gang Of Four definitely took the name from the Maoist political faction but I can't see why that would casue any offence.
― stirmonster, Thursday, 12 October 2023 16:28 (seven months ago) link
some people are really really offended by communism
― no gap tree for old men (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 12 October 2023 16:31 (seven months ago) link
Wait till they hear my band Gay Chuevara
― Beyond Goo and Evol (President Keyes), Thursday, 12 October 2023 16:46 (seven months ago) link
vg+
― Mark G, Thursday, 12 October 2023 17:05 (seven months ago) link
xpAnd chucking teachers out of windows.
― nickn, Thursday, 12 October 2023 18:19 (seven months ago) link
a few more I found...
Eskimo Callboy changed to Electric Callboy in 2022Spirit Animal changed to Record Heat in 2020there was another, Florida-based band named Slaves who changed their name to Rain City Drive in 2021
― RICH BRIAN (Neanderthal), Thursday, 2 May 2024 17:32 (one month ago) link