GANG OF FOUR – DAMAGED GOODS EP 7″ – EXC UK 1980 PUNK

Gang Of Four – Damaged Goods / Love Like Anthrax / Armalite Rifle
(Fast Records  1980  FAST5)
UK Pressing

Vinyl in Excellent condition
– some pops/clicks, mainly at the start of each side

Sleeve in Excellent condition
– wear along opening edge

Gang of Four were an English post-punk band, formed in 1976 in Leeds. The original members were singer Jon King, guitarist Andy Gill, bass guitarist Dave Allen and drummer Hugo Burnham. There have been many different line-ups including, among other notable musicians, Sara Lee, Mark Heaney and Gail Ann Dorsey. After a brief lull in the 1980s, different constellations of the band recorded two studio albums in the 1990s. Between 2004 and 2006 the original line-up was reunited; Gill was the only remaining original member prior to his death on 1 February 2020.

The band played a stripped-down mix of punk rock, funk and dub, with a lyrical emphasis on the social and political ills of society. Gang of Four are widely considered one of the leading bands of the late 1970s/early 1980s post-punk movement. Their debut album, Entertainment!, was ranked as fifth greatest punk album of all time and at Number 483 in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The album was listed by Pitchfork Media as the 8th best album of the 1970s. Their early 80s albums (Songs of the Free and Hard) found them softening some of their more jarring qualities, and drifting towards dance-punk and disco. David Fricke of Rolling Stone described Gang of Four as “probably the best politically motivated band in rock & roll.”

“Damaged Goods” is the debut single by Gang of Four. It was released on 13 October 1978 through independent record label Fast Product. Produced by Fast Product owner Bob Last under the alias Fast Product, the single received critical acclaim, prompting the band to sign to EMI Records. The title track and “Love Like Anthrax” were re-recorded for Gang of Four’s debut album Entertainment! in 1979 and the whole EP was included in the Fast Product compilation Mutant Pop in 1980.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Gang of Four.

Personnel

Gang of Four

• Andy Gill — guitar, vocals
• Jon King — lead vocals
• Hugo Burnham – drums
• Dave Allen — bass guitar

Technical personnel

• John Brierley – engineering
• Bob Last (credited as Fast Product) – production
• Gang of Four – production