Gang of Four prepares first new album in 15 years

Britain’s post-punk rockers Gang of Four are recording new material for an upcoming album to be released in June Billboard reports.

The band made a name for itself during the late '70s post-punk era with its innovative sound and politically charged lyrics. The band reunited in 2005 after a long hiatus to rerecord some classic songs for the album Return the Gift and go on a short tour.

The band members started writing material for a new album in Istanbul last November, and have since completed several recording sessions at guitarist Andy Gill’s studio in London. Bassist Dave Allen told Billboard the album was a throwback to the band’s roots, with tracks reminiscent of 1979’s Entertainment!.

Sadly, the band’s gang of four is short one member this time around in the studio. Drummer Hugo Burnham declined to participate, citing undisclosed health issues. Allen told Billboard, “Hugo’s still involved in some ways, but it’s a very personal issue that will be discussed at a later date.”

Gang of Four will continue to record over the next few months, and plans to self-release the new album in June, though the details of which are still up in the air. The band has discussed releasing free advance tracks on the Internet, on vinyl, or both, to test the marketplace and reach a new group of younger fans.

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