Gang of Four Sells Vials of Blood to Fans to Fund Album

English post-punk dynamos Gang of Four clearly know the value of a personal touch. To fund their new album, Content, they’re asking fans for donations. In exchange, they’re offering everything from hand-decorated cassette recordings of their first show to a private listening session with Andy Gill at his studio. Thoughtful, creative rewards are the bread and butter of artists seeking funding on sites like Kickstarter and GoF’s choice, PledgeMusic, but the Leeds rockers really went off the deep end with their reward for fans who donate £45 — along with a book showing “ceramic tiles depicting the last 40 years of world history” created by band members and “a book of drawings of our emotions,” 500 “Ultimate Content Cans” will contain vials of blood.

Presumably, the blood in question belongs to the band members, though their PledgeMusic account doesn’t specify, nor does it offer any suggestions as to what they expect fans to do with tiny containers of bodily fluid.

Gang of Four is trying to drum up financial support for making Content after deciding to release the album independently. “We recognize that there’s a fundamental change in the way that bands need to behave and act to make music,” singer Jon King explained.

Let’s hope GoF meet their funding goals before they start selling toenail clippings and old retainers, too.

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