Here's some secret history for you...
From my pre-Secret Sun blog, twenty years ago...
Gang of Four Reunion: Theatre of Living Arts May 21, 2005
Just caught the Gang last night at the Theatre of the Living Arts in Philly. Great show, even though poor Hugo was suffering quite a bit towards the end of the set.
The Gang are incredible showmen; an aspect to the band that is often forgotten. They aren't one of these stand-in-one-place bands: they go fucking NUTS. They were jumping all over the stage all the time, and Jon King danced like the floor was electrified.
My personal highlight was a pile-driving version of 'Ether,' the song that made me a Gang of Four fan in the first place. I hope when they get back home they get Hugo into a gym and back into shape. The others more than made up for his lagging energy, but why not have the band firing on all four cylinders?
After seeing so many bands that have no idea what to do onstage, it was truly remarkable to see these 50 year-old men oozing with charisma and absolutely exploding with energy. The star quality they exuded was intense, palpable and definitively non-Marxist.
I also realized that those later Gang of 4 records that caused me so much anguish were the result of the ruptured chemistry. Without Dave Allen - a major instigator of the onstage mischief - the Gang became a bland New Wave/Disco band.
I'm old to enough to remember having my heart broken by Songs of the Free and (choke) Hard. I resisted the urge to taunt the band by shouting out "Is It Love!" or "Call Me Up!," but just barely.
The boys were clearly having the time of their lives and Philly - a great Rock and Roll town - gave them a wonderful sendoff. You could easily tell how gratified they were by their reception and how thrilled they were to have a second chance after so many years in the wilderness.
The fact they remain so vital with the original four, and were so lame as the Gang of Three (or - God help us - Gang of Two) drives home that eternal show biz maxim: if you have a good thing going- don't fuck with the chemistry.
