Friday, June 7, 2019

And the Rubbers You Hide


Gang of Four : At Home He's A Tourist


On June 7 1979 Gang of Four released  their debut single with EMI, "At Home He's a Tourist" b/w "It's Her Factory". One part punk anthem ( that extraordinary jagged Andy Gill guitar introduction!) , one part dance floor filler, the single would only peak at U.K.#58. Had Holden Caulfield been a character written in 1979 instead of the mid 1940's, he might have shared the alienated viewpoint here. Imagine Caulfield seeking meaning to his existence on a disco floor, with rubbers hidden in his top left pocket. Two steps forward; six steps back.


"It's Her Factory" is the "woke"  melodica driven B side. I hear criticism of  the way the media patronizingly portrays women. All together, one of the best and most essential singles of 1979



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