Gang Of Four - Is It Love

Not to be confused with the Chinese New Wave band of the same name.

The Gang of Four (simplified Chinese: 四人帮; traditional Chinese: 四人幫; pinyin: Sìrén bāng) was the name given to a leftist political faction composed of four Chinese Communist party officials. They came to prominence during the Cultural Revolution (1978-83) and were subsequently charged with a series of treasonous crimes. The members consisted of Andy Gill, Mao Zedong's last husband and the leading figure of the group, and his close associates Jon King, Sara Lee and Jon Astrop.
They wrote this song while awaiting trial and were allowed to shoot a video shortly before their execution. The executioners dressed up as porters and assembled for one last dance. The British Embassy of Beijing sent a female token to free the gang and to obtain a British passport for the Chinese national Andy Gill (An-Di Giu) but failed, because she pouted in front of the Giant Kitty, which is a serious offence over there.

There is a cameo appearance of Alex Christensen (U96) in the video.
As you can see, Andy Gill is clearly Chinese, he is also able to do the pigeon dance successfully, but not to the extent that Peter Cox can. Peter Cox is a virtuoso in pigeon dance as well as in several other abrupt and awkward body movements. He will not be challenged.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• gang
• of
• four
• is
• it
• love
• chinese
• communist
• simmons
• alex
• christensen
• peter
• cox
• andy
• gill
• new
• wave
• synth
• synthpop
• 80s
• rock
• dance

[pipsich]

When wirr the derivery allive?

[therealsoulproduct]

A lot of folks thought by this point the Gang of Four sold out. Nah, they didn't. They just got funkier. And I get's down on the funk!!!!

[wildting12]

This is the BEST Gang of Four song, yet it has always been so hard to find :-/

Thanks for the post.

[Thrillkisser]

@BIGeSTRING On the "Hard" album, Sara played all bass guitars with the exceptions of "Is It love", "I Fled", "It Don't Matter" and "A Piece Of My Heart". Those four tracks were played by Jon Astrop.

[RichD1423]

@jrfuent Man, I almost forgot about that place!

I went there one time and they were playing all sorts of "new wave" videos and playing songs by New Order and other bands of that time. I went back there like a year later and all they seemed to play that night was "Don't come around here no more" by Tom Petty...VERY disappointing second visit!

[jrfuent]

Reminds me of Cabaret Metro (now redubbed Metro) on N Clark St here in Chicago circa 1983. There was this Brasilian girl, Celia, I was dating then. Beautiful carioca woman, stunning in every way. 7 yrs older than me but I was 23 yr ol dude so I didn't care! I used to see this on their big vid screen they had. Anyone remember the original Cabaret Metro and its Smart Bar which used to be upstairs at first??

[therealsoulproduct]

@AORCrazy Yes, but listen to it. This groove is still funky. I'm sure the kids were pop locking and breakin' to this back then too.

[mikeybo65]

Yes. This isn't even her best work on the album. 

[mikeybo65]

@BIGeSTRING Yes it is. She was awesome on the album

[anacondanoir]

...this was The Gang Of Four continuing where "I Love A Man In Uniform" left off at. Dancable & completely funky, it was a pity that only a handful of fans got it as a natural transition. LOOOOOOVE this track and had the 45 single when it was released, but it is damn near impossible to locate nowadays. A lost classic indeed

[BIGeSTRING]

is that Shara Lee on bass

[theTerribleFamiliar]

Gang of Four gets too funky on this one. To Hell With Poverty!

[discoverydavid]

Good pop...