same wrote:

Andrew L. wrote:

same wrote:They also left out all that annoying political shit.

Wrong about both bands on this point. Go4's lyrics are great. And Lydon was pretty overtly "political" at times: "Careering," "The Suit," "Go Back," "Religion." There is politics in these songs.

Those songs aren't exactly political. They're more critiques of what he views as the snide or disgusting social behavior of the status quo.

I think it's a political move to critique social structures and the status quo, especially as consistently as Lydon does. And the thing is, most of Go4's lyrics are in exactly this vein of critique, yet everyone seems to know that Go4 are super political and "a Marxist band."

...

Andrew L. wrote:

same wrote:

Andrew L. wrote:

same wrote:They also left out all that annoying political shit.

Wrong about both bands on this point. Go4's lyrics are great. And Lydon was pretty overtly "political" at times: "Careering," "The Suit," "Go Back," "Religion." There is politics in these songs.

Those songs aren't exactly political. They're more critiques of what he views as the snide or disgusting social behavior of the status quo.

I think it's a political move to critique social structures and the status quo, especially as consistently as Lydon does. And the thing is, most of Go4's lyrics are in exactly this vein of critique, yet everyone seems to know that Go4 are super political and "a Marxist band."

I'm not saying that GoF didn't sing about those things. The subject matter of the band's lyrics overlaps quite a bit. But they had kind of a preachy agenda about it in a way that made them seem political to me, like they were trying to send out some important message or influence you, whereas John seemed more like he was just making cynical observations.

rocker654 wrote:Wrong again, joe.

My name aint Joe, pal.

I'm not saying that GoF didn't sing about those things. The subject matter of the band's lyrics overlaps quite a bit. But they had kind of a preachy agenda about it in a way that made them seem political to me, like they were trying to send out some important message or influence you, whereas John seemed more like he was just making cynical observations.

Wire's lyrics were both. They win.

Wire lyrics are amazing. Well, at least Newman's. Colin Newman is a better song writer than John Lydon. PiL are a better band than Wire.

i vote PiL by the thinnest of margins. Gang of Four are playing here in December but i have heard very mixed reviews of their comeback shows. anyone seen them recently that might give me a headsup on whether its worth it?

El Protoolio wrote:You're all fucked. Wire beats them both.

Amen to that, but Wire have a pretty good claim to being the best band ever.

El Protoolio wrote:

rocker654 wrote:Wrong again, joe.

My name aint Joe, pal.

My name ain't pal or toolio, joe.

This Wire vs. PiL vs. Gang of Four discussion is worthless, as they were all equally great at one point, went through a period of crapulence, and are now simply nostalgia, like the 1989 San Francisco 49'ers or the 1970 Baltimore Orioles.

I've only got the albums by these three artists that were all meat and no fat to me. I choose to remember them that way.

That said, I'm the only one I ever knew who liked Document and Eyewitness all the way through and disliked the later 80's output.

Oh, fuck it. You're all right, and you're all wrong. I banish you all to the netherregions of the seventh circle of hell for giving me a headache.

rocker654 wrote:Oh, fuck it. You're all right, and you're all wrong. I banish you all to the netherregions of the seventh circle of hell for giving me a headache.

I win!

rocker654 wrote:That said, I'm the only one I ever knew who liked Document and Eyewitness all the way through and disliked the later 80's output.

This is OT, but now you know another one. (I do like Snakedrill, but D&I is better...though I guess I'm really split between Chairs Missing and 154. Plus I dig Colin's solo work up through Commercial Suicide.)

Sheesh. Damn tough poll. Weighing good-era PIL against good-era G04...tough. Damn.