LOOKING back, perhaps the first real portent of the way this year would unfold more sourly than most was our loss of that architect of the scratchy, jagged riff and leader of the Gang of Four, Andy Gill, early in February.
At midsummer, casting our eyes over the first half of a year turned upside down, the Gang’s John Sterry is paying Andy tribute with “Day Turns to Night,” the second single to be released from the forthcoming Gang of Four EP, Anti Hero. John, styling himself as JJ Sterry, wrote the song just days after Andy’s death on February 1st.
“Day Turns to Night,” will also comprise the first single for his JJ Sterry solo artist project, with a debut EP later this year.
John says: “I had no intention of it being about him. It just came out that way … also I didn’t intend for it to be released. I often cloak lyrics with ambiguity and this felt too raw. But listening now, I’m glad I wrote it with no thought of where it might go—it’s just a pure distillation of the years I’d spent with Andy and the band.”
And the slowly unfolding lyrics certainly strike home. “Is it too late to say thank you? / You caught me just in time.”
This spontaneous song of grief and remembrance came to be included in the forthcoming EP, says John, “after Andy’s wife, Catherine, heard [it].”
All proceeds from this single will go to Guy’s and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust, supporting the hospital that cared for Andy.
Everyone who worked on the EP and associated singles provided their services free. All net receipts received by Gang of Four from sales and streams of the forthcoming EP and associated singles will be donated to the Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity, https://www.supportgstt.org.uk/
Distributor Republic of Music also waived their fees for this project to maximise the income generated for the charity.
The EP, Anti Hero, will also be graced with a highly limited, coloured vinyl 12” release on August 14th, in support of LoveRecordStoresDay 2020, and is now available for pre-order. A quantity will also be available direct from the band’s website on the day of release.
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