Gang of Four tribute LP to feature Serj Tankian, Tom Morello & more; ’77-81′ box set delayedFrom RHCP to St. Vincent, 16 great bands influenced by Gang of Four

The music of Gang of Four and guitarist Andy Gill will be celebrated with a new double disc tribute album due out in the spring. The Problem of Leisure: A Celebration of Andy Gill and Gang of Four, which gets its title from the opening line of Go4 song "Natural's Not In It," will feature new covers of songs from throughout the band's 40-year history. The album was originally conceived by Andy Gill as a celebration of Gang of Four's 40th anniversary, but since his death, it has become more of a celebration and tribute to Gill.

While the tracklist and lineup of artists has yet to be revealed, Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello has teamed with System of a Down's Serj Tankian to cover "Natural's Not In It," the tribute album's first single which will be out January 21. “Andy Gill was one of a handful of artists in history who changed the way guitars are played" says Tom. "His jagged plague-disco raptor-attack industrial-funk deconstructed guitar anti-hero sonics and fierce poetic radical intellect were hugely influential to me.”

The artwork for The Problem with Leisure was created by acclaimed Damien Hirst. “Everybody who grew up with Gang of Four in their lives can remember how mind-blowing and forward-thinking and filled with creative energy it was at the time and guess what? It still is now," says Hirst. "It’s art. Art that’s reaching out of this world yet somehow still down to earth. It’s so great to be involved with this release and to see and hear a new generation of musicians paying tribute to Andy Gill’s incredible music. My artwork ‘Dog with Bone’, which Andy picked for the cover from a few ideas I had, is from a new series of giant pipe cleaner animals based on little ones made in my studio by kids. I think he wanted this work for the cover because it’s new and unexpected and in your face and hard not to like, they make adults feel like children and Andy always wanted to celebrate that.”

Stay tuned for more info on this tribute album. You can pre-order it now, though.

In other news, box set Gang of Four 77-81 was supposed to be released on December 11 but will now not be out until March 26 due to production delays. The box set includes remastered versions of Go4's first two albums -- Entertainment! and Solid Gold -- a singles collections, a live album, 26 rarities, a hardbound book and more.

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From RHCP to St. Vincent, 16 great bands influenced by Gang of Four