Listen Now — To Hell with Poverty! From Gang of Four’s Jon King

The 500 with Josh Adam Meyers

Next Chapter Podcasts, Josh Adam Meyers

Comedy, Music, Music History, Comedy Interviews, Music Commentary

4.6 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 9 May 2025

⏱️ 10 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Here’s a preview of “To Hell with Poverty!”, a new audiobook from Jon King, legendary frontman of iconic post-punk band Gang of Four. “To Hell with Poverty!” documents King’s story from a south London slum and working-class background to international success as core musician, lyricist, writer, and producer in the legendary post-punk/funk band Gang of Four. King’s memoir takes the reader on a journey full of raucous adventures from his childhood and teenage years, to the height of Gang of Four’s success in the seventies and eighties. Thrown off Top of the Pops, truncheoned by police at an anti-Nazi rally, coming of age in the heart of the Leeds music scene and the UK post-punk movement, mingling with Hells Angels and other undesirables, supported by bands like R.E.M. and playing with the likes of the Police, Iggy Pop, and the Buzzcocks―King’s time with Gang of Four is rich with jaw-dropping stories. Find “To Hell with Poverty!”, from Pushkin Industries, on Spotify, Audible, Pushkin.fm, or wherever you get audiobooks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Next Chapter Podcasts.
0:05.0	Hey, Josh here. Today we got something a bit different for you. We're about to hear an excerpt from a new audio book called To Hell with Poverty by John King, legendary frontman of the post-punk band Gang of Four.
0:19.3	Seen them live, did their album on the podcast.
0:22.4	I mean, you can't get better than me and Karen Kilgaref talking about entertainment.
0:27.0	Me-Grain, me-grain.
0:28.8	It was episode 483 with the homie Karen, so check that out.
0:33.4	And you know we're all about celebrating the greatest music of our lives
0:36.4	and the New York Times called Gang of Four,
0:38.3	one of Post Punk's most influential bands.
0:41.3	To Hell with Poverty chronicles John King's rise to success in Gang of Four,
0:46.3	from his background in a South London slum to reaching international acclaim with the band in the 70s and 80s.
0:52.3	From the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Frank Ocean, Gang of Four have inspired musicians across
0:57.2	generations.
0:58.5	You'll hear jaw-dropping stories like when King faced police at an anti-Nazi rally to when
1:03.4	he mingled with Hell's Angels and played with the likes of the police and Iggy Pop.
1:07.9	In this excerpt, John shares a funny story about how Gang of Four got their big break
1:11.9	by begging to open for the band The Buzzcocks. All right? Here's the preview. If you like what
1:17.5	you hear, find to hell with poverty from Pushkin Industries at Audible, pushkin.com slash
1:24.0	audiobooks or wherever you get your audiobooks.
1:36.2	Dave, we need a replacement bass player, so Hugo posts a flyer on a newsboard which reads,
1:49.1	Wanted, Fast, Rhythm and Blues bass player. Why Rhythm and not Rhythm is a mystery. Dave Allen answers. He's looking for a gig,
1:55.0	having come to Leeds from Kendall, fleeing the dainty tourist-clogged market town in England's Lake District, famous for mint cake, cagulls and drich. He'd had troubled teen years,
	...

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