To Hell With Poverty A Class Act Inside The Gang Of Four

To Hell with Poverty!: A Class Act: Inside the Gang of Four

From Jon King, legendary front man of iconic post-punk band Gang of Four, comes a memoir to remember. 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 an episodic 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. Evocative, fast-paced, and witty, To Hell with Poverty! is a music memoir for the ages. Gang of Four’s Entertainment! LP is consistently ranked as one of the greatest debut albums of all time and continues to inspire new generations of musicians today. The band has influenced many artists, from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nirvana, and INXS, to 2025-era Frank Ocean, the Idles, and hip-hop giants Run the Jewels. Gang of Four have been championed by the likes of Flea, Sofia Coppola, Massive Attack, Damien Hirst, Greil Marcus, and many more.

To Hell with Poverty!

The Devil's Pupil

Only God can bring a dead man back to life. On the outside, Cody Bates appeared as any other normal kid on the playground. But abuse, prescription drugs, and bullying had produced anything but a normal human being. Before long, his preteen drug addiction and young offender incarcerations transitioned into narcotic trafficking, gangs, murder, and life in a maximum-security prison. Organized crime, counter-surveillance, and violent stiff-arm tactics became Cody’s way of life as he fought desperately for the things of this world—money, power, women, and drugs. To counter the crippling emptiness that consumed him day after day, he resorted to the only solution he had: cocaine. As his health deteriorated and his addiction worsened, he fell deeper into psychosis where he encountered the demonic faces, whispers, and sirens no one but him could see and hear. The future appeared bleak as he fell deeper into the devil’s hands. It seemed obvious to everyone that there was only one way this could all end. But there are things far worse than death for a man intent on destroying everything and everyone in his path.