Gang Of Four: 'Red Hot Chili Peppers based their career on ours'

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Gang Of Four guitarist Andy Gill has said he believes the Red Hot Chili Peppers have based their career on his band.

Gill, speaking ahead of the band's Shockwaves NME Awards Show at London's Heaven on February 2, said that the US band had even acknowledged the debt they owe to the British indie legends in the past.

"The Red Hot Chili Peppers have obviously based their career on Gang Of Four and they’d admit that," he told the Metro.

Gill, who produced Red Hot Chili Peppers' eponymous 1984 debut album, added: "The guitar on their single 'Can't Stop' was directly from one of our early songs and when I heard it I thought, 'That’s going a bit far'. I bumped into [Chilis bassist] Flea at a party and he said, 'Andy, I just don't understand why you've never sued us'."

Gill also spoke about being inspired by the wave of new bands in 2004 that cited them as an influence, saying: "We reconvened in 2004 and all these bands suddenly came along that sounded like us - Franz Ferdinand, Bloc Party, The Rapture – that’s definitely added a new bunch of fans."

The band's new album, 'Content', is out now.

To check the availability of Gang Of Four tickets and get all the latest listings, go to NME.COM/TICKETS now, or call 0871 230 1094.

The Shockwaves NME Awards Tour 2011 takes place throughout February, while Shockwaves NME Awards Shows are also taking place in London throughout the month. See NME.COM/TICKETS for details.

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