11 October 2019

Been lissenin' to Mucho Musick




Formed from the ashes of UK anarcho/reggae outfit Military Surplus (see bonus tracks "Time of the Dispossessed" & "Firepower" included below), Radical Dance Faction or RDF as they were most commonly abbreviated, was founded by Chris Bowsher in Hungerford in 1986. RDF's line-ups were erratic to say the least (with over thirty different people having been part of the band at one time or another). Founder, lyricist & vocalist Chris Bowsher is the only person who has been in every line up of the band.






Bowsher's lyrics are hip/beat poetry, more spoken than sung, with imagery of modern decay & capitalism gone wrong. The style is primarily Dub/reggae/ska. Bowsher is a veteran of the early punk explosion, particularly enamoured of bands such as the Clash & the Ruts who had attempted to bridge the gap between rock & JA sounds. Along with the Levellers, RDF became prime movers in the media-christened 'crust or crusty' movement. Much of their following was comprised largely the dispossessed & homeless, the young & the impoverished, bonded by a political consciousness that has its roots in hippiedom, beatnik romanticism & early 80s anarcho-punk.

Here RDF is: Chris Bowsher - vocals; Linda Goodman - vocals; Phil Astronaut - guitar; Brian Powell & Mark McCarthey - bass; Graham Spey = keyboards; Tim Hill - saxophone; Sid Wobble - harmonica; G.T. Moore - melodica & hand drums; Graham Usher - drums & hand drum; Style Scott - drums with Kay Beckett & Steve Swann - backing vocals.




Radical Dance Faction - Wasteland, Earth Zone EZ-003, 1991.
decryption code in comments

Station X Red Flame
Working Class Hero
Tension Town
Tense (instrumental with surprise WSB)
Sadness
Babylon
Can’t Stand No More
Hope
Next Man in Europe
What the Man Made of Stone

bonus tracks:
 Time of the Dispossessed
Firepower

Enjoy,


9 comments:


  1. _5RjzVuvBr9UdrBWicZzV34qdyDnXVUzNk0U0niKZHI

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  2. This looks like just my kinda thing. Gee Vaucher cover art, too!
    Thanks and praise, bredren!

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  3. Hi,thank you,I stumbled across your awesome blog and now have a great weekends worth of everything ONU...love ONU and Sherwood... and a heap of amazing dub...In very grateful and will definitely be dropping by for a visit again soon Cheers.
    Dave

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  4. I also just came across your blog and have, over the past week or so, ravaged the music. Thank-you so much! While not a Dub follower as yourself, the sheer volume of 80s acts I had never heard of, was thrilling. Again thanks, i look forward to stopping by again and again and again...
    Julian (Tustin, Ca)

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    1. Thanks so much for your kind words. Much has been going on around the Casa Nada & I have been away from the controls for a long season with nary a reason other than I've been absorbing so much musick as of late (yes, more than even my abnormal consumption) that I've been unable to pass it on. But if it is not beyond the will of gods & the grace of the King (& yes, I mean Tubby but not in the bloated-sequined jumpsuit way)I will rise again. Thanks again to you & also belatedly to Dave Anon above. You keep me hanging on.

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  5. Cheers!
    I'm still lurking.
    Dave (Tawonga,Vic,Au)

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  6. we miss you hope you re doing ok Saludos de Argentina

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for your uplifting words. It'll be a good tale when I get out the other side & can write it out. Plus I'm stock-piling tons o' tunes. Be back in a while.

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