Radical Dance Faction - Borderline Cases

Formed from the ashes of UK anarcho reggae outfit "Military Surplus", "RDF", as they were commonly abbreviated, started in 1987.

Their line-ups were erratic but were based around the one constant, lyricist and vocalist Chris Bowsher. Using beat poetry, with its imagery of modern decay and capitalism gone wrong, their chosen musical outlet was reggae and ska.

Bowsher was a veteran of the early punk explosion, and was particularly enamoured of bands such as the Clash and Ruts who attempted to bridge the gap between rock and black music. Alongside the Levellers, they became prime movers in the media-christened ‘crusty’ movement (i.e., their following comprised largely the dispossessed and homeless, bonded by a political consciousness that has its roots in hippiedom, beatnik romanticism and early 80s anarcho-punk).           

RDF's music combines punk, dub, and ska, while Bowsher's lyrics, spoken rather than sung, dealt mainly with political issues, such as the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 in the song "Chinese Poem". Bowsher also witnessed first hand the Hungerford massacre, describing his experience in the song "Hot on the Wire".
RDF were a regular act on the UK free festival scene prior to the 1994 Criminal Justice Act, and were part of the crusties and anarcho punk movement until they called it day in the mid 1990s. The band reformed in 2006, and played various festivals around the UK during 2007.
At the height of their fame in the early 1990s, the band made at least two tours of Germany. One tour was as the support act to Rebel MC but they also supported Ziggy Marley at one point. RDF appeared at the huge Summerjam festival in July 1993.
They appeared at The Bearded Theory festival in Derby on Sunday 20 May 2012. The band commenced a short tour in October 2012 to promote their new album - Ammunition.

Radical Dance Faction - Borderline Cases
(320 kbps, cover art included)