# Radical Dance Faction > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Radical_Dance_Faction > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Radical_Dance_Faction.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical_Dance_Faction > Source revision: 1313703706 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}} {{Use British English|date=June 2016}} {{More citations needed|date=October 2010}} '''Radical Dance Faction''' ('''RDF'''), originally known as '''Military Surplus''', are a music group with [punk](/source/punk_rock), [dub](/source/dub_music) and [ska](/source/ska) styling, originally formed in [Hungerford, Berkshire](/source/Hungerford), England by singer Chris Bowsher, the group's only ever-present. They were active between 1987 and 1995 with a constantly changing line-up, with over 30 musicians passing through, releasing three albums. They first reformed in 2006, going on to perform more live appearances and record two further albums. == History == Radical Dance Faction (RDF) were founded by Chris Bowsher in [Hungerford](/source/Hungerford) in 1987.{{cite book|title=[The Guinness Who's Who of Indie and New Wave Music](/source/Encyclopedia_of_Popular_Music)|editor=[Colin Larkin](/source/Colin_Larkin_(writer))|publisher=[Guinness Publishing](/source/Guinness_Publishing)|date=1992|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-579-4|page=225}} Originally known as Military Surplus,{{cite web|title=Radical Dance Faction | Biography | AllMusic|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/radical-dance-faction-mn0000325193/biography|website=[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)|accessdate=28 October 2013}} the band have experienced many line up changes, with at least thirty different people having been part of the band at one time or another. Bowsher is the only person who has been in every line up of the band. RDF's music combines [punk](/source/punk_rock), [dub](/source/dub_music), and [ska](/source/ska), while Bowsher's lyrics, spoken rather than sung, deal mainly with political issues, such as the [Tiananmen Square protests of 1989](/source/Tiananmen_Square_protests_of_1989) in the song "Chinese Poem". Bowsher also witnessed first hand the [Hungerford massacre](/source/Hungerford_massacre), describing his experience in the song "Hot on the Wire". In 1990, they signed to [Southern Records](/source/Southern_Records), releasing two albums on their own imprint ''Earthzone'' and going on to tour Germany and other parts of Europe. One tour was as the support act to [Rebel MC](/source/Rebel_MC) and they also supported [Ziggy Marley](/source/Ziggy_Marley). RDF appeared at the huge [Summerjam](/source/Summerjam) festival in Germany, in July 1993. RDF were a regular act on the [UK](/source/United_Kingdom) free festival scene prior to the 1994 [Criminal Justice Act](/source/Criminal_Justice_Act), and were part of the [crusty](/source/crusty)/[anarcho punk](/source/anarcho_punk) movement, until they called it day in the mid-1990s. Their final album (until reformation) ''Raggamuffin Statement'' was a mixture of live recordings and remixes with new songs, including "Martin Foran", about the wrongly convicted prisoner.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-34530636|title=Double injustice victim in rights fight|first=Helen|last=Carter|date=15 October 2015|website=Bbc.co.uk|accessdate=2020-06-13}} The band reformed in 2006, playing various festivals around the UK during 2007. They reformed again in 2012 and appeared at the Bearded Theory Festival in Derby. The band commenced a short tour in October 2012 to promote new album - ''Ammunition''.{{Cite web|url=https://louderthanwar.com/radical-dance-faction-ammunition-album-review-pumpkin-records-cd-510/|title=Radical Dance Faction: Ammunition - album review|first=Joe|last=Whyte|website=Loiuderthanwar.com|date=31 August 2013|accessdate=2020-06-13}} In recent years, they have performed at [Glastonbury](/source/Glastonbury_Festival), Boomtown, [Rebellion](/source/Rebellion_Festival), Willow Man and [Green Gathering](/source/Green_Gathering) festivals. In 2018 RDF released their latest work, ''Daydream Dystopia'', produced by Youth Sounds. ==Related bands== * Steve Swann, one of RDF's original line-up, co-founded the Revolutionary Dub Warriors and was a member of the reformed, dub/ska band Dub The Earth. * Phil left RDF in 1995, and together with other ex-RDF members and John from AOS3, formed P.A.I.N. * Linda and Graham Spey went on to form the band DF118. * Mark McCarthy joined [The Wonder Stuff](/source/The_Wonder_Stuff) in 2004. * Murph joined The Rhythmites. * Bowsher released an album, ''Infinitive Splits'', in 2010 billed as Chris Bowsher and The Faction, with Martin Jenkins and Oisin Meehan - including versions of RDF songs.{{Cite web|url=https://iliveinhellrecords.bandcamp.com/album/infinitive-splits|title=INFINITIVE SPLITS, by CHRIS BOWSHER and THE FACTION|website=Iliveinhellrecords.bandcamp.com|accessdate=2020-06-13}} == Current lineup (2023) == * Chris Bowsher (vocals) * Ben (Drums) * Angus Duprey (Bass) * David 'Frag' Fletcher (Guitar) * Karen (Backing Vocals) * Danni (Backing Vocals) == Past members == * Linda Goodman (vocals) * Steve Swann (vocals, bass) * Fred Johnson (bass) * Karen Woodhead (backing vocals) * Graham Usher (drums) * Sid Wobble (harmonica) * Mark McCarthy (bass) * Richard Paterson (keyboards) * Phil Astronaut (guitar) * Mike Cooper (guitar) * Sarah Edwards (violin) * Tim Hill (saxophone) * Kevin Vernon (percussion) * Paul McCabe (keyboards) * Brian Powell (guitar, bass) * Style Scott (drums) * Graham Spey (keyboards) * Jim Warne (guitar) * Danny (drums) * Ozzy (bass) * Chris Chescoe (drums) * Olly Thomas (drums) * Lewis Sykes (bass) * Jimmy Peters (keyboards) * Andy (from Newcastle) (drums) * Lynn Forte (drums) * Spot Gaffey (drums) * Matty Mann (bass) * Karen Ricketts (backing vocals) * Martin Jenkins (keyboards) * Ben King (keyboards) * Luke Winton (drums) * Josh Bannerman (drums) * Shanks (Drums) * Murph (Guitar) * Dan Foster (Bass) ==Discography== ===Albums=== * ''Taking Refuge'' (1989){{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/282934-Radical-Dance-Faction|title=Radical Dance Faction|website=Discogs.com|accessdate=2020-06-13}} (mini-album, cassette only) * ''Hot on the Wire'' (1989) (mini album, cassette only) * ''Borderline Cases'' (1990) (Earthzone, LP/CD) * ''Wasteland'' (1991) (Earthzone, LP/CD/MC) * ''Raggamuffin Statement'' (1995) (Inna State, LP/CD/MC) * ''Ammunition'' (2012) (LP/CD/DD) * ''Daydream Dystopia'' (2018) (CD) * ''Welcome to the edge'' (2023) (LP/CD) ===Singles=== * "Landing Party" 12" (1991) * "Beast in the Doorway" 12"/CD (1994) ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== *[https://radicaldancefaction.com/ Official Radical Dance Faction website] *[http://www.myspace.com/militarysurplusrdf Official site on MySpace] {{Authority control}} Category:English rock music groups Category:British reggae musical groups Category:British ska musical groups Category:British dub musical groups Category:Anarcho-punk groups Category:Musical groups established in 1986 Category:1986 establishments in England Category:Hungerford --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Radical Dance Faction](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical_Dance_Faction) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical_Dance_Faction?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.