No Condition Is Permanent

Pictured: Dennis “Blackbeard” Bovell.

Probably UK reggae’s most innovative and celebrated son, Dennis [Bovell] can look back on a three-decade international recording, writing, deejaying, playing and production history that stretches back through Matumbi, the Dub Band, Blackbeard, Sufferer HiFi, 4th Street Orchestra, the Lovers’ Rock label, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Alpha Blondy and, more recently, the Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra. Matumbi put on one of the best live shows in Britain – dubwise or otherwise; for a long time his groups were the first choice to back visiting Jamaican singers; his projects used to saturate the UK reggae charts and make regular riddim raids into the pop Top 40; while his way with the bass-line was employed by a range of pop acts from Bananarama to Captain Sensible to the Slits. For years, back in the 1970s, Dennis Bovell was the hub at the centre of British reggae’s wheel: very little of any worth happened that didn’t have his fingerprints on it somewhere.

— Lloyd Bradley, Bass Culture: When Reggae Was King.

LISTEN TO EPISODE 310 OF NO CONDITION IS PERMANENT:

DOWNLOAD EPISODE 310 OF NO CONDITION IS PERMANENT  BY CLICKING ON THE THREE DOTS /\

Here’s what we played in Ep. 310 of No Condition Is Permanent:

THE FIRST SET

Gene Page — “Satin Soul” — Disco 75

Question Mark — “Freaking Out” — Nigeria Rock Special: Psychedelic Afro-Rock & Fuzz Funk in 1970s Nigeria

Jerry Cole & His Spacemen — “Point Panic” — Lost Legends of Surf Guitar, Vol. 2: Point Panic!

Byron Lee — “Green Onions” — Sounds & Pressure: Mod-Reggae

Jamo Thomas — “I Spy (For The FBI)” — Stompers, Floaters & Floorshakers

Phương Tâm — “Có Nhớ Đêm Nào (Remember the Night)” — Saigon Surf Twist & Soul (1964-1966)

Betty McQuade — “Tongue Tied” — Beat From Badsville Vol. 2

Willie Rosario & His Orchestra — “Frutas De Mi Pais” — Boogaloo & Guaguanco

IT’S MADISON TIME…

Little Marcus & the Devotions — “Lone Stranger Went Mad” — Malamondo 3

THE SECOND SET

Esquires Ltd. — “Theme From ‘Shaft’” — Cult Cargo: Grand Bahama Goombay

The Drifters — “Yodee Yakee” — Great Googly Moo (And More Undisputed Truths)

CK Mann Big Band — “Fa W’akoma Ma Me” — Essiebons Special 1973 – 1984: Ghana Music Power House

The Marvelettes — “Beechwood 4-5789” — Hitsville USA: The Motown Singles Collection 1959-1971

El Timba — “Descarga Bontempi” — Sofrito: Tropical Discotheque

The Kinks — “I Gotta Move” — The Kinks EP’s [mono]

Yabby You & The Prophets — “Dub U So” — The Yabby You Sound (Dubs & Versions)

The Vibrations — “Fortune Teller” — 20 Original Mod Classics

Berto Pisano & Jacques Chaumont — “Inchiesta” — Kill! OST

THE THIRD SET

Majid Soula — “Tafat (Instrumental)” — Chant Amazigh

Claude Mclin — “Jambo” — Dooto 45rpm

The Ashantis — “Everybody’s Groove” — Club Africa Vol.1: Hard African Funk, Afro-Jazz, & Original Afro-Beat

The Mermen — “Ocean Beach” — Food for Other Fish

Dennis “Blackbeard” Bovell — “Mint Ah Music” — Strictly Dub Wize

The Fabulous Playboys — “Nervous” — Shakin’ Fit!

Kalyanji-Anandji — “Qurbani (Title Music)” — Bollywood Funk: 15 Funk-Fuelled Grooves From The Bollywood Classics

THE FINAL SET

Mickey & The Soul Generation — “Iron Leg” — Iron Leg: The Complete Mickey & The Soul Generation

Fela Kuti — “Expensive Shit” — Expensive Shit

The Dootones — “Ay Si Si” — Rumba Doowop ’55

King Tubby — “A Rougher Version” — King Tubby’s Hometown Hi-Fi Dubplate Specials 1975-1979

The Showstoppers — “Ain’t Nothing but a House Party” — Mod Anthems: Original Northern Soul, R’N’B & Ska Classics

LORD BUCKLEY’S WEEKLY BENEDICTION…

Peter Gordon — “Life Is Boring” — Star Jaws