No Condition Is Permanent

Pictured: Sylvain Sylvain of The New York Dolls.

The [New York] Dolls instinctively swam with the tide of excess. Their costume regularly included make-up, high heels and women’s clothes picked up in thrift stores. Arthur Kane was the most heavily into drag, sometimes dressing up in a tutu, while Sylvain pioneered the fashion for spandex, a cheap, shiny material which, when worn as trousers, revealed all. ‘The fact that the Dolls wore lipstick connotated homosexual,’ says Bob Gruen, ‘but they weren’t. Somebody asked [singer David] JoHansen if he was bisexual, and he said, “No man, I’m trisexual. I’ll try anything.” This was their attitude but behind the soft pose, they were putting on make-up because these young, beautiful girls liked it.’

The Dolls shuffled the musical deck with which they had all grown up: Rock’n’Roll, the early-sixties Girl-Group sound, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. They learned in public and flaunted the fact. This made them unpredictable, but their insouciance about lack of musical expertise was inclusive and meant that their audience could grow with them. Although there was a distancing irony, this wasn’t Camp: the Dolls transcended ghastly bad taste through their enthusiasm and the way in which their music perfectly mirrored what they had to say.

— Jon Savage, England’s Dreaming: Anarchy, Sex Pistols, Punk Rock and Beyond.

LISTEN TO EPISODE 378 OF NO CONDITION IS PERMANENT:

DOWNLOAD EPISODE 378 OF NO CONDITION IS PERMANENT BY CLICKING ON THE THREE DOTS /\

Here’s what we played in Ep. 378 of No Condition Is Permanent:

THE FIRST SET

The Ebonys — “I’m So Glad I’m Me” — The Ebonys

The Hygrades — “In the Jungle” — Nigeria Rock Special: Psychedelic Afro-Rock & Fuzz Funk in 1970s Nigeria

Roscoe & His Little Green Men — “Weird” — Strummin’ Mental! Vol. 4

Wganda Kenya — “El Abanico” — Afro Caribe Dance

The Syndicats — “Crawdaddy Simone” — The Alchemist of Pop: Home Made Hits and Rarities 1959–1966

Payom Moogda — “Tamai Dern Sae (Why Do You Walk Like A Drunkard)” — Thai Beat A Go Go Vol. 1: Groovy 60’s Sounds from the Land of Smile!

Moon Mullican — “Well Oh Well” — Gravy Train: Hillbilly Meets R&B Before Elvis 1946-1954

Yabby You & The Prophets — “Give Praises” — Beware Dub

IT’S MADISON TIME…

Keith Courvale — “Trapped Love” — Born Bad Vol. 8

THE SECOND SET

Baligh Hamdi — “Zabour” — Instrumental Modal Pop of 1970’s Egypt

Neu! — “After Eight” — Neu! 75

La Yegros — “Magnetismo” — Magnetismo

Arthur Wright & His Orchestra — “Before It’s Too Late” — Double Cookin’: Classic Northern Soul Instrumentals

Joe Gibbs & The Professionals — “Let Go Mi Hand Babylon (You Don’t Need Me)” — More Majestic Dub

The New Wing — “Melodyland Loser” — Lost Innocence: Garpax 1960s Punk & Psych

Les Bantous de la Capitale — “Mome Yombe” — Orchestre Les Bantous de la Capitale

The Cadets — “Love Bandit” — Early Rappers: Hipper Than Hop: The Ancestors Of Rap

Manzanita y su Conjunto — “Un Sábado por la Noche” — Trujillo, Perú 1971-1974

THE THIRD SET

Cannibal & The Headhunters — “Land Of 1000 Dances” — The East Side Sound 1965-1977

Sakura — “Come On To My House” — Singapore Nuggets: The Ladies

Jerry Ashley — “Come On” — Ho-Dad Hootenanny Too!

U Brown — “Baby Let Me Rock You” — Repatriation

Johnny’s Uncalled Four — “Movin’ & Groovin’” — The Lost Album

Madjzoub Ounsa — “Arraid Arraid Ya Ahal (Love, Love Family)” — Two Niles To Sing A Melody: The Violins & Synths Of Sudan

Choker Campbell — “Walkin’ On My Thin Sole Shoes” — Rock’n’Roll Dance Party Volume Three

Los Camaroes — “Mengala Maurice” — A Journey Into Cameroonian Music

THE FINAL SET

New York Dolls — “Babylon” — Too Much Too Soon

Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry & Augustus Pablo — “Vibrate On” — Scratch On The Wire

Marvin & Johnny and The Marsmen — “Mamo Mamo” — Great Googa Mooga

Sohail Rana — “The Ludee Twist” — More Early Pakistani Dance Music Vol. 2 (From Original 7″ Vinyl 1966-1978)

Flying Wedge — “I Can’t Believe” — If There’s Hell Below

The Third World — “Happy Vibes” — Aiye-Keta

LORD BUCKLEY’S WEEKLY BENEDICTION…

Procol Harum — “The Devil Came From Kansas” — A Salty Dog

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