This full-blooded story of The Wailers puts the life, music and death of the legendary Bob Marley into a razor-sharp new perspective. The Wailers played with Marley on all of the hit singles and albums that made him a legend, yet their story since his death is a little-known saga of betrayal, greed and murder that is told here in its entirety for the first time. Written in collaboration with Aston 'Family Man' Barrett and other surviving band members, the book explores Marley's colourful journey from downtown Kingston onto the world stage. It covers the assassination attempt on Marley's life, his exile in London, the kidnapping and decapitation of the Barretts' father, and the death by gunfire of both Peter Tosh and drummer Carlton Barrett. Bitter acrimony followed Marley's own death from cancer as the iconic singer's legacy was parlayed into a multi-million dollar industry.
The Wailers played with Marley on all of the hit singles and albums that made him a legend, yet their story since his death is a little-known saga of betrayal, greed and murder that is told for the first time.
The very first biography of Peter Tosh, rude boy, founder member of The Wailers and a compelling recording artist in his own right. Tosh was Jamaica’s most controversial reggae star. A fiery advocate of Rastafari and African nationalism as well as the legalisation of marijuana, his uncompromising political stance won him a reputation as Jamaica’s Malcolm X. Now revered second only to Bob Marley among reggae audiences worldwide, Tosh was awarded the Order of Merit, Jamaica’s third highest honour, as the nation celebrated 50 years of Independence. Based on hundreds of interviews with those who knew Peter Tosh best, including Bunny Wailer and close associates, here are the stories behind hits like ‘Legalise It’, ‘Equal Rights’, ‘Get Up Stand Up’ and ‘Johnny B. Goode’; Tosh’s infamous appearance at the 1978 One Love Peace Concert; and his now legendary adventures with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. One of reggae’s most extraordinary stories, the life of Peter Tosh came to an end when he was brutally murdered in 1987 amidst rumours involving the supernatural and Kingston’s criminal underworld. This is his story.
A memoir by the woman who knew Bob Marley best--his wife, Rita. Rita Marley grew up in the slums of Trench Town, Jamaica. Abandoned by her mother at a very young age, she was raised by her aunt. Music ran in Rita's family, and even as a child her talent for singing was pronounced. By the age of 18, Rita was an unwed mother, and it was then that she met Bob Marley at a recording studio in Trench Town. Bob and Rita became close friends, fell in love, and soon, she and her girlfriends were singing backup for the Wailers. At the ages of 21 and 19, Bob and Rita were married. The rest is history: Bob Marley and the Wailers set Jamaica and the world on fire. But while Rita displayed blazing courage, joy, and an indisputable devotion to her husband, life with Bob was not easy. There were his liaisons with other women--some of which produced children and were conducted under Rita's roof. The press repeatedly reported that Bob was unmarried to preserve his "image." But Rita kept her self-respect, and when Bob succumbed to cancer in 1981, she was at his side. In the years that followed, she became a force in her own right -- as the Bob Marley Foundation's spokesperson and a performer in her reggae group, the I-Three. Written with author Hettie Jones, No Woman No Cry is a no-holds-barred account of life with one of the most famous musicians of all time. In No Woman No Cry, readers will learn about the never-before-told details of Bob Marley's life, including: How Rita practiced subsistence farming when first married to Bob to have food for her family. How Rita rode her bicycle into town with copies of Bob's latest songs to sell. How Rita worked as a housekeeper in Delaware to help support her family when her children were young. Why Rita chose to befriend some of the women with whom Bob had affairs and to give them advice on rearing the children they had with Bob. The story of the attack on Bob which almost killed the two of them. Bob's last wishes, dreams, and hopes, as well as the details of his death, such as who came to the funeral (and who didn't).
With a Bible and guitar, Bob Marley set out to conquer the world of popular music. Rising from humble origins to international stardom, he worked tirelessly to spread a dual message of resistance and redemption--a message inspired by his reading of scripture. Marley's constant reliance on the Bible throughout the stages of his artistic and spiritual paths is an integral part of his story that has not been sufficiently told--until now. This is the first book written on Bob Marley as biblical interpreter. It answers the question, What light does biblical scholarship shed on Marley's interpretation, and what can Marley teach biblical scholars? Focusing on the parts of the Bible that Marley quotes most often in his lyrics, MacNeil provides a close analysis of Marley's interpretation. For students of Marley, this affords a deeper appreciation and understanding of his thought and his art. For students of scripture, it demonstrates the nature of Marley's unique contribution to the field of biblical interpretation, which can be appreciated as an excellent example of what R. S. Sugirtharajah calls "vernacular interpretation" of scripture.
John Masouri has written extensively on reggae music for over two decades. 'Simmer Down' is the final installment of his trilogy of books about the Wailers. This time he's gone back to the very beginning, and written about the original trio of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Livingston, who made the journey from doo-wop to dreadlocks and changed the face of reggae music before splintering apart amidst growing differences and ultimately betrayal. It's a tale set in the 60s and early 70s against a backdrop of Kingston shantytowns, rude boys, gang wars, political violence, Black Power, police harassment and Rastafari. Insider quotes - many of them previously unpublished - reveal little-known facts about the Wailers' early lives in Trench Town and their adventures with Coxsone Dodd, Rasta elder Mortimo Planno, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Johnny Nash and Chris Blackwell, among others. New light is also shed on the group's inner dynamics, and how they were tested to the limit by Marley's solo ambitions. This book is an attempt to uncover the real story behind the early Wailers' rise to fame and just as importantly, it's also a celebration of the music that continues to inspire successive generations of reggae fans from around the world. John Masouri's previous books include 'Wailing Blues: The Story Of Bob Marley's Wailers' and 'Steppin' Razor: The Life Of Peter Tosh, ' both published by Omnibus Press.
In honor of Bob Marley's seventy-fifth birthday, this glorious oversize book collects more than 150 photographs that celebrate the life and influence of the forefather of reggae and one of the greatest musical and sociopolitical icons of twentieth-century pop culture. Drawing exclusively on photos in the Marley family archives, the book mixes the iconic and the intimate, bringing together striking images of Marley as a performer onstage with unseen glimpses into his creative process in and out of the studio and his family life in Jamaica. Making the most of its oversize pages, the book is designed as a monument to his influence. Focusing on the last decade of his life--the period of his greatest worldwide fame--and with excerpts from unpublished interviews and prophetic quotes alongside the images, this is a definitive portrait of one of the great artists of the twentieth century made by those who knew him best.
Explore the entire, incredible journey of Bob Marley and the Wailers, and their enduring legacy, in this unique visual history. More than four decades after Marley’s death, he and his bandmates remain the most famous reggae artists of all time--and one of the most famous bands of all time, period.Illustrated with photos and memorabilia from all phases of their journey, Bob Marley and the Wailers illuminates the lives and times of the man and his collaborators. Their evolution from early-’60s Jamaican ska act to international superstars was not just improbable, but unprecedented for an act from an underdeveloped country. As you make your way through the band’s story, you will see the crucial role they played in establishing reggae as a globally popular form of music, and the influence that the Rastafari movement had on their lives and sound; plus, how Marley’s socially conscious lyrics and actions made him a universal symbol of pride and justice. This beautifully designed volume includes: A complete history of the band, right up to Marley’s untimely death in 1981, and his continuing influence today Fantastic performance and candid off-stage photography Images of rare memorabilia Sidebars from a roster of respected music journalists Coverage of the 2024 Bob Marley biopic One Love This is the definitive illustrated biography of Bob Marley and the Wailers—a must-have for every fan of the world music legend.
Jamaican music can be roughly divided into four eras, each with a distinctive beat - ska, rocksteady, reggae and dancehall. Ska dates from about 1960 to mid-1966, rocksteady from 1966 to 1968, while from 1969 to 1983 reggae was the popular beat. The reggae era had two phases, 'early reggae' up to 1974 and 'roots reggae' up to 1983. Since 1983 dancehall has been the prevalent sound. The authors describe each stage in the development of the music, identifying the most popular songs and artists, highlighting the significant social, political and economic issues as they affected the musical scene. While they write from a Jamaican perspective, the intended audience is 'any person, local or foreign, interested in an intelligent discussion of reggae music and Jamaica.'.
"’Reggae got soul,’ Toots Hibbert sang in one of his best-known songs, and Kim Gottlieb-Walker's remarkable photographs coax that soul out of shadow and light. Her images from Jamaica capture the rough environment that shaped and challenged these artists, and the unquenchable joy that filled their music. They're the next-best thing to listening.” — Richard Cromelin During 1975 and 1976, renowned underground photo-journalist Kim Gottlieb, and her husband, Island publicity head Jeff Walker, documented what is now widely recognized as the Golden Age of reggae. Over two years of historic trips to Jamaica and exclusive meetings in Los Angeles, Kim took iconic photographs of the artists who would go on to define the genre and captivate a generation. Bob Marley and the Golden Age of Reggae features candid and intimate photographs of all of the musicians, artists and producers who brought the reggae sound to the international stage, including Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Toots Hibbert, Burning Spear, Jacob Miller, Third World, Lee “Scratch” Perry and, of course, Bob Marley. Kim’s photographs include never-before-seen performance shots, candid behind-the-scenes footage of Bob’s home in Jamaica, and exclusive records of key moments in reggae history, such as Bob’s first US television appearance, the historical Dream Concert with Stevie Wonder in Jamaica, and Bob meeting George Harrison backstage at the Roxy in 1975. Acclaimed rock journalist and director Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous) introduces this volume with a rousing foreword describing the time he accompanied Jeff and Kim to Jamaica to witness the burgeoning music scene there. Reggae historian Roger Steffens writes lucidly about the significance of those early years in reggae, and describes the pivotal moments documented in Kim’s photographs, many of which have not been seen in over 30 years, and many more of which have never been released to the public. Intimate and revealing, Bob Marley and the Golden Age of Reggae is a rare and beautiful record of one of the most exciting moments in music history, told through the photographs of a true artist.
