Volume 1: Issue 11: November 2001

Welcome to the November update of wailers.co.uk. Each month we plan to bring you news and opinions of the Wailers and associated affairs, with regular contributors offering articles and reports from around the world.

DAVE BARKER REMEMBERS THE WAILERS
Legendary Upsetters vocalist and DJ Dave Barker appeared on Mark Lamarr's BBC Radio 2 show on November 7th. Among his recollections were the sessions Perry conducted with the Wailers at Randy's studio, and his involvement witn the band. This section of the interview is transcribed below. The full interview appears on the Django! site

Mark I want to talk to you about your work with the Wailers, in what many see as their absolute prime period before their cross-over success, and in many ways rock artists., in some respects, when they weredoing all the great stuff with Lee Perry. You actually sang on some of the tracks didn't you?

Dave Yes. A few. The first one was "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying", which the harmony voices was of Bob, Bunny and Peter. And after that we did "What A Confusion", that one is me and Bunny Wailers.

Mark Didn't you do some of the backing vocals on some of the (Wailers tracks)...

Dave No. The Wailers as a group, to see them actually recording in the studio was something else. Those guys! Every cut is just one cut. And clean and harmonies pretty, no two cut or three cut, just one cuts. And I was actually in the studio the night when they were doing "Small Axe", and after "Small Axe", Bob came away from the mic, lift him hands up high and say "a lot of people don't want to know of me, Bob Marley, now. But a time gonna come when the whole, entire world wil hear and know of Bob Marley. Some of them even gonna have me picture up in them house!" So said, so done.

Mark Could you tell there was something special going on, that this was a band that might break out of the confines of Jamaican (music)? And actually conquor theworld, they probably are the only reggae really, to conquor the world.

Dave Even their life style was extremely different. These guys hardly spoke y'know! Peter Tosh is walking down the street, walking up the road, you have guys who is coming in the opposite direction, the guys them haffe ease away and mek him pass, 'cos him control the whole part of that road!

Mark Was he unpleasant or just hard to deal with?

Dave No, he wasn't unpleasant but he was very serious. He was not afraid to tell you what he thought.

Mark It does come across in that great documentry Stepping Razor (Red X), a few years ago. You could tell this is a severe human being, this is someone who knows exactly what he wants in life. Bob always seemed a much more - considerate in many ways.

Dave Bob was in a way a very flexible guy. But Bob also had his very serious side. Even last night, me and Winston Francis was talking about Bob, and we all have moods. You'll find today you would meet Bob and he would say "hi Dave", and then tomorrow you see Bob, and Bob just walk past you and dont say a word!

Mark But I can't imagine Peter Tosh ever going " hi Dave!"

Dave No, him a more go (deep voice) "hail I" (laughs)

(track played Small Axe by the Wailers)

Mark Last series when we did this show, virtually every week everyone would choose a Lee Perry or a Bob Marley, or both, track. It's great to have someone here who was actually there. How much did Lee Perry, because it's certainley not the productions where he's throwing everything in. Later on when he built the Black Ark you can just tell , if there's an alarm clock ringing, that's going on the record, and those Wailers tracks are much more subdued to what he was doing at the time. How much was he putting into the session?

Dave A lot! Where the Wailers is concerned, I would say that at times it is on equal, 50-50. But saying that, Bob and Bunny and Peter, they themselves, as a group, were also very creative guys. You would find them record a song for Scratch, and Peter would go by the keyboard and play certain riffs in that song, or get the acoustic and play certain riffs. So it was a combination of talent. Raw talent.

Mark Were they rehearsing the songs, or making them in the studio? Would they have come with finished product or a bit of both?

Dave As far as the Wailers and Scratch is concerned, they would always be writing songs before they would go into the studio. Because at times I would see Bob, them and Scratch. Bob would hum something and Scratch would put two words together, then Bob would come back with two more words, and they would rehearse before they would go into the studio, yeah.

The full interview is available at this link http://www.hilltop61.freeserve.co.uk/intdbarker.html

ONE LOVE RISES AGAIN
The successful One Love: Very Best Of Bob Marley & The Wailers CD has recently been re-issued as a limited edition 2 CD set. Alongside the original 20 track selection, the set now boasts a bonus CD featuring an assortment of cuts taken from the current re-issue campaign, as well as the first fully official release of Who Colt The Game

This track was recorded at Lee Perry's fabled Black Ark studio in 1978, and has long been a favourite of the hardcore Marley-philes. Although the track had previously been released on a CD single from Australia, and as part of a Lee Perry boxset from Jet Star, this release differs in featuring the fully completed mix for the first time.

Although sound quality on the track is not perfect, the historical value of the song makes it a worthy inclusion on the set. What we do need to ask ourselves however is this: is it just a cynical milking of the Marley fans desire to possess every release, or is it a genuine attempt to keep Bob's image in the public eye?

The One Love album has already been a big hit for the record company following it's initial release in May this year, so a further limited edition 5 months on would certainly point to Island treating Marley as a mere cash cow. It would appear that the company have one eye on the lucrative Christmas market, and the limited edition release has already seen the album climb back up the charts. Another point to consider is the new release of I Know A Place on single. Why this new 5 track single has not appeared until now is also a mystery, as it would have made more sense for it to tie in with the albums original release back in May. Would it not also have made more sense (to the fans at least) to include Who Colt The Game on this new single? It would save the fans who have already paid out for the One Love album needing to shell out again for the new edition, and just get the single instead.

It should also be pointed out that the original 1978 version of I Know A Place has still not been released by Island/Tuff Gong. Will we wait another few months for an even more limited edition of One Love featuring that?

Putting aside all discontentment for a moment, we can now examine the bonus disc further. There are 13 tracks in all, all arranged in chronological order with the exception of Who Colt The Game, and arguably the 1983 remix of Rastaman Live Up (originally cut in 1978). Sound quality is better than ever on these tracks, although the beginning of Rebel Music was clipped - a travesty given that these are the newly remastered versions.

Punky Reggae Party makes it's way onto album for the first time, and it is also a first time on CD for this particular mix extended version - the previous CD outing, on the Easy Skanking single, featured a slightly variant mix.

The overall package makes for a fantastic collection, and leaves the old Legend compilation looking rather weak by comparison. For anyone still lacking a Bob Marley & The Wailers compilation, now is the time to buy. For the more comitted fan it is just another reason to buy what you already own.

I KNOW A PLACE CD RELEASED
Tying in with the re-issued One Love album comes the belated issue of the I Know A Place remix on single. Although various promos have been in circulation since May, it is only now that the Secret Agents remix of Bob's almost lost Black Ark gem has gained general releases. The single comes with 5 remixes, featuring the Peter Hoff and Bedroom Rockers versions we mentioned last month, and further mixes from the Fresca Boys and Felix J. Gauder.

Although track 1 is listed as the "original version", it is sadly not the original Lee Perry production, but merely the Secret Agents remix from the album.

EXODUS: THE DELUXE MOVEMENT OF JAH PEOPLE
It has been nearly twenty five years since Bob Marley gave us the gift of Exodus, an album so magnificent in scope that Time magazine named it the album of the century. "Every song is a classic, from the messages of love to the anthems of revolution," Time wrote of Exodus. "But more than that, the album is a political and cultural nexus, drawing inspiration from the Third World and then giving voice to it the world over."

The album was recorded in early 1977 in London, during the long cold winter. More than 20 tracks were recorded during these sessions, ten of which were subsequently selected and issued for the Exodus album released on June 3rd, 1977 and the remaining material used for Kaya a year later.

The sound quality is improved due to the re-mastering from the original master tapes (as are the rest of the re-mastered albums). Carly's hi-hat never sounded clearer. The way Natural Mystic fades in sounds even better than on the original release. The exact same running order as the original release, featuring all the classics from Exodus, to Jammin to Waiting In Vain to One Love. A fantastic mixture of militancy, love songs, social commentary and personal feelings and stories.

Roots is the first bonus track; originally issued as the B-Side of the Waiting In Vain 7" single released in 1977. It was finally given an album release when it was included on the Rebel Music album issued in 1986.

The song was originally recorded and laid down in 1976 at Harry J's Studio as part of the Rastaman Vibration sessions. These were originally recorded on 16-track tape, but were then overdubbed and recast after being transferred to 24-track tapes in England during the January/February sessions. Originally recorded with guitarists Earl Chinna Smith and Don Kinsey, but the released version features Junior Marvin on lead guitar. As the track fades out you can hear Bob stretching out the last note for as long as possible, so long that it almost becomes a little out of tune!

A demo of the tender love song Waiting In Vain follows, previously unreleased. This alternate version is quite different to the album version. The track features the I-Three's providing backing vocals (these backing vocals were used on the Dreams of Freedom album) and a different vocal take by Bob. Bob seemingly more animated and playful, adding new lyrics and phrasing. Again Junior takes centre stage for an extended solo alongside a great piano bridge from Tyrone midway through.

The Jammin' 12" version was also released on the Songs of Freedom boxset in 1992. A longer, initially leaner, eventually an epic. A thick chunky dub Bob's lyrics echoing in and out punctauting the thumping rhythm.

The previously unreleased instrumental version of Jammin' follows. The intro is loose, drum and bass, the instruments all come in one by one, the tempo building until we reach the familiar rhythm.

The instrumental version of Exodus closes disc one. Originally released in 1977 as the flip of the 7". This is the first time the instrumental has been released on CD and the sound quality is far superior to what we have become acustomed to from the vinyl release. You can almost hear the Twelve Tribes marching in the rhythm.

The first track on disc two is a live version of The Heathen, taken from the June 4th, 1977 Rainbow concert that was released officially by Island on video. On the official release however, the intro was edited out, the track starting 25 seconds into the song, the intro has been restored here and features a nice bluesy guitar lick from Junior and a great bubbling keyboard lick or two from Tyrone as the crowd clap in unison. After a pyrotechnical guitar solo from Junior, Bob breaks away from the mic and starts dancing on the spot, almost jogging from side to side with his guitar tucked under his arm, as if he was going to do battle with his guitar as his weapon. Bob calling for the embattled, poverty-stricken soldiers of blackness to rise again and drive back the heathen. A fast paced jam as the crowd clap, whistle and cheer Bob on alongside the throbbing drum and bass for company. Intense and uplifting.

Bob sounds menacing and militant on Crazy Baldheads with the I- Three's supplying angelic harmonies. Bob; the rhythm master, keeping the band in check. Tyrone's organ swirls throughout the mix. "Here comes the con-man, coming with his con plan, we won't take no bribe, we've got to stay alive" then from out of no where Bob slips effortless into Running Away, repeating the familiar mantra over and over, much to the surprise of the crowd on hand, something new, something unreleased. The rest of the band drop out leaving just Carly and Fams' drum and bass before Bob takes a deep breath pausing for thought. Bob changing his vocal phrasing as only he can. "You can run but you can't hide, throw away the false pride" . The one-drop rhythm set by the Barrett brothers as Bob drops seemlessly back into Crazy Baldhead for a few lines before fading out.

Why these are included bemuses me somewhat as neither fit in with the album as they were released on Rastaman Vibration and Kaya, even though Running Away was recorded as part of the Exodus sessions, it was not released until a year later on Kaya. Another niggle is that they are banded together and not given different track indexes.

A thumping intro starts War followed by Fams' pulsating basslines. Bob's vocal delivery is deliberate, passionate and purposeful. "Reach out and touch War!" cries Bob. The transition from War into No More Trouble is really fantastic with Bob singing "Some crying, some dying, some fighting for freedom, some crying, war in the war in the war in the war in the war, war in the war in the war, in the war, hey, we don't need, I would say in a long time" followed by some scratchy guitar licks from Junior. Bob starts to scat and wail as we are accustomed too. Fams' basslines are thumping as they bounce off the walls of the Rainbow.

Unfortunately War/No More Trouble are again banded together (why they weren't given separate tracks is beyond me). This version is taken from the June 3rd Rainbow show (not June 4th as the liner notes read).

Count Prince Miller introduces the band for Jammin (again taken from the June 3rd Rainbow show) as Tyrone adds some wailing organ licks from the outset. A pretty standard version actually with Bob's improvisations being kept to a minimum, though there are a few moments when Bob breaks out into some great scatting (I really hope you like it, cause I really like it and hope you like it too), especially to close the track (I hope you like you, I'll never turn my back on you, hope you really hope you really like it, cause I never ever, never ever, never ever turn my back on you) all delivered over a fantastic drum beat laid down by Carly.

A 13 minute musical feast for fans to devour is served in the shape of a live version of Exodus. A spell binding classic. There are just so many improvisations that it would be impossible to list them all. There is a fast fast dubby chunky intro before Bob runs up to the mic wailing and scatting away. Bob was certainly in high spirits and in another realm with a painting of Haile Selassie pearing over Bob's shoulder.

One of the real highlights is when Bob starts a freedom chant. Halfway through the song he starts to sing "singing about my freedom, alright freedom, oh lord have friend, talking bout my freedom, alright freedom, singing 'bout freedom". Bob even tries to get the I-Three's to sing louder and keep up with him before he starts trying out different vocal phrasing whilst singing "Movement, movement". Bob then starts to scat and repeat lyrics over to great effect. "Will I ever, will I ever, get a chance. Open your, open your, open your, open your eyes". The entire crowd swaying along with Bob.

The I-Three's start the "freedom chant" again as Bob wails off mic, dancing across the stage as Carly picks up the pace, the band jamming at a frenetic pace. Count Prince Miller comes onstage to signal the end of the show. Bob lets out a loud yell as he leaves the stage the 3,000 sell out crowd give Bob a standing ovation as he dances off stage, the natural mystic blowing through the air.

During the mid-seventies Perry continued to work with Bob on occasion; thus when he arrived in England, he called Marley and asked him to voice a new song he was working on called Punky Reggae Party.

Bob liked the basic idea. After reworking the lyrics, the two recorded the song with a sparse band featuring members of Third World and Aswad, two other reggae bands signed to Island Records at the time.

First recorded on July 23, 1977 and mixed on August 8, but Perry was not satisfied with the result. Perry took the multi-track tape back to Jamaica where he overdubbed new drum, bass and keyboard parts, additional backing vocals by Watty Burnett and the Meditations, and horns from the Zap Paw horn section. Then he arranged in late August to meet Bob in Miami, where Marley revoiced the revised rhythm track. The song was mixed in Miami and issued in Jamaica on Marley's Tuff Gong label. Perry took the tape back to his own Black Ark Studio in Jamaica where he remixed the track himself and issued his version on the Black Ark label. Island Records subsequently issued the Miami mix as the flip side of the original single release of Jamming.

It is so refreshing to hear such a clean recording, taken direct from the master tapes and free of the pops and clicks adorning the vinyl release.

Bob really lets go towards the end, scatting and improvising and basically making up words and lyrics as he went along. Caught up in the emotion and musical creation and flow. Bob even throws in a few "Oinks" for good measure. As this has been taken from the original master tapes there is an additional 15 seconds at the end with Bob singing "a war, a war, a war" bringing the track to a close.

The dub follows closely. The Zap Pow horns (Vin Gordon, Glen Da Costa and David Madden) featuring throughout as Bob's vocals punctuating in and out of the mix backed by the Meditations singing "Oink, Oink" alongside the glorious harmonies of the I-Three's. Such a great rhythm, mixed by Scratch with bursts of genuis. Sly Dunbar provides the drum beat whilst Perry himself provides percussion.

Produced by Lee Perry and recorded with musicians including Drummie of Aswad, Richie Daley, Cat Coore and Ibo Cooper of Third World. Originally recorded by the Wailers in 1971 for Scratch and re-recorded in London 1977. Keep On Moving now takes on a new significance during Bob's enforced exile in London. Bob names his children and talks about performing a big stage show at Ward upon his return home ("Tell Ziggy I'm fine and to keep Cedella in line, cause we soon go home a we yard. Tell Auntie I'm fine and to keep Tartar in line, we gonna have one big stage so at Ward"). Bob even talks about his finances "I'll send you a cheque through the post, though you did not get the first, I'll send another to quench your thirst". This raw mix has a thicker, chunkier feel. "I've got to keep on moving, where I can't be found".

This 1977 "London version" was first issued in 1984 on the One Love 12"and later on Songs of Freedom, however the song had been edited and remixed, the version included here is the original raw mix, free of overdubs. A gong is now promenantly featured that was omitted from the Songs Of Freedom release. The version on Songs Of Freedom clocks in at 5:44 whilst this raw recording clocks in almost a minute longer at 6:25.

The previously unreleased dub version is a chunky dubby affair and follows straight on from the vocal cut. A swirling mix that has Lee Perry written all over it. Bob admired Perry on many levels. The Upsetter was one of the very few who could match him in his musical dedication, discipline and talent. Perry knew what he wanted in the studio and would rework his material endlessly to achieve the perfection he heard in his head.

The Advertising promo closes the two CD set. A minute long promo by Bob distributed to radio stations to help promote the album. Bob toasting over Exodus and Waiting In Vain. The way they have been melted together is nice.

The 3 new live versions are simply amazing and really blew me away. However, I can't understand why Crazy Baldheads/Running Away and even War/No MoreTrouble were included when Island still have the masters for all 4 Rainbow shows, including the June 1st show where Bob sang Natural Mystic,Guiltiness and So Much Things To Say, surely these would have been better inclusions.

However the 2 CD set does offer up numerous highlights and a bunch of unreleased recordings thus offering something for all fans both new and old and even the hardened collector. It is great that Punky Reggae Party has finally been issued on CD and in such clean form and the addition of the raw, original, unedited recording of Keep On Moving was a nice touch.

The alternative demo of Waiting In Vain gives fans a chance to hear a vastly different recording to what we have become acustomed too and gives us an insight into just what they hold in the vaults. The unreleased Jammin' instrumental made for a great inclusion alongside the Exodus instrumental, released on CD for the first time.

That being said the album leaves you wanting more because Island have shown what can possibly be done, the live tracks whilst fantastic make me wish Island would release either one of the Rainbow shows in full or a Best Of.. compilation from all the nights at the Rainbow instead of offering us teases here and there.

This gets two thumbs up from us and is one of the very few highlights of Island's re- issue campaign. A mixed bag that works surprisingly well.

The packaging also deserves praise. Like the other releases in this Deluxe series, the CDs are presented in a fold out card sleeve enclsosed in a plastic outer case. The inner features some familiar pictures from the Rainbow concert, and the front cover re-instates the embossed lettering that was printed flat on previous CD issues.

The booklet includes an informative liner note from Leroy Jodie Pierson, as well as lyrics to all the songs. Another improvement is the use of mark resistent gold paper, which unlike previous editions leaves no fingermarks when you thumb through the pages.

We were rather disappointed when we first heard of what Island planned to include on this release some months ago, but with some strong additional material they have turned a potential let down into a real winner.

AL ANDERSON STEPS DOWN
Lead guitar maestro Al Anderson has decided to leave the currently touring Wailers band. Anderson, who first played with the Wailers on 1974's Natty Dread album, decided to step down from his latest stint with the group when he decided that he was beginning to feel the strain from years of touring. The current band line still features Aston "Familyman" Barrett on bass, and Earl "Wya" Lindo on keyboards. Gary "Nesta" Pine is the Wailers current lead vocalist. We wish Al all the very best with his future ventures.

FIKISHA CUMBO
New York journalist, photographer and reggaephile Fikisha Cumbo followed Bob and Peter's lives closely from 1975 onwards, getting the chance to sit down and conduct indepth interviews with them both in New York and Jamaica through the years.

Fikisha had the good fotune of attending their New York shows and photographed them both extensively. She has taken all of her memories and experiences and included them in a jam packed book tentatively titled Bob Marley & Peter Tosh: GET UP! STAND UP! Diary of a Reggaeophile.

The book is scheduled to have 19 chapters with an appendix. This book is written primarily for fans of the two giants. The Foreword of the book is written by Bob's friend and fellow musician Roberta Flack.

The book will contain a sampling of Fikisha's photographs of the two, taken during rehearsals, concert, interview and in Jamaica. A portion of Fikisha's 1975 interview with Bob at the Barbizon Plata Hotel in New York on June 20, 1975 was transcribed in the Reggae King of The World book. Her debut article on Bob was included in Circus magazine 1976 and her photos of Peter taken in Jamaica 1977 were used on the cover of the November 1977 issue of Head Magazine with a story about him inside. Peter would carry this magazine all around Jamaica with him when it came out as it was one of, if not the first big article on him.

The book will hopefully be printed and published next year and is shaping up to be one of the finest ever reggae releases giving fans a chance to share her personal experiences and what life on the road with Bob and Peter was really like.

A JOURNEY INTO ONE LOVE
ONE LOVE PRESS is pleased to announce the release of an exciting new book, RASTA HEART: A JOURNEY INTO ONE LOVE, on Rastas, Bob Marley and Jamaica. You can order the book or read it free on-line or at www.rastaheart.com. The site also includes pictures and quotes from many of the Rastas featured in the book.

FROM THE BACK COVER: "Riveting... An incredible adventure that reveals the true essence of Rasta!" Dr. Dennis Forsythe author of Rastafarians:The Healing of the Nations. Since his passing in 1981, Bob Marley's music, like tribal drumming, has been sending out a message of love and freedom for all humanity. Twenty years later, Julia and Robert Roskind traveled to Jamaica to learn more about Rastafari-the people and philosophy that inspired his music. Their life-changing odyssey through the towns, villages and mountains of this beautiful island, revealed not only the Rasta way of life but an ancient mystery as well. RASTA HEART is truly a journey into One Love.

FIELD MARSHALL RE- ISSUED
Peter's 1975 instrumental recordings Field Marshall and No Partial have been re-pressed on the UK PK label in limited quantities on a 10" single. The original pressing was available in very small amounts.