1981 page 16 daily nebraskan friday, September 11,

uuu Abdicated king ofreggae wails andphilosophizes Tosh's Lincoln stop Reggae must realize , rocked 'n' rastafarized spiritual potential-Tos- h By Pat Higgins By Casey McCabe

Peter Tosh, the most popular figure in reggae music to- Walking around backstage, Peter Tosh is visibly tired. day, delivered an excellent performance Wednesday night He's in the middle of the longest reggae rout ever under- before an enthusiastic crowd of approximately 2,000. taken, 55 cities and 75 shows ending Oct. 27 in Florida. Tosh's latest album, Wanted: Dread and Alive is up to But despite the fatigue brought on by a cross-countr- y No. 50 on the Rolling Stone magazine charts, which is bus tour, Tosh is ever alert to the motivation behind it: higher than any other authentic reggae act has done (ex- to expose as many people as possible to the hypnotic cluding the Police, etc.) spiritualism of reggae. So far it has been an unqualified success. Halls all oyer America and Europe have been selling out and celebrities pop up at almost every show; Stevie Wonder, John reuieiv McEnroe, Chris Reewes, Ben Vereen, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Angela Davis, the O'Jays, Ryan O'Neal and Farrah Fawcett are just a few of the curious cross-sectio- n. The fact is that reggae is hot and the consensus from the fans, Tosh is such a concerted effort to making conquer the press and his peers is that Peter Tosh is the top of the Babylon that he is touring the United States to an extent that he even Auditorium. heap. played Pershing This status has been giving Tosh ome anxiety. Despite was in its best with a curtain Pershing form, however, the accolades that in about lis dynamic live per- down the middle that created an aura of and pour intimacy, formances, Tosh takes offense to tl e headlines proclaim- not incidentally, a better sound. The management literally ing him the new King of Reggae. rolled out the red carpet for Tosh. The only drawbacks were the reserved seating, which together with the efficient usherettes hindered attempts No king needed to dance until the end. Also the concession stands ran out "Reggae don't need no king," says Tosh, tucking his , .vs j tootsy. of beer 20 minutes into the opening set. Critic Lester dreadlocks underneath a crocheted beret. "Reggae needs 4 i Bangs once wrote that he wanted to lead a drinking w y potential and qualities. If you can't bring music spiritu- branch of Rastafarians on an exodous back to the Sea- I I tV-- - .vW ally what can you be in reggae?" gram's distillery in Ontario. From the anguished moans, a The circumstances behind Tosh's coronation by the good portion of the audience would have followed Bangs. press may be the most unsettling. The previous "King" of reggae, Bob Marley, died of brain cancer this summer. lei Along with Tosh and Bunny (Livingston) Wailer they formed the most influential The Wailers. Marley heir reggae group, The arose out of the confines of Jamaica in the Tosh carries a lot of emotional baggage as the heir ap- group sixties to attain worldwide in the last parent to the late Bob Marley, who was the first Third early recognition decade. After dissolving their original form in 1974, Tosh World pop star. Tosh and Marley were associated together went on to record solo albums with a stronger political in the Wailers and co-wro- te Tosh years ago, many songs. bent than that of Marley's, and gained a respectable fol- did include one Wailers song, "Get Up, Stand Up," at the lowing of his own. close of his first set. It was the highlight of the evening "The audiences are different because those with a memorable opening riff, and the overtly political today days the are a time Tosh. "Those lyrics had everyone singing along. (with Wailers) long ago," says days we were experimenting on the music to make the Before the show Tosh was roller skates and a Photo by Jon Natvig sporting music have its right potential . . . learning off the synco- Porsche But on he wore a suit Peter Tosh racing jacket. stage running pation within the beat of the music." in the colors of the which fit his Ethiopian flag image leave to be desired. For a as architect." somewhat better. casionally something instance, "I've been graduate of reggae music, an two songs were simply paeans to marijuana; "Legalize It," Tosh explains. "So I know what it takes in this time to As could have easily been predicted, the seven-piec- e which is not to be confused with the other one "Legal- make the compulsion in the music that people have to back-u- p band was incredibly tight. The guitar player cut ize Marijuana." Not to be heretical, but this is 1981, after accept. all. What next, flowers in you hair? "Once a in the of the Wailers, Is-le- upon time, days people loose with some solos worthy of Jimi Hendrix or Emie y. When Tosh opened for the Stones in 1978 he made a used to love the music the same way. But we are getting However, the rhythm section was dominant as they point of lighting up during "Legalize It." He didn't do across to more people now because we'll have more laid the beat. can than a down big Nobody play better that here, which may be a tribute to our boys in blue. reggae music on' the radios. Lots of people have heard of bunch of Rastamaniacs cooking away. Tosh's performance concentrated on his recent solo Bob Marley since he was dead, not when he was alive. fine were Tosh danced like an athlete, as he would run in place work. Particularly "Walk, Don't Run," which "I am not no king you see, because I don't want no was with Mick The or make soccer-styl- e moves. Hewas aided by a cordless mi- originally sung Jagger. band more than dead man's title." him all handled the harmonies. Man," with crophone that allowed to wander over the stage. adequately "Mystic Foregoing any titles. Tosh's stature in the reggae world its and anti-har- d was spiritual message drug lyrics very s, is still impressive. Other acts such as Toots and the May-tail- More The first encore Razor" was a motivated powerful. "Steppin' great Burning Spear and Jimmy Cliff are headliners in The act was local favorites Blue boast of a opening Riddum, and threatening song. their own right, yet have opened for Tosh at various they had a fine set which pulled an enthusiastic encore. . It was culturally mind boggling to watch the 99 per- shows. While Tosh admits he doesn't follow the music Blue Riddum more motivated than normal- cent white in Hawaiian shirts and Topsi-der- s, appeared they audience, many of many reggae bands, he is warmed by the growing sense ly are at a club. singing along with Tosh's revolutionary message. of community. Tosh's music is powerful, of course, but the lyrics oc-- Nonetheless everybody had a good time. "There are plenty reggae bands out there who are try- ing to keep this thing together," he explains. "But it takes spiritual activities you know, rei just trying to be a super- star or be in the limelight. By the time they get in the Guest clashes with new trenders limelight, their phone get off the hook." What Tosh asks of reggae musicians is to concentrate "It's your party and I'll cry if I want to . . ." "Listen, I don't think we belong here ... I mean, it's on the "spiritual potential" of the music, a phrase he used For the first time in years I was stranded without a car. like I left my Twister game at home, you know what I repeatedly. Reggae music, he says, should speak of the I was in the company of my two friends, Tim and Nancy, mean?" Rastafarian religion, of truth, of rights, of a quiet distri- who, carrying the majority vote, decided to attend a "new "Hey, no problem . . Twister?" bution of the earth's resources, of the Creator, and of trend" type party. "You know what? A blue ducky diaper pin would real- reality. Because reggae speaks of these values it is often ly go well with your eyes." labelled political music, an unnecessary title according to "Hey , you're a fry to the max man." Tosh. "I'm a fry . . . you must be a poach, this is my friend Nancy, she's a broil and her fiance Tim he's a micro- ft. wave." Being outspoken mm& uos "What they call is "Too much man." political just being outspoken, just speaking the truth," he says. will have to realize A girl covered with and razor blades cut "They slogan pins that people is people and demand their constitu- us and entered the crowded Her people As we walked down the leafy sidewalk, the loud, steely past living room. pink tional rights, respective of who is the ruler." hair into the smoke. music came rolling towards us . . . "love stinks" ... I disappeared Tosh has seen the opression in his native and ."A-do-do-d- Jamaica, Tim started old . . o, knew then that the evening ahead of me would be shared singing nursery songs once again saw the seeds of revolt on a recent I leave. England with The Cars, The Police, Metermaids, etc. knew it was time to tour during the Brixton and I would love Liverpool, Birmingham up- Tim, cant you get your hair to stand up?" "Tim, Nancy, to stay here, I really would, risings.' I mean is my favorite color. But to be real honest . . . We rang the bell ... we knocked. At last a sledgeham- pink 'The reason why these is after I this I mean I could be this things happen people, mer to the door brought forth a young man who was the hate party. vacuuming very years of will take it know? oppression, no more . . . whert their proud owner of a safety pin . . . which he wore with digni- moment, you backs are against the wall." - I think the in his right nostril.- "Not only that, party down the street has Tosh's belief in the ty cheese-flavore- power and spirit of his music is d nachos, and if we we can still My friend could no longer contain herself. "Hi, my hurry catch unquestioned. In fact belief is too weak a it the continuation of dead air on Channel 3. If word for him. name's Nancy, whip it, whip good." you guys are "Belief is 50 percent of doubt," he too embarrassed to say anything, I'll tell that that says. "Knowledge I too, could not contain myself, "Shutup Nancy. Hi, just guy is to know, it means you are certain of what to deal with. the pains are six minutes apart and if that doesn't my name's not important, is this Buffy's 'Welcome State ... I know reggae is an ancient music, millions of old. work 111 tell him that . . .that . . .that years Fair party?" just "mama told me It need no influence ... nor does the sun, nor the breeze what? not to come." nor the sea ; "Say need influence. So is reggae music."