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from being a hippy or whatever it IT HAD to happen. was to now " Stardom and 'Bob Marley So I could become a Were nside for each other. Rastafarian' And been "lf you k now the way. it's happening. "You got poeple who do It Slowly but surely over the because It's trendy or because last two years. you get plenty girls, but that's not The word's been spreading the real thing." say about Bob and his Wailers on But what about people who record, what with evangelists like they can be Rastas wl thout Eric Clapton helping things along growing dreadlocks and Nearing ) (and no doubt making a few bob the clothes - people like Toots in the process) via I Shot The Hibbert lot the Maytalal, a Thingy. deeply religious man who seems All It needed was the man very suspicious of the recent himself to, er. make the word Rasta explosion? flesh, as they say in the good "Plenty people can say that paperback_ because them don't want to do it- Anyway, as you may recall. "But it shouldn't be a thing Bob and his ladles and gents about the guy who wear thifl" (he finally made It over this summer indicates his locks) "and the guy and proved that not only is he a who don't wear It. It should be master of catchy melody and one whole thing for everybody." compelling rhythm, but that he Is the Rasta life and situation and his band can also cut it real the most important stimulus in good on stage. your writing? Flash bulbs popped, tape "The living business, lifestyle recorders clicked, and Wailers and situation, all of it. albums sold by the truckload ''But you get the Ideas All that remained was a chart anywhere ... most of my songs, single - Island Records them gone hurriedly re - issued Natty This last word comes out like a Dread. which had sunk like a sad sigh. stone a few months earlier and it . "Most of my best songs them . . sank 'Ikea stone. . gone. , " he repeats. Still. all good things come to he "Come to me in the day and me who hangs about, and the,live No no have a tape recorder and me Woman No Cry has broken the put It on the guitar but it. . gone final barrier to total Wailer ...._ / sits! Chao - choo . .. never acceptance in Queen Elizabeth's get It again." domain. "But then them come back in So on. having undertaken the ) tickle pieces. It gone out of your obligatory spot of recaidtration memorance, but after a while" (that's walking backwards for (he snaps his fingers) "you get a those who forgot to bung their tickle piece of it " dictionaries) let's zoom In on Now BOB MARLEY and 'dread locks". It started as 'Knotty Head'; and then aMaican street slang Is it worrying that Jamaican made it "natty dread'; and then dread locks. You get the effect by not combing them, ever. audiences might turn away from Bob. . Bob? the Wailers as they roll on Oh dear - appears Bob's not in towards inevitable super- right now Too busy working on' stardom? his next album or something. No strictly commercial point of view when Bob Joined up with that some kind of messianic leader "We - e - II. Let me tell you one matter, we'll simply stick a few is that although they cut a mystical blend of Old Testament, figure in the Caribbean hot - pot? thing, me no believe in this super pages back on the calendar.. . sizeable bag of records back ganja, and revolution known as "Me? business. Me believe in and. . , they presto' home In JA, their music didn't the Rastafarian movement: "No, me can't be a leader, Me righteousness. Ml of a sudden It's the day start to reach a non - Jamaican "Me love the lifestyle. can only say what me can say. "You might find one or two after Bob's triumphant first night audience until the group hitched "I was always a Rasta because Me can't really lead, me to 'ave people who say blab blab boom a at London's Lyceum Ballroom up with Island records couple of Rasta la nothing you become, It's the ability to lead." boom. , . but me dúl't care. and he's elegantly slumping his years back something you have inside of And does he see the return to "Y'see, If 1 come to your house denim clad dancer's body in an Now there are some reggae you." Africa which is a cornerstone of and beg some bread you give me armchair In his hotel room with purists who'll claim that Marley And is there still as much Rasta belief as a practical Idea? the bread, but once me get me an Ice cold drink at his elbow. left his roots behind when he persecution of the Rastas as He does: own bread mebbe you don't want to the Joined Funnily enough no ' He's completely oblivious Island - we've heard? "Me have idea when that know me no more . . mumblings and slurpings of the these people always seem to - "Yeach. Nobody like Rasta," will happen but soon plenty But being a Rasta and a who horde of distraught loonies forget that Marley has always he laughs. people will come together In wealthy pop singer don't seem to scurry ever so respectfully been (and still Is, for all his rebel But they're very peaceful righteousness and help one exacUy go hand in hand, do they? around the perimeter of the five lyrics) primarily a pop writer. people, aren't they? another. Bob laughs: so of cool Caribbean aura Song's like Stir It Up and Guava "People dig people without feet or "Very very peaceful people: - "Me don't make much money, he projects Jelly had been popularised by television and the news and the but my father's God and he own that though, Bob's buddy Johnrry Nash long But you see, people don't love movies and everything. Without Bob Marley's like everything, know what I mean?" those people who before anyone had even heard of Rasta and don't want to accept them telling you which way He's one of Rasta 'cause Rasta say to go, Sorry Bob, must've slipped my could sit in the middle of the field the Wailers. r me know people love people. " mind. Wembley final and Still, let's toss bone wickedness must end. during a cup the of There's only one thing that's But when you really get down to read a book without getting his contention In his direction "And some people do too much really worrying about the it, it doesn't really matter who ( on losing his wickedness and them, don't t foot trodden or,ever anyway Rastafarian movement, and it's anybody) Is fooling who in cool "Nab, I can't see it Because, wanna hear that " this. Rastas say that Babylon Rastaland. What we with counts is that Okay chaps and chapesses, since been Island, we But you've never suggested ( their word for western Bob Marley's most eloquent voice of this scene setting and start doing the musicourseives. civilisation) will enough that violence is the solution .. . destroy itself, is his music and you don't building, you wenna "The music has not really and only the Rasta - have character "Violence -is never the solution. faith will save- to think about what that's saying the big M got to say. changed but before you'd Just go people the hear what Violence 'appen. Violence Is - faith acting like a loo much. In fact, It's quite right? Right. in the studio with some musicians Noah's ark. difficult says Bob. and the first them hear never the solution but I know that to think about anything The next- album, It's time violence must 'appen. Thing Is, will whitey get a ticket at all when the way by the song and they go in the studio for Wailers sing and should be under the trip' play all you have November Right' now all he and play it. "They call themselves peace You can stop sweating. - to do is let it and they deal the It's all make you feel good. wants is to gel back home and "Now we can sit down and officers right, anybody can become a violence," he laughs drily. And feeling good in the start rehearsing rehearse a fickle " Rasta. company significant thing Great tackle Bob baby. On to And how does Marley react to of Bob Marley just The most "That Ls what will happen. happens to be easiest Wailers success from a meatier business then like of his becoming one of the about the - the possibilities That's how the world change things in the world. by Giovanni Dadomo

WARNING TO GROWN UPS ' Dancing to 'RUN, RU N, RUN' by GANG

Can damage your health BTC 1008 See them on 'Look Alive' on ITV Tuesday November 4th ',ENT71 RECORDS