ISSUE #10 OCT 2014 M A G A Z I N E ROOTS / ROCK / REGGAE / RESPECT The Life, Spirit and Legacy of “Legalize It PETER TOSH, OM And I Will STEPPING RAZOR Advertise It.” IRIEMAG.COM OCTOBER / 2014 “ In the beginning there was the word. The word was Jah. The word is in I, Jah is in I. I make what is good, better, and what is better, best. I follow this in every aspect of life.” - Peter Tosh Nicholas “Nico” Da Silva Founder/Editor in Chief IRIEMAG.COM ROOTS. ROCK. REGGAE. Stepping Razor Bush Doctor Peter Tosh, OM I Am That I Am Legalize Marijuana October 19, 1944 – September 11, 1987 RESPECT. REWIND. RIDDIMS. Kindah Reasoning Irie Trax One Family Fikisha Cumbo & Bunny ‘Striker’ Lee Peter Tosh @ The Pier, NYC 1983 TABLE OF CONTENT. JAM ROOTS. STEPPING RAZOR I Am, That I Am STEPPING RAZOR I AM THAT I AM Biography FOLLOW Peter Tosh I’m not in this world to live up to your expectations Neither are you here to live up to mine, yeah I don’t owe no one no obligation No I don’t mean noneSo everything is fine, fine I said, “I am that I am, I am, I am, I am” PETER TOSH, I AM THAT I AM Peter Tosh was more than a luminary in the development of reggae music. He was the ultimate firebrand, speaking out against oppression around the world in both his songs and his public statements. He was a man who demonstrated the power of personal and artistic integrity, and pride and defiance in the face of authoritarian power. His music’s insurrectionary fervor has inspired artists of all stripes, from reggae disciples to punk-rock acolytes like The Clash. Born Winston Hubert McIntosh in the rural parish of Westmoreland, Jamaica, in 1944, he moved to the notorious slum of Trenchtown at age 16. His mother strongly influenced him, and her sensibility would become apparent in both his lyrics and views; she was particularly concerned that he have a Christian upbringing. He attended the local church daily, and his experience there – singing in the WEBSITE choir and learning to play the organ – formed a sort of musical apprenticeship that prepared him for his subsequent career. petertosh.com Peter also sought refuge from the rigors of poverty in pop music, notably the R&B and doo-wop beamed to the Caribbean by stations in Florida and Louisiana. Having cultivated his guitar skills IRIEMAG.COM and his expressive baritone vocals, he began percussion and other instrumentation formed playing with fellow Trenchtown roughnecks the foundation of the Wailers’ sound and Bob Marley and Neville ‘Bunny’ Livingstone in essentially set the course of reggae music. He the early 1960s. As he never knew his father, was also a prolific and powerful songwriter, his he came to see the group as his first real family militant perspective offering a bracing contrast and his bandmates as his brothers. to Marley’s more reassuring tone. In a sense he FOLLOW Peter Tosh played Lennon to his bandmate’s McCartney. This nexus was the very earliest seed of the Wailers, who scored a #1 hit in 1964 with the This was borne out in his solo work, especially ska jam ‘Simmer Down.’ The band’s affinity for in such stirring songs as the purposeful plaint American soul and gospel was further ignited ‘Equal Rights,’ the unstoppable unity anthem by a burgeoning interest in global rhythms and ‘African,’ the ganja manifesto ‘Legalize It’ and the teachings of the Rastafarian religion. his mesmerizing, indelible take on Joe Higgs’ ‘Stepping Razor.’ The latter title was also one As the ’60s wound down—and world political of Tosh’s nicknames (alongside Bush Doctor, consciousness heated up—the Wailers pio- The Toughest and other monikers) – a highly neered a new musical direction: slower than fitting one, given the slashing wit of his word- ska and rock steady, this new sound combined play, the keenness of his intellect, and the cool thick grooves with more socially relevant lyrics slice of his guitar. “I’m dangerous,” Tosh sang (strongly informed by the tenets of Rastafari). on the latter song, and as everyone from local What we now recognize as modern reggae toughs to government enforcers would come was born. to understand, he wasn’t kidding. Tosh was the backbone and heartbeat of the His work trumpeted freedom and the struggle Wailers as well the group’s most accomplished against injustice, and he emphasized the musician – and a constant in the band through- connection between music and revolution by out the arrivals and departures of his musical toting a guitar in the shape of an M-16 rifle. brethren. His tireless guitar, keyboards, Hounded, beaten and jailed by Jamaican IRIEMAG.COM authorities, Tosh never backed down or soft-pedaled his views. But he often expressed those views with humor, and was capable of lighthearted surprise as much as full-voiced outrage: an accomplished unicyclist, he often pedaled onstage, to the delight of his audiences. FOLLOW Peter Tosh His playful side and irrepressible charisma proved especially charming to women; Tosh’s reputation as a ladies’ man was well deserved. Among the causes about which he spoke most eloquently and campaigned most tirelessly: the peril of nuclear weapons, the injustice of Apartheid (he was the first major songwriter to discuss the issue openly), and the benefits of legalizing marijuana. He felt music was a vital tool in all these struggles, and to that end performed count- less benefit concerts (including the Youth Consciousness performances in Jamaica, designed to galvanize young Jamaicans against violence and toward political enfranchisement) and established a ‘Rasta Reggae Radio’ station in Jamaica to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. Peter also joined such megastars as Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne, James Taylor, the Doobie Brothers and Bonnie Raitt IRIEMAG.COM for the celebrated ‘No Nukes’ concerts mounted for Best Reggae Performance in 1987 for by MUSE (Musicians United for Safe Energy) ‘No Nuclear War’ – just months after he was in 1979, which ultimately became a successful murdered in a controversial home-invasion album and film. Rolling Stone declared the robbery. Though his life was snuffed out by performances “a stunning testimony to the violence, his star continued to shine ever depth of the shared beliefs of the generation brighter in the ensuing years. FOLLOW Peter Tosh which came of age in the sixties.” Unlike his U.S. peers, however, Tosh frequently put himself in “Truth has been branded outlaw and illegal,” danger as a result of his activism – especially Tosh’s voice declared on an audiotape found his constant needling of Jamaica’s rulers. after his demise. “It is dangerous to have the truth in your possession. You can be found But Tosh’s vision wasn’t limited to changing guilty and sentenced to death.” laws and reducing weapons. In “African,” he offers a moving testimony to shared roots, Peter Tosh’s example, as both artist and declaring, ‘Don’t care where you come from/As activist, continues to inspire creators and long as you’re a black man, you’re an African.’ idealists around the world. He was and is The song’s passionate demand that black a true leader whose music and message people ignore the shades of their ‘plection’ inspires people on every continent and celebrate their common origins continues throughout the world. to resonate powerfully. ‘Get Up, Stand Up,’ which he co-wrote, became the anthem of Amnesty International. Tosh hit the global charts with the classic- soul cover ‘Walk, Don’t Look Back,’ his smash duet with Mick Jagger (and became the first artist to sign with Rolling Stone Records), and was awarded a posthumous Grammy Award IRIEMAG.COM Celebrate 420 everyday! JAM ROCK. BUSH DOCTOR Legalize Marijuana BUSH DOCTOR Legalize Marijuana By Nicholas Da Silva FOLLOW Peter Tosh “Legalize Marijuana, Down here in Jamaica Only cure for asthma, I man a de Minister (of the Herb) So there’ll be no more Police brutality No more disrespect for humanity” PETER TOSH, BUSH DOCTOR The year was 1974 when Peter Tosh, a founding member of the Wailers (1963-1974), left the group who were already without Bunny Wailer, to pursue a solo career. The gifted musician cited (among other things) the unfair treatment and disproportionate payments they received from Chris Blackwell, whom Tosh often referred to publicly as ‘Christopher Whiteworst’. As he embarked on his solo journey, the world would soon discover that Peter Tosh was more than just a musician. Tosh was a messenger, a philosopher, a revolutionary, a cannabis crusader and an ambassador for Rastafarianism. The uplifting music that Tosh created, were more than just songs; they were powerful messages of equality and justice. Tosh spoke out against police brutality and government corruption. He spoke out against apartheid and segregation, demanding equal rights and justice for every man. He even advocated for the legalization of Marijuana. Tosh didn’t just talk WEBSITE the talk; he walked the walk. petertosh.com When Tosh wrote his songs, he did so spiritually enlightened by the herb; Marijuana. To smoke the herb gave him great inspiration. He believed and preached that Marijuana was the healing of the nation. IRIEMAG.COM Legalize It In September 1976, Peter Tosh released his first solo album,Legalize It. The album’s title track instantly became FOLLOW an anthem for supporters Peter Tosh of marijuana legalization, Reggae music lovers and Rastafarians worldwide. It also catapulted Tosh to international fame. Legalize It Peter wrote the song 1976 not only as a response to the constant victimization he received at the hands of the Jamaican police every time he wanted ‘a little draw of herb’ but also as a push for the legalization of Marijuana, in particular, for medicinal use.