Bob Marley and the Wailers

When Bob Marley died in May 1981, popular music lost one of its most creative forces. His influence was immense. During the Seventies he took a little known type of Caribbean music called Reggae and made it a household name. It as a remarkable achievement. The son of a British naval officer and a Jamaican lady, Marley made his first single in 1961 when he was only 16. A couple of years later he formed a vocal group, christening them the Wailers. They soon became local heroes for the young in Jamaica. His first glimpse of a more international audience came when the singer Johnny Nash arrived in Jamaica scouting for new talent. The result as that he took Bob to Sweden where Marley helped Nash write the score for a movie in which Nash had a part. Later on, Nash enjoyed a sizeable hit single with one of Bob's compositions, Stir It Up. In 1969 Marley began working with the gifted Jamaican producer, Lee 'Scratch' Perry. It was an extraordinarily fruitful relationship and produced music that was new, passionate and provocative. It was also around this time that Marley became a sincere and committed Rastafarian. From now on his music was to have a profound significance for his audience. The next big step was to sign a deal with the major record company, Island. Their marketing expertise and Marley's musical might guaranteed success and the ball was set in motion in 1973 when Marley's first Island LP, Catch a Fire, as released. There was now no looking back and not only did Marley's reputation grow but so did his influence on rock music. This cassette charts one of the last live concerts given by Bob Marley and the Wailers. They play many of Marley's most acclaimed songs, like Exodus, Stand Up For Your Rights and Ambush in the Night. It is a fitting tribute to the man's genius.