Lee Scratch Perry, Toots and the Maytals and Jimmy Cliff (among others) were also the pioneers of reggae. But Bob was its Elvis. Like there were rock and rollers before Elvis, there were reggae artists before Bob but Bob is still its king based on his popularity and record sales.

I also think you can't overstate the importance of Bob as THE de facto ambassador of the reggae idiom, responsible for awakening the rest of the world to its existence.

He pretty much single handedly paved the way to world popularity not only for himself but for all other reggae artists to come down the pike since.

Bob Marley and the Wailers plus the popularity of the Jamaican movie starring Jimmy Cliff, The Harder They Come burst open the doors and it's been unstoppable ever since.

As Third World testifies in their song, Reggae Ambassador it's known around the world as "the big, big music from the little island."

Mhm, edit that post.

Come on, you changed the name of the thread and deleted the message ... now it seems that all these comments such as "nonsense" and "false" about Bob Marley as an artist .... it's just wrong.

LiLi1992 said:

Come on, you changed the name of the thread and deleted the message ... now it seems that all these comments such as "nonsense" and "false" about Bob Marley as an artist .... it's just wrong.

Dude's got some problems. I quoted him though so people know what his original intent was...

agreed that the OP needs to stick to his guns.

He doesn't have to like Marley, and i can understand why someone would say the music's "weak". Even saying "Marley SUCKS" is cool. He's being provocative, and getting a rise out of us. Good for him.

But don't run away. You've got an opinion, you should fight back!

Mintchip said:

agreed that the OP needs to stick to his guns.

He doesn't have to like Marley, and i can understand why someone would say the music's "weak". Even saying "Marley SUCKS" is cool. He's being provocative, and getting a rise out of us. Good for him.

But don't run away. You've got an opinion, you should fight back!

Once he's gone, you're next.

Mintchip said:

agreed that the OP needs to stick to his guns.

He doesn't have to like Marley, and i can understand why someone would say the music's "weak". Even saying "Marley SUCKS" is cool. He's being provocative, and getting a rise out of us. Good for him.

But don't run away. You've got an opinion, you should fight back!

He didn't get a rise out of me. I personally think he was trolling now. Like me I never backed down from MY opinion. I was going on about Ali and people got upset about that but I didn't change my opinion, then say "Ali sucked" or whatever.

Oh God, Bob was not solely about the music, although I find his music completely infectious. Bob was part of a h-u-g-e conscious political and cultural collective. Best suggestion to really appreciate him, his religion, reggae and of course, his music - is a documentary simply titled 'Marley' produced by his son Ziggy and Chris Blackwell; narrated by his closest friends and family. Jah Rastafari.

Flamefree thread-I won't report you

Hit me with your best shot-Fire away-

Below the belt is allowed(Personal attacks)

Red said:

Oh God, Bob was not solely about the music, although I find his music completely infectious. Bob was part of a h-u-g-e conscious political and cultural collective. Best suggestion to really appreciate him, his religion, reggae and of course, his music - is a documentary simply titled 'Marley' produced by his son Ziggy and Chris Blackwell; narrated by his closest friends and family. Jah Rastafari.

I saw that documentary earlier this year. I got a question, is there more on the DVD that wasn't on the one I saw on VH-1?

Don't know Timmy, never saw the VH1 episode. This one is a couple hours - beginning with walking thru the 'Door of No Return' (enslavery Africa), tons of great video footage, stills and interviews from Wailers, Bob & family and more info on his illness. I wasn't aware that his toe was actually the first sign of cancer with one Dr. advising removal of his entire leg, to one wanting to remove toe only to one saying don't worry about it we'll just remove the nail bed. It was only discovered later that his toe was in fact an early symptom an had he had it removed, he might still be with us. By the time they had discovered the Cancer it was rampidly running thru him from head to toe. Most of us were under the impression Bob died of a 'brain tumor'. Shows the final performance where he asked peeps to stay close as he knew it was possible he'd just collapse on stage, but it was a magical performance with multiple encores. Ending with him flying to Germany to meet with Drs. and believing he could beat it. I also had no idea how strict he was with family (11 children from 7 different women) and his women. Where are all these Marleys?

Timmy84 said:

Red said:

Oh God, Bob was not solely about the music, although I find his music completely infectious. Bob was part of a h-u-g-e conscious political and cultural collective. Best suggestion to really appreciate him, his religion, reggae and of course, his music - is a documentary simply titled 'Marley' produced by his son Ziggy and Chris Blackwell; narrated by his closest friends and family. Jah Rastafari.

I saw that documentary earlier this year. I got a question, is there more on the DVD that wasn't on the one I saw on VH-1?

Red said:

Don't know Timmy, never saw the VH1 episode. This one is a couple hours - beginning with walking thru the 'Door of No Return' (enslavery Africa), tons of great video footage, stills and interviews from Wailers, Bob & family and more info on his illness. I wasn't aware that his toe was actually the first sign of cancer with one Dr. advising removal of his entire leg, to one wanting to remove toe only to one saying don't worry about it we'll just remove the nail bed. It was only discovered later that his toe was in fact an early symptom an had he had it removed, he might still be with us. By the time they had discovered the Cancer it was rampidly running thru him from head to toe. Most of us were under the impression Bob died of a 'brain tumor'. Shows the final performance where he asked peeps to stay close as he knew it was possible he'd just collapse on stage, but it was a magical performance with multiple encores. Ending with him flying to Germany to meet with Drs. and believing he could beat it. I also had no idea how strict he was with family (11 children from 7 different women) and his women. Where are all these Marleys?

Timmy84 said:

I saw that documentary earlier this year. I got a question, is there more on the DVD that wasn't on the one I saw on VH-1?

The docu I saw ran two hours but I think with commercials. I thought it was common knowledge that the cancer was from his toe?

I also had no idea that Bob's father was a white man from England, who it seemed, whenever he visited Jamaica he impregnated another young girl. But what reall mystifies me to this day, is why Bob didn't have a larger black following. U look at all the concert footage and it was predominantly a white crowd. Until Bob finally went to Africa, which you could tell - he finally felt like he was Home.

Red said:

I also had no idea that Bob's father was a white man from England, who it seemed, whenever he visited Jamaica he impregnated another young girl. But what reall mystifies me to this day, is why Bob didn't have a larger black following. U look at all the concert footage and it was predominantly a white crowd. Until Bob finally went to Africa, which you could tell - he finally felt like he was Home.

There's unconfirmed but circulating reports that Norval Marley, Bob's father, was actually mixed himself but it's not known if he also had African blood or mixed European/Caucasian blood, which could very well be the latter. Norval had a family with another black woman (I think) after ditching Cedella.

maybe that's why I never 'saw' it - but Norval looks 110% cauc to me. Yes, he knocked up a few other women, according to Rita. Now Rita was an interesting person herself; always a blind eye to Bob's antics with other women (right in front of her). It was Rita he used to call to come and cull the women out of his room when he was finished with them (according to her). And the fact that all his baby mamas and children pretty much lived as a closely communal-like family. And the other women and families from Norval eventually came together only finding out they were related post Bob's death. Norval died pretty early on - 1956 - in Jamaica.

^ Well Norval only has one known photo so it could be easy to state he was mixed Caucasian but who knows?

I remember Zig saying that as Bob lay dying, he called him over and told him he had a song for him. It started, if I remember correctly 'on my way up, don't let me down'. I don't know if Ziggy ever did anything with it, but sounds like a GREAT start to me

Red said:

I also had no idea that Bob's father was a white man from England, who it seemed, whenever he visited Jamaica he impregnated another young girl. But what reall mystifies me to this day, is why Bob didn't have a larger black following. U look at all the concert footage and it was predominantly a white crowd. Until Bob finally went to Africa, which you could tell - he finally felt like he was Home.

It's not that he didn't have a larger black following, he had a huge black following. it's just that most blacks who lived in Jamacia at the time, were poor and could not afford to go to a concert. They learned about his music through tapes and albums that were owned by their older siblings and from songs, played on the radio.

Hey Short - Jamaica aside - audiences outside of Jamaica - UK - US - Canada - most white.

shorttrini said:

Red said:

I also had no idea that Bob's father was a white man from England, who it seemed, whenever he visited Jamaica he impregnated another young girl. But what reall mystifies me to this day, is why Bob didn't have a larger black following. U look at all the concert footage and it was predominantly a white crowd. Until Bob finally went to Africa, which you could tell - he finally felt like he was Home.

It's not that he didn't have a larger black following, he had a huge black following. it's just that most blacks who lived in Jamacia at the time, were poor and could not afford to go to a concert. They learned about his music through tapes and albums that were owned by their older siblings and from songs, played on the radio.

Red said:

Hey Short - Jamaica aside - audiences outside of Jamaica - UK - US - Canada - most white.

shorttrini said:

It's not that he didn't have a larger black following, he had a huge black following. it's just that most blacks who lived in Jamacia at the time, were poor and could not afford to go to a concert. They learned about his music through tapes and albums that were owned by their older siblings and from songs, played on the radio.

If you are taking about those who are in their teens, maybe. But, those who are 40 and over, I would have to disagree. Are u making an observation or do u have stats?

Short I could be wrong; simply based on my own observations from a few shows I attended. Predominantly 35+

shorttrini said:

Red said:

If you are taking about those who are in their teens, maybe. But, those who are 40 and over, I would have to disagree. Are u making an observation or do u have stats?