Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Bob Marley Music Omitted from No Woman No Cry Documentary

Following on from the last post about Bob Marley Music on eBay, lets get back to the business of writing and commenting on Bob Marley music related stuff and what might be of interest. This post is a little late in coming if it was going to be a news item, but as an information piece its interesting to have here if you haven't seen it anywhere else.

Its about the planned documentary about Bob Marley and while it will be packed full of information about the reggae legend himself, it won't be playing any of the Bob Marley music.

Thats because Bob Marley's family decided that none of his music shouldl be licensed to the documemtary No Woman No Cry, the Bob Marley story written by his wife Rita Marley. Of this decision, she said:

"When I sold the film rights to my book the contract did not include any rights to use my husband's music. Though I am the head of the Marley family each decision is made democratically amongst all of us, I requested an exception be made for my book to be turned into a movie but that request was declined."

The family of Bob Marley said they have a policy of not licensing Bob Marley music for any film or televison production in which an actor will playing the part of Bob Marley. On the flip side, the Marley family has agreed that anothr planned documentary, which is being made by Martin Scorsese, will be allowed to use Bob Marley music for the project.

A statement was released that said: "Tuff Gong Pictures, owned by the Family entered into a co-production agreement with Steve Bing's Shangri La to produce a Martin Scorsese directed documentary of the legendary Bob Marley and they have agreed to license his music."

Bob's son, Ziggy Marley added: "All our efforts and support are currently directed towards the documentary that we are working on with Shangri La, directed by Martin Scorsese. We believe that this project is the best way to represent our father's life from his perspective and any other film project pertaining to our father will be empty without his music to support it."

So intereting times are ahead.

Bob Marley Music Page