Why is Bob Marley So Important in Music?

Why is Bob Marley so important in music? Well, after my last post a while ago Rebel Music, where I featured some information on the important documentary DVD about Marley's life story, I think this is a question that is pretty easy to answer.

So when you're thinking to yourself why is this guy so important in music, the answer should come to you in a flash. His music is that timeless blend of creative genius, hugely popular reggae beat, well formed lyrics and a rhythm and soul that will move the sternest of bodies in time with its beauty and excellence.

Now if that ain't a top answer to a question like that, I don't know what is!

Just take some of the most popular of the great man's music and listen and I mean really listen to it and you'll realize that there is so much that was put into the performances and the creation processes that produced these masterpieces that there is nothing to touch it in its class.

Bob Marley and the Wailers were more than simply a popular reggae band from Jamaica that stormed the world with their easy going and very cool music. They were an institution all to themselves driven by the musical genius in Bob Nester Marley, the man himself and the driving rhythms and beat of the band he led.

if you were ever thinking of trying to play some of the star's songs or maybe pick up a guitar and learn them properly, I'd say you probably will need to take some professional guitar lessons so you can do them justice. That's the way to do it right.

Those of us who dearly love the great performer's musical genius for what it is still miss the man who created such rhythmic poetry and fine musical brilliance but his light will shine brightly as the most powerful sun in the universe for as long as there are appreciative ears to hear it and loving hearts to absorb it into the souls of the fans.

The great reggae star's unique brand of music lives on, my friends even if the mortal body that contain the immortal soul of the musical genius lies buried in the soil. This is why he is so important in musical life and always will be.

Rebel Music

Rebel Music is the new release Bob Marley DVD documentary. Following on from the last post about Bob Marley Music Omitted from No Woman No Cry Documentary, I'm going to provide a short review of the documentary newly released on DVD of the reggae legend's music and life. This is the documentary called Rebel Music.

The name Bob Marley is synonymous with popular reggae music. What is maybe not so well known is that in his own mind and also in the hearts and minds of the many people who knew him well, Marley was much more than a just a musician.

The documentary Rebel Music has been put together and tells the fascinating and often heart wrenching story of the legend himself. The reggae superstar, the musician that created that legend, the poet within and the indelible prophet.

Prior to his early death at the young age of only 36, the star had created an incredibly stunning body of musical work. He was well known worldwide as the popular and at times outspoken face and voice of reggae music.

Yet few of the adoring fans who heard and loved his incredible music realized the great depth and range of the man's own political, philosophical and religious beliefs. Here is a documentary which tells the reggae star's own story through his very own words and music.

It includes interviews with the people who knew him best. This naturally includes his wife, Rita as well as fellow reggae music pioneer Lee 'Scratch' Perry.

From his impoverished and poor roots all the way through his involvement in Rastafarianism to his eventual musical evolution, the documentary comprehensively puts all the pieces of the jigsaw together of the life of this highly astute and charming genius.

More info can be found on this Rebel Music Documentary by clicking this link. If you get a chance to get your hands on this DVD, grab it!

If you think you can sing like a pro, you might want to check your vocal capabilities by first recording yourself then playing it back to see how you sound. If you think you show some promise, then it might be wise to get some good online singing lessons first and then take it from there.

Becoming a performing musician is no easy thing to do no matter how easy the starts make it look. They either have tons of natural talent or when they don't they make it by getting the best coaching they can get!

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

Bob Marley Music on eBay

Bob Marley Music on eBay! Ok, I know its been a while since my last post Bob Marley Music Lives On, gave some great news about what's happening in Jamaica and teh whole Bob Marley music theme.

Right now, if you're a regular visitor to this blog, you can't have failed to notice some changes here! The main reason is cause I found out how to put a live eBay feed onto the page so if you're looking for any Bob Marley music CDs or vinyl, Bob Marley's studio albums etc, that's the place to check them out for the bargain prices. Plus there are items sold on eBay that you can't find in any stores, so I think its a really important addition to the blog as a resource.

Also this gives me a chance to give a little mention about the sister website for this blog, which is called Bob Marley Music too. This has more options for searching for items on eBay with item specific pages making finding what you are looking for even easier!

Apart from that, the layout had to change to fit the eBay window into the sidebar so it looks good - very important! As for the blog, it will carry on with bringing you information on the Bob Marley Music front and whatever I find out in my travels, I'll put it straight in here.

I hope you like this cool idea as much as I did!

Bob Marley Music Page

Bob Marley Music Lives On

Following our informative post on Bob Marley - The early days, covering Bob Marley music from his early beginnings, it's the month of the famous reggae star's birthday, which gets a lot of regard in his home of Jamaica, the home of Bob Marley music.

February 6th, 1945 was the birthday of Robert Nesta Marley. So on the Jamaican music calendar, thanks to Bob Marley music, the entire month of February is highly regarded in Jamaica. February 2008 has taken on even greater significance, thanks to a recent proclamation by the government of Jamaica which has declared February as Reggae Month.

On January 24th, an official announcement ceremony was made at Kings House, which is the residence of Jamaica's Governor General. Bruce Golding, Jamaica's Prime Minister noted the far-reaching influence of the island nation's indigenous music.

"There is no aspect of our culture that more clearly distinguishes us from the rest of the world than our music," he said. The Prime Minister also noted that throughout his travels, "some people know Marcus Garvey and Michael Manley, one or two may have heard of (Prime Ministers) P.J. Patterson, Edward Seaga or even Bruce Golding. But there is no country in the world where Bob Marley music is not known and recognized. Bob Marley music personifies Jamaican music."

"Reggae is the unique music that springs from the creative imaginations of a diverse people to become our musical voice to the world," continued Jamaica's Governor General Sir Kenneth Hall. "The greatest ambassador of reggae, Robert Nesta Marley so internationalized this extraordinary musical form that wherever Jamaicans go, people associate us first with Marley, and then with the many artists who have gloriously contributed to exposing Jamaica's rich culture."

So now its official. Bob Marley Music Lives On - Reggae rocks!

For some more information and even more importantly access to a huge online merchandise resource, we have a sister website at Bob Marley Posters where you'll find more than you thought possible online!

Bob Marley Music Page

Bob Marley - The early days

The Bob Marley Music Page has a little early history of the great reggae artist for your information:

Robert "Bob" Nesta Marley was born on February 6, 1945, in the small village of Nine Mile in Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica.

Bob's father was Norval Sinclair Marley, born in 1895 ans was a white Jamaican of English descent, with parents coming from Sussex. Norval was a Marine officer and captain as well as a plantation overseer when he married Cedella Booker, a black Jamaican woman who was then eighteen years old. Although Norval provided financial support for his wife and son, he seldom saw them as he was often away on naval trips.

Bob Marley was just ten years old when his father died of a heart attack at age 60, in 1955.

As a youth, Bob Marley suffered racial prejudice because of his mixed racial origins and faced questions about his own racial identity throughout his life.

He was once quoted as saying:

"I don't have prejudice against myself. My father was a white and my mother was black. Them call me half-caste or whatever. Me don't dip on nobody's side. Me don't dip on the black man's side nor the white man's side. Me dip on God's side, the one who create me and cause me to come from black and white."

Young Robert Marley and his mother moved to the slums of Kingston's Trenchtown after his father's death. It was a tough neighbourhood and he was forced to learn self-defense due to his being the target of bullying because of his racial makeup and small 5'4" stature. He soon earned a reputation for his physical strength for which he became nicknamed "Tuff Gong".

Marley made friends with Neville "Bunny" Livingston (who was later known as Bunny Wailer) and they started playing music together. He left school at just 14 and worked as an apprentice at a local welder's shop. In his free time Bob and Livingston made music with another friend, Joe Higgs who was a local singer and devout Rastafari. Higgs is regarded by most as Marley's mentor. It was at one of their jam sessions with Higgs and Livingston that Marley met Peter McIntosh (better known as Peter Tosh) who had similar musical ambitions.

In 1962 Bob Marley recorded his first two singles. "Judge Not" and "One Cup of Coffee" were produced by Leslie Kong, a local producer. These two songs which were released on the Beverley's label under the pseudonym of Bobby Martell, attracted almost no attention and flopped.

Those songs were later re-released on the album Songs of Freedom, which is a posthumous collection of Marley's songs.

Nice.

Bob Marley Music Page

Bob Marley Music: Studio Album Discography

Here at the Bob Marley Music Page, I thought it'd be a good idea to start posting info about Bob Marley and the Wailers and a discography of his studio albums is a good place to start.

Here are all sixteen of Bob Marley's studio albums including the posthumous "Confrontation" that was released in 1983:

1965 The Wailing Wailers
1970 The Best of the Wailers
1970 Soul Rebels
1971 Soul Revolution
1971 Soul Revolution Part II
1973 Catch a Fire
1973 African Herbsman
1973 Burnin'
1974 Rasta Revolution
1974 Natty Dread
1976 Rastaman Vibration
1977 Exodus
1978 Kaya
1979 Surviva
1980 Uprising
1983 Confrontation

Next time I'll post more info on Bob Marley Music including more album and single lists for your enjoyment!

See you soon,

Bob Marley Music Page

PS: I just added this blog to my Technorati Profile

Bob Marley Music Thoughts

The Bob Marley Music Page has some thoughts of the great man himself.

Bob Marley with his band The Wailers gave us an absolute ton of great reggae music that shaped a decade and moulded many offshoot bands all trying to attain the same stardom that Marley simply attracted by his incredible personality, magnetism, talent and brilliance.

As this site grows over time, we'll be looking at the different albums and singles that made up the whole Bob Marley Music scene and giving our own opinions and thoughts on what made this man such an icon of his era.

To increase the footprint of this blog, we now have a sister website with much more data, information and access to a huge repository of online merchandise, like Bob Marley clothing as well as an interesting Bob Marley History, that expands some on what you'll find right here.


Bob Marley Music Page

Bob Marley Music Page

Welcome to the Bob Marley Music Page.

Here's the place to find great music online from the master of reggae Bob Marley.

We'll show you where to get the best deals on Bob Marley music downloads and CDs and source everything that we can find that's available to be had!

So don't be a stranger. Come and see us here as much as you like!

Bob Marley Music Page