Overview

One of the twentieth century's most iconic cultural figures, Bob Marley was responsible for popularising reggae music throughout the world. His unique blend of politically conscious lyrics and melody won him legions of fans far beyond the Caribbean. But Marley was no mere pop star: his strong attachment to Rasta beliefs and practices and his fierce hostility to the injustice of 'Babylon' made him an important spokesman for the dispossessed. In this new biography, Garry Steckles follows Marley's eventful life through the early days in rural Jamaica, arrival in Kingston, first recordings and performances to his spectacular status as an international superstar. Throughout he analyses Marley's political and religious beliefs, while also concentrating on his relationships with fellow musicians, family and influential figures such as Chris Blackwell. A chapter focusing on Marley's long-term legacy explores what the musician contributed to world music and what the religious believer gave to Rastafarianism.

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9781904955412

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Reviews

'Chronological birth-to-death sketch of Jamaica's premier musician. St. Kitts-based journalist Steckles, one of the reggae icon's more devout devotees, has spent countless moons cataloging all forms of Bob Marley minutiae. From an overview of Wailers' producer Lee 'Scratch' Perry and his notorious royalty rip-offs to a reexamination of the night Marley took a bullet in the arm from an unknown assassin, Steckles squeezes in all the necessary info for Zion Lion neophytes - immensely fresh. - Make no mistake, this debut author can turn a phrase - brimming over with excellent trivia.' - Kirkus Reviews 'In writing this most recent biography, Steckles, a journalist covering reggae and Caribbean culture internationally, had access to the largest Marley archive - well written.'--Library Journal 'Of all the millions of words written about the Jamaican Rasta reggae hero, this book encapsulates the most concise and complete information about Marley ... If you want to place a Marley biography in your library, this is the one to buy.'--Barbara Makeda Blake Hannah, Rastafarian scholar and journalist

Chronological birth-to-death sketch of Jamaica's premier musician.St. Kitts-based journalist Steckles, one of the reggae icon's more devout devotees, has spent countless moons cataloging all forms of Bob Marley minutiae. From an overview of Wailers' producer Lee Scratch Perry and his notorious royalty rip-offs to a reexamination of the night Marley took a bullet in the arm from an unknown assassin, Steckles squeezes in all the necessary info for Zion Lion neophytes without revealing anything immensely fresh. Even an epilogue about Marley's legacy is basically a collated update of all the lawsuits levied against the estate. The only reasons for yet another book about Bob Marley seem to be that 1) there's a movie about him coming out soon, and 2) Steckles really wanted to write about him. Make no mistake, this debut author can turn a phrase. Yet he passed up a great opportunity to look beyond the hype about a stoic prophet and tap into Marley's inner thoughts, motivations and, yes, even his flaws. The volume often reads like a discography, brimming over with excellent trivia. Regrettably, this detailed information is padded every few pages with fanzine-style gushing like calling Marley one of the smartest human beings on the planet and stating that he achieved more acclaim than the Beatles and Elvis.Crosses the line from admiring Marley to uncritical celebrity worship. (Kirkus Reviews)

Author Information

Garry Steckles has worked as a newspaper editor in England, Canada, Barbados and the United States. He has written about reggae and all aspects of Caribbean culture in major newspapers and magazines in North America and the Caribbean. He has written for The Sun, The Daily Mail and the News of the World. He currently lives in St Kitts.

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