Lets talk about Bob, shall we?
If I say “Bob Marley” about 80% of people are going to fake an accent and smoke an air spliff.
That makes me sad.
See, I had this friend a million years ago.
A huge reggae fan.
He was older than me and a drummer in a band. I would hoof over to his apartment where we would cook ‘weird’ foods like falafel and tofu and he would have reggae playing, always.
Although he was a ‘punk’ drummer, in his home it was reggae that played.
So he taught me Yellowman and Eek a Mouse, Smiley Culture and of course Bob was there spinning on vinyl in the corner.
And after dinner as we cleaned up he would fire up a joint the size of my ring finger and the smoke would rise above his head and he would talk about things like injustice in Nicaragua, and pass me interesting write ups on our government and National threats.
I look back and it was always so warm and dark and intellectually calm. The room would end up thick in smoke and I would venture in to the other room sit on the floor and read the covers of the albums strewn all over the floor.
Tommy was a white boy, but he was a reggae boy.
I can remember clearly lying their on the floor starring up at his ceiling most likely under the influence of contact high thinking… I need to show compassion to others.
I need to help others, I need to think more outside the ‘Hel’ so to speak.
I vowed that night to try to be aware.
What the hell am I on about?
Bob Marley.
It saddens me that hes become the poster boy of college boy bong suckers.
There is so much more.
Rock stations play “Buffalo Solider”, is it for the plight of Marleys homeland
or is it all about the weed?
If you dig couple Marley tunes and you’re a stoner.
So incredibly fucked up.
So contradictory to the entire realm.
I read an article today that the family of Marley were able to stop the exploitation of his image, gaining better control on how his product is marketed.
We wont be seeing the bobble head or stuffed Bob.
That’s cool.
But I hope with this tighter control that more time is spent on spreading the philosophy and music Marley preached.
And he did preach clearly.
I loved those hazy summer nights,
its when punk met peace and carried it home in her handbag.
(editor: and he has a new album about to drop!!)