By 1982, Bob Marley was far and away the best known Jamaican musician in the world. I'm sure had he lived, the festival would have wanted him as the final act. Unfortunately, he died of cancer in 1981. So having Peter Tosh close the festival was probably thought of as the next big thing. For one, Tosh was in the Wailers from 1963 to 1974. During that time, he co-wrote and co-sang the classic song "Get Up, Stand Up," which he also performed here.
But also, he had a successful solo career after leaving the Wailers, including some success in the U.S. and other overseas countries. Unfortunately, his career would be cut short when he was killed by an armed gang robbing his house in 1987.
I made one very drastic cut to this. Track 94, a banter track, is only half a minute long. It had originally been 18 minutes long! Tosh, after not talking much at all between the other songs, gave a a very long monologue, mostly about his desire to see marijuana legalized. I have no problem with the topic. In fact, I'm in favor of legalization. But in my opinion, this monologue went on way, way too long, and it killed the momentum of his set. Furthermore, most of it is moot by now anyway, with marijuana becoming legal in more and more places (including the state I live in). In Jamaica, which is what mostly would have mattered to Tosh, it is mostly legal, but only in private or public dispensaries.
This album is an hour and 18 minutes long.
85 Steppin' Razor (Peter Tosh)
86 talk (Peter Tosh)
87 African (Peter Tosh)
88 Coming in Hot (Peter Tosh)
89 Not Gonna Give It Up (Peter Tosh)
90 Don't Look Back (Peter Tosh)
91 Rastafari Is (Peter Tosh)
92 I'm the Toughest (Peter Tosh)
93 Bush Doctor (Peter Tosh)
94 talk (Peter Tosh)
95 Get Up, Stand Up (Peter Tosh)
96 Want I (Peter Tosh)
97 Legalize It (Peter Tosh)
I couldn't find any good photos of Tosh at this festival, or even from 1982. So this one is from an unknown location in June 1981.
No comments:
Post a Comment