Boomshots

Tag: Bob Marley

  • Bob Marley’s “Catch A Fire” Turns 40

    Island Records Founder Chris Blackwell Speaks On The Recordbob

    This week (April 13th to be exact)marks the 40th anniversary of Bob Marley And The Wailers “Catch A Fire.” Often credited as one of the first reggae albums to gain international acclaim as well as to many one of the greatest albums of all time in any genre, but most importantly the one that propelled Bob Marley into stardom. Already with three studio albums under their belt Bob Marley And The Wailers signed with CBS Records and hopped on a plane and headed to the UK to work with Johnny Cash on the soundtrack for the film Want So Much To Believe. Bob and friends encountered an  obstacle when financing for the film ran short, they now found themselves stranded in the UK without money and worse,  a way back to Jamaica. As fate would have it Jah smiled on Bob and the Wailers through Island Records founder Chris Blackwell, a fan of the group, connected through a mutual friend and subsequently signed Bob Marley and the Wailers to the then indie label Island Records. On the occasion of Catch a Fire’s 40th anniversary, The Boom Box sat down with the man largely credited as the one who “discovered’ Bob Marley” about the making of the record. (more…)

  • Konshens Pays Respect To 47 Reggae Superstars Who Paved the Way

    Konshens Pays Respect To 47 Reggae Superstars Who Paved the Way

    Who And Who Rates As An Icon Inna The Business?

    Remember when Shabba Ranks dropped that tune “Respect“? “Step by step you haffi climb the ladder / The elders you haffi show respect fah.” It’s plan to see that Konshens got the message. He may be on top of the game now, but he’s not one of those “likkle entertainers” who lose sight of the fact that their opportunities came from icons before him. The Dancehall artist recent single, “Icon,” on the Bad Bounce riddim, pays tribute to a long list of certified icons, all of whom helped “put the spotlight on we island” and established the worldwide success of Jamaican music.Audio & Photo Gallery After The Jump… (more…)

  • Damian Marley Pon Radio Lily

    Gongzilla Calls In To The Strictly Boomshots Show
    jrgongtrinity1    Last night on RadioLily.com, Damian Marley dialed in to the Strictly Boomshots show to reason with Rob Kenner about the new Ghetto Youths International album Set Up Shop Vol. 1  He also gave his thoughts on the recent Bob Marley tribute at the Grammys and his latest release, “Dem Neva Mek It.”  Audio After The Jump…

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  • WATCH THIS: Reasoning with Jo Mersa “How You Bad So”?

    WATCH THIS: Reasoning with Jo Mersa “How You Bad So”?

    When You’re Bob Marley’s Grandson, Making Music Is a Family Affair

    Joe Mersa is the eldest son of Stephen Marley, the nephew of Jr. Gong, and a fresh recruit to the Ghetto Youths family. Last week he dropped his tasty single “Comfortable,” and the ladies are loving it. That’s why we’re expecting more great things from this young rebel. Here he chops it up with the ReggaeGirlAboutTown about getting into the biz, the Melody Makers, and his love for reggae and dancehall music. He even gets Reshma B to kick a freestyle—how she “bad so.” Video After The Jump…
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  • Bob Marley’s 1977 Land Rover Gets Restored

    Natty Dread Rides Again
    JulianLandRoverBoomshots

    Julian Marley posed by his father’s Rover before it was shipped off for repairs.

    After being parked at the Bob Marley Museum for the past 25 years, Bob Marley’s iconic 1977 Land Rover has seen better days. But restoration of the rough and rugged vehicle is currently underway, sponsored by Sandals resorts. Last month the Rover, a dilapidated Defender Series III, was transported by flatbed truck to ATL Automotive in Montego Bay. The company recently released a time-lapse video to show what’s going on in their studios. Rohan Marley stated in an interview that the company has worked diligently to source the car’s parts from various countries including finding an original 1977 engine from Ethiopia. By the time his eldest sister Cedella gets done customizing the interior you can expect it to be di wickedest ride! Video After The Jump…

  • WATCH THIS: Rihanna, Bruno Mars and Sting Join Ziggy & Damian Marley To Big Up Bob At The Grammys

    An All-Star Tribute to the Tuff Gong
    DamianRihannaZiggyBOOM
    Just last week reggae lovers celebrated what would have been Bob Marley’s 68th Earthstrong. Rihanna and the Marleys felt it was only right to do sup’m at tonight’s Grammy Awards in tribute to the Tuff Gong. They will be joined by Bruno Mars, who has called Marley “one of the greatest songwriters ever,”  and Sting, whose work with The Police helped to bring reggae music to the rock and pop radio. Rihanna has often expressed her admiration for Marley and the Tuff Gong’s impact on her music and her life. She performed his classic “Redemption Song,” to help raise money for Haitian earthquake survivors and even showed her love by wearing a custom-made Bob Marley dress during her SNL performance. If you missed their version of “Could You Be Loved,” we got you… Video After the Jump. (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Jo Mersa “Comfortable”

    Something For the Empresses From Stephen Marley’s Eldest Son
    JoeMersaBOOM
    Yesterday Bob Marley would have celebrated his 68th birthday. Today we get to hear a song from his grandson Jo Mersa, Stephen Marley’s eldest son, and a member of the Ghetto Youths Int’l family. Jo’s sound is very much next-generation, but as a raggamuffin youth he sure knows how to DJ his way around a love song. Time to get comfortable with this rebel. Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • WATCH THIS: Bunny Wailer “No Woman No Cry”

    Original Wailing Wailer Sings A Marley Classic And Chats With RGAT
    BunnyWailerBoomshots
    Bunny Wailer’s been in the news lately for his criticism of Snoop Lion. Snoop will reportedly be traveling to Jamaica soon to hold a reasoning with Jah B and work through their issues. In the meantime here’s a look at the original Wailing Wailer doing what he does best. Video After The Jump…
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  • Ziggy Marley’s Favorite Live Concerts

    Ziggy Has See Some Nice Shows In His Day, But A Few Stand Out From The Rest

    Just yesterday Ziggy Marley dropped his first live album in 12 years, Ziggy Marley In Concert (Boomshots premiered a track from it last week.)  Ziggy has worked plenty of stages in the twenty-seven years since the first Melody Makers album was released, Play the Game Right. The show on the album, recorded in Boulder Colorado, was a benefit to support the non-GMO movement in Colorado. “It was a very exciting night and it was a good show,” he recalls. “People were into it and we were into it. It was nice vibes.” Read More After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Ziggy Marley “Justice / War” Live Medley PREMIERE

    The  Brand New Selection From The Album Ziggy Marley In Concert

    “Justice” is not just standout cut from The Melody Makers’ 1989 album One Bright Day, it’s also the name of Ziggy’s daughter. On the new live album Ziggy Marley in Concert—available on iTunes next Tuesday, December 18—Ziggy blends “Justice” with one of his father’s greatest songs, which happens to be one of the few Bob Marley classics that Marley did not write. The lyrics to “War,” from the 1976 album Rastaman Vibration, were adapted from a speech made by Emperor Haile Selassie before the United Nations General Assembly in 1963. Audio After The Jump… 

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  • Bob Marley Class Will Be In Session at NYU

    Sign Up This Week If You’re Ready For Some Higher Education
    Remember “Babylon System,” that cut off Bob Marley’s Survival album, in which the Tuff Gong sings about how the downpressor man is forever “Building church and university / Deceiving the people continually /Graduatin’ thieves and murderers / Suckin’ the blood of the sufferers.” Well chances are he wasn’t singing about the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts—and he definitely wasn’t singing about Vivien Goldman, aka the @PunkProfessor. She is one of the few Marley experts who actually spent significant time with Bob, both in her native London and in Jamaica. She’s also the author of The Book of Exodus, a definitive study of one of Marley’s most seminal works. She’s even gotten props from Bunny Wailer. Yes, the Honorable Neville Livingstone called her an “esteemed journalist of this time.” So if any university prof is gonna “tell the children the truth,” she’s a good bet. Goldman will be teaching a course on Bob Marley starting next month, and it’s open to all students—not just NYU enrolees. But the deadline to sign up is at the end of this week, so don’t sleep! This Monday she passed through the StrictlyBoomshots show on Radio Lily.com to drop some knowledge on Marley and post-colonialism. Those who have ears, let them hear. [Photograph by Kate Simon] Audio and Registration Links After The Jump…

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  • Rihanna Rocks Custom-Made Bob Marley Dress on SNL

    You Won’t Believe How This One Was Created

    Rihanna has always had a unique sense of fashion—from pairing chucks with a girly, pink dress to a bustier top and high-waisted shorts, her style has caught everyone’s attention from day one. And of course her vision has paved a path for millions of fans to follow. But RiRi’s best looks are those that can’t be duplicated. Case in point: the Bob Marley dress Rihanna wore during last weekend’s SNL performance. Boomshots did a little bit of digging and found out that the dress was a one of one. The Story Behind The Dress After The Jump… (more…)