Killer Miller vs. Bob Marley

[cooldownbabylon]

Anyone feel like Jacob Miller doesn't get the credit and attention he deserves? I feel like Jacob Miller and Bob Marley are pretty on par with each other lyrically, but Killer's vocals just seem to outshine Bob every time. Even when covering Bob Marley penned songs, Miller delivers a stronger vocal performance ('Natty Dread', 'Burnin' and Lootin'', I Shot the Sheriff). Of course, this only takes into account the studio productions of these songs--and Marley could really rip up 'Burnin' and Lootin'' in live performance. So what if Miller's efforts just before his death were not so much up to par with his earlier material? The same argument can be strongly made about Bob (his early material with Peter and Bunny far exceeds the pop-laced coldness of much of Bob's international career following Catch a Fire and Burnin'). So much mystique surrounds Bob Marley. But Miller is very comparable to Marley in many aspects that Marley gains notoriety for: Role in One Love Peace Concert, Early and tragic death etc. I submit that Bob Marley was "Whiter" and so he became the superstar, a poster boy. You can't even get a Jacob Miller poster, t-shirt, sticker, nothing! I just think thats ridiculous. Don't get me wrong, I love Bob and his music has been very important in my life, I just feel like come on...Jacob Miller, you know? Highly Recommended: Miller and Augustus Pablo "Who Say Jah No Dread" and "Chapter A Day" Miller anthology.

[ez]

Although I do not agree taht Bob's post Bunny Peter stuff is watered down( Survival, Rastaman Vibration, Exodus ETC) I beleive are all classics and for me Bob gets all the respect he is due. I will say Jacob is in the same class as an artist and certainly does not get the respect due. I mean they do not even print the Tenement yard album any more as a lover of Rockers that is criminal. In addition it would be a dream come true to have all the Jacob Miller albums released and remastered as well as perhaps a video documenting his great career.

[staas]

jacob miller is good but i feel personally that bob is better,more killers in his catologue

[ital kemar]

tired fe lick weed ina bush, tired fe lick pipe ina gully, we want to come out in the open where the breeze can blow it so far away....... love this one by jacob miller. what a pity he died so young, was very talented singer, and i read somewhere that he was one of bob marleys favourite singers too. have to agree with ez, some of his catalogue should be re-released, and the dvd/video would be nice too. his performance on heartland reggae was electric.

ites

ital kemar

[curtis Lynch]

I too think that Miller the Killer is heavy duty but to be fair Bobs albums are all very serious. Out of the ton load that he has done there are very few albums that you dont listen all the way through unlike alot of the other artist. Bob deserves his credits but Jacob for lyrical style is wicked...

[cooldownbabylon]

Just wanted to point out that Miller's version of Tosh's "Burial" is truly amazing. That doesn't really contribute to this conversation...but you know, I feel it needed to be said. Also, Bob and Jacob were signed on for a tour together just before Jacob's untimely death...If this tour had happened we might have been graced today with some of the most beautiful live material from both artists. Miller may have been given more credit today because of this tour. Also, if Miller hadn't died...Inner Circle would never, ever, ever, EVER come up with such a monstrosity as the Bad Boys album. Perhaps even UB40 could have been avoided...Such a shame.

[kenpoman]

Bob and Jacob Miller were contemporaries and both died too soon. Miller surely used Bob as a model and covered many of Bob’s songs and copied some of his mannerisms as well but I think at the time of his death Miller was just beginning to reach his potential.

Don’t forget Jacob had a strong presence at the One Love Peace concert alongside Marley and Tosh. Where Bob brought together the two politicians, and Peter pushed for the legalization of herb, Jacob Miller brought Buckie Marshall and Claudius Massop together in symbolic union.

Check out this photo
(it is usually edited w/o Jacob Miller):
http://www.rootsreggaeclub.com/culture_ ... _jakes.jpg


Some of my favorite Jacob Miller tunes:
Who Say Jah No Dread
Night & Day
Tenement Yard
Tired Fi Lick Weed…
Forward Ever
Big Stripe
Forward Jah Jah Children
Backyard Movements
Mix Up Moods
Mr. Officer
Ital Light
Silver & Gold
Peace Treaty Special
Bionic Skank
We A Rockers

[Ites]

Jacob gotta be one of the most overrated singers in all of reggae music, even considered a folly boy in those times, and it is easy to see why

a few good tracks though

[Litelet]

Cant understand how a roots addict cant love Jacob...
I really regret that the Stepper's years stopped suddenly in 81, I would have loved more Fatman/Miller style artists... The appearance of dancehall would maybe have been the end of Jacob's glory anyway, I guess. Who knows, with Bob & Jacob alive, the jamaican reggae could have partally maintained roots and instrumental...

[ChaseTheDevil]

Bob was a classical singer, in the steps of the rock/blues/pop stars, his style was a bit "easy", for make everybody happy, you, your little brother and your grand ma'...
Bob was not a humble person, he was too egoist and megalo, im sorry but Jacob was humble, unique in his style and pure in his reggae, he was not singing for make money and have lot of fans...
Lot of people are able to sing Bob songs with talent, but nobody can sing Jacob songs as himself, nobody can egal KILLER MILLER! (Only B.B. Seaton can sing his songs without sounding ridiculous i think)
Bob Marley: classic star singing reggae...
Winston Rodney, Jacob Miller, Hugh Mundell: pure reggae stars!