Roots Archives Forum

It's said in the sense that the immense popularity of Bob Marley has come to define how reggae sound for the broad mass (in lack of better terms). People hear about reggae and think it's only one drop roots. There's no understanding on how varied it can sound. It has even come to the point that a lot of people think that reggae and dancehall are two unrelated genres.

But as I said earlier he's definitely more of a blessing.

That's really more about his impact, and the legacy that is being (mis)managed by his estate than it is about the man himself. What you are saying may be true in places where there isn't much reggae, or a large Jamaican population, but fortunately (for me) I don't live in one of those places. Just musing on the man and his music, and nothing else.

Of course. But then again the blessing and curse-part was said about him in relation to the genre (ie. his impact). Regarding him as a man and his music I had nothing but positive things to say. No more confusion about this I hope.

He was my entry into the music and it really hooked me for life. I wouldn't call him a sell out, and his going international with Island was mostly a good thing for the music, but I do think he kind of got seperated from the hardcore musical runnings in Kingston before the music had really fully blossomed (dub, rub a dub) and this makes his Island records sound a bit lightweight and rock-oriented. I don't know this, it is just how it seems to me. As a result, I rarely listen. And in all honesty there is not a single song on Legend that I really care for.

He was a uniquely gifted songwriter but nevertheless his songs as a result are closer to folk and rock or what might be called pop in the pre-rock era. Verse, bridge, chorus, middle 8, etc. and strangely, what I tend to really like is the more simple form of an ostinato riddim with someone improvising over the top. This often results in a simpler, more repetitive type of song.It's precisely what makes the average American think reggae is repetitive and boring, with Marley being an exception because his songs are more structured and varied. ( these are generalizations of course). But somehow the simpler form seems more purely Jamaican while Marley seems more international.

I recently watched the new Marley documentary and loved it. That live footage from the peace concert was just transcendent and inspiring. I left the film with a new depth of respect for the man. Interestingly though, it also reinforced in me that I just don't care for a lot of his music. Some of it is truly great, though, I will readily admit.

I agree....amazing songwriter...that's his legacy to me..

Thanks to all of you. The general consensus here is roughly what I expected. Brilliant but not the god he's made out to be.

As for my thoughts: I'm new to reggae so I'm still discovering what Marley does and does not mean to me, but I owe him credit because I wouldn't be here if not for his music.

I find some of his albums to have a few misses, but time will tell if that's good musical instincts on my part or simply not clicking with the genre yet.

I will say this in his favor: In spite of missing the heavier drum-and-bass elements that I've been getting with other recordings I've noted that he had a gift for writing amazing melodies and managing to lay down a good groove in spite of lacking the heavier drum-and-bass sound. And I'm pretty damn sure he went in the direction he did because he felt it was the way to express himself, not to make more money.

'Legend' was the first reggae album I ever bought.

How many of you is this also true for?

I'll bet it's loads - most, even.

Funky Punk wrote:'Legend' was the first reggae album I ever bought.

How many of you is this also true for?

I'll bet it's loads - most, even.

Yup me too, it's a total gateway drug..... Oops mean album

Legend hadn't yet been released when I got into reggae. My first album was Uprising, which I got around '82 or so. I believe Legend came out in '84.

He is the best and more prolific songwriter ever IMO. If you go for the soundsystem stuff, obviously he is not for you when he went with island the sound changed. If you dont care if he had a jamaican or european oriented sound, you can appreciate the music. He made songs like "is this love" to reach to the people out of the reggae circles. So he was counsciously a sold out. But, hey, every artist in JA wanted to be succesful like him and the most average tried to reach the international markets. Bob did an excellent job IMO. Great music by great musicians. Amazing stuff you can find like the late rehearsals posted on youtube are mindblowing IMHO.

Of course I dont like when people says "Marley is great but all the other reggae artists sounds the same to me"!!..... once you ovestand that fact (that there always will be some people saying something like that) maybe you can enjoy it again. Music is music. Of course im saying this basing on my own experience I dont pretend to say whats worth listen or what is not.