How Bob Marley Was Sold to the Suburbs

[Tilla]

Interesting article in the Dallas Observer. A bit long, but worth the read.

How Bob Marley Was Sold to the Suburbs

[Don1]

Bob Marley lite...

Babylon cyaan tek di full hundred.... dem cosmic wudda mash dung

[Stonigut]

I saw this some time back and thought, wow this is some strong overreaching and claim for the success of Marley post 81.

[Rockman]

Marketing means everything so Blackwell is to be blamed.
The thi.g is I always thought Bob was validated by foreigners and we Jakans followed,if the record sales reported are accurate then it really was the other way around.He died a legend in Jamaica.
I really think Bob's death was a turning point for Reggae,it must have taken a lot for reggae lovers abroad to get accustomed to his replacement,the woefully lacking Yellowman.

[Rockman]

He still became their concern though.BOB single-handedly took Rasta to phenomenal heights,and do know his majesty very important UN speech would be lost in the archives had it not been Bob..
We lost the grit,the activism,and Reggae has never recovered.Kartel or Bob?

[Historian]

Thanks For Posting This

Interesting article in the Dallas Observer. A bit long, but worth the read.

How Bob Marley Was Sold to the Suburbs

I just got a chance to read this feature story. It is certainly interesting and worth the read!

By the way, Tilla, you made an excellent point in your discussion yesterday when you referred to possible negative connotations from the title of Chronixx’s CD and tour, “Dread and Terrible”.

[Historian]

Re: "Strong Overreaching"

I saw this some time back and thought, wow this is some strong overreaching and claim for the success of Marley post 81.

Stoni, are you sure this is “strong overreaching and claim for the success of Marley post 81”?

Packaging and marketing are extremely important ingredients in any record’s success. I have stressed this in posts here in the past with my detailed reference to the re-making of Bob Marley’s “Catch A Fire” album and the resultant success. Even Peter Tosh realized the importance of change and packaging in order to reach a truly international audience, hence his recording of a song like “Johnny B. Goode” and his utilizing of American blues-rock guitarist Donald Kinsey on his tours and recordings.

But looking at Marley, the fact is that in the case of a small-island singer and songwriter doing a “strange” type of music (that is, “strange” for the average American ear), success would not come easily. The success of the album “Legend” is remarkable, and surely did not/could not happen without great production and marketing efforts!

Trust me, the immense differences in outlook between producer Lee Perry, one the one hand, and producer Chris Blackwell on the other are seen in the results!

[Tilla]

By the way, Tilla, you made an excellent point in your discussion yesterday when you referred to possible negative connotations from the title of Chronixx’s CD and tour, “Dread and Terrible”.

Historian, I find that our folks in Jamaica think local, not global...

[Historian]

You Got That Right!

Historian, I find that our folks in Jamaica think local, not global...

You are perfectly correct. That has always been my experience as well, and unfortunately, not only on the topic of music!

[Assasin]

Tilla I think this is the wrong results to draw from this argument.

One of the biggest Reggae Songs there is, is "Murder She Wrote" Do you think they know what the words of the song is??

Do you think Bob's major concern was making good music or clarity???

Not to say we shouldn't think of clarity and include other people's sounds and opinion but the primary goal is to have a good product. In the music business you have to think globally but balance it with your base at this stage of Chronixx's career.

Seen too many flop at this cross road. They either sign their life away, their artistic input, royalties and everyday performance. I almost cried when I saw what happen to the group musical youth, Check how label buried good singers for commercial ones, how they bury some genres. Is your label going to put the money behind you?

Not because Chronixx is getting a good push right now, he has to be careful as he could disappear in no time like the Iwaynes etc.

There is a thin line in making it big and flopping bigtime. We have had a lot of artists who have signed and some were buried by their label. Some artists are better off independent as well. We have had others who can sing better than Marley, who had better clarity and whose decided to change everything to adopt to "global demand" and without realizing that authenticity is needed.

Don't just everybody in one basket like that
"I find that our folks in Jamaica think local, not global..."
For musicians and entertainers, it is a process and hopefully Chronixx will find the right mix and we will be talking about him for years.
I personally think his performance is bit harsh but hope he doesn't lose the edge and make the right decisions to further his career.

[Mosiah]

If wi follow Tilla and Historian, dem tun Chronixx into Johnny Mathis, to rah!

Historian of all people should know how important it is for musicians to stay true to their craft. Yes, yuh can market yuhself here and there but wholesale changes might just kill yuh career.

Unnu low di man. I guess some of unnu still can't figure out why Usain Bolt still with likkle Puma.

[Gamma]

perry como...

[HL]

Johnny Mathis, Perry Como...?

I pray Chronixx achieve a fraction of fame, notoriety and $$$$ that the above named artists have achieved.....

[Gamma]

did you know that some people can be happy with less? i mean truly happy?

anyway the markets are different and chronixx' mandate probably is to be the best artiste he can be while sticking to his ideals and beliefs. whoseover will may come.

[Mosiah]

Johnny Mathis, Perry Como...?

I pray Chronixx achieve a fraction of fame, notoriety and $$$$ that the above named artists have achieved.....

My wish for Chronixx is for whatever he wishes for himself. And something tells me he won't do anything and everything for money and fame.