this month's features: 

wailing news * new releases * wailers shorts
just a passing glance * wailers net * wailers survey * wailers reporter * back issues

PETER TOSH: LIVE AND DANGEROUS - 

   Columbia/Legacy will also be releasing yet another Peter Tosh greatest hits compilation, entitled "Super Hits" on April 17th. The disc includes album material from his first two albums, "Legalize It" and "Equal Rights," with no extras. The price for this disc will run under $10, making it a great starting point for people new to Peter Tosh's music. There are also plans to re-release Peter Tosh's "Honorary Citizen" boxset, originally released in 1997, but this time in a cube box shaped format, with the possible release date of June 5th.

   Here are the complete tracklistings for "Live And Dangerous: Boston 1976" and "Super Hits":

WHY CAN'T WE BE FRIENDS? - 

   Familyman has retained the same lawyers who have previously represented lawsuits between Danny Sims against The Marley Estate, as well as Bunny Wailer and the Peter Tosh Estate versus The Marley Estate. Reportedly, Familyman and the rest of The Wailers are upset that over the years, The Wailers' history has been slowly erased from that of Bob Marley. One example of this, according to the press release, is the recent Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award given to Bob Marley, and not The Wailers as a whole. The press release further states that, "We are now actively preparing for a claim to recover sums due, and to be due, to Aston 'Familyman' Barrett, and also to protect his reputation, given that he was an integral part of the whole 'Bob Marley and the Wailers' story."

   You can read more on this topic by reading an interesting article "Wailer Seeks Royalties, Credit From Island Records, Marley Estate." The outcome of these lawsuits should be very interesting, especially considering the ongoing and extensive reissue campaign of Bob Marley & The Wailers' Island Records material. If you have a comment or opinion about this issue, please fill out this month's Wailers Survey, which is found on the main page of the site, as well as at the bottom of this page!

A REISSUE FIT FOR A TRUE FAN - 

   Before you read our review, or any other review about this deluxe edition, go out and pick it up, it is that essential! You might be thinking, how different can the two versions be, the "Unreleased Original Jamaican Versions" versus the "Released Album." In fact, the two are quite different and in many cases sound like alternate albums altogether. From the packaging, to the liner notes, and the music, this release caters to both the die-hard Wailers fan and the newly converted alike.

   The packaging for the "Catch A Fire: Deluxe Edition" is perfect. Those in charge, finally saw fit to re-print the original Zippo lighter cover artwork, giving all fans the ability to own a tiny replica of the much sought after original. The release even went so far as to reprint the 1973 album description which appeared on the back of the Zippo cover, stating that, "The Wailers were formed over ten years ago, in the days of 'ska'..." The release is in the form of a dual digipack, that opens up into four panels, the two outer panels featuring photos of Bob Marley, and the two inner panels that hold the CDs featuring a picture of The Wailers as a whole. The pull-out booklet graced by the later "Catch A Fire" cover with Bob Marley, contains an essay written by Richard Williams, who was head of A&R at Island Records when "Catch A Fire" was originally released. The 28-page booklet also includes lyric translations and several rare photographs of The Wailers. Also included is a listing of the personnel who played on the songs, both for the original Jamaican Versions and the later overdubbed material. The entire digipack slips in and out of a translucent plastic sleeve that protects the Zippo replica.

   The JA versions of "400 Years" and "Stop That Train" are very similar to those found on the released version. "Baby We've Got A Date (Rock It Baby)" includes extra lyrics in the JA version, as well as the lack of another Wayne Perkins guitar solo. Extra lyrics such as Bob saying, "So long I have waited / For this moment to come / And now you are here / We're gonna to have some fun" further give fans a look at how The Wailers originally wanted the songs to be, instead of Chris Blackwell's afterthoughts. "Midnight Ravers" and "Slave Driver" are also very similar in both versions, with the harmony singing by Bunny and Peter more up-front in the JA version in each song, and the hand clapping symbolizing the crack of a whip is not found in the JA version of "Slave Driver." Perhaps the most drastically different song from the JA version to the released version is "Kinky Reggae," which starts off with studio chatter and a very short acoustic introduction. There are vastly different lyrics like, "Look what you've done, / Under the sun" and "He had a candy tar / All over his candy bar." The JA version sounds a lot like the alternate version that was used in duet form on the "Chant Down Babylon" album. "No More Trouble" does not stray too far in both versions, with the exception of the ending in the JA version. About half-way through the song, Bob breaks into a semi-rap, saying "They say we don't need another little hungry mouth to feed / But what I would say on the double is we don't really need no more trouble / Let's all be trouble free / No more troubles to bother me."

   You can listen to sound samples from the album, as well as purchase the set online. You can expect to pay around $30 for this double-disc set, but luckily the Natty Rebel mailorder service has a huge discount on the set for around $25. Once you have the discs and have given it a listen or two, leave your ranking on the special review-it section below, rating it from bad to excellent and anywhere in between.

Please Rate Catch A Fire: Deluxe Edition bad >> >> >> excellent Results

   Here is the tracklist for the "Catch A Fire: Deluxe Edition":

The Unreleased Jamaican Versions
1. Concrete Jungle
2. Stir It Up
3. High Tide Or Low Tide
4. Stop That Train
5. 400 Years
6. Baby We've Got A Date (Rock It Baby)
7. Midnight Ravers
8. All Day All Night
9. Slave Driver
10. No More Trouble
11. Kinky Reggae 

The Released Album (Remastered)
1. Concrete Jungle
2. Slave Driver
3. 400 Years
4. Stop That Train
5. Baby We've Got A Date (Rock It Baby)
6. Stir It Up
7. Kinky Reggae
8. No More Trouble
9. Midnight Ravers 

JUNIOR MARVIN FEATURED IN RELIX - 

   You can read the article in its entirety on the Junior Marvin website, and if this article interests you, pick up a copy of Relix magazine for yourself! You can find more information about Relix magazine at their website, from which we also recently took a snapshot of Junior Marvin's very own photo gracing their main page (see above).

   In other Junior Marvin news, if you have not already visited his official website, you have missed information about Junior's recently born daughter, Nilee, named after the River Nile. Junior also tells The Wailers News that he has been in Brazil, working on a live tribute album to Bob Marley, entitled "Tribute To Bob Marley 20 Years," which should soon be out on Indie Records. Among the top musicians working alongside Junior are Fauzi Beydoun of Brazil's Tribo De Jah, Samuel Rosa of the Skank Band, and many others.

   Finally, there are only a few short months until the launch of Junior's radio show on the satellite radio station XM Radio. Among the other hosts scheduled for the station are Roger Steffens and Dermott Hussey. Listen for that soon!

NAME-THAT-TOSH-ALBUM - 

   According to Roger, the title should be succinct and to the point and at the same time describe what the album represents. You can pass along your suggestions for the naming for the upcoming Peter Tosh album, by e-mailing Roger Steffens himself. So put your thinking caps on and come up with the ultimate in creative titles!

THE WAILERS BAND A SUCCESS IN OREGON - 

On February 18th, 2001, a very special show by the Wailers at the Wild Duck Musick Hall in Eugene, Oregon included some very impressive guitar solos and chord work by Al Anderson. I got a chance to have a private discussion with him after the show and found him to be as peaceful and warm in person as he is when he e-mails me with friendly support and philosophical wisdom. In fact it was his wisdom which made me respect him most highly. It was wonderful to feel his spirit with me in person. I was surprised to find he was so humble and so funny. Great sense of humor! The show was a great success, with all my friends gathered around me dancing to the energizing music. I especially liked the conga player, whose addition to the band added just the right accent. The original versions of many of Bob Marley's tunes had congas and little else for drumming at times. And speaking of new versions of his songs, several songs The Wailers performed that night were new arrangements that I liked very much. To me, they gave new meaning to the lyrics.

I think Wya again stole the show, though, with a wild dance he did as he was leaving, all elbows and knees flailing the air. It made him about 5' tall instead of 6'6" (?)as he departed the stage in his usual mad dash to get off first, amazing. Also amazing was the dancing Nesta did, he really, really got into it. He lost himself in Jah that night. Like Marley once said to an interviewer from High Times, the essence of Jah is dance and when you are dancing, you are Jah. That was certainly true for both Wya and Nesta.

   The Wailers Band will be touring the east coast of the United States in April and Europe in May and June, so catch them if you can! Special thanks to Christian Cowlin for passing along the European tour itinerary, which can be viewed on the "2001 tour" section.

ICE EXAMINES ISLAND REISSUE PROJECT - 

   The one "previously unreleased" song on "One Love: The Ultimate Bob Marley" TV package, will be "I Know A Place," which did show up on several releases over the recent years. The article as a whole includes an interview with Bill Levenson, the executive producer of the reissue project. Bill Levenson discusses the story behind the recording of the "Catch A Fire" album, insights into the forthcoming reissues, and much more.

   If you head over to Ice Magazine, you may be able to get this issue of Ice free, as part of their sample issue trial. You can also read a selection from the Bob Marley & The Wailers' reissue project article at the Ice website.

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NEW RELEASES - 

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WAILERS SHORTS - 

   Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers music is featured in a new commercial for the Gap clothing line, with the Melody Makers' song playing while a lady dances on screen. The decision by the Marley family to continually sell their music to advertise goods is interesting, to say the least. Ziggy and his crew should have visited GapSucks to see what the Gap is really up to in harming people and the earth!

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JUST A PASSING GLANCE - 

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WailersNet - 

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WAILERS SURVEY - 

Here are the complete results for March's poll:

   This month's question asks, "Do the past and present members of The Wailers deserve more recognition and royalties from The Marley Estate?" If you have additional comments about this question, please leave them when you answer the question. We will have these results next month as well as an all new question! All responses are anonymous and thanks for taking the time to answer the survey!

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GOT THE NEWS FROM A WHISPERING TREE - 

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