BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS – 20 UK Rarities

Robert Marley has the distinction of being the only reggae artist whose appeal transcended the narrow field of Jamaican music appreciators and captured the world of popular music. He achieved this after the departure of the other original Wailers. Yet many fans will agree that their pre-split recordings possess a far greater depth and impact than the later work. This is reflected in the interest in and value of the pre-Catch A Fire work, compared to later 1970s collectables like picture discs and demo singles.  

Until Marley became the king of reggae, The Wailers’ records were pressed in the same small quantities as all other top name Jamaican artists, making some of them quite elusive for the collector. The three of them made some mesmerising recordings, particularly in collaboration with Lee Perry. The self-productions on their own short-lived Wail’N’ Soul’M and latterly Tuff Gong imprints are extremely satisfying in a way that the later over-produced Island work could never achieve.

Even though much of The Wailers’ work is easily available, whether as luxury collector’s slip-cased reissues from Trojan and Universal or two-quid filling-station-rack jobs, collectors’ desire to own original vinyl keeps interest in the singles and LPs alive. That said, aside from the odd eBay glitch, prices of …

by
<< Back to Issue 312

You must be a subscriber to view the full article, subscribe now for full access to all online content.

Already a Magazine Subscriber? Register now for online access.

Login Here

Free Newsletter


Subscribe to
our email newsletter by emailing:

anna.bowen@
metropolis.co.uk