Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Nowhere Man]

All respect to dub, but...

For me, the only thing that can touch Bob is the "Harder They Come" soundtrack.

That was '72.

After his death, no one is even close.

Ziggy is good, but far from the level.

Finlay Quaye, but that's a bit different.

Toots and Lee Perry are still performing, but...

if we're to face up to it, no one's made a new reggae standard to match Bob's songbook, have they?

[SPINOZA]

It's all rather repetitive if you ask me. Of course one will find some degree of similarity in any style of music, but Marley's songs all began with the exact same drum roll! If you've heard one, like ac/dc, you've heard the lot. That said, I do like 'Natural Mystic' and 'Iron Lion Zion'.

I love 'Police and Thieves' by Gregory Isaacs and 'Chase the Devil' by whoever that was, but, yes, Marley seems to be master of an extremely tedious genre.

[Moldy Rutabaga]

Reggae does seem to be a little limited in what it can do, but then, people say the same about blues. But there has been some growth in what reggae is in the last thirty years, partly in the production values, partly in the lyrical depth, and maybe also in the range of instruments or techniques used.

Who else--dunno-- Peter Tosh? Pato Banton?

Ken:>

[Satori]

[Tiberious aka Sparkles]

I'm surprised 'Mr. Brown' has never, to my knowledge, been sampled on a hip-hop record.

Sparkles*_*

[Nowhere Man]

Not sure if it's a joke,

but

I know Public Enemy has sampled "Mr Nesta".

[Satori]

There is a house remix of "Sun Is Shining". I am a dedicated house head, but I dont think Marley right for a house sample. But he is ripe for hip hop. It's suprising it hasnt happened a lot more.

By the way, There is an album called "Chant Down Babylon" which features a bunch of comtemporary urban artists covering and remixing some Marley Classics, and it's def worth a listen.

To those who say reggae, or at least Bob Marley, is always the same I say this...if you only focus on the "chikka chikka" guitar which is a staple feature of the genre, you might get that impression. But if you hone in on the complex and spacious interplay between the bass and the drums, you'll find each Marley track has a very strong and unique identity. Reggae is groove music, so you're not going to get wild swings in style and feel within one track. But track to track, each song is unique, it is definitely not cookie cutter music, speaking only of Marley here.

[tiger fancini]

Right now, I think Damian Marley is one of the freshest talents in reggae. 'Jamrock' is a wicked album ,but its predecessor 'Halfway tree' is even better. The thing with reggae music is that its not really exposed to the mainstream, or at least it wasn't during the years following Bobs death. However, I think that this was the time that reggae music really blossomed, when guys like Gregory Issacs, Dennis Brown, John Holt and Dillinger were making some serious tunes.

Bob Marley is rightly credited for taking the music to a worldwide audience, but has inadvertently become the Phil Collins of reggae. Your older brother probably likes him. Maybe your Dad too?

[Eunoia]

[RACETRAITOR]

I used to DJ at a reggae club, and nothing would annoy the other DJs more than someone requesting Bob Marley. It shows you don't know anything about reggae so you'd just request the only name you know. Thanks, genius. I didn't mind as much because I have a bunch of his earlier ska stuff that's pretty decent.

The problem with Bob Marley is people don't bother looking much farther than him for great reggae music. I've had that problem whenever I talk with Koreans about reggae and ska; they only know Bob Marley and Sublime, which isn't enough to get yourself into the genre (whatever genre Sublime counts as).

And I want to make an even more prudent argument: ska-punk broke ska (though there are a ton of great traditional ska bands out these days).

PS: Chase the Devil is sung by Max Romeo (and recently by Madness).

[skinhead]

The ska it came out of is also regarded as monotonous by some, but admittedly there is a certain definable backbeat that defines its roots. However, the diversity of musical styles independent of the stereotypical reggae structure that has sprouted as a result of ska and reggae is enormous. Fancini is right in that Marley popularised it, maybe even militarised it for his cause, and he created great variety and interplay in his mix of righteous anger and a yearning for brotherhood and peace. He mixed it with gospel, blues, and a certain archetypal Trenchtown pop, which is what most people think of when His Greatness is mentioned. Furthermore, the themes he develops in his lyrics are as diverse as in any other genre of music. It's true heartland music, born out of a spirit of oppression and was largely a response to the politics of poverty, using the tools at hand to make its own thing. That it spread globally out of English ghettos is testament to its appeal across borders. That it has its detractors who pass it off as a tedious genre may be due naturally to the geopolitical parameters of its beginnings. Bob Marley was one among many. His Perry stuff is different from his ska stuff which is different from his Blackman/Island stuff. Sure he was the vanguard, but those who came before, after, as well as some of his contemporaries provide more than enough variety within reggae. Removed from its cultural roots, it can and often does dumb down somewhat to what Satori has so eloquently described as the 'chika. chika.' pattern. At least that's what I always got from it anyway.

Best reggae I ever heard was not Bob Marley, but a band out of Germany I have conveniently forgotten the name of. A mate of mine threw it on a few months ago and I automatically assumed it was Jamaican, but nope - whitefellas. Best reggae out of Jamaica for me is Burning Spear - still burning strong today. I've got a soft spot for the Trenchtown horns. Throw in a trombone, a couple of trumpets and a sax and I'm in hog heaven. Don't narrow your mind down too much; mix it up; investigate. If you don't like reggae, "oh no", just forget about it.

[tiger fancini]

[indytrucks]

[RACETRAITOR]

Wow, so the other "skinhead" does know something about ska. The German band/guy you're trying to think of could have been Dr Ring Ding. Even if I'm wrong, give him a listen.

[seoulsucker]

One reggae group I've always been into is Steel Pulse. Even some of their 80's UB40ish stuff is pretty cool.