Timothy White - Catch a Fire: The Life of Bob Marley

There isnt another book that gives as full and accurate a portrait of reggae culture. This is a biography no serious pop fan should be without.

J. D. CONSIDINE , The Baltimore Sun

The strange island of Jamaica with its obeah spells, cosmic coincidences, and tragic fatalism is rendered with a gifted, accurate touch that recalls the best of Garc a Marquez.

CHRIS SALEWICZ , The Face

Aloof, cagey, proud, funny, Marley has been made human in this book. Hes no longer just a fierce-eyed legend who died too soon. One of the most vivid portraits of a pop artist ever written.

KEN TUCKER , Knight-Ridder Newspapers

Catch a Fire should stand as the best available document on his life and work.

MARC LEEPSON , USA Today

The definitive book on Bob Marley.

LISA ROBINSON , The New York Post

Because of Mr. Whites extensive research, this biography is not only informative but also absorbing.

JON WEINER , The New York Times Book Review

Superb As fine and moving a biography as Marley could have wanted.

New Musical Express

ExcellentWhite has made Catch a Fire a journey into Jamaica, the land that created Bob Marley, and the sound of its people.

THULANI DAVIS , Essence

White has a deep appreciation for reggaes immediacy, hypnotic power and contradictions.An exhaustively researched labor of love.

DON McLEESE , Chicago Sun-Times

Probably the finest biography ever written about a popular musician.

San Francisco Chronicle

T o Judy

Copyright Omnibus Press
This edition Omnibus Press
(A Division of Music Sales Limited, 1415 Berners Street, London W1T 3LJ)

ISBN: 9780857121363

The Author hereby asserts his / her right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with
Sections 77 to 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical
means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the
publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages.

Every effort has been made to trace the copyright holders of the photographs in this book, but one or two
were unreachable. We would be grateful if the photographers concerned would contact us.

A catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library.

Visit Omnibus Press on the web at www.omnibuspress.com

For all your musical needs including instruments, sheet music and accessories, visit www.musicroom.com

For on-demand sheet music straight to your home printer, visit www.sheetmusicdirect.com

Iron, Lion, Zion:
Authors Notes on Sources, Documents and Appendixes

F irst and foremost, my gratitude to Bob Marley. He made himself available for numerous interviews over the seven years before his death and always answered even my most trivial questions fully and honestly while at the same time preserving the ineffability of his character.

I would also like to thank the Marley, Malcolm, Willoughby and Brown families for their time and assistance, particularly Rita Marley, David Malcolm and Lurline Brown Malcolm. But most of all, thanks to Cedella Marley Booker. After three years of searching (Bob liked to tell people his mother lived in Africa), I found Mrs. Booker in Wilmington, Delaware, in the winter of 1977 and she granted me the first in-depth interview she had ever given. She sat for four subsequent interviews between 1977 and 1982 and tolerated no less than thirty often lengthy follow-up calls in the summer and fall of 1982. She is a woman of enormous charity and courage, and I am deeply grateful for her generous assistance and support.

Thanks also to the many others who allowed me to interview them repeatedly over the years, and who took me into their homes and their confidence, particularly Chris Blackwell, who was never less than a great sport. I am also indebted, of course, to Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Aston Barrett (for the great interview in Harry Js Studio the night that Bob recorded Jah Live), Al Anderson (for all the ringing rock with Chuck B. in Jersey back when he played with the Red Bred, and for getting me in to the Jah Live session that hot Kingston evening) and to all the rest of the Wailers. Others who gave me their time over the years for interviews were: Glen Adams (thanks for hooking me up with the elusive Coxsone); Clement Dodd; Lee Perry; Lawrence Jack Ruby Lindo; Justin Hines; Ras Morris Fabian Clark of Clarendon; bush doctor Nernelly of St. Catherine; Burning Spear; Ernest Ranglin, the King of Ska Guitar; Roland Alphonso; Frederick Toots Hibbert and the Maytals; Tommy Cowan; Sonia Pottinger; Seeco Patterson; Jimmy Cliff; Ras Michael and the Sons of Negus; Big Youth; Aswad; Gilly; Lee Jaffe; Mikey Dread; Jah Malla; Duckie Simpson of Black Uhuru; Countryman; Dickie Jobson; Diane Jobson; Bird; Joe Higgs; Dream; Wayne Perkins, the White Wailer; Neville Garrick; Howard Bloom; and numerous others.

I want to extend a special thank-you to Jeff Walker, former publicity director of Island Records, a loyal, reliable friend and a valorous, principled man.

This book simply could not have been written without access to the extensive archives (historical data, tapes, articles, etc.) of Roger Steffens and Hank Holmes of The Reggae Beat, the since cancelled weekend show on KCRW in Los Angelesonce the finest reggae radio show in America. Thanks to Hank and to Roger and his wife, Mary, for their warm hospitality and patient cooperation.

Peter Simon, the peerless reggae photographer who served as photo editor for this book, lent every kind of support a colleague could, through thick and thin. Bruce C. Fishelman, Esq., served as tailgunner nonpareil.

A special thanks to David Steinberg, Bob and Ritas lawyer, for his cooperation and generous assistance.

Others who deserve special thanks: Mitchell Glazer, my best friend and a tireless booster who talked me into doing this book in the first place; Vivien Goldman, reggae soulmate of long standing; press agent Charles Comer, a consummate professional who helped smooth Bob Marleys path to superstardom; Charles M. Young, who guided the book through customs; George Bo Bryan, who rode shotgun; Robert Sabbag, who gave me the gift/shove of confidence; and research assistant Ken Braun, who never let me down.

I would also like to express my appreciation to Edward Seaga and Michael Manley; Olivia Babsy Grange, Director of Cultural Development for the Jamaican government; Jane Levenson, executive assistant to Prime Minister Edward Seaga; Anne Sabo of Sabo Associates, New York City; the Jamaican Institute; Hector Wynter and the Jamaican Daily Gleaner staff; the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Kingston; the Jamaican Consulate and the Jamaican Tourist Board in New York City; the Research Institute for the Study of Man in New York City; the New York Public Library; Ellen Smith, head of publicity for Island Records.