THE LEGACY left by Bob Marley is immeasurable. His universal appeal stemmed from his need to touch everyone, regardless of colour, race, creed or any of the many other man-made divisions designed to segregate. 

His quest to seek out ‘wickedness in high and low places’ turned out to be a lifelong mission. Born in Nine Miles St Ann on Feb 6th 1945, Nesta was the first of Cedella Malcolm’s four children. Captain Norval Marley, Nesta’s white English father had been seconded to Jamaica to work for the British government during the war. Norval left Nine Miles the day after his marriage to Cedella, leaving her to raise their baby alone. Nesta was well-loved and cared for by his mother and grandfather, Omeriah Malcolm, who imparted much wisdom on the boy during his formative years. Nesta grew into a spiritual and sensitive child, often reading the palms of his friends and neighbours with astonishing accuracy. He was happy, life in Nine Miles was unspoilt and idyllic but Cedella felt restless. They were miles away from the nearest schools or hospitals, under the circumstances Cedella felt that country life was not the best life for her and her son; she wanted a better one. In 1957 she took the plunge and moved with Nesta to Jamaica’s bustling capital Kingston to find work. Determined to make a go of it, despite the odds, she settled in Trench Town. In reality, city life was no better than country life and offered even less comfort. Poverty and violence plagued the district, while the chances of finding jobs were as poor as the living conditions. 

Trench Town 

As well as the many rural migrants from all over Jamaica, Trench Town housed an extraordinary tribe of men known as Rastafarians, a dreadlocked group of men and women who had set up encampments in Trench Town as far back as the onset of World War II. Rastafarians looked to the east to Africa for their saviour and named Ethiopia’s ruler Haile Selassie I as The King of Kings. The Rastafarians, who even back then, strongly believed in repatriation to Africa, turning away from western ideals astonishingly made Trench Town’s tenements their spiritual base. On arrival in Kingston, young Nesta Robert Marley knew almost nothing about Rastafarians except what he was told. “Keep away from the blackheart men, don’t go near them, they will eat you”. Unaware of the impact that Rastafarian ism, its doctrines and indeed Africa would have on his future, Nesta heeded the warnings but not in any great sense; he had his own troubles, he had to survive. The youngster concerned himself with helping his mother and getting through school, perhaps in a more perfunctory manner than even she realised at first. He was a fairly good student and liked school, although his secondary education was almost non-existent, he was remarkably quick and extremely intelligent. 

Growing up in Trench Town with no permanent male role model as his guide made the transition from childhood to adolescence even more awkward for Nesta who often felt alienated in the city. Classed as white and somehow different to his young counterparts, Nesta became a target and was often bullied because of his fair complexion. Finding ways to deal with this relentless bigotry ultimately shaped the iron will and overpowering self-confidence so evident in the music he was to later create. 

New Confidence 

By the late 1950s, a growing undercurrent of optimism had emerged on the island. People redefined themselves as Jamaicans with newfound confidence; there were also whispers of independence from British rule being granted.  A new era was beginning, a new day was dawning. In sync with this new synergy, Jamaica almost instinctively created a new beat, a new sound, a “new music”. Despite the apparent disadvantages of ‘ghetto life’, the cauldron that was Western Kingston epitomised one of the great cultural truths about Jamaica and other impoverished regions around the globe; how those who have nothing, and therefore nothing to lose, are not afraid to express themselves. Jamaicans typified this notion with great style, class and a tremendous amount of pride. Pocomania, mento, ska, rock steady, reggae, dancehall and other genres were all created in Jamaica within a relatively short period.

Rhythm 

The pace of life in warmer climes usually echoes the rhythms of nature – rising with the sun and staying awake until it sets. The harnessing of the human soul to the day’s natural course seems to allow creative forces greater freedom. Always a country boy at heart, Nesta followed the natural tempo of his environs but also discovered his own rhythms for life. The cool of the first light of day or long after the sunset was when he worked best. Now aged around thirteen or fourteen Nesta was quite a loner preferring to spend any spare time meditating. He would often be found, with or without his spar and stepbrother Neville ‘Bunny’ Livingston, writing songs or strumming his sardine-tin guitar, trying out new melodies and harmonies. Apart from football, which he loved and played very well, music was his only solace. By 1960 Nesta and Bunny began to attend the evening music classes held by Joe Higgs in his Third Street yard in Kingston. Joe used these music clinics to motivate the youth in the area; he was often their only hope. So great was his empathy with them that he also became a mentor and role model to many of the lads, particularly Nesta. Joe assiduously coached the youngsters in the art of harmonising and taking lead, advising Nesta to sing all the time, to strengthen his voice. It was at one of these music sessions that Nesta and Bunny met a young guitarist called Peter McIntosh, who could also sing. The trio worked well and blended very naturally together. 

Tartar 

Rastafarian elder Tartar was another important figure in Nesta’s life, particularly in his late teens. Tartar owned a small tuck shop and would sell dishes like callaloo, saltfish and dumplings to the locals. At times, when Nesta was completely impoverished, it would be at Tartar’s yard that he would find comfort, sustenance and shelter. When Nesta decided to learn to play the guitar, it was Tartar who would stay up all night with him, turning the pages of the ‘Teach Yourself Guitar’ book that Nesta had bought. Tarter encouraged as Nesta played, often into the small hours, peering at the diagrams by the light of a flickering oil lamp, which blackened their nostrils with soot come the dawn. Marley left school by the time he was fourteen and for a short time, became an apprentice at a local welder’s shop. One day he was working on some steel when a piece of metal flew off and hit him in the eye. It was a serious injury causing the youth much pain and a trip to the hospital to have the metal removed but this rogue sliver had a greater significance and signalled a turning point in Nesta’s life. From now on”, he told Tartar boldly, “there will be no more welding, only the guitar”. Marley convinced his mother and all around him that he could make a better living by singing and set about it immediately. By now Bunny also made a ‘ghetto guitar’, similar to the one Nesta constructed from a bamboo staff, electric cable wire and a large sardine tin and Peter brought along his battered acoustic guitar. With unstoppable earnest, the trio began to rehearse and play as a unit. 

The Wailers 

By 1961 The Wailers were ready for the road. Encouraged by Higgs, who also became their coach, they formed a group called The Teenagers consisting of Nesta, Bunny and Peter as well as a strong local singer called Junior Braithwaite and two girls, Beverley Kelso and Cherry Smith, who sang backing vocals. “It was kinda difficult,” said Joe Higgs later, “to get the group precise – and their sound – and to get the harmony structures. It took a couple of years to get that perfect. I wanted each person to be a leader in his own right. I wanted them to be able to wail in their own rights.” It was now public knowledge in Trench Town that Nesta Marley, who was beginning to be known more as Bob, was a musician of some sort and alongside Bunny & Peter became somewhat local celebrities. The group’s debut recording “Judge Not for Leslie Kong’s Beverley’s label in 1962 was a minor hit and paved the way for “One Cup of Coffee” and other tracks for Kong. Now pared back to the original trio, the Wailers left Kong for Studio One where they enjoyed a great deal more success. Studio One boss Clement Seymour Dodd groomed the lads and presented them as Jamaica’s answer to US soul group Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions. It paid off and “One Love”, “Simmer Down”, “I’m Still Waiting” and a string of hit singles followed, all on Coxone’s Studio One label. It was while at Studio One that Bob met his future wife Alforita Constantia Anderson. “I remember seeing them pass my gate every day on their way to the studio one day’ recalls Rita “I called to them and said hey, I can sing too”. Robbie was a bit standoffish but Peter said ‘OK, let’s hear what you can do’. They were quite impressed by my voice and invited me to come to the studio with them”. Dodd actually signed Rita as the lead singer for the Wailers female counterparts the Soulettes. Things progressed rapidly when Dodd assigned Bob the task of mentoring and tutoring the Soulettes. “Bob and I eventually started dating and fell in love; Coxone recognized the signs and suggested we get married”. 

Continued in next edition…