Page 76 - Reggae Festival Guide Magazine 2017

The scope of this book is the result of the

lifetime dedication of its author to the subject.

Roger Steffens’ credentials are well known in

the reggae world: co-founder with Hank Holmes
of the seminal Reggae Beat reggae show in

L.A. and with C.C. Smith of The Beat magazine,

among other credits. The interview material

spans decades and Roger ties it all together as
narrator, giving context to the disparate voices

which include members of Marley’s family, band,

friends, associates, journalists, photographers

and others who worked with, knew and

encountered Marley.

If you think you know the story of Bob Marley’s
life and career from existing biographies, you’ll

be amazed at how much you learn reading

this book. The period of time The Wailers spent

recording with Johnny Nash, Arthur Jenkins

and Danny Simms is placed in context with the
simultaneous productions of Leslie Kong and
So Much Things to Say: Lee “Scratch” Perry – in a way that finally makes

The Oral History sense out of the massive amount of recording
done for these producers in a most productive
of Bob Marley five-year span. Incredibly moving in-depth

interviews with people who were on the scene

By Roger Steffens also flesh out the story of the assassination

(W.W. Norton, 2017) attempt that preceded the Smile Jamaica
concert, as well as later events that have great
Culled from hundreds of interviews with bearing on the music.
principals who knew and worked with Bob

Marley, So Much Things to Say is filled with From all of this emerges a much clearer picture of

anecdotes and information crucial to the the artist and human being than even some of the
understanding of the artist and the man. As interviewees themselves experienced. Among the

the author notes in his introduction, there interviews that stand out are lengthy passages from

have been many books written about Bob Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Joe Higgs, Ras Michael
Marley – undoubtedly there will be many more and dozens more, including many people who

– and material from these interviews will likely were present during the most crucial periods in

reappear in some of those to come. What is question. With interview material collated, curated

unique here, is the number of participants and gathered over four decades, this book stands

telling their stories in their own words, covering as a fitting tribute to both Bob Marley and Roger
the entire span of this artist’s life. Steffens. Highly recommended!

76 REGGAE FESTIVAL GUIDE 2017