To sum up the history of The Wailers is akin to summing up the history of The Beatles, except even more so. The influence and impact of Bob Marley and The Wailers goes far beyond that of the fab four, to the extent where some, very understandably, call Marley a straight up prophet. Even from a purely musical perspective, we’re talking about the creators of some of the most iconic pop music of our time. So, no pressure then.
The first incarnation of The Wailers eventually consisted of Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Livingstone playing together as a power trio. However, after several chart successes Livingstone and Tosh were unwilling to tour, so the band split and Marley reformed the Wailers as his backing band. It’s hard to believe that everything that happened next only happened in seven years, but come 1981, Marley passed away due to cancer.
After Marley’s passing, bassist Aston “Family Man” Barrett arguably became the band leader. In fact, Barrett’s nickname came from how he saw himself as the organizer of the band from the very beginning. He’d been Marley’s most trusted lieutenant right up until his passing, responsible for most of the songs arrangements and playing on the vast majority of his greatest hits.
Under his guidance the band has played to an estimated total audience of 24 million people over the years, and have worked and performed with artists like Sting, Stevie Wonder and Carlos Santana. They are the pioneers of one drop reggae to this day, and with a line-up as experienced as they are, a live show of theirs can still knock people for six at twenty paces. Highly recommended.
Their founding, and most important, member might be gone, with Bob Marley - easily the most legendary musician in the history of reggae - having been taken at a tragically young age - but that’s not to say that The Wailers aren’t still a going concern; like Marley’s legacy, it seems as if they’re set to keep on going forever. Technically now known as The Wailers Band, the group currently retains original Wailer Aston Barrett on bass, although guitarist Junior Marvin now tours separately under the name of The Original Wailers, alongside fellow founder member Al Anderson. The Wailers continue to tour the UK regularly, playing high-profile slots at major festivals like Glastonbury as well as in support to the other bands; they played in front of a huge crowd at Manchester’s Heaton Park in the summer of 2012, opening for The Stone Roses. They play their own shows in smaller venues, too, running through Wailers cuts and some of Marley’s solo classics with their extensive live band, as well as a slew of reggae and ska standards, too. With the possible exception of catching one of his sons - like Ziggy or Damian - at a live show, The Wailers are about as close as you can get to Bob Marley in a live context these days; he’s certainly there in spirit.
Joeg_67
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