Classic Albums - Bob Marley and
the Wailers CATCH A FIRE
In
the late '60s, the notion that reggae would become more than just a novelty
act would have been laughed at. To break into the mainstream, the movement
needed a powerful voice of prophetic proportions. This voice emerged from
the collective work of three pioneering friends from
Jamaica
, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, and
Robert Nesta Marley, who sought to bring about an ideological revolution
through deeply meditative, hypnotic, and spiritual music. Catch
a Fire was the Wailers' and reggae's introduction to the world and
turned Bob Marley into a mega-icon of enormous proportions. It was the first
album to remain true to the traditions of reggae music while having enough
elements that were accessible to popular culture.
This
documentary, Bob Marley and the Wailers: Catch a Fire, returns to
Dynamic Studios in
Kingston
,
Jamaica
, shedding light on the development of the album, the thought process of
Bob, Peter, and Bunny, and the importance of the music on a song-by-song
basis. The story of Catch a Fire is presented through interviews with
the band members, studio musicians, and former head of Island Records Chris
Blackwell. Throughout are raw studio rehearsal footage, BBC TV footage, and
home movies that include performances of "Concrete Jungle,"
"Slave Driver," "Stir It Up," and "Stop That
Train." The documentary wraps up with rare black-and-white footage of
the Wailers' tour in
Edmonton
,
London
, in 1973 with an electrifying performance of the Burnin'
song "Get Up, Stand Up." --Rob Bracco
