Peter Tosh

Peter Tosh (October 9, 1944 – September 11, 1987) was a pioneer reggae musician. A militant, well-read, trailblazing and sometimes bitter Rastafarian, his persona was the "Malcolm X" in reflection to his former bandmate Bob Marley's "Martin Luther King, Jr.".

With the Wailers

In the early 1960s he met Bob Marley and Bunny Livingston through his guitar teacher, Joe Higgs and taught Bob to play the guitar. In 1962 he was the driving force behind the trio's formation of the Wailing Wailers with Junior Braithwaite and back-up singers Beverly Kelso and Cherry Smith. The Wailing Wailers had a huge ska hit with their first single, "Simmer Down," and recorded several more successful singles before Braithwaite, Kelso and Smith left the band in late 1965. Marley spent much of 1966 in America with his mother, but he returned to Jamaica in early 1967 with a renewed interest in music and a new spirituality. McIntosh and Bunny were already rastafarians when Bob returned from the USA and the three became heavily involved in the Rastafarian movement. Soon afterwards, they renamed the group the Wailers.

Related Topics:
1960s - Bob Marley - Bunny Livingston - Joe Higgs - 1962 - Wailing Wailers - Junior Braithwaite - Beverly Kelso - Cherry Smith - Ska - 1965 - 1966 - 1967 - Rastafarian

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Veering away from the up-tempo dance of ska, the band slowed down to a rock-steady pace, and infused their lyrics with political and social messages. The Wailers penned several songs for American singer Johnny Nash before teaming up with production wizard Lee Perry to record some of reggae's earliest hits including "Soul Rebel," "Duppy Conqueror" and "Small Axe." With the addition of bassist Aston "Family Man" Barrett and his brother, drummer Carlton in 1970, the Wailers became Caribbean superstars. The band earned a record contract with Island and released their debut, Catch a Fire, in 1972; following it up with Burnin' the following year.

Related Topics:
Ska - Johnny Nash - Lee Perry - Aston "Family Man" Barrett - Carlton - 1970 - Caribbean - Superstars - Catch a Fire - 1972

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1973, McIntosh accidentally drove his car off a bridge, killing his girlfriend at the time and severely fracturing his own skull. He survived, but became even harder to deal with. After Island Records president Chris Blackwell refused to issue his solo album in 1974, the volatile McIntosh and Bunny Wailer left the Wailers citing the unfair treatment they received from Blackwell, who Tosh often referred to as 'Whiteworse'.

Related Topics:
1973 - Island Records - Chris Blackwell - 1974 - Bunny Wailer

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~