Thursday

Sometimes I feel like I spend half of my life looking for something. I am still unable to find the Playbill from the show "Reggae."

I am something of a Marley addict, and I am not alone.  If it has the name Bob Marley on it, I usually have to buy it.  Although I am not a Jazz lover, I picked up a new Bob Marley cover CD by Monty Alexander.  So far it sounds like good waiting/reception room music.

I wore my Ralph Marlin Marley tie to work today, which guarantees me interesting comments, especially on the colorful marijuana leaves.

I have seen the Adrian Boot Marley photography exhibition twice, once in NYC, (where I clandestinely videotaped it), and once at Expo in Seville, Spain.  I have the 20 page summary of each picture.  I wish I still had my yellow Marley coffee cup, that I purchased.

I hope everybody knows that Hechicero means Bush Doctor in Spanish, and that occasionally one should hit the reload button on the page, too see if there were any updates.

Thought that this site was interesting. It converts ones' name to Jananese "
http://www.urban75.com/Mag/jap.html"

I finally found the playbill to the Broadway Show called Reggae which I saw March 1980.  I think it played in previews for a few months. Once again, I am still looking for the soundtrack and if you have it, please contact me.  It played at the Biltmore Theater and starred Philip Michael Thomas (Miami Vice) and Ruth Cook.  Ras Karbi was also in it.  The concept and production was by Michael Butler (Hair)

The story was by Michael Lascelles and some of the music was by Max Romeo and Jackie Mittoo and Ras Karbi.  Jackie Mitoo was also a member of the band, which provided the live music.

I could provide more details if anybody is interested.

Thanks for taking me Dad, and also thanks for the Guitar.  I had better thank my Mother a well, so she does not feel unappreciated.

Neville Garrick will be autographing his book "Rasta's Pilgrimage - Ethiopian Faces and Places," nearby tomorrow, but I will probably miss him since I will be going into Brooklyn to discuss music with Glen Adams.

I would like to post a poem my son wrtoe when he was in 2nd grade. If anybody want s to make a song out of it, be my guest.  It's called  "Love Is"
            Love is something that you can't buy
            It's to cheer someone up if they cry.
            Love is kisses, hearts, and hugs
            Love is not  pushing and tugs.
          
            Love is something in your heart
            Love makes you feel whole--not part.
            Love keeps you from falling down
            Love is smiles, not frowns.


Friday

"Soon Come" is a term analogous to the Mexican term Arrohita. It means una ratitio in Spanish and it loosely translates to "don't hold your breath."  The thumb almost touches the index finger. The smaller they put there fingers together, the longer the wait. Just kidding, actually it means "in a little bit." One of the biggest culture shocks is arriving in Jamaica, and experiencing "soon come"/waiting.  Everything is a wait, and it takes some seriously chilling out.

I was supposed to see Glen Adams today, but it fell through.  On Dec 13th I waited about 4 hrs at a record shop on NYC for Bunny Wailer to show up.  (He didn't)

I once knocked myself out going to see Rita Marley at the Ritz, but she was a "no show."  Third World also didn't show up at the last minute at a club in NY , due to either snow or visa problems.  I waited  sucessfully to see the Marley Brothers perform at a local record store for a couple of hours.

I'm listening to a tape of Tosh 's Versions.  Too bad they didn't put that on the Box set.

Just got back from meeting Neville Garrick.  So much things to say, but I'll leave it for another time.  He will be at a book store in Washington, June 22nd, don't miss him.

Saturday

One quick story that Neville told me that the finger prints on Tosh's record "Dread or Alive" were Neville's' and not Peters.  Peter did not want his finger prints taken.

Neville had a minute of silence for Junior Braithwaite.  I video tapped most of Neville's 20 minute talk on his trip to Ethiopia.  It's gonna be a while before I transcribe it.  I met two young gentleman, who live locally, and are in their final phases of a book on Reggae Album Covers.  Neville wrote the "forward" to their book.


Sunday

I just wanted to reiterate what an excellent speaker Neville Garrick is.  Not only was he witty, well spoken, but extremely objective and well researched. He stated that he wanted the real truth to Ethiopia, and not what his Rasta Brethren had taught him.

I was getting Ice Cream 2 nights ago, wearing a Marley T shirt, and the vendor said "was that the guy who had 28 new species of head lice when he died"?  I was taken aback, but politely explained that his statement was untrue, why it was untrue, and that it was a rumor.


Tuesday

I think I'm slowing down about stuff to write about.  I just picked up "Destiny" and was very pleased. I thought it was at the same standards as the JAD set, which I mentioned to Bruno Blum.

Just 2 quick "filler" stories.  I have been searching for an authentic Wailers Dub plate for 20 years unsuccessfully.  When I was in Jamaica a few years ago, I asked Paul if he could take 2 Wailers singles and have a dub plate pressed out of them for me. He did at a cost of $40 each. They actually came out better than I had expected, since the speed was a bit slow, so they sounded different from the originals.

Subsequently, I flew out to Rogers' house and used them as part of the "kitty'" in a trade. I would never lie to Roger or anybody else, but was milking the trade just to se what would happen.  I finally told him the truth that they were counterfeit, before we finalized the trade.  He mentioned that he suspected it was a fake, due the paring of the songs. (Something like 3 'O'clock Roadblock with Burial version)

Wednesday

When I met Neville Garrick last week, his hair was short. I privately asked him if he was still a Rasta. He smiled and said of course he was.  I thought it was a reasonable question and didn't mean to overly personal about his religious beliefs. Neville subsequently inadvertently insulted me, in his talk to the audience. 

When Neville was talking to a crowd of 20 people about Ethiopia, he stated "People say, So, are you still a Rasta?  I say are you still an idiot?  People are really stupid.  I didn't cut them off.  They left me. That's god's work" "They knew me with long locks.  "He" said you don't need them any more.  It's not a hair doctrine, it's not a fools (?) doctrine.  No Rastaman with hair down to the ground could challenge my conviction.  See my testimony (pointing to his book) Where is yours? This is my love for Ethiopia, Where is yours?"

Then Neville was talking about how the Rastas have a subjective view of Ethiopia, and when he came to America, to educate himself about Africa, by reading and taking courses.


Thursday

It seems like it was only yesterday that I couldn't wait for my new "Reggae Beat" magazine. The Marley issue was basically the only source for information about the Wailers. It amazes me to see how far Reggae Journalism has come.

Now everywhere one looks, there is another Marley page on the Internet. 

Now we have the Wailers devoted Distant Drums magazine, informative web sites and even real video on demand.  I wonder when we will have Marley holographic concerts?

This is one of my most interesting links:
http://www.meddean.luc.edu/lumen/MedEd/GrossAnatomy/cross_section/index.html.  The Medical Center took a corpse, freeze dried it, cut it up with a meat slicer into thin slices, and took MRI's and other cross sectional images

If anybody is interested, in the R &R enterprises Autograph Auction catalogue (800-937-3880) which is over June 23rd, there is a Haile Selassie autograph for sale (Minimum bid $300) There are also Marley and Tosh autographs for sale.


I wonder who has all the signed Marley contracts from all of his concerts?

People wonder how I find time to listen to all my tapes and CDs. I'll reveal some trade secrets even, that Roger doesn''t know about.

Of course there is the CD ROM player in the computer, which is good for listening, when I'm on line.  The CD and tape deck in my car also allows me to catch up.  One of my secrets is that I have a CD/cassette player in the bathroom, so concerts can be listened to, during showers.  Interviews require much more concentration, so the Bathroom won't do for those.

Of course there is a record player in the bedroom and living room.  I also have one downstairs, that I exercise to twice a week. I also have one of those toy record players for 45's in the downstairs.

One of the things that inspires me to jog/exercise on the treadmill, is to watch a video at the same time.

Roger Steffans mentioned in the new Marely Beat Magazine, there are only so many hours in a day one can listen to music. He mentioned that he plays music softly in the background when he is working and only occasionally, does something jump out and make him stop and listen more carefully.


Friday

This page is a nice dedication to me:
"http://members.aol.com/popajo/winner.html"

Saturday

Occasionally I work for free under the name of Doctor Magic, but I thought I was finished with magic.  I have volunteered to do a magic show at a Halloween party at a firehouse the last 2 years for hundreds of kids.  They begged me back for this year and unfortunately, they would not take no for an answer. 
   
The following is a fantasy:

Maybe I'll changed my name to DocJah Magic and do a Rasta show.  I've been thinking about this for a while (BTW, I'm not serious) I have an illusion, where I pull red, gold and green silks out of red gold and green CDs.  Then I could do the color changing water trick with the same colors.  I could then put a red, gold and green balls sequentially, into a cylinder tube, and pull out the balls in a different order then they went in.

This reminds of some Rasta clowns/acrobats I saw twice at the Point Village Hotel in Negril, (one's name was Stinky).  Basically they acted goofy for kids, and would every so often preach some Rasta philosophy, and say something about Babylon etc.  Very few tourists understood what they were saying, except me.  I have the show on video somewhere.  Anyway they were great.


Trading tapes has been around almost since recording was invented. Whether it was trading Reel to Reel Frank Sinatra, Al Jolson radio shows or underground Stones or Beatles bootlegs on vinyl.  Now with the Internet and CD "burning" machines, it is easier than ever.

There are also different levels of rare tapes, such as No copies, No copies Ever or "for Your ears only."  There are also no copies in Red ink. Some tapes cannot be copied because of copyright impingement's.  Some tapes cannot be copied because of personal requests by the owner or the tape.  But as in Baseball cards, there are "commons," meaning that everybody can have that copy. An example of a Marley "commons " might mean the Dortmond, Germany show.  One can then move on to the length of the show. The complete unedited version is approximately 3 hrs. But most traders only have the 90 minute version.  This happened probably because only 90 minutes fits on a regular cassette.  Compulsive collectors seek out the complete show, and now with the Internet, one can easily search the world collectors. 

Another aspect of trading is, what generation is the copy?  Is it a first,second,or third generation copy.  Was it from recorded from the board
or audience.  Was it recorded on a mono table tape recorder, such as the Wailers at the Matrix club, or was it recorded from the audience on a DAT recorder.

A similar analogy can be videos.  Dortmond exists in at least 2 versions.  One called RockPlast and then the complete show.  Of course there is the version that has the I 3's as the opening act, which is the most sought after. 

One then gets into quality of the tapes, is it a Dolby a, b or c. Is there hiss? Is someone yelling out their kids name as a "voice signature"?  Etc.

Another aspect of trading is the from the mixing board or from an audio, that was taken from a video.  Obviously mixing board tapes are more desirable, due to the enhanced sound quality.  Probably a board tape exits of all of Marleys' shows from 70-80. 

There are variations of the length of Wailers videos.  The Rockplast video
of Dortmund is not the complete show.  There is also a longer version of Dortmond, one with the I three's and another without.

Every once and a while a Marley radio show will be broadcast and something incredibly rare sneaks through, such as 1 minute of the "Bedroom tapes."  Occasionally 3 seconds of a previously unaired version will be played, since the Radio host did not hit the stop button in time.

Where does all leave us? There are, have and have nots, in the tape traders world.  There is even a chat room in Yahoo which meets 3 times a week called the Tape trader club.

The question is why are some tapes not to be shared?  In my opinion, many composing tapes are personal diary's and were not meant to be heard by the general public. Others were rough mix tapes, warts and all, and were not meant to released. Still there are experimental mix tapes, such as the one by the Congos.Since these tapes are not sold, the bootlegging business is really not an issue. No money is being made from sharing and trading tapes. It is done for the love of the music.

Which leaves us with the question, What would Bob have wanted? Would he have wanted his tapes hoarded in a cardboard box in someone's closet, or having his music shared, for those who want to hear it?  Several years ago, some very rare/unheard Louis Armstong music was commercially released.  Unfortunately may have his fans have since passed away, before it was released, and never got to hear that music.  When Bob passed, apparently many composing tapes were taken from his Mothers house, and never have been heard from. 

Now is the time for those thieves to clear their conscious and share those tapes.

My 102 y/o patient died peacefully yesterday. She actually made me laugh, last week.  She said "her Nurses Aide was a pain in her toe" (she didn't want to say the word Ass). At first, I thought she was complaining of pain in her big toe, then I realized that she was trying to be ladylike.

My oldest patient now is Poly Flieg, 105 years old.  That means she was born in 1895.

Next Chapter





Everything you wanted to know about the Wailers and more!