The Bob Marley Documentary – When Bob Marley Came To Britain – The Bob Marley Story
(Currently Available on BBC Iplayer)
10.00 – 11.00 pm BBC 2 The Broadcast Celebration Continued With An Insightful Documentary Called ‘When Bob Marley Came To Britain’ Lookin’ At The Background Story of Bob Marley And His Gradual Rise To Prominence & Stardom In The UK.
It’s A Great Documentary And Includes The Story of How He And Rock Guitarist Eric Clapton Worked With Record Producer And Founder of Island Records – Chris Blackwell), Playin’ A Gig In A Little Southhampton Pub, And Playing At The Lyceum In London’s Theatreland (Which Helped Turn His Career Around). Leavin’ London Because of The Snow And Returnin’ Years Later Because of A Politically Motivated Assasination Attempt On His Life December 3rd 1976 In His Jamaican Record Studios Based At Hope Road, Near The Jamaican Blue Mountains Region.
It Also Includes Great Contributions From Music Commentators Don Letts @lettsdon, Chris Salewicz @chrissalewicz, Mykaell Riley @mykaellriley And @Photographer Dennis Morris @dennismcevoymorris (Pictured Above).
Three Senior Gentlemen Are Still Thrilled About Bob Visiting Their School Back In The Day. He Was On A Tour of England, And After Meeting One of Their Teachers At Ronnie Scotts, The Famous Jazz Bar In Soho @officialronnies He Agreed To Do A Daytime Performance At The School. He’d Had A Falling Out With Fellow Musician Johnny Nash, Their Joint Tour Had Gone Quiet And He Was Looking For Extra Publicity.
One of The Men, A Light-Skinned Man (To Use A Caribbean Reference) Tells A Moving Story About How Bob (Who Was Dual Heritage) Simply Knew, By A Look, That He Too Would Be Having To Deal With ‘Colourism’ And What That Look Meant To Him.
Because of Such Ability To Connect With People And Marley Was Known As A Prophet And A Peacemaker. His Goal Was To Help Create A More A More Integrated Society And Bring Greater Peace Through His Music. Both Globally And In Jamaica, Where He Famously Played To Peace Concerts (1976 And 1978). In Relation To The Former He Survived An Assasination Attempt Which Was Politically Motivated. And With Regard To The Latter He Famously Joined The Hands of The Two Oppostion Parties On Stage.
Sadly World And National Peace Remains Elusive In Many Countries, Including Jamaica. But It Was Marley’s Efforts And Values Which Helped Make Him A Legend. Plus His Music Writing Reflected What Was In His Heart, Which Helped Make His Music Beautiful In His Own Unique Way.
They Say ‘Only The Good Die Young’. He Was Just 36 When He Returned Home To The Heavens In May 1981 Following A Diagnosis of Cancer Which He Received After Suffering A Toe Injury Which Would Not Heal, Following A Game of His Beloved Football.
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