Nesta at 80

80 years...

I am pretty much astonished that I grew up hearing his music the way I did, or lived with his legacy. I have the t-shirts, albums, biography - through my brother's early interest - certain expired drinks and have even seen headphones and other technology with his face and name imprinted on them. He is as much a part of our pop culture as Charlie Chaplin, the Beatles, and Taylor Swift. His fingerprints are all over our understanding of what music from the Third World actually means.

So what can I say about him?

Let me tell my own story and give my opinions on the Lion of Judah.

First of all, I did not like reggae as a child. I was one of those kids who moved to the suburbs, got exposed to progressive rock, heavy metal and pop through friends and neighbours. Reggae seemed too repetitive to me. Even my mother, a West Indian woman more interested in Anne Murray than any Jamaican artist, encouraged me to give it another chance. This took some time, and I will admit that it was not the second chance that brought me over the line. It was when I was about eleven or twelve, had gone through a Michael Jackson phase that ended with 'Bad', and I found myself hearing Bob's 'Jamming':

Ain't no rules, ain't no vow, we can do it anyhow

I and I will see you through,

'Cause every day we pay the price, we're the living sacrifice

Jammin' 'til the jam is through.

I am not sure why this was the song that made me look back and say, 'Maybe I've missed something here.' I was also learning to play the guitar, and reggae seemed something that even I could handle (Frank Zappa once called it music with a 'ventilated rhythm'). And from a cheap BASF tape find - anyone remember that company? - I found myself heading to the record store and collections of relatives who were cool enough to know this music and appreciate it.

And that was when I faced my second surprise.

Reggae was not the most popular music in their collections.

In many of the Dominican homes and apartments, you would find genres like soca, zouk and calypso...along with American soul giants like Otis Redding, Barry White (incredibly popular), and reggaefied pop music. When I went with my family to visit the Caribbean and see relatives in Dominica, Aruba and Curacao, I noticed that every home we visited had at least one copy of one album by the Police. Now, this was fantastic to see, but I had to ask: where was Bob?

It was no better in Jamaica. I discovered that Bob's music was rarely played on television or radio during his heyday. In fact, Jamaica's most popular export was hardly heard in the media market. You had to buy the albums or encounter a good sound system that had the pulse of the nation. But Bob was special; he beat the narrowness of the people who controlled the sounds he created and became the first real pop star from my background. No small feat.

Bob was part of a moment and a movement that would grow and grow and move beyond the narrow confines of one small island nation. And I realize now that I do not want to give you just the greatest hits of his life in this piece (you can find out all about him here):

For me, to just put an A-Z list of events in the man's life does not seem right. I just wanted to focus on something positive with all of the negative that seems to predominate the media. So, here are three other links I think you will appreciate.

Young Voices Worldwide Singalong:

A very touching tribute from kids gathered in Manchester, England and other schools around the world.

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Talkin' Blues:

Surprisingly, this was the album I thought of first when I decided to write this piece. A very intimate album made up of live clips from the original Wailers in a small studio setting, the best version of 'I Shot the Sheriff' from the infamous Lyceum show, and segments from an interview with Bob as he muses on fame, his former band-mates and what his music meant to him. A real gift to fans, and a perfect place for those new to his music to begin their journey.

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And my final surprise for the reader who made it this far:

Killed by Exodus:

I do not know who Bill McClintock is, or what inspired him to create this mash-up, but I feel that Lemmy and Nesta must be smiling down on his efforts as they share a smoke and appreciate the legacy they have left behind. Please accept that music can cross all sorts of boundaries and enjoy!

One Love, from KD!

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You can find more poems, stories, and articles by Kendall Defoe on my Vocal profile. I complain, argue, provoke and create...just like everybody else.

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