[FoundationStepper]

I dont know much about the story of blackwell, but as far as i understand it he has done a lot to spread the reggae thing across the world through Island records. I dont know if his motives have been all about $$ or about the music though?

So is he some tyrant who has ripped off rastas to make a quck buck?

Does he have a genuine love for reggae and a respect for rastafarianism? (whats that story where he got stranded on a beach with a bunch of rastas?)

Is he both?

Ive heard about some bad falling outs, but were these paranoid artists who had an unreasonable fear of all things generated by a white man?

Does he have an unreasonable bad rap?

Is he just your typical record exec?

Would mr marley and reggae have got the exposure if it wasn't for him?

conversely, is he to blame for making bob marley the beggining and end of reggae as far as the western world was largely concerned, in terms of not carrying the torch for others?

[dunchillin]

When I met Roger Stephans after his talk in Brisbane last year he told me he and Cedella (Bob's mum) drove up into the mountains singing 'Chis Blackwell is a vampire...'

What was it Tosh called him? Chris Whiteworst I think.

No doubt Rita considers him a fairy godmother.

[rudeside]

Well Mr Blackwell certainly has taken his share of the wealth from the Marley legacy, but let's face it, without him (or someone like him, i.e. a white european with lotsa cash backing the black dudes with the talent) most of us would not be listening to this music, or at least not in the way that we are today. That's what I reckon anyways.
One other thing, Rita is constantly demonised which I think is largely unfair and perpetuates the stereotype of the evil, scheming woman behind the great man. Bob was a womaniser and she raised kids that were his but not hers, surely she deserves a little for her troubles. But once again, as with Mr Blackwell, she's maybe taken a bit too much. Things ain't black and white i guess.

[+nightnurse+]

rudeside, on Jun 14 2006, 11:02 PM, said:

One other thing, Rita is constantly demonised which I think is largely unfair and perpetuates the stereotype of the evil, scheming woman behind the great man. Bob was a womaniser and she raised kids that were his but not hers

Amen to that

[Selecta Bing]

According to BASS CULTURE Chris Blackwell was stranded on a reef and was rescued by some Rasta fishermen who cared for his dehydration and sunburn and he vowed to promote sufferah culture.

He was pivitol in the growth of record distribution and wholesale in Jamaica and the UK which lead to the forming of TROJAN records

So if he likes to sip a little blood occasionally I for one can forgive him.

Too much to write now but read Bass Culture if you want to know more.

[FoundationStepper]

I have. thats what prompted the questions. its the only source on blackwell that ive read... and it seem faily balanced..

i figured there might be a wider range of opinions out there beyond whats in that book...

[HUA]

Blackwell I feel truthfully is a capitalist man.
He saw money to be made from this music so he invested in a "Business ventur".
Thats all it is, you see him now in the documentaries wearing a bob marley T-Shirt sharing how he heard the wailers in England , gave them an advance to make catch a fire.

He could not give a shit bout purist roots reggae, examplified wen the man bought in all these ball head rings to play, Key boards , slide guitar and to mix the shit down. You cyan tell me some of the bretheren around Trenchtown didn't have the tallent to do that shit, look at all the group, coming out at the time. come on

He acts like he gave the wailers their last chance at making a go of a music carrer, When History shows they were some of the most talented reggae musicians of all time.
With or without blackwell's money I'm sure in time their music would have met these blessed ears.

Peace

[RANKING]

rudeside, on Jun 14 2006, 11:02 PM, said:

i.e. a white european with lotsa cash backing the black dudes with the talent ...

Isn't Blackwell a Jamaican himself ?

[dunchillin]

[Chris Blackwell was] born in London to an English father and a Jamaican-born Sephardic Jewish mother, Blackwell spent his childhood in Jamaica, which is where he founded two record companies, including Island Records

- from Wikipedia

Must be the jew in him ay?.............

[RANKING]

dunchillin, on Jun 16 2006, 02:16 PM, said:

Must be the jew in him ay?.............

Couldn't be with a name like "Chris" ..

[Binghi Fire]

dunchillin, on Jun 16 2006, 03:16 PM, said:

Must be the jew in him ay?.............

gotta love the logic of racism. you might as well say that mountain dew was developed by dewish hippies to cash in on the soft drink industry

[dunchillin]

it wasn't?

Next you'll be telling me all Chinese people aren't called Wong.

Seriously though, just to set the record straight, my forebears were Levi's, my girlfriend is half Israeli and I haven't a rascist bone in my body. Cool!

[FoundationStepper]

now im not racial or nufink, but...

[Binghi Fire]

Quote

Seriously though, just to set the record straight, my forebears were Levi's, my girlfriend is half Israeli and I haven't a rascist bone in my body. Cool!

Backgrounds don't justify nutin', racism can come from any of us regardless of race, gender blah blah.

Quote

Next you'll be telling me all Chinese people aren't called Wong.

no they're not all called Wong, they're all called "Ching Chong" doofus! Well that's what they all called me when i was in school. Actually they called me "Ching Chong Fire". That one really hurt...

[FoundationStepper]

liar liar
chingi fire
pants on ir(i)e

[professor]

Blackwell's alright - he didn't need to exploit rastas to be rich, he was the heir to quite a fortune and was involved in JA music from early on, not just when the Wailers went outernational. The story of being rescued by Rastas is true, but the boat didn't hit a reef, it had mechanical problems and he and two others were stranded on a beach at Hellshire - the other two were rescued but CB had decided to walk inland for help when he was found by Rastas dehydrated and a long way from anywhere. He formed Island records with Les Kong and Graeme Goodall after meeting GG at the wedding of Lowell Morris who was the drummer for the Australian Jazz combo The Caribs . Suffice to say Blackwell's efforts were crucial to establishing reggae outside of JA, we may not have been chatting here without him. He gets badmouthed a lot over his business dealings, I'm not sure how much of it is deserved. On balance he's definitely in positive territory.

[Jesse I]

good post prof!

[RANKING]

Originally published in New Musical Express, March 30, 1985

Lee Perry Claims Chris Blackwell "Killed Bob Marley"

The unpredictable Upsetter Lee Perry has made a record in which he accuses Chris Blackwell of being directly responsible for the death of the late Bob Marley.

The quote comes in Scratch's latest disco release 'Judgement In A Babylon', a self-written and produced singjay effort issued on his Lion Of Judah label, dispensing "international news to the Jews" and continuing Perry's bitter fued with Island with a virulent castigation of the label's boss, accusing him of obeah sorcery practices.

Reiterating allegations made to Danny Kelly in an NME interview last December, Lee Perry claims: "This is the truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God. I saw Chris Blackwell in Nassau, Bahamas, drinking the blood of a fowl frm a rum glass at his new studio in Compass Point." A charge which Island press officer Rob Partridge refutes as "ridiculous".

Scratch goes on to allege: "Chris Blackwell is a vampire sucking the blood of the sufferer. Tom Haynes his lawyer is a vampire. His secretary Denise is a witch who claims to me she is a high priestess." To the latter statement Partridge replies, "she has many talents but has never yet revealed a penchant for witchcraft", and commenting on the Upsetter's later statements that "Chris Blackwell killed Bob Marley" and "He give Bob Marley cancer", says the claims are "not only ridiculous but quite sick".

Later in the same song Perry makes the accusation long mooted in reggae circles but never hitherto so explicitly expressed that the Island boss uses the revenue from his vast '60s catalogue to finance his roster of rock acts, beginning with Traffic in 1967, saying: "Chris Blackwell come to Jamaica, want to sign up all the artists...then he can take the black man music and promote his white artists", to which Partridge says, "we have never made any colour distinctions regarding our acts.".

Commenting on the record as a whole, Partridge claims, "I don't know where Lee Perry's dissatisfaction with Island comes from. He has mentioned we left his credit off some of the songs he says he co-wrote with Bob Marley, to which we suggest he takes up the case with the music's publishers".

Island Records also say they will not be taking any legal action regarding 'Judgement In A Babylon'. Chris Blackwell himself refuses to make any comment on the disc.

[dunchillin]

[Reggaetown Festival]

well ill be....
I am a Jew

AND OT
DIDNT YOU KNOW>>>>
HUGE% of not black skinned people in the WORLD of REGGAE are also of JEWISH heritage!!!
coz we know how to invest???
or cos we have good taste in music???
or faith and hope for humanity????

remember...theres a flip side to every story(at least one!)

Plenty of promotors went broke , also plenty of artists are very rich!

The marley family certainly learnt one way or another to hold thier money VERY tight!

I have found myself offended in these thread yet again???????
I realise its a free for all to air thier thoughts

but do you realise how you sound...

well , im not gonna say, as I dont want to offend anyone!!!

shame shame shame

any one reading this.....

dont tease chineese , and dont put down entire races and cultures through jelousy or anything else

listen to the message in the music you love
YES- stand up for yourself...and respect eachother
work towards
UNITY
HARMONY
PEACE
learn to understand new cultures and customs

not look for bones to pick , and peope to Dis!!!!!


from the obviously greedy rip of jew bitch micky mouse promotor