The Lost Concerts and the bandwagon concerts

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BOB MARLEY: THE LOST CONCERTS AND THE BANDWAGON CONCERTS

In 1971 Bob, Peter and Bunny take part in the electionion campaign supporting the socialist People National Party, with the famous Victory Band Wagon. The Wailers are backing by the Inner Circle Band. This is the story of that political involvement.
Prime Minister Hugh Lawson Shearer called general elections for February 29, 1972 and the focus turned to the election campaign. One of Anderson-Manley’s biggest contributions to a blistering campaign was the concept of the band-wagon, which featured some of the top artistes of the day. The idea came out of a group discussion (a proposal to Manley by producer Buddy Pouyatt and Attorney Paul Fitzriston) Beverley Anderson recalls. She had developed a good relationship with the artistes during her days at the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation (JBC) and the artistes didn’t hesitate when she asked them. Manley would speak first and at the end, the concert would follow. The message of “resistance” was integrated in the words he spoke and the songs they performed. It drew hundreds, sometimes thousands to the meetings.
In 1971, Inner Circle took on the invitation to be a backing band on Michael Manley’s PNP Bandwagon, which significantly aided Manley to reach the masses and gained him his landslide victory in February 1972. All along this islandwide showcase, Inner Circle backed many of the premier Jamaican artistes of the era including Bob Marley and the Wailers, Junior Byles, Clancy Eccles, Marcia Griffiths, Brent Dowe (of the Melodians), Max Romeo and Ken Boothe. Then the group consisted of Prilly Hamilton (singer), Funky Brown, Douglas Guthrie (sax), Ian and Roger Lewis, Carrot Jarrett, Ibo Cooper, Stephen ‘Cat’ Coore and Carl Barovier (drums).
“The bandwagon was really the beginning of a melting pot, a fusion of the earlier music and the new music, as well as a bridging of the Jamaican society and Rasta.The climate and the music were so free. The musicians weren’t politically connected. It was not as though we were using the music to politically mastermind the people. It was just fun to be playing music, we never even thought about politics” Roger Lewis said.
Clancy Eccles: “I went and do the bandwagon for the PNP in 1971/72. Today, ask me how much money I get … I didn’t get one dollar to do that bandwagon, not even one dollar … it was a voluntary thing … Michael Manley asked mi if could present him with a show because he saw the show that I did at the Ward Theatre … I did The Rod of Correction. Michael Manley took a rod and presented to me on the stage. I was the man who made Michael Manley ‘Joshua’, yes yu understan. It was from the music that Michael Manley was called Joshua … and when he told me what he would do, yu understan, I went out there and decide to do the show for free… The Wailers worked with me on the PNP Bandwagon-they did six set of shows for me on that bandwagon… of course I was used by the PNP, but I’m a man of my word and I gave Manley my word; Manley never give me anything, but I could call Manley and talk to him and on many issues. We were like non-paid advisors to Manley, we could call him any time and say “Hey, we feel that that no right.” Financially, I went broke: I mashed up my two band new vehicles in the bandwagon for the People’s National Party; at the end of the exercise I neither had car nor van, while some singers who went with me had an old car and got a better car, but it’s just one of those things” (info taken from various sources, interview by David Katz)

INTERVIEW WITH DUB POET MALACHI SMITH

(by Marco Virgona)

“Dear Marco, when Michael Manley began his campaign for the leadership of Jamaica, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer (all the Wailers), plus all the top young recording artists flocked to the Manley campaign and they all tour the island with him performing on huge stage shows. The concert I saw Bob and his brothers at was at Prison Oval in Spanish Town, St. Catherine. This oval is located on the grounds of one of the largest prisons in the island, but it has a huge playing field that was used for cricket, football and stage shows. (Malachi wrote in geoffry philp’s blog site that Bob was “red.” Bunny and Peter hugged every time he tried to skank away, and it appeared as if he would lose his balance and fall. It was a great concert with the likes Judy Mowatt, Heptones, Gay Lads, Meditations, Derrick Harriott, Clancy Eccles, Max Romeo and others).
I think Bob and Peter Tosh definitely shared Manley’s vision. Bob was very concerned about sufferation and oppression of the poor in the society, in Africa, and throughout the Third World. His music and interviews speaks volumes about this”

BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS TOUR DATES 1971-1972

From 1971 to 1972, Bob Marley and the Wailers performed across Jamaica but until today only rumours circulating about those gigs. Now, for the first time, we can publish this lost tour dates with the posters or the advertisements appeared at that time. This is the definitive list of Bob Marley and the Wailers scheduled gigs in 1971 and 1972 in Jamaica, for the bandwagon concerts and not only

1971
18 july: the Miss Jamaica 1971 Water Pageant Festival takes place in Kingston at the National Stadium Swimming Pool. The Wailers share the bill with Hopeton Lewis and Julian Judy Mowatt

25 july at Evon William’s Epiphany for PNp campaign with the presence of Michael Manley late july: Red Stripe Award concert
august: concert at Ferry Inn with Fabulous Five and Soulettes august 31: at Sombrero Club for Miss Chariot contest october 3: at Ward Theatre supporting PNP.

october 7: concert for the Student Union supporting PNP
october 8: concert at Playmates for the Student Unions supporting PNP

october 9: concert for the Student Union supporting PNP For the first time it is Bob Marley and the Wailers on the posters and not only as The Wailers. The Jamaican Gleaner publish articles about Bob’s new Manager Allan Cole:

Allan ‘Skill’ Cole, one of Jamaica’s leading footballers stepped into another field. He’s now manager for three leading show business groups the Wailers, the Soulettes and the Pipers. The first two are’ among the most popular: in show business today while the third is on their way up. The Wailers are led by Bob Marley, whose wife, Rita leads the Soulettes, while the Pipers originallv the Wailing Souls, can be regarded as off-’spring’ of The Wailers. (Their ‘Row Fisherman Row’ proves the close similarity)… .. Skill and Bob describe the motivating force for the switch as ‘heart’.
“We have known each other for a long time now. Bob explains and somehow there always seemed to Be this spiritual link- This we .always wanted — someone who really understood our philosophy of life and someone capable and willing to live it with us- We knew it all along Skill was the man for us” Not surprisingly, the union has started out with a real scorcher, “Trench Town Bock”, now No. 6 on the chart ‘Skill assures that their next recording — done by a combination of the Wallers and Soulettes will have just as much if not even more punch and relevance. “We always believe we can do better” he says (extract from Jamaican Gleaner 1971)

13 october: at the Students Union for an evening of pop music
20 october: 5 hours non stop with the complete band-wagon band at Lysson Park – St Thomas november 1: concert for the Student Union with Fabulous Five supporting PNP This is the review of the Jamaican Gleaner:
“Night of Togetherness at Students’ Union on Saturday night had the largest attendance of any of the promotions in the city on that night. This was expected with the team of promoters headed by footballer Allan Cole. The Fabulous Five Inc. was the band on stage and did well backing the artistes — with the exception of the Wailers.
Wailers music demands a heavy rhythm and also the most sensitive affinity to the reggae music. The Fab. Five fell short here. They came over well with Judy ‘Julianne’ Mowatt, the Gaylads, Ken Boothe, as these artistes are more suited to stage appearances than the Wailers, who are primarily a recording group. I will suggest to manager Allan Cole that he does not allow the Wailers to appear on stage again if there is not the best public address’ system to their disposal, and at least two rehearsals with the band before going on stage” (extract from Jamaican Gleaner 1971)

november 28: power to the people rally at War Theatre supporting PNP
mid December: probably a concert in Cuba wit Soulettes (according to Rita)
december 31: concert at Concourse Plaza (New York)
On december 1971 the Wailers leave for a tour in USA: their first tour in North America. The Jamaican Gleaner covers the story:
“Two of Jamaica’s most popular stage and recording groups, the Wailers and the Heptones will be leaving the island towards the’ middle of December for appearances in the Caribbean and North America. The Wailers will be making appearances in the New York area of America, and will be joining up with their sister group the Soulettes, who have been in the United States since August.
This will be the first time that both groups will be appearing in America as a group. The Wailers are currently on the local charts with the popular “Screwface”, while the Heptones have recently put out an album entitled “Freedom Line.”

1972
january 7: Brooklin, at President Choutouk club 71-84th Street
january 8: at Manhattan Centre (NY)
january: concerts in Pennsylvania and Delaware.
On january 30 1972 the Daily Gleaner tells the story of those american concerts with a little inteview with Bob Marley:
Jamaica’s most popular staging group, Bob Marley and the Wailers, recently returned from a tour of New York area. The Wailers, who left here in December, opened their show at the Concourse Plaza Hotel in Bronx before an audience estimated at well over 3,000 on New Year’s Eve night.
Also appearing on the show was Jamaica’s leading male vocalist, John Holt. They were backed up by the Debonaires Band. After their performance in Bronx, which was the biggest, they went on to Brooklyn, appearing at the President Chateau on January 7, and was at Manhattan Centre the following night. Leader Bob Marley informed that one of the shows scheduled at Brooklyn was stopped by the police, no reason was given.
Three bands which they performed with the Debonaires, Syd Joe and his Caribbean All Stars and Cinnomon Suns, were up to a good standard Bob Marley said. Although not as good as some of the bands in Jamaica.

30 january at National Arena for PNP campaign
february: concerts at Ward Theatre (Kingston) and Savanna la Mar
may 23: at Jamaica House for Labour Day supporting PNP
may 27: at Annual Awards Ball (Jamaica) to receive an award as best vocal group

Bandwagon concerts 1971-1972 (with the Wailers) Port Antonio Falmoth Morant Bay Browns Town Spanish Town (at Prison Oval) Four parts Lacovia Santa Cruz Top Hill Savanna La Mar Alley Mountain Side Wittone Green Island Montego Bay Lucea Kingston (Park George VI) Highgate Port Maria Bay (Bob’s last concert with bandwagon, then he left to London)