The ManicaPost
THIS April, Neville “Bunny Wailer” Livingston celebrates his 70th birthday. He’s planning to open his own museum in Kingston to mark the occasion.
The Wailers’ Museum – A Tribute to the Life and Legacy of Bunny Wailer will join Bob Marley’s on Hope Road and Peter Tosh’s which launched last year in New Kingston. Bunny also intends to hold a commemorative concert at the National Stadium.
In late February, Reggaeville visited the legend at his home, off Washington Boulevard, to discuss his anniversary. On this quiet suburban street, one house is clearly Bunny’s – its towering walls striped red, gold and green. “Jah B” opens the door himself, puffing contentedly on his pipe.
In the yard he and some brethrens assess the well-being of Sylvan Morris, engineer at two of the Wailers’ key studios, Studio 1 and Harry J, who has recently lost his sight. Respected artist Michael Robinson is preparing to paint a mural depicting Bunny on one of the blue washed inner walls.
In recent years the last survivor of the Wailers trio has gained a reputation for outspokenness – firing high profile criticisms at Rita Marley, Snoop Dogg, Chris Blackwell and Universal Music Group. But today he is serene and focused on his anniversary and his own music. He sits down at the desk in his office study, his three Grammys hanging on the wall, the lion at peace, CEO of all he surveys.
Reggaeville spends half an hour hearing selected memories across Bunny’s 7 decade career. Mostly they draw from the sixties – a time whose promise of a better world feels particularly distant but whose turmoil remains familiar.
We learn about his earliest musical experiences, his time in prison from 1967-68, how he finally intends to issue his back catalogue on the internet, and why the Wailers break-up was the most painful experience of all.
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR 70TH ANNIVERSARY. HOW DO YOU PLAN TO CELEBRATE?
Yes man. It’s real. Well, the Wailers is my existence so I am focusing on celebrating my anniversary along with Robert Marley and Peter Tosh. I am satisfied to know I am still here as the surviving Wailer focusing on what the Wailers stood for.
This all began way back in England you know? With Danny Sims and Chris Blackwell. Danny has gone. Chris is still here. And I am still here focusing on all the things that have been done by the Wailers, looking forward as we celebrate Bunny Wailer, focusing on the first second and third generation who have been listening to the Wailers.
CAN YOU TELL ME A BIT MORE ABOUT THE WAILERS MUSEUM?
Well the museum I am focusing on is to interpret what the Wailers have been doing. A lot of people don’t know how long we are a family. My dad got Robert Marley’s mum pregnant with a little girl called Pearl, so myself and Bob have been involved for quite a while.
Long before the Wailers were formed there was that little girl Pearl that we grew up together, along with Peter. Because by now we were the Wailers so we had to be taking care of each other. We didn’t have children yet but we had little sisters and things like that you know? (Laughs) So Peter was along with us in Trench Town, First Street, Second Street, Third Street.
WHEN WAS THE FIRST TIME YOU HEARD A SOUND SYSTEM?
Well the first time I heard a sound system, I think that could have been Duke Reid because he was around before the other guys. I could’ve heard sound system from listening to Duke Reid. Listening to Duke Reid I learned a lot about the music as he presented it. Then it was Coxsone and Prince Buster. Those three sound systems are the ones that I have been fully acquainted with.
All right, I am going to give you a draw now. Let me tell you, I was a little boy. I was home and my sister got a lot of pepper from the country. She was going out to sell the pepper and I wanted to go along with her but my dad wasn’t in no mood for pepper and me going! So what I did was cover of myself with the bed and fix myself as if I was there and he came in and saw that everything was alright and left me there in the bed. And when we went to sell the pepper there was a quarrel happening close to the hospital between some guys throwing bottles and one of the bottles hit my face and burst it. Blood.
I shouldn’t be there. I should be home in bed! Well I went to the hospital and got dressed and went back home but when I went back home my dad had already learned what happened. That I was not in my bed but I was getting crushed on the road!
These were the kinds of experiences growing in the ghetto at a young age. I know you must have heard about Bya andClaudie Massop? Well I grew along with these kids. It was only that I was a disciplined kid. My dad ran a church. So I had to be focusing on the discipline that was related to him running a church. And he had a Rustler 38 on his hip running a church! That’s the kind of dad I had. (Laughs)
CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THE FIRST TIME YOU HEARD CURTIS MAYFIELD AND THE IMPRESSIONS?
Trench Town. Tata. You ever hear about Tata?
VINCENT TATA FORD. HE’S GETTING A JARIA AWARD AT THE WEEKEND FOR HELPING BOB WRITE SOME OF HIS SONGS.
That is where we started to listen to the Impressions. And I am satisfied that the time I took with the Impressions has governed me musically. I have grown a respect for Curtis Mayfield because of his being involved with the Impressions. And you know Keep On Moving? It was one of the songs we grew to love. We recorded it several times over. I went to see the Impressions when they came to the Carib Theatre many years ago. That is the only time I ever saw them live. So I’m really satisfied that it was good to have met them and been involved. – reggaeville
…to be continued next week
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