Word, Sound and Power

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Word, Sound and Power was a Jamaican roots reggae band around their lead singer Peter Tosh .

history

Formation of the band

After Tosh recovered from the aftermath of a car accident in 1974, he signed a recording deal with Capitol Records and started a solo career. He worked with other musicians and eventually founded the band Word, Sound and Power together with drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespeare .

Previous work

Together they re-recorded old songs like Downpressor Man . In 1976 the first album was released: Legalize It , in which they called for the legalization of marijuana. While the track Legalize It , a plea for unpunished marijuana use, caused them difficulties internationally in the media and at concerts, their record Mark of the Beast was banned from Jamaica radio broadcasts because of its supposedly revolutionary content.

In 1977, Equal Rights , another roots reggae long player peppered with inflammatory content, was released. In addition to South Africa's apartheid policy, they discussed racism in general, which they countered with the appeal to African unity and the rebellion against political grievances ( Get Up, Stand Up ) .

Shortly after the album was released, Tosh performed with his band Word, Sound and Power alongside many other reggae artists such as Bob Marley and his band The Wailers , Dennis Brown and Big Youth at the One Love Peace Concert in Kingston on April 22, 1978 on. There he spent 45 minutes indicting Jamaican Prime Minister Michael Manley and opposition leader Edward Seaga - in their presence - for their inaction in terms of helping the poor, while calling for marijuana to be legalized. He also attacked the "Shitstem", which in his opinion was used to suppress the blacks in the former English colony of Jamaica . In response to these statements, the police arrested him several times in the following months on vain grounds. While he was in custody, several police officers beat him to hospital.

1979-1982

1979 Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare left the band and joined the Jamaican roots reggae band Black Uhuru .

Working with the Rolling Stones

After Mick Jagger saw Tosh perform at the One Love Peace Concert, Tosh signed with the Rolling Stones label . During this collaboration, Tosh released three albums with his band. The first, Bush Doctor , was published in 1978. On this album he sang a duet with Mick Jagger, (You Gotta Walk) Don't Look Back . Word, Sound and Power then played on the Rolling Stones' US tour at the opening concert, before starting work on the 1979 albums Mystic Man and 1981 Wanted Dread and Alive .

Later work

In 1983 the album Mama Africa was released . At that time, Peter Tosh was known in many countries. In early September 1987 he released the album No Nuclear War and planned to follow the album on a tour.

End of the band

The band continued to exist until Tosh's death - he was shot dead in his home in 1987 - but then split up.

Discography

Studio albums