Peter Tosh

“Born Hubert Winston McIntosh on October 9, 1944, Peter Tosh was born in Grange Hill (Jamaica). His mother recalled his taste for music developing at a young age, playing music for the villagers to earn a few shillings. Along with teenage friends Bob Marley and Neville "Bunny" Livingstone, he formed the Wailing Wailers. After several years of practice, the Wailers began releasing records through Coxsone Dodd's Studio One. These included such hits as ‘Simmer Down’, ‘One Love’, and Peter's first lead vocal, ‘Hoot Nanny Hoot’. Frustrated by the lack of what they felt to be proper compensation, the Wailers left Coxsone Dodd and over the next several years worked with producers including Leslie Kong and the legendary Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry. The Wailers also founded their own record label, Tuff Gong Records for Wailers output and Peter formed his own Intel-Diplo HIM record label for his solo output. The Wailers were soon courted and signed by Chris Blackwell's Island Records. Blackwell gave the Wailers 4,000 pounds and in return was given ‘Catch a Fire’, what many consider to be one of reggae's defining moments. ‘Catch a Fire’ was no novelty record; the anger and pain of the lyrics and the reality that they painted were burned into the grooves of the vinyl. Even though the album was a critical success and the Wailers seemed on the verge of breaking through internationally, tensions within the band were high. Peter did not trust Blackwell and was resentful that Bob was being pushed to the front of the band and he and Bunny were relegated to background singer status for much of the album. This tension continued to build through the recording of their next album, ‘Burnin’ ‘, and after an aborted tour, Peter and Bunny quit the Wailers. Peter's second solo album, ‘Equal Rights’, is considered by many to be his best work. Replacing the Wailers band is Tosh's own ‘Word, Sound, and Power’ band, anchored by the famous duo of Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare on drum and bass. ‘Equal Rights’ features new versions of classics like ‘Get Up Stand Up’ and ‘Downpressor Man’ and his signature version of the Joe Higgs penned ‘Stepping Razor’ - along with instant classics like the title track, ‘Apartheid’, ‘African’, and ‘Jah Guide’.” For more info on Peter Tosh, visit http://www.ptosh.com/story.html.