I have included an exclusive interview with Neville Garrick from WCBN radio in Ann Arbor, MI on April 21, 2012. The interview, conducted by my good friend Brian Tomsic, explores Garrick’s life with Bob Marley as a friend, confidante, and member of The Wailers (percussion, art direction, curator).
As revealed in this interview, Garrick is perhaps the most articulate and insightful member of Bob’s inner circle during the golden age of reggae. Now a Los Angeles based graphic artist, photographer, filmmaker, and writer, Garrick is best known as the artist who created the art work for many Bob Marley and the Wailers‘ album covers. As an artist, he has worked with Burning Spear, Steel Pulse and many others. He is the author of “A Rasta’s Pilgrimage: Ethiopian Faces and Places.”
Upon returning to his native Jamaica after completing his studies at UCLA, he began working as the art director at the Jamaica Daily News. Garrick met Marley at a post-show press party at the Marvin Gaye/Wailers performance at the Carib Theater in 1974, and soon the two became close friends. Garrick, eventually left the newspaper after Marley put it to him directly: “Why don’t you come work for Rasta?”
After Bob’s passing in April 1981, Garrick became very involved in preserving the Marley legacy. He designed a new addition to the Bob Marley Museum at 56 Hope Road in Kingston and served as executive director of the Bob Marley Foundation until 1996.
On August 6, 2005, in a ceremony marking Jamaica’s 43rd year of independence from Britain, Neville Garrick received the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in honor of his contribution to Jamaican music.
Below the interview I have included my favorite photo of Marley by Neville Garrick.
ICONIC…
The interview was shared with The Midnight Raver Blog by interviewer Brian Tomsic of WCBN radio (www.wcbn.org) in Ann Arbor, MI. Brian is the host of several reggae/dancehall radio shows at WCBN:
- Dancehall/Reggae Show (current contemporary reggae & dancehall) 7-9pm ET
- Train To Skaville (ska, rocksteady, dub, vintage sounds of the 60s & 70s) 7-8pm ET
He posts archive shows, playlists, and podcasts at www.dancehallreggae.org.
LEGENDARY REGGAE 