Close Encounters of the ‘Erb Kind: An Interview With Bob Marley, Black Music, April 1978

In keeping with the Kaya theme (check my review of the forthcoming Bob Marley and the Wailers Easy Skanking in Boston ’78) I present to you another fascinating interview with the great Bob Marley from the April 1978 issue of Black Music & Jazz Review. The title of the interview article is Close Encounters of the ‘Erb Kind. Fresh off his smash album Exodus, Marley was already an internationally-recognized figure in the rock and roll scene. In the interview, journalist Chris May discusses the National Front Movement in the UK. The National Front is a far-right, whites-only political party, some members of which had taken to beating non-whites in the streets. Bob’s opinion of the organization and his response to May’s questions is really startling. He also discusses his upcoming trip back to Jamaica for the first time since his assassination attempt in December 1976 to play the One Love Peace Concert. May also gives the high marks to the Kaya album, which at the time was being panned by rock critics as a sell-out album for Marley.