The Original Wailers: NZ tour this week

I spoke with Junior Marvin recently. He was on a bus, between shows, on tour with The Original Wailers, the band he fronts with Al Anderson, playing the songs of Bob Marley.

Born Donald Hanson Marvin Kerr Richards Jr, Marvin played on the Bob Marley & The Wailers classic, Exodus.

Touring New Zealand this week, Marvin says that the shows will use Exodus as a basis, but the band "plays all sorts of great music from Bob's catalogue".

The Original Wailers come from Marvin's commitment to the music. He and Anderson continue to preach the word of Marley, Marvin saying, "this band really comes from a promise I made to Bob, which was to play his music at the highest possible level and make sure the band was always represented".

He has no hesitation in assessing the impact and appeal of Marley's music to this day. "The foundation is so strong - and the words - the meaning behind them is deep."

But The Original Wailers are always working on new songs too - "people love the new songs", says Marvin. They are working on an album ("planning to release in early 2010") and he says a few of the new songs are always dropped into a live set, but mostly "it is about the great, great songs from Bob and the band. Songs that make people feel good, songs that make you want to dance, songs that are a good time to groove to and sing along to, songs that mean so much to so many people."

Marvin says the reception in America has been great, with a medley of some of the old songs being a huge hit. He says the band is sounding as good as it ever did, challenging people to remain in their seats during the show ("it can't be done, I tell you", he adds with a laugh).

Outside his work with Marley - and now (again) for Marley - Marvin carried on playing Bob's music first as The Wailers Band; the initial promise made to Bob to carry on preaching and playing...from there he has worked with Steve Winwood, Bunny Wailer, Don Carlos, Burning Spear and as a solo artist. In 1997 he walked away from The Wailers Band, moving to Brazil, releasing solo material and forming a band, Batuka. He rejoined The Wailers in 2005 and last year the name was changed to The Original Wailers.

But before Marvin hooked up with popular reggae's king figurehead in the late 1970s, he very nearly went down a different path altogether.

"I had a meeting with Bob and I had two job offers in the same day. I could either join Bob and his Wailers or I could join Stevie Wonder's band."

It was "something to think about", Marvin says, and laughs heartily. "I was a big fan of both and I really did have to think about it - but in the end I went with Bob and the rest, I guess, is history. I am very lucky to consider Stevie Wonder a great friend and hero and I did get to work with him later, so I don't regret the decision I made at all. No, absolutely not."

The Original Wailers tour of New Zealand starts tomorrow with shows in Queenstown at The Memorial Hall, November 17 and 18 with Rhythmonyx.

Thursday November 19 sees them in Christchurch at The Bedford with Cornerstone Roots.

Friday November 20 they will play in Porirua at Te Rauparaha Arena with Katchafire and Hikoikoi.

And Saturday November 21 has them at The Powerstation in Auckland, again with Cornerstone Roots.

For further information click here.

And Marvin says he has been actively following New Zealand reggae from earlier visits and is "looking forward to playing with all the great acts lined up with us; and finding out how far reggae has developed in your wonderful country since our last visit. You have always been such huge supporters of our sound and have created your own version."

With that he offers "one love" and "peace, love, respect to Jah, to Bob Marley and to New Zealanders".

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Blair   #1   02:27 pm Nov 16 2009

Sheesh I thought it was all about the police and theives there for a minute

Stevie   #2   04:09 pm Nov 16 2009

Blair - you're mixing your Marvins with your Murvins there

guy   #3   09:55 am Nov 17 2009

i bet you didn't tell him how much you dislike nz's current reggae crop...

kent   #4   10:46 am Nov 17 2009

On another subject, you were way out of line complaining about Bodega at the Buzzcocks gig. The owner has put alot of money into it in the past couple of years, and has made more room by getting rid of the horse shoe bar. You can't go to a gig like that and expect to be sitting on a sofa with leg room. Small gigs that are packed is what's good about seeing a live band. If you want comfort, stick with the opera house mate. Are you now reviewing venue's as well as bands?. Do you enjoy putting people out of business?. A quiet word to the owner with some suggestions would have been a better way of addressing your concerns.

Jerry   #5   11:33 am Nov 17 2009

Does Kent work at Bodega?

Simon Sweetman   #6   12:14 pm Nov 17 2009

@Kent - it's not my job to "have a quite word to the owner with some suggestions" - believe me when I say (much as people might want to disagree) I don't think I'm that important. My job is to go along and write a review - an opinion - and it was my opinion in this case that the venue was oversold for the gig. So that's what I wrote. I enjoyed the gig even though it was a bit packed, presumably you read the whole review?