Peter Tosh was a revolutionary. He was a fighter, he was ambitious, he was a man who took action - and he had serious b*lls. Known for his biting lyrics and fearless anti-establishment views, Tosh truly wanted to change the world with his music.
His real name was Winston McIntosh and he stood at an imposing 6ft 4in, extremely physically fit, often carrying around a guitar shaped like an M16 rifle. He was known to his legion of fans as Peter Tosh, the 'Stepping Razor', most famously as one of the original members of Jamaica's best known export - reggae group the Wailers, along with Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer.
But despite the huge global success of the Wailers, Peter Tosh remains relatively unknown compared to Bob Marley, who he taught to play guitar.
Tosh left the Wailers in '73 and began producing his own music, releasing his solo debut, 'Legalize It', in 1976. He was signed to The Rolling Stones own label for a time, though "He was too hot for the Rolling Stones to handle" said Tosh biographer, John Masouri. Tosh was uncompromising in his views, took his music and his politics very seriously - too seriously for the hedonistic rockers. But the Stones did take him out on tour, exposing him to a wider audience. Tosh released 7 solo albums during his career.
Lee Jaffe who played harmonica on the Bob Marley & The Wailers album Natty Dread spoke of Tosh's sublime musical gifts: "They called him 'Peter Touch' because he had an incredible feel and the way he used the guitar, often as a percussion instrument, was unique. He was also an incredible singer – powerful and with perfect pitch – and a brilliant lyricist."
Peter Tosh would have been 72 years old today had he not been brutally slain at the age of just 42 during a robbery at his Jamaican home in 1987. Announced earlier this year, Jamaica is giving Tosh's history due credit with the announcement of a new museum in Kingston. The opening of the Peter Tosh Museum is seen as symbolic as and it comes on the 40th anniversary of the release of the classic and prophetic single, "Legalize It".
A tribute concert will be held this week at the museum site. It will feature Tosh's son, Andrew, as well as grandson Dre Tosh and his Word, Sound and Power band.
As we're tempted to sign this off with "R.I.P Peter Tosh", we're reminded of the famous One Love Peace Concert in 1978, where Tosh told the large crowd, "peace" is "the diploma you get in the cemetery", written on your tombstone: "Rest in Peace!"
On that note we suggest you get up, stand up and watch this hour-long performance from 1983 - Live At The Greek Theater. Just brilliant!
- RB