Search - Peter Tosh :: Live at the One Love Peace Concert

Fierce! (albeit flawed)

James Burke | Florida | 05/01/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A jolting reminder of how raw and powerful reggae can be, Tosh's performance here is one for the ages. While there have been many fine performances recorded over the years, from Marley's warm, passionate "Live!" to Steel Pulse's sleek, crisp "Rastafari Centennial," none has ever captured the anguish, fury or rebel spirit present on this brilliant disc.If you're considering this disc, you're probably aware of Tosh's situation, and the situation in Jamaica at the time this recording. If not, Tosh, personally and professionally, was at the breaking point. Always resentful of his second-tier status in the Wailers, Tosh watched his solo career fizzle as Marley achieved world fame and nearly God-like status in Jamaica. In Jamaica, Tosh had nearly constant run-ins with the police, suffering savage beatings time and time again. Jamaica itself was of the verge of civil war, with political militants turning poor neighborhoods into war zones, CIA agents plotting and dealing at every turn.Peter Tosh was a man on edge, a man with almost nothing left to lose, and his bitterness and rage is present on every track of this blazing, dangerous performance. I believe that each track is the definitive version of the song, from a gut-wrentching "400 Years," to the driving, double-time "Stepping Razor." Simply unstoppable.The high point of this, or perhaps any reggae show, had to be his triumphant "Legalize It/Get Up, Stand Up." In an inflamatory speech preceeding the song, Tosh railed angrily about oppression and piracy, noting that herb had become an easy way to keep the poor Rasta in jail; in a sense, he argued, herb was a metaphor for the oppression and exploitation of the poor by the colonial system in place -- herb WAS the Rasta. In that context, "Legalize It" became an incredibly powerful statement; it was no longer legalize IT, but legalize ME, legalize US, stop the oppression, torture and poverty and let us live free. Followed by a militant "Get Up, Stand Up," this may have been the most empassioned performance I have ever heard.So, where is the flaw? Well, as the copious liner notes will tell you, the concert was recorded from a "well-preserved board tape." The sound isn't bad, but it's still a board tape, and it sounds like one. It's not bad, but it does get muddy and uneven at times. In fact, it probably sounds a lot like it might have if you were actually there. It's NOT a professional recording, though. Also, despite the slim number of cuts and modest overall length of the show, some of the songs were faded -- why? This a fan's disc -- let the man play!So go into it knowing this: you've heard better recordings, but you've NEVER heard a better performance. Perhaps not for everyone, but for Tosh and reggae fans, an absolute must-have."

Peter Tosh -- The Show of A Lifetime

Michael Quinn | Frisco, Tx United States | 02/01/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After listening to Tosh's studio albums, I was not too terribly impressed. I admired his talent, his presence, and above all, his principles (apart from his complete denial of Jesus Christ as the Savior), and he even had good songs, but often the material was weak, the performance flaccid. Save for Legalize It, Burial, Coming In Hot, and a handful of other tracks, his albums just did not seem worth the bother. I always ended up feeling frustrated to the point where I had had to assume in my mind that Tosh's best creative years were confined to old scratchy recordings from the Upsetters / pre-Island period.However, years ago I had read about the infamous One Love Peace Concert on April 22,1978. I had read that the concert was intended as a show of solidarity between warring political factions and their armed henchmen, and that the greatest names in reggae at that time appeared on the bill, and that Bob Marley was to be the featured artist. I also heard that in spite of this, Peter Tosh stole the show, which I found hard to believe, and that he received the inevitable reprisal from the Jamaican constabulary, which was not hard to believe.That was my opinion, at least until I finally heard this recording of his set for the first time. Indeed, what I had heard before was true. A quick perusal of its contents and it's obvious that this is the single greatest moment in Tosh's career.The CD opens with an emcee screaming "Peter Tosh! Peter Tosh!" followed by an organ intro and a slow, incessant groove into Igziabeher. Tosh is in fine vocal form with this hymn to Jah. Great lead guitar from sometime Wailer guitarist Al Anderson throughout this song and the entire set. Then the band segues into the album's first musical highlight, 400 Years. Insistent, pissed off and thoroughly inspired, this song takes on new meaning in the current context. The acapella break (albeit with guitar) rams it home. My favorite moment is when the full band comes back in, and you here Tosh's staccato syncopation on wah guitar and what I assume to be a keyboard playing a funny Middle Eastern-sounding oboe solo on top. Then the song segues into a musical fragment similar to the one used to introduce 400 Years, but this time it is a crunchy set of chords, and then Tosh's theme song, Stepping Razor. No breaks, no "excuse me while I tune up". They play all three songs bam, bam, bam. A man on a mission. That and probably the fact that he wanted to make sure he had time for what he had to say.Oh yeah, let's not forget the speeches. Belligerant, arrogant, witty and absolutely straight on the mark. I don't think anyone else there that night was willing to be as honest and forthright about what this event really was. Peace is for the dead. Equal Rights is what Tosh was after.On the remaining musical tracks you get the sense, especially on Burial, that Tosh is playing for his life. Perhaps he knew he was going to get his head bashed or something else bashed in for what he was saying. The CD finishes with a great version of Legalize It, and an awesome Get Up, Stand Up. This may be a pedestrian point to make, but I have always gotten the sense that Tosh liked rock 'n roll, not just because of his association with the Rolling Stones (which, incidentally was prompted by Jagger's having watched this very show and been immediately entralled), but because of the guitar work here (some true '70's rock guitar god stuff here, Thanks Al!!!) and elsewhere on his albums -- the lead guitar intro on Stepping Razor, the witty cover of Johnny B. Goode on Mama Africa, as well as the numerous Wailers covers of R & B material in their earliest years.At any rate, wow! What a performance. Anything could have happened. Tosh chiding Seaga about the legalization of pot and warning about the precarious truce between the PNP and JLP. This could have been a blood bath, even though everybody was on their best behavior. Seaga, Manley, Bob Marley, etc. Everybody, except Peter Tosh."

Perhaps tosh's finest hour....

rasclaat | canada | 08/16/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"peter's performance at the one love peace concert remains one of reggae's most powerful moments, and to finally have it captured on disc is a blessing. tosh's great performance was preserved very well and sounds fabulous on this fine disc. this is the perfect tribute to the the great man that tosh was and still is. this concert took place in 1978 after peter had only released legalize it and equal rights, which i consider to be his two finest studio efforts, so the set list is incredible and his militant words are immortal. this is, in my opinion, the best tosh album and is a must for any fan of his. it's absolutely incredible."