1970 Bob Marley & The Wailers “Soul Rebels” on Upsetter

The follow-up to last week’s post of the mighty “Soul Revolution Part II”, this record has been released 100 times in 100 guises, including re-packaged cash grabs of every variety, but notably as “African Herbsman” and “Rasta Revolution” on Trojan, although to be fair, there is additional material on each, and owning a little Wailers overlap and cover art is really not the starkest tragedy in the world. As I said posting “Revolution”, this is my very favorite Bob incarnation, the Pre-Worldwide-Icon Marley; younger, more vulnerable, voice not fully developed, more roots than hits. In fact, this record is so fantastic that I would shoot the deputy if he tried to confiscate it. There are just some times that I NEED early Bob in my life, and it’s a stone relief to know exactly where I can get him. I guess there’s an All-Dub version of this record? Not sure who’s behind it and if it’s legit, and right this moment I’m took lazy to poke around, but that seems worth some later investigation. As my re-immersion into the world of The Lions Of Zion after a long break continues, I find I like it more than ever, and am grateful not to have sold the bedrock titles when the rest of it went, as it would break my heart to have to either re-acquire or gaze fondly on them from afar. My Roots/Dub/Rocksteady/Dancehall/Ska stack is small but dangerous. More soon.