ZIGGY MARLEY
interviewsofrecordingartists.com
Making music comes naturally for Ziggy Marley. His father, the late reggae legend Bob Marley, and his mother Rita Marley, a reggae superstar in her own right, raised Ziggy in an environment rich in music. For Marley, music is life. "The music is a thing that is very natural for us," said Marley in an interview from his home in Kingston, Jamaica. "Music is in our blood and in our spirit. It is a thing that is in us, it was donated from our father and our mother to us." The 24-year old Marley is Ziggy and the Melody Makers' chief songwriter and producer. His brother and sisters, Stephen (percussion, vocals), Sharon (vocals) and Cedella (vocals) started the band 10 years ago. Since their early days in Kingston, they've won two Grammy awards, had rhythm and blues and pop hit singles, been named Goodwill Youth Ambassadors by the United Nations and won a NAACP Image Award. The Melody Makers have global popularity, playing their style of reggae music to huge crowds throughout the world. Their latest release, "Joy and Blues" finds the band playing solid reggae rhythm set to Ziggy's insightful lyrics. "To tell you the truth," said Marley, "most lyrics come sometimes when I'm feeling down. It takes some solitude, it takes time by myself for me to think about certain things and to express it through music. I need time by myself to look inside and look outside and then it does come. Because I'm just talking about life as a human being and what is my perception of what I'm going though as a person in life." When the young Ziggy Marley first stepped out into the spotlight, there were some critics who believed he would never have a musical identity beyond being Bob Marley's son. Over the past 10 years, Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers established themselves gradually as a band that can take reggae music to a whole new audience; an audience much younger that those who followed his father's music and career over a decade ago. "That's what it's all about, being true to yourself," said Marley. "Many times people come to me and say, 'Oh, you're following your father and you try to copy him.' But as long as we stay true to ourselves, then the music must come true. So what we're doing is a part of our father's. But yet still it is a new part, it is a part for this young generation who never knew my father and never knew nothing about him. "We've come to tell a newer generation about these things because every generation needs to have someone who will stand up and say things which are not for money or fun. But to say things which are true and meaningful." Marley feels a responsibility to bring the message of reggae to the world through his music, but won't be preaching about the Rasta faith to his fans. "Through the music we say what I want to say," said Marley. "Our big idea is not to preach and say that everybody needs this or must do that. By me being a Rasta youth, that means that anything when it comes to Rasta, is between me and The Father. Me and my belief, me and my faith. I'm no preacher." With reggae music a major component of the global beat scene, Ziggy Marley and The Melody Makers find themselves in demand for live concerts in places that many Western musicians have yet to perform. After a global tour, Marley enjoys playing at home in Kingston where he's had a large following for several years. However, one of his most memorable shows recently came in the African nation of Ghana in December of 1991. "Ghana was a very nice show," he said. "It was on the beach and a lot of people came. It was like a jam session. I mean the sound system wasn't so good but everything was good still. So that was a great experience for us in Ghana." In addition to his role in the Melody Makers, Marley produces most of the recordings for the Ghetto Youths United record label. Many rude boy hooligans run wild in the streets of Trenchtown, a poor section of Kingston. Marley fees that Ghetto Youths United provides a positive experience for young people who otherwise might be given in to a life of crime and violence. "Ghetto Youth gives them a chance to make something of their lives instead of picking up a gun," said Marley. "They're just trying to have a chance to survive. If I didn't do that (Ghetto Youth), then I wouldn't feel good."
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