Stepping Razor Remembered

"It is only the truth that can make a man live."
September 11, 2001 marks the 14th anniversary of Peter Tosh's passing. On that fateful night Dennis 'Leppo' Lobban and 2 other gunmen burst into Peter's house and demanded money, Peter tried to reason with Dennis and the other hoodlums claiming that he didn't have any money in the house but would try and arrange to get some money to Dennis. Dennis thought about this for what seemed an age and then opened fire emptying two bullets at point blank range into Peter's head. Peter Tosh was pronounced dead in a local Kingston Hospital late that evening, murdered by an old friend. After all Peter had done for him this was how he repayed him by silencing one of the most powerful voices ever in the history of music.
Peter was just 42 years of age but lived an emotional and action packed life, his life was a struggle from beginning to end. Born Winston Hubert McIntosh, re-born in 1976 as Wolde Semayat. Peter suffered an horrific car crash whilst driving home from visiting Bob Marley at 56 Hope Road. His girlfried Evonne was in the car with Peter when he hit an on coming vehicle travelling on the wrong side of the road. The accident left Peter with a fractured skull, unfortunately Evonne was badly crushed and remained in a coma for three weeks before she died. Tosh was a mystic man, stepping razor, freedom fighter and missionary all rolled into one. He fought for equal rights and justice and never minced his words, he was sometimes out spoken, out landish and brutally honest. His songs ranged from the cry of legalizing ganja, pleas for black people to realise their roots, social and racial equality and testifying his love for Rastafari.
Peter Tosh seemed to be fueled by controversy, controversy seemed to follow Peter where ever he went. At the One Love Peace Concert in April 1978 Peter stood up on stage and lit up a spliff much to the annoyance of the Jamaican Heads of State. He proceeded to verbally bash everyone in power in Jamaica asking why marijuana was not legal. It was real fire and brimstone. This remarkable recording was made available to the word last year thanks to JAD records. Peter was a vehicle for the word of Jah, a spanner from his toolbox, passing on the message. His greatest desire was to see the brighter day when "Right Is Right" and "Wrong Is Wrong," and every man gets pay according to his work - no more, no less.
Peter recorded on the Rolling Stones record label from 1978 until 1981, even receiving a minor chart hit in England with Don't Look Back which was a duet with Mick Jagger, however Peter's relationship with the Stones came to an abrupt end when Peter who was staying at Keith Richards home in Jamaica refused to vacate the premises upon Richards return as he thought the Stones owed him. When asked what Peter thought of his work with Mick Jagger he replied: "Working with Jagger, I thought it would have given me exposure, but I don't think it has given me the right exposure. If it had given me the right exposure then people would all know my name, yet there are many people who still don't know me".
Peter suffered numerous beatings by the Police for his open smoking of ganja in the streets of Jamaica. He also suffered the consequences for his attack on Manley and Seaga at the Peace Concert by being brutalised by Police, he was whipped for over 30 minutes by several Police officers armed with batons, they broke his arm and fractured his skull. Although never experiencing the same success that Bob received Peter carved out a very successful solo career for himself. His debut album although not being a huge seller made Peter an even bigger star in his home of Jamaica then he was already. Legalize It was banned from radio stations in Jamaica but despite this it was still the number 1 song. Tosh was even branded an "outlaw" due to the releasing of the album. His follow up album Equal Rights is considered by many to be Peter's finest album. The album was made mostly of original workings and saw Peter pleaing for equal rights and justice and telling black people to get up and stand up for their rights. He played to crowds of 80,000 and more whilst opening up for the Rolling Stones on the 1978 tour. During his 1979 tour of Europe he sold more than 170,000 tickets. Fans worldwide appreciated Peter's music and what he stood for, he was a hero to many and they came out in droves to see Peter perform live. Some would later criticize Mama Africa, Tosh's EMI-America comeback album, for its "commercial" revamping of "Johnny B. Goode," which was released with a nifty video and a sizeable airplay-oriented promotion campaign. However, time has shown that, from the title track to his homage to Chuck Berry, a redisciplined Tosh had finally, truly, enlivened and enriched his reggae palette.

(Johnny B. Goode video)
His final album 'No Nuclear War' was released just before his passing and earned him a grammy for best reggae album, it was a tragic shame that he was not able to pick up this award that he so rightfully deserved. Tosh's songs were a revolution, because of this he was a threat to society. Peter Tosh was more than a pop star. Gone but not forgotten, his music and message lives on. Two of the finest Peter albums ever to grace the stores were recently released in August: Live & Dangerous on the Columbia/Legacy label whilst the highly anticipated acoustic album I Am That I Am was issued by JAD. The legacy lives on as his reputation continues to grow. He has inspired countless people to fight against oppression. He was a man of principle and courage, a poet, philospher and prophet. He was the stepping razor.