New biography on Bob Marley by Garry Steckles, now available from Signal Books

Bob Marley by Garry Steckles "Of all the millions of words written about the Jamaican Rasta reggae hero, this book encapsulates the most concise and complete information about Marley... If you want to place a Marley biography in your library, this is the one to buy." - Barbara Makeda Blake Hannah, Rastafarian scholar and journalist

One of the twentieth century's most iconic cultural figures, Bob Marley was responsible for popularising reggae music throughout the world. His unique blend of politically conscious lyrics and melody won him legions of fans far beyond the Caribbean. But Marley was no mere pop star: his strong attachment to Rasta beliefs and practices and his fierce hostility to the injustice of 'Babylon' made him an important spokesman for the dispossessed.

In this new biography, Garry Steckles follows Marley's eventful life through the early days in rural Jamaica, arrival in Kingston, first recordings and performances to his spectacular status as an international superstar. Throughout he analyses Marley's political and religious beliefs, while also concentrating on his relationships with fellow musicians, family and influential figures such as Chris Blackwell. A chapter focusing on Marley's long-term legacy explores what the musician contributed to world music and what the religious believer gave to Rastafarianism.

Garry Steckles has worked as a newspaper editor in England, Canada, Barbados and the United States. He has written about reggae and all aspects of Caribbean culture in major newspapers and magazines in North America and the Caribbean.

He worked as an editor on the The Sun, the Daily Mail and the News of the World, and wrote regularly for the Mail, covering football.

He has a regular music and culture column for Caribbean Beat, the inflight magazine of Caribbean Airlines, and has written for The Beat (the reggae, soca and world beat magazine out of L.A.), the official magazine of Reggae Sunsplash, the Jamaican Sunday Gleaner, the St. Kitts and Nevis Visitor, Maco Caribbean Living, the Toronto Star, the Montreal Gazette, the Vancouver Province, the Sunday Times of London and the L.A. Times.

Along the way, he has promoted reggae concerts in Montreal (Peter Tosh, Toots, Leroy Sibbles, Ken Boothe, Carlene Davis etc.), and hosted Caribbean music radio shows in Montreal and St. Kitts. He currently lives in St Kitts.

Caribbean Lives Series
Publication date: July 2008
ISBN: 978-1-904955-41-2
Pages: 288. 25 illus
Price: £7.99 pb