REGGAE NEWS

 

www.reggaefestivalguide.com January 9, 2007 Vol 4, Issue 1

Stephen Marley's new solo set Mind Control due out in March

Stephen Marley's highly-anticipated new solo release has had to take a backseat in order for Damian "Jr.Gong" Marley's "Welcome to Jamrock" (produced by Stephen) to reach the heights its has reached. Once the album's title song became a breakout hit back in the Spring of 2005, the release became slated for September of that year and the team of producing and performing Marleys have not looked back since.

A member of the celebrated Marley sibling group The Melody Makers since the age of seven, the Grammy winning producer, singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist has also been the driving creative force behind the music of several of his brothers. Stephen's production, performance and writing credits recently earned him two Grammy's giving him a total of five: more than any orther Marley family member or reggae artist in history.

Born in 1972, the second son of Bob Marley, Stephen was dancing and singing onstage during his father and The Wailers' live shows (alongside older siblings Ziggy and Cedella) by the time he was old enough to walk.

In 1979, he made his official debut when he, Ziggy, Cedella and Sharon collectively known as the Melody Makers- cut their first single "Children Playing in the Streets." Over the next decade, the group would follow in their father's footsteps bringing conscious songs and one-love rhythms to every corner of the globe.

With his highly-anticipated debut album Mind Control, not only does the sound and soul of Stephen Marley come into vivid focus, but the 34 year-old artist is now inevitably stepping to center stage for the first time in his 27-year career. Featuring cameos from roots-rock star Ben Harper, hip-hop hero Mos Def and younger borther Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley, it's a collection of songs that range from conscious critiques of society ("Mind Control") and politics ("Chase Dem"), to the sweet open-hearted ("Hey Baby").

"My joy and my pain, this is me, " Marley says humbly. "It's a page from my book: Every page tells a story, but at the same time is a continuation of the page before it or the page to come. This is just one page."

The album's breezy, horn-spiced title track casts a light on a modern day form of slavery, its words conscious, its goove monstrous: "That song is about subliminal slavery, hi-tech slavery, subliminal suppression," says Stephen. "It holds you down, it holds a man down from being wholesome," It's a call to arms for us to take back our livs, free our minds, regain our spiritual souls and think for ourselves: "Don't let them mold your mind/They wanna control mankind/Seems like their only intention is to exploit the Earth."

Stephen has built and laid the foundations for a full-blown Marley family ranaissance and with Mind Control, Stephen has achieved that: It's an album full of confidence an diversity in styles and emotion. "I don't want to be just another artist. I want to make a statement, and to continue this legacy, this musical legacy, with my family. Just like my brothers....I aspire to be a reckoning force, when you hear my name, you know quality comes with that: good music, good message, good vibe."

The album Mind Control by Stephen Marley is due out March 20, 2007 on Tuff Gong/Universal/Republic. His websites are www.stephenmarleymusic.com and www.myspace.com/stephenmarley