Robert Reflects On The Making Of Wailin For Justice

After the CD came out it seemed people were lovin’ it. Everybody wanted to know how I met the Wailers and how I pulled it off. Man, that’s a long story.

I have to go back to my childhood. Growing up in the 60’s and 70’s there was so much goin’ down, civil rights, Vietnam, Cuban Missile crisis, Martin Luther King’s and the Kennedy’s assassinations’. TURBULENT FUCKIN’ TIMES!! But, man, the music of the 60’s and early 70’s; the Beatles, Elvis, Led Zepplin, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Carlos Santana on the rock side of things. Motown, Isley Brothers, James Brown, the Temptations, the OJays, the Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder. Just to name a few of the great R&B and soul groups. Undeniably, a Golden- Age of creativity, still unsurpassed to this day. Being immersed in such a rich variety of sound, truly sealed my fate. Some kids want to play baseball, basketball, or football, typical childhood DREAMS. Man, I wanted to sing.

You could not and still cannot be around me without me crackin’ off a tune or 3. I’m sure you get my point. Anyway, life happened. I’m sure we all can relate to surviving. In the day to day struggle to make ends meet, we don’t have the time to make our dreams come true. So the years slip by; drywall finisher, cook, stint in the military, you name it I probably did it. Of course never achieving the musical career my soul longed for. But all the while, no matter where or what I was doing always singing.

Around the age of 35 I suffered an accident that would change my life forever. Because of the pain and disability no longer able to work strenuous physical labor found myself a raging alcoholic. Unable to work and using alcohol to control the pain I found myself in. I went through the toughest 5 years I would never wish on anybody and many a time never thought I would make it through.

In the midst of all the chaos the miraculous happened MARIJUANA, GAN-JAH. Always a recreational user, always a part of my life and meditation, however, I discovered the true medicinal qualities of this divine creation. Through tinctures and ingestion found the pain relief outside the debilitating effects of alcohol. Changed my life again forever.

This allowed me clean up and get into some kind of shape. Now about to turn 40, never, I mean never, forgetting about my dream of singing. I made a pact with myself to make this dream manifest.

But how??? Knowing I played no instruments. Feeling my voice was my instrument. Always since childhood the consummate “smart-ass” and class clown. Felt I had a way with words. So I started writing songs. I set my self a goal, start with 5 songs. Can I write 5 songs?? Next, what about??? I picked 5 topics. One of the topics was about Bob Marley.

Like millions of people, found the man and his music to truly be the MYSTIC. Always considering myself to be a spiritual man, found his topics, God, social injustice, love and unity to be the same things I felt. Although aware of the Wailers music, never really heard it til the 80’s. Never really felt it til the 90’s. During my recovery I was really feeling the Wailers message. Trying to sing Bob’s lines was truly challenging. I loved it!!! Feeling the message of RASTAFARI let me find myself, my voice, my soul, and my destiny.

So when I saw that Damien Marley was coming to Boulder, Colorado and the Wailers were coming the next night. I took the tribute to Bob to the show. I was hoping to get a little bit of encouragement. So I asked the Almighty, “You know my heart, you know I want to sing, is this what I should do with my life?? Is this your will?? Please, I need a sign!”

So to the show I went, lyrics in hand with a little bit of gan-jah attached. I thought that would get it looked at for sure. So I set the lyrics and herb on stage. Never heard back from the Marley’s, however, unbeknownst to me I was about to get my sign. To my left were 2 absolutely breathtaking Nubian Goddesses. We were groovin’, enjoyin’ the show. Singing along with Damian and Stephen Marley to Exodus. GREAT SHOW DREAD TIME HAD BY ALL.

So along comes the next night, the Wailer’s show. Off I go lyrics and herb in hand. I step up to the stage as the Wailers take it, look up and whose there, the Goddesses from the night before.  I placed the lyrics on the stage, THE SHOW WAS MIGHTY!!!! After the show, the Wailers roadie came over and asked me if I wanted to meet the band. “Hell, yeah!!!” was my answer. So began my friendship with the Wailers.

Got to talk to the girls, said they remembered me thought I sounded so much like Bob when we sang Exodus along with Damien and Stephen Marley (In the crowd, of course). So I would say Jah give me his answer.

Man, I gotta say the Wailers at this time consisted of: Familyman Barrett, Gary Pines, Drummie Zeb, Glen DaCosta, Vin Gordin, Wyia Lindo, Roxxane Prince, Marsha Scott-Hines, Ras Mel Glover. These dreads were FUCKIN STELLAR. Truly inspirational!!!! So for the next 3 years when they came to town, I was there. I took care of them and they took care of me with an all access pass, so I always had good access. After the shows and in between I would constantly write, write, and write somemore.

Through their inspiration I would not only write lyrics but was getting great melodies to go along with them. I felt if Fams would put some grooves to these they would RAS-RAS-RAS. So the brethren and I had a reasoning and he agreed to help bring these songs to life.

This is where the Mystic, the Divine continued to manifest itself. HAVING NOT A CENT TO MY NAME!!!! People out of love for Fams and the Wailers gave of themselves, their time and talents. Way, I mean way, beyond what could have been expected. Andy Mcewen, of Crucible Studios was one such soul. Being a bass player and Wailer’s fan himself was thrilled to offer studio time for Fams and myself. Over the next 2 years every time the Wailers came to town, the Wailers gave me a day or 3 of their time to lay down basic tracks. So for next to nothing we created 30 original bass, drum and keyboard tracks to go along with melodies and lyrics I had created.

From the very first session everyone knew these were JAH-WORKS!!!! The inspiration the vibes were to the I-TES. So by the time it came to do horns, percussion, background vocals, many, many people were pulling for us. Again, the miraculous continued to manifest. Over the next 4 to 5 years, friends and family continued to donate time and money to see these songs brought to life. So now 8 years and $80,000 plus in debt we have our first CD.

ROBERT MARCEY AND FAMILYMAN BARRETT

WITH THE WAILERS

WAILIN FOR JUSTICE

I can say for all those involved dreams do come true!

May this music continue to inspire all those who hear it

TO BELIEVE IN YOURSELVES!!!

TO BELIEVE IN EACH OTHER!!!

AND MOST OF ALL

TO BELIEVE IN THE MOST HIGH!!!

JAH-RASTAFARI!!!!!

2 Comments