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Peter Tosh

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Peter Tosh was born Winston Hubert McIntosh in Westmoreland, Jamaica, in 1944. His parents abandoned him and he grew up with relatives. As a teenager he moved to Kingston. He taught himself guitar by watching another player for hours. At the lessons of the singing teacher Joe Higgs, who taught young people for free, he met Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer. From 1962 they sang together on the street corners of Trenchtown.

Music and breakthrough

In 1964 they formed the Wailing Wailers, later The Wailers, and scored a big ska hit with Simmer Down. At the beginning Tosh was the only one who could play instruments, and the others learned from him. Together they became Rastafarians and slowed their music down, first to rocksteady and then to reggae, with political and social lyrics. Tosh co-wrote Get Up, Stand Up. After Catch a Fire and Burnin' (1973), he and Bunny Wailer left the group, dissatisfied with label boss Chris Blackwell.

Influence

As a solo artist Tosh was the most militant of the three. His debut Legalize It (1976) became an anthem for the legalisation of cannabis, and Equal Rights (1977) demanded equal rights and justice. He sang against apartheid and often became a target of the Jamaican police for it. On the Rolling Stones' own label he sang a duet with Mick Jagger. In 1983 Mama Africa appeared, containing his reggae version of Johnny B. Goode. Tosh was murdered in a robbery at his home in 1987.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Johnny B. Goode by Peter Tosh and compare it with the rock 'n' roll of Chuck Berry. Notice how the guitar now plays on the offbeat and how the tempo becomes slower and heavier.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.

See also

Categories: ArtistsSka, rocksteady and reggae