Bob Marley & The Wailers’ first Island Records album Catch A Fire released in 1973 is being reissued on vinyl and CD for its 50th anniversary.
The 3CD deluxe and 3LP vinyl + 12-inch packages will be available on November 3,2023 and will feature the same track-list done by the original Wailers when it was first released. There’ll also be a first issue of Live at The Paris Theatre, London and a Sessions disc which includes alternate/extended/instrumental versions of album tracks (including the two alternate versions of Stir It Up). Three tracks performed at the Sundown Theatre in Edmonton, North London will be on disc 3 and make up the content of the 12-inch single as part of the vinyl box set.
On the heels of its 50th anniversary in April Catch A Fire, re-entered the U.S.Billboard albums chart at No. 6. The genre defining project was recorded in Kingston, Jamaica at Dynamic Sound studios, Harry J’s, and Randy’s (Now VP Records) using a £4,000 investment by Chris Blackwell. Catch A Fire peaked at No. 171 on the Billboard 200 and No. 51 on Billboard’s now discontinued Black Albums Chart
Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records who paid US$4000 for the making of the album said in his memoir “The Islander” that Catch a Fire didn’t resonate widely in the major music markets like the U.S. in its first year.He said careful effort was made overdub the songs at his U.K. Island Studios to give them a “rock feel.”
(Read More On Who Owns Legend? A Closer Look At Why Universal Music Group Owns Bob Marley’s Music).
The album sold 14000 copies in the first year its released and clocked about 6000 copies globally in the first week according to Blackwell.
Blackwell said inspire the low sales the time he insisted that the label put the necessary support behind the album. Now, Catch A Fire is one piece of the Bob Marley and The Wailers catalogue of albums that sells forever.
The 86 year old music impresario recalls his experience in making the band’s first Island records album saying he wanted to “take the music out of Jamaica without taking Jamaica out of it.”
“They were immediately something else, these three — strong characters. They did not walk in like losers, like they were defeated by being flat broke. To the contrary, they exuded power and self-possession. Bob especially had a certain something; he was small and slight but exceptionally good-looking and charismatic. Bunny and Pete had a cool, laid-back nonchalance.
In addition to Bob Marley, Catch A Fire, was recorded with vocals and musical continuations from all three members of the original Wailer band: Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, with Marcia Griffiths and Rita Marley on backing vocals,Aston and Carlton Barret were on Base and Drums respectively. The classic Jamaican recording has spent and total of 24 nonconsecutive weeks on the Billboard Reggae albums chart.
