One of Island Records founder, Chris Blackwell’s major critics, attorney Maxine Stowe, has come out guns blazing a week before his memoirs are set to hit the shelves.
As we previously reported Blackwell’s tell all book “The Islander: My Life in Music and Beyond,” will be released June 7, and in it, he addressed his detractors who say he “exploited Bob Marley for money among other things.”
Maxine Stowe, Bunny Wailer’s former manager and one of Blackwell’s dedicated critics could not resist the urge to state her opinion about the contents of the book in the comment section of our affiliate Dancehall Magazine’s Facebook post.
The lengthy comment from the former Sony Music executive called Chris’ statements a “Blackwell distraction” and a “white knight storyline”
“THE BLACKWELL DISTRACTION Blackwell’s White Knight storyline of saving Jamaican Artists from corrupt local producers is not only farcical it literally reeks with Racism! A more fair critique would have him repositioning himself outside of Jamaica in 1962 to England and building his Trojan/Island Brand on the Backs of these “Black Producers”!
She went on to ask about other players in the industry who may have been involved in the founding of Island Records.
Leslie Kong/Beverly’s a co-founder of Island classed in this farcical BS of local “corruption” wherein he the White Knight encouraged all the artists to sing over many of their best songs, literally robbing the robbers to benefit Island/Blue Mountain!
In an even more disparaging way, her comments went on to once again accuse Blackwell and other music producers in Jamaica of unfair dealings.
Stowe who is also the niece of pioneering Jamaican music producer, Sir Clement Coxsone Dodd who is referenced in Blackwell’s book, said the statements in the Island Records founder’s book are cringeworthy as she quoted from the article.
“I cringed at this particular blurb ‘But Bunny had it in his head that I owed them some money. Maybe it was a Coxsone distraction: point the finger somewhere else,’ he said. Blackwell however, said that Bunny could not be faulted for being mistrustful of producers and distributors, as Jamaica was awash with cases of artists being cheated of what was due to them. Bunny’s suspicion of the business was not unwarranted. For Jamaican musicians it was always a case of chasing royalties. There were constant financial disputes. It was said in Jamaica — you make a record, you get $20. If it sells a million, you still get $20,’ he noted.”
Stowe has worked with Island Records and was instrumental in Stephen Marley’s Chant Down Babylon, where Bob Marley’s songs were merged with and hip-hop which spawned Turn Your Lights Down Low with Lauryn Hill. She promoted the single Dancehall Queen by Chevelle Franklyn and Beenie Man was even integrally involved in the Island’s films, Dancehall Queen and Third World Cop.
She brought Super Cat, Shabba Ranks, Patra, Mad Cobra, Tony Rebel, Diana King, and Jimmy Cliff, to Sony all of whom had US hot 100 and radio hits in the early and mid-1990s.
Chiming in on the comment section is also Copeland Forbes, manager to Peter Tosh who has been a tour manger for many reggae and dancehall artists over the years.
He said, “yes I agree that too much talent they were loaded with loads of talents and ideas from their own perspective.
Contrary to Maxine, Forbes believed that the breakup of the Wailer was the result of poor planning among the members. He also mentions his upcoming book as he dishes some details.
“And would definitely go their separate ways, they should have made proper arrangements so that when those moments of separation finally arrives all the T’s were crossed and i’s dotted.
Bunny was the first to quit in 1973 after the UK leg of the Catch A Fire tour and Peter and Wire Lindo left in 1974, leaving just Bob and the two Barrett brothers to keep the Wailers/BMW ship afloat.
“Reggae My Life Is” the most anticipated book in Reggae’s history loaded with historic and memorable events will tell you all about the internal problems and why the sudden breakup.”
