Gigslutz Interview: Ziggy Marley

Exhilarated by a precarious combination of caffeine to keep me alert and spontaneous, and Rescue Remedy to keep me sane, a drab Thursday afternoon was livened up by a phone-call with Ziggy Marley.

Ziggy Marley. I know, right. I was literally vibrating with nerves as I typed in the international ’00’ number. What existed beyond the safety and the normality of our lacklustre homely rock was unknown, and I was loving every minute of it.

flyrasta

Starting obvious, I begin my interview with some classic overt flattery, “I was really excited by what I’ve heard of your new album ‘Fly Rasta’, what did it mean for you?” After a pause, Ziggy speaks. “Different things, you know? It’s not about one thing or the other. I guess it was about overcoming difficulties and obstacles.”

The overall tone of the album Ziggy says is “energetic and adventurous”. Adventurous seems about right. Listen to the minute-and-a-half previews and you get a whole variety of styles, voices, emotions – adventurous is probably the best word for it.

The main plan for the future, is the tour. The tour, will only extend to the UK once. The 23rd April 2014 at the Brixton Electric will indeed be a rarity, and one that, shouldn’t be missed. Apart from citing Eastern Europe as somewhere he’d like to perform in the future based on an interest in the culture, his reticence leads me straight towards my slightly more philosophical questions

Moving on we discuss what music means to Ziggy. He answers “Music, is the voice of nature”. He goes on to reference his parents and his God as his main influences in making the man that he is today before all goes quiet again. When asked where he thinks music’s going, Ziggy replies with, a succinct yet considered response. “Music has a big part to play in society”, he says. “Hopefully it can help make the world a better place.” . Cringing at the Instagram-philosophy of asking what happiness means to somebody  “A happy wife makes a happy life” he laughs.

Discussing his album further and having an artist explain the thought and meaning behind his songs, we start to get into the very heart of his music and talents. A charity man, an athlete, a published graphic-novelist and, of course, musical genius in his own right, before hanging-up I see past the calm exterior and see a man who’s evidently very passionate about his work. 

Ziggy’s album ‘Fly Rasta’ is due for release 14th April