What would Bob Marley think of his albums being released in every new media? These days, there are many options for the rastaman on the go. USB, SD, mp3, and ringtones, Bob Marley and the Wailers are as mobile as a rasta can get! That’s right, ringtones! Verizon Wireless and Universal Music Group announced a deal today that makes an extensive catalog of Bob Marley tunes available as ringtones for Verizon cell phones. A press release about the new ringtones puts Bob Marley on the highest musical pedestal and hails Verizon as a leader in mobile music for inking the deal with Universal. ([More →])

I have seen the future, and it is filled with conscious reggae. Not long ago, Island celebrated the 30th anniversary of Bob Marley’s Exodus album by reissuing it on USB and Micro SD digital devices, as well as mp3, CD and vinyl. Yesterday, the Anglican Church in Jamaica announced that the next publication of its church hymnal will include Peter Tosh’s version of “Psalm 27″ and Bob Marley’s “One Love” in the book of hymns! ([More →])

The Bob Marley family has the heavy task of managing his legacy and his estate. Rita Marley personally decides what is good for his posthumous image and her bank account. It is very difficult sometimes to win her approval to publish books, cds, dvds and whatnot that use images of the late legend or his music or words. So, this comes as quite a fantastic surprise -
Roots, Rock, Remixed will be released on July 24th and features remixes of original Bob Marley tunes. It will be the first remix album ever approved by the Marley Estate. I guess that means that Remixed Hits and Chant Down Babylon (the latter is an EXCELLENT album, especially the Chuck D “Survival” remix) were not officially approved by Marley’s family, despite several of his sons reworking “Kinky Reggae” on Chant Down Babylon.

Tracklist for Roots, Rock, Remixed

‘Soul Shakedown Party’ (Afrodisiac Sound System Remix)
‘Lively Up Yourself’ (Bombay Dub Orchestra Remix)
‘Duppy Conqueror’ (Fort Knox Five Remix)
‘Sun Is Shining’ (Yes King Remix)
‘Soul Rebel’ (Afrodisiac Sound System Remix)
‘African Herbsman’ (King Kooba Remix)
‘Don’t Rock My Boat’ (STUHR Remix)
‘Small Axe’ (Paul & Price Remix)
‘Rainbow Country’ (DJ Spooky’s Subliminal Funk Remix)
‘Trenchtown Rock’ (Trio Elétrico Remix)
’400 Years’ (Jimpster Remix)
‘One Love’ (Cordovan Remix)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7Hv0Mrzxwc]

This news comes closely on the heels of the official Bob Marley website announcing that in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the release of Exodus, Island Records will be reissuing the album on 2 brand new digital formats – USB and Micro SD.
You can read more about that in my earlier post:
Bob Marley’s Exodus Gets ReIssued

Always at the forefront of revolution – the 30th anniversary of Bob Marley’s Exodus is being celebrated with the album’s release on the new music formats USB Memory Stick and Micro SD Memory Card. Marley has entered the Matrix. 4000 copies of the USB version in glorious red, green and gold include the entire album of music plus 3 video tracks recorded in June 1977 at the Rainbow Theatre in London during Marley’s exile in Britain. ([More →])