Ziggy Marley

At Waitangi weekend Rotorua turns into a mecca for reggae enthusiasts for the second time. JULE SCHERER of NZPA spoke with music festival Raggamuffin headliners Ziggy Marley and Eddy Grant.

Wellington, Feb 1 NZPA - It's more than 30 years since Bob Marley and the Wailers brought reggae beats from Jamaica to the world.

His oldest son Ziggy Marley took on the role as heir of this legacy and has long earned recognition as a musician in his own right.

He headlines a great line-up including Eddy Grant, Ex-UB 40 singer Ali Campbell, and Shaggy at Waitangi weekend's music festival, Raggamuffin, celebrating New Zealand's love affair with the genre.

The international artists are joined by home-grown acts Kora, Unity Pacific and Three Houses Down.

Last year's inaugural festival drew more than 32,000 people and organisers expecting about the same numbers again.

At the moment the reggae musicians are touring Australia and coming over the ditch for the show on Saturday.

Ziggy Marley is looking forward to celebrating what would have been his late father's 64th birthday with the show in Rotorua.

"It's quite a while since I have been in New Zealand," he says.

"I am coming to bring the message of love.

"In recent years I grew into realising that love is the answer to everything in the universe."

The 40-year-old explains that apart from songs from his Grammy winning album, Love is My Religion, he will also perform some of his father's classics.

Marley, a man of few words, is a true family man.

He grew up surrounded by music, accompanying his father to the studio from an early age.

He soon joined with his siblings to form The Melody Makers.

The act enjoyed two decades of successful touring and recording, winning three Grammy Awards and worldwide recognition.

For Love is My Religion -- his second solo album -- he returned to Tuff Gong Records, the company started by his father, pursuing Bob Marley's vision of being independent from the big labels.

When he isn't touring, he is working on a children's album, Family Time, and a new documentary about Bob Marley.

"I want to show more of Bob's spiritual side," he says. The film will feature a lot of unseen material of the Jamaican reggae legend, who died of cancer in 1981 at the age of 36.

Inspired by his five children with his wife and manager Orly, Ziggy Marley works on an album for the next generation.

"It's really simple and straight forward," he describes his new project. But he is sure that parents will enjoy the album, which will be released in a few months, as well.

Another reggae great to take to the stage in Rotorua is Eddy Grant.

The 60 year-old had huge success in the 80s with songs like I Don't Wanna Dance, Electric Avenue and anti-apartheid hymn Gimme Hope Jo'anna.

In his 40-odd years in the business he has witnessed a lot of change.

"I think that reggae as a brand has changed significantly, I don't know if it's for the better of for the worse," Grant says.

"In terms of the audiences, the audiences have grown somewhat.

"Obviously as a result of that a lot more people are interested in the form. I think classic reggae has suffered somewhat."

Grant was born in Guyana 1948, moved with his parents to London in his teens but has since returned to the Caribbean.

He relocated his studio Ice Records to Barbados and spends a lot of time travelling the region and nurturing young musicians.

He has also produced for Sting, Mick Jagger and Elvis Costello.

"I always worked with a lot of young artists, less so now as one finds less and less true talent," he says.

"Today there's a lot of what I call the Pop-Idol syndrome. The media managed to con young people into believing that all they need to do is have a nice hairstyle and you are a star. I don't believe in that.

"It is very difficult, if you speak with someone or coach someone in a certain artistic way and they are literally saying `I don't have to do that, I don't have to practise' the media is giving them a false impression," Grant says.

Grant is one worth listening to. He had his first UK number one hit -- Baby Come Back -- 1968 with his band, The Equals, with Grant acting as songwriter, lead guitarist and producer.

In 1972 he set up the first black-owned recording studio in Europe, Coach House, and began recording his own music on his label Ice Records.

He since wrote, produced and performed hits in a raft of different genres, earning recognition as a highly talented artist as well as a successful businessman.

After the show in New Zealand Grant is headed for South Africa to perform there for the first time.

"I have a special relationship with the country which has grown over the years, and with my anti-apartheid struggle," he says.

His 1988 single, Gimme Hope Jo'anna, was a song about apartheid in South Africa, and was subsequently banned by the country.

"The fact that I going to get my chance to play there finally, is very special for me," the outspoken musician says.

Another first is his visit to New Zealand.

"I am excited to come but I try not to create an impression about a place in my mind, before I go there, least one gets disappointed. Friends of mine told me, that I particularly would like it.

"The thing is this: I play music, and that really is my first love. I am excited at the possibility to play to new audiences as well to those who have bought my music for many, many years.

"So it will be a real celebration for me as it has been in Australia."

Grant pledges to play "all of his songs -- or as many as possible".

* The Ragamuffin festival is at Rotorua Stadium on February 7

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