NEWS
EVENTS
Junior Murvin, passed away, aged 67.
Reggae | Tuesday 3rd December 2013 | Noam
Sad news for the world of reggae music: one-hit wonder Junior Murvin passed away, yesterday, aged 67. What is even more saddening is that, although his voice and message had much potential for recognition and success, he was only ever acknowledged for his infamous Police and Thieves, an original 1976 Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry production (Black Art Studio).
He also recorded a few other decent tunes, such as Roots Train or Easy Task. But Police and Thieves just stood out as a fantastic, militant production as well as a call for popular uprising to fight the oppression of the authorities. The song became a transatlantic anthem for an angry, unsatisfied youth, fed up with the establishment. That’s probably the reason why The Clash reinterpreted it, and offered it to the punks, a subculture that emerged from social unrest.
I, for sure, will not let the dust accumulate on my 7-inch Island Records version lying in my room.
Noam Obermeister
