The “One Love Peace Concert” - An interview with Bob Marley

Today is October 30th, 1980. The Jamaican general election was held today in which the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) won the vote with 51 of the 60 seats. This is what the people of Jamaica hope will be the end of the political civil war between the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the People’s National Party (PNP). So, for this reason I would like to refer to an interview I had with Jamaican reggae star Bob Marley, after the now famous One Love Peace Concert in Kingston, Jamaica. It was at this concert where Edward Seaga and Michael Manley, leaders of the JLP and PNP respectively, joined Marley on stage as he sung his hit “Jammin’”. While this did not end the civil war, it showed a brief moment of unity and peace, in an otherwise cruel war.

How did the idea for the “One Love Peace Concert” come about?

Well it all started when these two men from rival political parties ended up locked up in a cell together. Claudie Massop from the JLP and Bucky Marshall from the PNP, and both of them wanted all the violence to end. They felt that the best way to do this would be through the power of music, and the unification that it brings to the people who listen. So, they begin to organize this concert where all the reggae stars would come together for one big show. Once Claudie was released from jail, he flew out to London and told me about his plan. Me of course accepted.

When did you decide to bring Edward Seaga and Michael Manley on stage?

            It was not planned. Me knew that both Claudie and Bucky were there in the crowd, and so in order to fulfill the name of the concert, me decided that me needed to bring both of them up onto the stage, to show that peace is possible. We do not have to fight all the time, and that music and love can bring any two people together.

What was it like to have both of them up there on stage with you?

            Me could feel a lot of power and energy. It was shining from us, onto the crowds beneath us. Everyone could see that this was a huge moment in the history of Jamaica. We had the two sides of the war together for the first time. They joined arms together for a brief moment, and set aside their differences. Me could tell that this was the start of something bigger.

While what Bob said was true, this concert being the beginning of something big, it sadly had little effect on the violence and war. However, you can never take away the fact that he did something here, nobody else had been able to do. For a brief moment, not only did the leaders of these political parties come together and unite, but so did the people. They did not care where you came from, what you believed in, whether you were black, white or mixed. Everyone came together to listen to some music, and have a good time. That is something truly special.

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