Stepping Razor: Red X- 9/10. GREAT documentary about Peter Tosh; perhaps even the very best reggae-related doc that I've seen. He was an interesting personality, to say the least. Much of the audio is from a series of tapes he recorded between 1985 and 1987, which he intended to turn into an autobiography entitled Red X (so named because there was always such a symbol beside his name when he saw it on government documents), interspersed with performance clips (all excellent), interviews with Peter, friends, Rasta elders, etc., and other good stuff... covers his career with the Wailers (Peter insisted on calling Bob Marley his "student" rather than a partner), his difficulties establishing himself as a solo artist (highlight: audio from the famous One Love Peace Concert speech, after which he was brutally beaten by police), and his signing with the Rolling Stones (his band members were amazed at the crowds they saw when opening for the Stones, and goddamn, that SNL performance with Mick was goofy), plus lots of stuff about his anti-establishment beliefs, his spirituality, and his (evidently justified) paranoia, right up to a decent segment on the night of his murder. Really cool film.
Favourite quote:
Peter Tosh wrote:People is sick and tired of hearing bumboclaat "Get down shit you fucking bootie", seen, people is sick and tired of hearing "Darlin', I bloodclaat love you."
Wish I'd seen this on the big screen last year when I had the chance.
ETA that the footage of Dean Fraser (I think) playing "Many Rivers To Cross" at Peter's funeral almost made me shed a tear.