Bob Marley & The Wailers: Catch a Fire (Ltd. 50th Anniv. Ed.) (3CD)

"Catch A Fire" is the fifth studio album by Bob Marley and the Wailers and the first to be released by Island Records UK. It was originally released under the name The Wailers in a sleeve depicting a Zippo lighter, designed by graphic artists Rod Dyer and Bob Weiner. Future releases feature the classic portrait of Marley smoking a "spliff," and the band was referred to as Bob Marley and the Wailers, with the image taken by Esther Anderson. A tour of the UK and US generated international interest in the band. Critics listed the album at number 126 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, among others, calling it one of the best reggae albums of all time. After a solo tour, Marley returned to Jamaica in 1971 with Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer to record "Catch A Fire," but the recording was cut short due to conflicts with Johnny Nash and Danny Sims. The group's London manager, Brent Clarke, recommended that they contact Chris Blackwell of Island Records, who had released licensed singles by The Wailers at Studio One in the UK. Blackwell gave the group an advance of 4000 pounds so they could return to Jamaica and complete the recording of their next album. in 1972, the album was recorded in Kingston, Jamaica, in 3 different studios. According to the story, Marley flew back to London in 1972 to play the tapes to Chris Blackwell. CBS and Sims, with whom the band was already signed, sued Blackwell and the Island Records label over the recordings. Island won the case, Blackwell remixed the tracks at Island Studios on Basing Street and added overdubs. "Catch A Fire" will celebrate its 50th anniversary in April 2023. To mark the occasion, a limited 7" edition will be released with two alternate versions of 'Stir It Up' (vocal and instrumental), both included on this release. The CD package includes a booklet of classic images of Bob from his photo shoots with Adrian Boot, Arthur Gorson, who photographed Bob for two weeks in Jamaica, Dennis Morris and Neville Garrick. Many of these images have never been seen before, as well as press clippings from the time and release of the album. Brand new notes were written by renowned music journalist and author Chris Salewicz, who was close friends with Bob and spent a lot of time with him. The packaging will feature covers on both sides with the Zippo lighter and Bob smoking.