Customer Reviews

Equal Rights

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I don't remember the first time I heard this album or where I bought it or how I even knew to buy it, but I've owned Peter Tosh's "Equal Rights" since I was 14 or 15 (well over 15 years ago now). I can't recall listening to reggae without listening to this and I loved it then as much as I enjoy it now. Growing up with it for half of my life and being one of my all time favorites, it was only a matter of time before I bought this digitally remastered set with bonus tracks by Columbia Records.

I have fond memories of sitting outside in the summertime listening to this album either with friends or by myself with no school and nothing to do; they seemed like simpler times. I never listened to a lot of "mainstream" music even as a teenager. My radio consisted of the CDs I owned (or borrowed) which was largely an assortment of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Toots & the Maytals and like artists preferring Reggae to most other music.

Being constantly around Reggae through friends and their older brothers, I like to think I had an ear for good Reggae even back then but the fact that I loved "Equal Rights" right away probably had a lot to do with my dad who raised me listening to Rock groups like Journey, Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks etc. Because this album is an excellent crossover between both genres it's not hard to see why it appeals to me and so many other people as well. Of course, that doesn't mean most fans of Rock will like it. After all, it is still Reggae.

Peter Tosh's second solo album after leaving Bob Marley & the Wailers is definately his greatest (in studio). His music has matured significantly since his first album, "Legalize It" and backed by the "rhythm twins" Sly and Robbie, this album becomes a classic by monumental proportions. Many people argue that "Legalize It" is still better but the music for "Equal Rights" is much more unified, most of the songs sticking to the theme of the album while the tracks on "Legalize It" are remakes of old Peter Tosh singles ranging from politics to love to dance, making for a somewhat patchy (albeit, very good) set.

The beginning of this masterpiece sets the tone with his own political anthem "Get Up, Stand Up," which he originally wrote for "Burnin'" the Wailer's second album with Island. While the version he sang with Bob Marley may be more lively and even made it to Marley's greatest hits CD, "Legend," the Peter Tosh version we have here is the far superior one. I'm glad Tosh decided to remake this song for his second album. Still too few people know that he is the author of it and to see its lyrics on Bob Marley t-shirts and posters is especially annoying.

The standard of the set stays consistant throughout with brilliant reworkings of songs like "Downpresser Man," as well as original material like "I Am that I Am" and "Jah Guide." But Peter Tosh also went boldly where most Reggae artists at the time were afraid to go (Bob Marley included) with songs like the album's title track and also my personal favorite, "Apartheid." More than once would Peter Tosh's life be threatened because of his unwavering and outspoken stance on racial and political injustices in Afrcia and Jamaica. His very vocal opinion, on this album particularly, influenced many other Reggae artists to start speaking out as evidenced by Bob Marley's own tribute to African liberation, his classic "Survival" album released two years later.

Interestingly enough, what would become his signature song, "Stepping Razor" is the only track here that wasn't written by Peter Tosh himself. Joe Gibbs, an early Wailers mentor, originally wrote the song for Jamaica's annual song festival. Peter Tosh took it over and made it his own. It's the most commercialized song on the set and is almost too Rock n' Roll, but why carp. This album is an essential Reggae classic that needs to be listened too again and again.

Few lps in any genre can be defined as absolute classics. Reggae has a few such lp's (Burining Spear's "Marcus Garvey," the Wailers' "Catch a Fire," Big Youth's "Screaming Target," Lee Perry's "Arkology" box set), and among them is "Equal Rights," Peter Tosh's tour de force.

The tracks on this lp are second to none- Scatching, rebellious, on the edge, much like Tosh himself. Few lps have as potent a 1-2 opening punch as "Get Up Stand Up" and "Downpressor Man" offer this lp, only to be reinforced by the amazing "Stepping razor," "African," and "Apartheid" (Tosh's being the 1st vocal anti-apartheid song in reggae, so far as I know), and "I Am That I Am" and "Jah Guide" reinforce Tosh's roots credibility as a rastafarian. Add to that the 2 bonus live tracks and you have a nearly flawless lp.

Few lps have the complete start to finish impact of this one, and therefore this lp for me ranks with Burning Spear's "Marcus Garvey" lp as the most powerful in the history of reggae. An absolute must have in your reggae collection.

The LEGACY EDITION for this album, is out and out the VERY BEST LEGACY EDITION I own, and I own a lot of them. EQUAL RIGHTS has always been one of my favorite reggae albums, filled with many of my favorite songs (Steppin Razor, Get up Stand Up, I Am That I Am, Equal Rights, etc.) However, the LEGACY EDITION has done something REMARKABLE. IT has culled from the original sessions, an entire LP worth of NEW MATERIAL. So, where did all these new songs come from? Well, like the LEGALIZE IT album, the EQUAL RIGHTS album was recorded years after TOSH left the Wailers. Tosh's early solo albums included songs recorded with the Wailers, as well as "SINGLES" recorded for the Jamaican Market back in 1973-1976. For those of your who have Tosh's HONORARY CITIZEN box set, you already own versions of many of these songs included on the LEGACY EDITION as bonus cuts. BUT! You dont own the 1977 RERECORDED versions of those songs cut during the EQUAL RIGHTS sessions. Playing the Jamaican single versions of VAMPIRE (aka DRACULA), MARK OF THE BEAST, or YOU CANT BLAME THE YOUTH next to the versions on the Legacy Edition, sounds like playing poorly made demos with the bass cranked up too high, next to top notch recordings from world class studios. (BTW, these original JAMAICAN singles were recorded at RANDY's STUDIO, where the riddim tracks were also recorded for EQUAL RIGHTS album. Then, the songs' drum and bass parts were brought to Miami, so Columbia Records could make sure TOSH was recording an album for the international market.) EACH BONUS TRACK (outtake) has the same excellent production quality, that you have on any other song from EQUAL RIGHTS. After all, by this time, LEGALIZE IT was a huge international hit, and TOSH's star was rising fast. All i can say, is listening to the outtakes, was like hearing "EQUAL RIGHTS" as a double album.

If this new release only added these unreleased OUTTAKES to the end of CD ONE, I'd still think of it as a fantastic release. BUT, CD TWO has even BETTER SURPRISES! To begin with, the second CD contains two more studio versions of GET UP STAND UP. (That makes 6 studio versions Tosh or the Wailers released of that song!) There's an extended version of EQUAL RIGHTS that runs nearly 7 minutes long, and an alternate version of APARTHEID that runs OVER 7 minutes. There are also a couple of demos, for VAMPIRE and JAH MAN. (These demos aren't much different than the studio versions.) BUT YOU ALSO GET A COMPLETE "EQUAL RIGHTS" ALBUM, in a DUB VERSION! YA MON! Just like GARVEY'S GHOST by Burning Spear, what most consider TOSH's masterpiece (and one of the true masterpieces of the genre), NOW HAS A DUB VERSION! What's more, these dubs will blow your mind. Tosh had always been a big fan of DUB reggae, having made dub plates of many of his Jamaican singles for B-sides. With SLY AND ROBBIE for his Riddim section, the dub plates automatically sound incredible, since just listening to SLY AND ROBBIE play alone, is a treat. Most of these DUBS, however, don't play with space, and loops, in the same manner you hear on THE DUB FACTOR by Black Uhuru. Dub Reggae kept developing during the mid-late 70s, not reaching its zenith til the 80s, and the Ascendency of BLACK UHURU after Marley's death. For example, the dub for STEPPIN RAZOR, called HEAVY RAZOR, is comprised of the bass part, Peter Tosh singing, and some incidental percussion. This minor Dub masterpiece STILL sounds revelatory, since you get to hear Peter Tosh's vocals IN YOUR FACE. There are Dub plates for all but one of the OUTTAKES--each of them are super. Especially the one for VAMPIRE. Its not the VAMPIRE (aka "Dracula") DUB that already circulated around Jamaica the previous year, since its made from the new studio recording. Some of the Dubs were B-sides, but 5 of the dub plates were SO RARE, that only a couple of DJs in London got them for toasting. Except for the dub of one song, all of these dubs were made during the ORIGINAL SESSIONS for the album, under TOSH's watchful eyes.

I know some of the LEGACY EDITIONS seem like the music companies trying to squeeze another penny from the consumer, by making the fans to buy the original album AGAIN, in order to get a concert, a mono version of the studio album, or some studio jams. THIS EDITION is so far beyond that! You have the original lenght of EQUAL RIGHTS doubled, with songs that are among TOSH'S BEST. ALSO, you have 9 DUB VERSIONs of the songs from CD one, so that you own a DUB VERSION of the original EQUAL RIGHTS album! Add into this, great artwork, and a 23 page booklet that fully explains the political hotbed that was JAMAICA during this time, when both MARLEY and TOSH survived seperate murder attempts. I recommend this purchase to all citizens of Humanity, and certainly to all reggae fans. As for TOSH fans, all I can tell you, is the LEGACY EDITION supercedes the original album, and you KNOW that's saying something. Just supply your own spliff, or chalice. RASTA SEZ IRAE!

"Equal Rights" is arguably the greatest album of Peter Tosh's solo career. Ever militant in his quest for the legalization of marijuana, the end of apartheid in Africa, and equal rights for all, the songs of this album simply drip with his political fervor. If "Legalize It" was a polite reminder of the global injustices of the late '70s, "Equal Rights" was a combat boot to the side of the head.

Orignally 8 songs in length, "Equal Rights" debuted in 1977 and had a distinct message. What the recently-released Legacy Edition does is give its listeners the whole message in its entirety. From 15 songs came an album of 8, and those extra songs give an even greater shape to Tosh's vision. It doesn't take long to understand that the 8 songs from the original album release are clearly the strongest amongst the rest, but the scope given is impressive nonetheless. It's almost a shame it took 34 years to hear all these songs together on one CD.

Unfortunately, as powerful and awe-inspiring as the first disc is, the second disc falls a little flat. It begins with an alternate version of the album's the classic Wailers track "Get Up, Stand Up" and meanders back and forth from dub versions to demo versions of the songs from disc 1. These are mostly throwaways until you get a little over halfway through the disc; the demo version of "Jah Man Inna Jamdung" is far better than the outtake on the previous disc. Chances are you'll spend much more time listening to the first disc and not much time at all listening to the second disc.

Not for the casual fan or the timid, this release is well worth owning for any and all Tosh fans. Definitely better than the Legacy Edition of "Legalize It" and far less repetitive.

Of course disc one gets five stars...especially, for me, the song JAH GUIDE, which is truly moving and can actually help one, spiritually. I only (humbly) wish to warn those "dub-heads" who are curious about all the "dub" tracks on disc 2. Well, the way I define dub, there are no dubs on disc 2. "Stripped-down" versions, sure, but for me, a true roots dub track has minimal to no vocals; so I want to inform anyone who wants to buy this "just for the dubs:" there really are no true dubs at all on CD 2, each track titled "dub plate" is LOADED with a full serving of vocals from (the great) Peter Tosh. Just to let you know. Thank you. and JAH GUIDE.

This album is Tosh's best studio offering. It is his first album with the legendary rhythm twins, Sly Dunbar (drums) and Robbie Shakespear (bass). You can't go wrong here if you want some great conscious reggae. There aren't any bad songs on this album. The best songs are "Downpressor Man," "I Am That I Am" (my favorite), "Stepping Razor" (a song covered by Sublime), "Equal Rights," and "Jah Guide." While Tosh's best overall album is probably "Complete Captured Live," this is right there with it. Don't hesitate to buy it if you like reggae at all.

Not going to review the music. It's great. One of my favorites. Tosh was amazing.

This Legacy Remaster is terrific. The remastering job is clean and makes a great sounding CD sound even better. No over-loudness compression issues here.

The extra tracks are excellent and really are a welcome addition to the original tracks, although they do not have to polish the released tracks do (not surprising).

Unlike other Legacy reissues, this does not come with the exterior slipcover. A minor quibble.

This is a great place to start if you are just discovering Peter Tosh or if you are a huge fan and want an upgrade to a classic.

Approaching 300 roots reggae and dub albums in a 15 year collection period, this CD is arguably the best reggae album made. Saying that, I have to also consider timeless classics like: The Congos- Heart of the Congos, Burning Spear- Marcus Garvey, Culture- Two Sevens Clash, and The Wailers- Catch A Fire. These albums, including Tosh's Equal Rights are the top 5 in my opinion. What puts Tosh's Equal Rights ahead of the pack is quite simply the briliant songwriting, masterful instrumentation, and 100% LIVICATION to the JAH Rastafari message, and the poor people's struggle. Tosh lived, sang, and performed his message through song and his passion as an artist cannot and probably will not ever be matched by any other roots reggae singer, and yes that includes the popular Bob Marley. One listen to songs like "Apartheid","Jah Guide", "I am that I am", and "Equal Rights" might choke you up or bring a tear to your eye. This album is one of popular musics hidden gems, regardless of music genre. Tosh, who produced this masterpiece was also a gifted muscian. On this album, Tosh plays rythmn guitar, keyboards, and percussion. Fans of reggae, dub, and music in general, this artist, who is hands down the greatest reggae artist of his generation, if you do not own this CD or have not heard it, purchase this right now!! 20+ years after this artist's premediated murder by the money grubbing Jamaican government, it's time to take his music to the mainstream where it belongs. He made this album and other's like it for the people, it's time to get it to them. Start with this, you won't regret it!

This earns a place in my heart as favorite albums due to "Downpressor Man", "I am that I am", and "Jah Guide"(swoons over this one). Theses songs hit a definite soft spot for me. The bass slaps me across the face and leaves me dumbfounded. Tosh' vocals leave me in tears. Evokes a strong feeling in me. Now, I'm saying that these are my 3 favorites, everything else here is also a classic in its own right, "Stepping Razor", "Get up,..", "Equal Rights", etc etc. The 2 bonus Live tracks even sound great, The discofied/sermon beginning of "Pick Myself Up" seems a bit silly at times, but it does nothing to diminish from the power of what follows, and the live "African" can rival the studios.

Peter Tosh left Bob Marley's group The Wailers to escape from under his shadow. Although Tosh never attained the commercial or critical success that Marley did, Tosh put out a number of very good reggae albums. Equal Rights is the finest work of Peter Tosh's career and a true classic of the Reggae genre. Every track is strong, there is no let down. Get up, Stand up is a reggae anthem. Downpressor Man is a dark sprawling song with the forboding line "Where you gonna run to?" dispersed throughout the single. I Am that I Am is a very catchy tune that Marley fans will appreciate. Tosh's sound is a little bit more raw and rough than Marley's and no where is this clearer than Steppin Razor where Tosh repeatedly proclaims "I'm Dangerous." The second side of the album gets a little more political with Equal Rights, African, Jah Guide, and Apartheid. The titles of these songs sum up the story but not only is the music raw but the lyrics are cutting and true. Peter Tosh's musical legacy starts and ends with Equal Rights. A Must Buy. Also check out Legalize it.