Marley and Me

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY AUG 28, 1995

Marred by meandering narration and boundless self-aggrandizement, this memoir by Bob Marley's manager does little to demythologize the late, great reggae superstar. Though Taylor dutifully addresses Marley's life before their association, this is an edited version of transcripts of his taped memoirs, and Taylor comes across as more interested in hearing himself talk. Readers will learn more about Taylor's childhood in Kingston's Trench Town and his rise in the music business than about Marley's childhood and early career. Taylor makes much of the deal-brokering that goes on in the recording industry and of his proclivity for it: ``Thanks to my shrewd management and teamwork, Bob's stature was growing'' is just one example. Taylor does capture Bob Marley's navigation of Jamaica's incendiary political landscape in the 1970s, and the story of the attempt on Marley's life is well told (Taylor was seriously injured in the attempt). But Taylor's efforts to offer insight into Marley's personal life would be laughable if they weren't so embarrassingly bad, as when, in describing Bob and Rita Marley tending to their dreadlocks, Taylor opines, ``To see them lighting up their spliffs during this combing ritual was a beautiful sight.'' Get the boxed set instead. Discography. Photos not seen by PW.