'Love Is My Religion'

An interview with Ziggy Marley

By Erin O'Connor

Staff Writer

"Fear is what makes us not love each other," said Ziggy Marley, son of reggae legend Bob Marley, in an exclusive interview with Reminder Publications last Thursday.

"We are taught that we are different and that we have differences, we must get rid of our fears, our inhibitions," said Marley.

Marley will be releasing his second solo album, Love is my Religion on July 2 on Tuff Gong World Wide Records. He wrote all songs, played most of the instruments, and produced most of the tracks. Three tracks were coproduced by Grammy winner Ross Hogarth.

One of the songs on the album is entitled "Black Cat."

"Black Cat" talks about bad luck, negative energy," said Marley,

"I was with my friends and a black cat walked by and one of my friends said something bad will happen, I decided to write a song about it."

In the song "Black Cat" Marley sings,

"Black cat come visit me, I don't care what people say, I saw your hazel eyes sparkling in the moonlight, black cat one day things will change, I'm going to wipe away your bad name, my friend tells me your no good- and I say hey I'm not afraid, black cat your beautiful why does everybody run away, has anybody told you I care, has anybody told you... I love you?"

"My parents," Marley said, "gave me spirituality, discipline, taught me about hard work and a pad to understand that love is my church, I don't condemn, I don't convert."

Marley said about religion,

"Love is my religion - gets it back to the truth of what it is. It is not about lies or the institutionalization of God. God is not an institution."

Asked about his favorite song on the new album, Marley said, "I like all of the songs as one."

Marley spoke about his father, Bob and how his music serves as an inspiration to him. When asked the first time he heard his father's music he said,

"Day one of my life is the first time I heard my father."

"My parents helped us [including his brothers and sisters] with extracting what is inside of us," he said in speaking of the music in the family.

"It is something that all human beings can do, the true nature of us is love," he said.

"I know love, I am full of love, my mind everything is love," said Marley, "I wake up in the morning and I am happy I go to the store and I am smiling in the store," he said.

Marley spoke about looking around at the trees and leaves and finding love and happiness. He also spoke about parenting and said, "Show them [children] love, by examples and by actions rather than just by words, they watch everything you do, they pick-up on emotions."

In addition to recording music Marley works with organizations such as Unlimited Resource Giving Enlightenment (U.R.G.E.) an organization that helps children where there is a need and making enduring contributions to improve the communities. Recently Marley has thrown his support behind the Youth AIDS campaign.

"U.R.G.E. helps the orphans and orphanages in Jamaica, guiding the kids who don't have any guidance, uplifting them," he said.

Marley spoke of his homeland. He is a native of Kingston Jamaica.

"In Jamaica there is lots of violence but there is also the greatest vibe," said Marley. "People will be on the beach and relax there. In America there is much drive to succeed through materialism, energy is concentrated towards material things."

"You need to be who you are, love and have fun and just live," Marley said.

"We are taught that you and I are different that I am black and you are white but we are the same, we are all the same," Marley said.

Marley also spoke about his hopes for the media, promoting music that is a positive influence on children and youth. Preaching more than sexual exploitation or materialism and expanding minds.

"You can grow as a person when you can stand on your own two feet as a human being," said Marley, "Love is my mantra."

Marley will embark on a global tour that he is kicking off this summer and will be visiting Boston at the Bank of America Pavilion on August 24. More information about Ziggy Marley can be found at www.thereminder.com.