The Night Bob Marley Didn't Play the Bouncing Ball

Penny Reel, Rock's Backpages, May 2003

IT IS 1973, around the time of the release of Catch A Fire, that Bob Marley And The Wailers arebooked to play at Admiral Ken's Bouncing Ball Club in Peckham.

There is a bit of a buzz about it and tickets are distributed free among the local community in order to generate a strong blackpresence. Before the gig, his record company visit the Bouncing Ball and decorate its walls with the famous publicity photographof the late soul rebel smoking a fat spliff.

When the crew arrive at the venue they notice that all these posters are since removed. Challenged about this, the manager ofthe club, not amiable Ken himself but his officious runaround in a suit, admits the disappearance of the posters as his own doingand says that they can't have up a picture of a man smoking a spliff, what if police come down the club, rah rah rah.

The Wailers reach and set up onstage. Seco arranges his percussion tableau, Family Man takes his bass from its case. Bobarrives and immediately notices the missing posters. On hearing the reason why, he declares that a club that refuses to displaythe poster on its wall is a club that he, Bob Marley, refuses to grace with his presence. Upon which, he leaves.

After he is gone, the club is obliged to refund all monies to the disappointed guests, including that sizeable number givencomplimentary tickets in the first place.

© Penny Reel, 2003

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