The Capitol Session ’73

After being unceremoniously dumped from their opening slot on a Sly and the Family Stone tour, Bob Marley and the Wailers were brought to Los Angeles’ Capitol Studios by Denny Cordell of Shelter Records, who filmed the group in all their ‘ragged glory.’ The lost footage finally surfaces after nearly 50 years in this compelling package, available on DVD, CD and 180gm double vinyl.

The DVD reveals an unvarnished glory to the set that emphasises the rock-solid anchor of bassist Aston ‘Family Man’ Barrett and the furious rolls of his drumming brother Carlton, with Earl ‘Wya’ Lindo all over a battery of keyboards, banging out rhythmic chords with one hand and melodic flourishes with the other as Tosh and Marley add ghostly guitar. Bunny Wailer is absent, having quit during a fractious UK tour the previous winter, so Joe Higgs is in his place, his deeper tones melding less forcefully with Marley and Tosh. Nevertheless, despite the messy nature of the proceedings, there are high points, including vibrant takes of ‘Slave Driver’, ‘Midnight Ravers’, the spiritual ‘Rastaman Chant’ and Tosh’s ‘You Can’t Blame the Youth’, with ‘Get Up Stand Up’ a furious finale, augmented by psychedelic double-exposure camera work.