The 500 with Josh Adam Meyers

Episode 126: The Wailers – Catch A Fire with Ian Edwards
Release Date: January 7, 2026

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, comedian and host Josh Adam Meyers is joined by stand-up comic Ian Edwards to discuss and celebrate "Catch a Fire" by The Wailers—#126 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums list. The episode weaves a lively conversation blending Jamaican music history, Ian’s comedic journey, and their shared appreciation for Bob Marley and the Wailers’ groundbreaking reggae album. The discussion ranges from cultural context and the musical ecosystem of Jamaica, to comedic craft, sexual repression, and the universality of Marley’s music.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ian Edwards’ New Comedy Special and Comedy Career

• [05:10–18:06]
  • Ian's latest comedy special, Untitled: The Comedy Special You Didn’t Know You Needed, is self-produced, shot at the Comedy Store La Jolla. All YouTube ad proceeds go to benefit L.A. fire victims.
  • Ian discusses the importance of moving on after recording material:
    • “I'm gonna do this material for the last time. I need a good place to bury it because once you record it, you're never gonna...do that set on the road like the way it is again.” (07:50, Ian)
  • The special was celebrated as one of Vulture’s Top 10 for the year despite not being on a major streamer.
• Josh shows deep respect for Ian’s writing and stagecraft, citing his 'shark attack' bit as a classic.

2. Comedy Store & L.A. Comedy Scene

• [18:10–23:31]
  • They reminisce about the Comedy Store’s community and holiday parties.
  • The Unknown Theater and the growth of Josh’s "Goddamn Comedy Jam" are discussed as formative spaces.

3. Sexual Repression: America, Europe, Jamaica

• [23:31–31:24]
  • Differences between American, European, and Jamaican attitudes toward sex and repression:
    • “In Jamaica, nobody wants their daughter to get pregnant… it was kind of shamed; sex is looked on—or was back then—like something you shouldn’t do.” (25:04, Ian)
  • Discussion on hypersexualized Jamaican dancehall culture as both a release valve and a performance, with parallels drawn to Mormon “soaking” as a loophole for sexual restriction.
  • Humorous banter about odd cultural workarounds for sexual rules.

4. Jamaican-British Diaspora and Marley’s Roots

• [31:24–33:50]
  • Ian recounts his upbringing: born in England, raised in Jamaica, then back to England, and finally the U.S.
  • Details on British colonial history, the Windrush generation, and how Caribbean immigrants kept their culture alive in Britain primarily through food and music.

5. Album Background: Catch A Fire

• [33:50–38:47]
  • "Catch a Fire" marked The Wailers’ (Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer...) first international release, produced in part by Island's Chris Blackwell.
  • Josh: “This is really what’s the start of what everybody eventually went on to…love about Bob Marley… This gave reggae a global launchpad. But it’s got all this stuff we love about Bob—the hard hitting songs, oppression, poverty, [and] laid-back grooves.”
  • Reggae’s role as both protest and party music is emphasized: “It’s like punk rock…it’s giving you real insights to what’s going on in Jamaica.” (36:51, Josh)
  • Ian: “It’s like the SNL of a reggae group—everybody, including the backup singers, had their own individual musical careers.” (37:01)

6. Serendipity, Chemistry of The Wailers

• [38:47–40:55]
  • Discussion about the almost predestined nature of The Wailers’ formation—many members grew up together or were linked through Trenchtown.
  • Ian reflects: “This was gonna happen… It’s almost an optimistic story. There’s gonna be bad in this world, but the universe creates people to combat it.”

7. Industry Boost: Chris Blackwell and Western Influence

• [45:35–49:37]
  • Signing with Island and Chris Blackwell’s decision to market The Wailers as a rock band changed the group’s and reggae’s trajectory.
  • Debate on whether Jamaican music needs Western intermediaries to break globally; strong homegrown Jamaican music ecosystem is noted.

8. Track-by-Track: Album Highlights

• [50:09–69:41]
  • “Concrete Jungle”: Is this the first use of the phrase? Urban struggle, veiled in infectious rhythms.
    • Ian: “Bob Marley was really good at—like, you ever have to give a dog medicine and you disguise it in peanut butter? That’s Bob Marley, feeding the truth in peanut butter.” (52:00)
  • Trench Town: “It was rough.” (53:33, Ian)
  • Heavy First Side: “You have four songs in a row that are real heavy material and yet you have almost no idea.” (58:45, Josh)
  • Lighter Second Side: “Then you finally get ‘Baby We Got a Date’ and ‘Stir It Up’...showcasing versatility beyond the political tracks.”
  • Stir It Up:
    • “Stir It Up is foreplay...It’s like shortbread cookies—you can’t eat just one.” (67:14, Ian)
    • Consensus that "Stir It Up" is top-tier Marley; universal, endlessly replayable, embodies Marley’s romantic side.

9. Bob Marley’s Unique Universal Appeal

• [75:49–78:30]
  • Elevator pitch to a new listener: “Bob Marley is that, but before that…whatever you like; rock, well Bob Marley is rock before rock, but from Jamaica.” (75:49, Ian)
  • Ian: “There’s this cool that’s baked in every album…if you want to consider yourself any type of person who knows music, Marley is something you have to listen to and know about.” (76:34)

10. Comedy, Craft, and Influence

• [57:00–64:00]
  • Ian attributes aspects of his comedic voice to his Jamaican roots and Marley’s style—getting strong messages across in an entertaining, palatable way.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Bob Marley’s Songwriting:

  • “That’s Bob Marley, like, feeding the truth in peanut butter…a great way for people to hear what’s really going on.”
    — Ian Edwards [52:14]

• On Reggae vs. Punk:

  • “Reggae comes in with its own sound. Before punk rock, I think, doing it… Raw, fighting against something that needs to be fought against.”
    — Ian Edwards [37:01]

• On "Stir It Up":

  • “Stir It Up is something you play on a loop. It’s like shortbread cookies… the box is open, let me just have one more… That’s what Stir It Up does for me.”
    — Ian Edwards [67:21]

• On Bob Marley's Eternal Relevance:

  • “If somebody says they don’t like Bob Marley, there’s something wrong with them.”
    — Josh Adam Meyers [78:29]

Timestamps of Important Segments

• 05:08 – Ian discusses his special, self-producing, and giving proceeds to charity
• 23:31 – Differences in sexual attitudes: America, Jamaica, Europe, and comedy bits
• 31:24 – Jamaican/British immigrant story and music upbringing
• 33:50 – Catch a Fire context and why it matters
• 37:01 – Comparing The Wailers to SNL’s star-studded lineups
• 38:47 – The almost magical coming together of this group
• 52:14 – Bob Marley’s genius: truths wrapped in “peanut butter”
• 58:45 – Track-by-track: heaviness, balance, and levity on the record
• 67:14 – The enduring magic and pleasure of “Stir It Up”
• 75:49 – Ian’s elevator pitch for convincing new listeners

Episode Takeaways

• "Catch a Fire" is more than a chill reggae record—it’s a revolutionary statement disguised in melodic, danceable groove.
• The Wailers were a supergroup of immense talent, whose formation reflected both intention and destiny.
• Bob Marley’s unique power was his ability to distill heavy, political truths into joyous, universal music—a lesson Ian dovetails into comedy.
• The album’s mix of political outcry and love songs shows Marley’s range and comes across as both timely and timeless.
• Marley’s appeal—cutting across generations and genres—remains unshakeable, and "Catch a Fire" is a vital reason why.

Closing

Ian’s special, Untitled, is available on YouTube, supporting L.A. fire victims through all ad proceeds. Follow Ian on Instagram @ianedwardscomic.
Next up: Janis Joplin’s “Pearl” at #125 on The 500.