126 - The Wailers - Catch A Fire - Ian Edwards

Summary

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The 500 with Josh Adam Meyers

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

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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.

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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.

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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]

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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

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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.

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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.

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Transcript

[A]

NextChapter podcasts. When you think about businesses that are selling through the roof, like Skims or Allbirds, sure you think about a great product, a cool brand and great marketing. But an often overlooked secret is actually the businesses behind the business making, selling and for shoppers buying. Simple for millions of businesses. That business is Shopify. It's home of shop Pay, the number one check checkout in the world. You can use it to boost conversions up to 50%, meaning way less carts going abandoned and way more sales going through. To checkout, upgrade your business and get the same checkout Allbirds uses. Sign up for your $1 per month trial period at shopify.com income all lowercase go to shopify.com income to upgrade your selling today. Shopify.com income Kraft Mac and Cheese is better than 90s hip hop. We'll remind you of your childhood without making you feel incredibly old. Kraft Mac and Cheese Best thing ever. This show is brought to you by Distrokid. Bring your music to the masses. The 500. The 500. J m been walking us down through that 2012 edition, so it ain't nothing to you. Hundreds more to go and in need of a friend. The king of peaceful angelo. Talking the 500 until the end Talking the 500 until the end with my man JL on the 500 Talking the 500 until the end Instead of concrete Tundra. Dun dun that is the opening track from the wailers from their 1973 record Catch a Fire. It is also number 126 out of 500 on the 500. What is up? I'm Josh. Adam Myers. I'm your host and I am taking you through Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums. 126. Dude. Half a year, six months from now. Is it six months? Little over six months. We'll be into the bottom hundred. And by that time the fanfare will be enormous. The show will be the biggest podcast in the world. Spotify will be sucking RD to get back with them. SiriusXM who wanted us? Oh everybody. Happy New year, guys. Happy 2026 may be the best year of your lives. Thank you guys for tuning in again. I love you guys. I love you guys so much, man. You guys keep it going. Me and Lekker are chilling right now. Heads up, though. The anniversary of Angelo's death was about three days ago. Watch some of his comedy. Angelo Bowers. There's a few clips of him on YouTube. He's the reason we do this. We love him. We miss him. Think about him every day. Thank you, guys. Subscribe to the Patreon patreon.com backslash the 500 podcast YouTube.com backslash Josh Adam Myers, 79 and the 500 podcast. And yeah, let's get into it. I got dates. I don't know what they are yet. I mean, hopefully it's a good year, man. That's the. The hard. I gotta start doing social again. I'm not posting. It's tough, you know, stuff to post and you're not getting any shine. But man, just, you know, what a year and, and I think this would be a great year. I don't think. I know because being alive is, is all that matters. So, you know, just keep on keeping on everybody and you're going to make it an amazing year. Let's get to the episode Bob Marley Dilly one Bon Diller. Bon Bon Bon. My guest today has a brand new special out. The one and only Ian Edwards. His new special, untitled it is the. The comedy special you didn't know you needed. It's on YouTube. He is one of my favorite people. Ian Edwards, comic on all social media. Watch his special. He's one of the funniest people I know. He's one. I mean, we talk about it. I love him. Rate, review, and most Importantly, subscribe to the 500 listen free on all platforms. Any way you get your podcast, follow me at Josh Adam Myers and also follow the podcast at the 500 podcast. Email the [e-mail] Follow the Facebook group run by Crazy Evan. And for all things 500, go to the website the500podcast.com. Well, here we go. 126 with the Whalers. Catch a fire. What's up, dude?

[B]

What's up, fam? How's it going?

[A]

Good. It's. I'm so glad this worked out because, you know, when we were doing, when we were doing the story wars the other day and I was like, oh, let me see if I can find you on something. And because you have the new special out. So this worked out perfectly. So before we go any further, like, tell me about the special promoted away. Like, where'd you shoot it? Like, just go into all the, the nips and bibbles of it.

[B]

All right, dope. It's, it's. You can find it on YouTube. It's called Untitled comedy special you didn't know you needed. And you can find it at Ian Edwards Stand up. And I shot it like last year, like around August and I paid for it myself. Nice. Shot it, shot it at the comic store in La Jolla. Collaborated with the comedy stores. It was dope to do it with them and they let me use the place. So shout out to the Comedy Store and Pete and everybody over there and Brian Bollinger at the time and. Or, yeah, Brian. Brian or Jeff. I keep. I always mix up Jeff.

[A]

I'm trying to think which Jeff. I know Brian.

[B]

It's Brian. Brian who did.

[A]

Did podcast studio. Yeah. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. Brian Balager.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Producer on my show too.

[B]

Yeah. Oh, dope. Great guy. And bless you.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

And hold on, wait, I got one more.

[A]

Hold on, hold on. Jesus Christ. Always coming too.

[B]

I thought it was threes.

[A]

Depending on depending. I mean, I'm like in and out of like. I mean, are you back in. You're back in la?

[B]

I'm assuming I'm back in la. Yeah, yeah.

[A]

Out here, man. I don't know if it's a change in weather or it's just there's something going around, but it's like I don't feel sick, I just definitely feel congested. But that's. No one gives a about that.

[B]

So.

[A]

So keep going with Brian Brian. Which by the way, Brian, like, you know, is one of my. I remember when he used to book like Comedy Juice years ago when I first came out here and always been the homie and. And so the fact that he was working at the Comedy Store, like, I loved it when he was at the Comedy Store. Great guy. Love what they were doing and I love that they built that studio and he helped build that. That podcast studio for him too and the network. So big ups to him and getting it started. But what a great place, dude, La Jolla Comedy Store is. I mean, just it's like, it's like one of those rooms that as long as there's people in it, I mean. And I've had it where I've done a weekend and I've had sold out shows and I've had half sold shows. And it's like, I mean, always good.

[B]

Either way, they're good. You know, whoever's in there is there to laugh. So I was like, 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. You're gonna move on to new material. You'll never do that set on the road like the way it is again. So it was a great place to have a funeral. And it was fun night and trying. Oh yeah. I was going to release it earlier this year. But then they had the fires, and it was like, you can't release a special in January. Like, this is. Well, everything is burning down around you.

[A]

While you guys are. While you guys are waiting for your FEMA money, I got a way to get your mind off losing everything, y'.

[B]

All. Yeah, yeah. Like, listen, stop running from the smoke, stay in your, like, bad air polluted houses, and turn on my special. You know what I mean? I just turn on your air purifier and check out the specials. But I wanted to, like, also give back to LA, so I'm dedicating, like, it's a special is on YouTube, and I'm giving, like, all the money generated from, like, AdSense or views to charities that help victims of the fire. So if you watch the special, you're just helping the victims of the fire just by laughing your ass off. Yeah.

[A]

Good. And. And everybody out there, man, Ian is like, not to. Not to. To gas you up, but he is one of my favorite comics. Like, you're. You're such a great writer. You're such a great comic.

[B]

And.

[A]

And. And, you know, the. Every. Every. You're still. Some of my favorite sets at the Comedy Store are watching people where some of yours, which you talked about in an older podcast, but about the. The one where I first got to see you, but I mean, me and Angela used to laugh our asses off about Shark Attack. I mean, you know, like, I mean, that's such a funny premise, the idea that you going into the shark's water, you call it an attack, but you're really going into their living room.

[B]

Right.

[A]

You know, it would be an attack if they met. You would be like, you're watching tv, right? I mean, it's so great, dude.

[B]

Oh, thanks, man. It's good. And I'm glad you said Angelo was back there laughing too. That's like, I rated him as a comic, so that's dope that both of you were back there enjoying. You know what I'm saying? So.

[A]

Oh, my God. I think. I think Iwan when I started doing those, because I remember Lara Valdivia and Sarah Tiana ran the Unknown Theater, and they dropped it, which I never understood why. I guess they just got too tired of, like, trying to book it and do all the. And. And for everybody listening, we've.

[B]

We.

[A]

You know, I know you've heard me talk about the Unknown theater, but that's, like, such an important place in. In my career where I met the band, where I met Ange, where my burr. I met Porter. Like, all the guys I with kind of developed what the goddamn comedy jam became eventually. But when. When I. When. When we stopped doing it or they stopped doing it and we started booking it, me and that. Do you remember Sax Carr? Do you remember that dude?

[B]

I think so, yeah.

[A]

Yeah. He was like a casting dude. He was. He was very. I mean, not. Not talking whatsoever. Like, he. He was. He was a funny comic, but he was like. He was a. He was a talker and, like, would just. I mean, it was so funny. You want to see. You wanted to see Angela be uncomfortable. I remember being at the comic store once. We're up in the. We're up in the belly room, green room, and. And it's me and Sax Carr and somebody else. And Sax Carr, like, says something. He goes. You know, he's like. So that Tony Hinchcliffe is kind of an. Like, Zach said that. And Angela just stands up and goes, okay, well, I'm out of here. And then just make the beeline, because he didn't want to be involved in that whatsoever.

[B]

And.

[A]

But Sachs, me and some other dude took over the show from Laura and Sarah. And I remember you were probably one of my first, like, headliners that I had booked, so, you know, at the Unknown. At the Unknown theater, dude.

[B]

Yeah, I remember doing it. Yeah.

[A]

Sickler. I'm trying to think who else we used to book, like, Todd Glass.

[B]

Where was the unknown?

[A]

Santa Monica and Seward? It was.

[B]

Okay, side street.

[A]

Yes. So it's. It's right in the theater district. Like, I would say in between. It's right there almost on the corner of Santa Monica and Seward, which now the area is especially. That venue is a Scientology, like, recruitment center, which.

[B]

Oh, yeah, he was doing. That's what she was doing to everybody over there.

[A]

I mean. I mean, dude, bro, I. I've woken up and felt. And felt lost, but also found. And I've woken up and felt anxious, but also still I've woken up. This is like how they get you. They're like. They give you the full gambit of everything. Do you ever wake up feeling crazy but also sane? And you're like, yeah, I do feel crazy and sane at the same time. You know, are you hungry but also full. Yeah.

[B]

You ever want to feel like Tom Cruise?

[A]

Yes. Oh, my God, dude. If I could have the energy of Tom Cruise and all it would take is Scientology. I mean, Judaism didn't fulfill me, so maybe. Maybe being in the same religion as Giovanni Rabizi and Paul Haggis.

[B]

You want to be fearless like Tom Cruise, you want to do your own stunts unnecessarily, Hang from a plane. Did you see Mission Impossible 3? That's crazy. I've seen or not.

[A]

I. So here's the deal. I won. Think that Tom Cruise is arguably the greatest living movie star. And not best actor, just movie star. Do you know what I mean? Like, he cares about the. The. The film, the experience. He cares about the audience. And, you know, like, the way that.

[B]

He'S the Steve Jobs of yes. Movies.

[A]

He's innovative. He's. He's ahead of the game. And he tells. He tells a bunch of other people. He comes up the ideas. I want to, like, hang from the side of a plane or jump across this building. And then Chris and Macquarie and his stunt team figure out a way to write it into the script and do it. I also do think, though, that he has a death wish, and I think that Scientology has some, like, serious on him, and that's why he keeps doing these. These insane stunts, because he just wants to die where. Where he's out of the game. But it doesn't look like he killed himself. He looks like he did it for the love of The. Of the sport. Because they'll be like. They'll be like. They'll be like, all right, so, yeah, so in this scene, you're doing X, Y, and Z, he goes, well, what if I set myself on fire? And they're like, it's a Christmas movie, Tom. Like, you don't. You're at the. You're at the dinner table hanging out with everybody. Yeah, but what if the candle hits the thing and it sets me on fire? Then I run out and jump out the window, and it's 40 stories down. And fumbling that pool, like, he just has something that. That he gave to Scientology that they have on him. And I think he's. You know, they know everything.

[B]

Yeah, I mean, amazing. I'll tell you that.

[A]

Amazing.

[B]

Those movies are thorough. And I watched them all over again because this. The series. You can. You can call it a series, was coming to an end, so I was like. And they. In the last two, they use stuff from the prior ones, so I'm like, it's been years, so let me. Let me watch this whole Mission Impossible universe over again. I feel like Mission Impossible started from the Mission Impossible 3. That's when it, like, really started. Like. Like, that's when the Rabbit's Foot, like, the reference from. I know they use a reference from. From the first one, you know, in the later ones, but the Rabbit's Foot. And just in that movie he just started running like, that's when he started running like just, you know, the Tom Cruise Mission Impossible run.

[A]

That, the run.

[B]

Yeah, the run from Mel Gibson and Lethal Weapon.

[A]

I think, I think, I think he can outrun Usain Bolt. I think he is that. I show speed versus the, the Ashton guy that sticks his face in the weird water with the cucumber slices that Jack.

[B]

I speed. I saw speed beat him.

[A]

Yeah, but I'm just saying Tom Cruise could beat him. And I think you can keep up. I think that's the race. I show Speed vs Tom.

[B]

Yeah, that'll be a good race.

[A]

I mean, he's a 65 year old dude. How old is he? Hold on. How old is Tom Cruise? Let me check.

[B]

I don't know. But his fast twitch muscles are still. And fibers are still working, I'll tell you that. He's not pulling anything.

[A]

He's 63. He's. He has the, he has the, he has the, the fast twitch. Like, I think, I think the outside of Tom Cruise is white. The inside, all of his muscles, all of his ligaments, all black people. I don't know how he did it, but he's got, he has got the, the quick twitch that white people wish they had, but all black people have. And that is what most sports announcers in the 80s with, what I just said got fired from all of their, of their on air duties because they said, you know, the black people, they got those quick twitch.

[B]

Yeah, you just Jimmy the Greeks yourself.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Think of it.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Oh, man. God damn, dude. Well, listen, everybody go see or go see. I mean, watch Ian special. Like support him. Yeah, dude, I'm, I'm so happy to see him.

[B]

Oh, yeah, and there's one more thing about it too. Like, was it this week, like Vulture just voted it in the top 10 specials of the year. So, you know, I didn't, I didn't make it expecting that. So shout out to Vulture. And it's the only special in the top 10 that wasn't on a streamer and burrs. One is in there and a few other people, reputable people. One is in there. So I'll take that, you know.

[A]

No, that's amazing, man.

[B]

That really is money well spent, dude.

[A]

It is. You know, the, the, the streaming giants can, can pay whatever they want and you know, and give whatever money to a, to an influencer or some, you know, flavor of the minute comic because they got a following and they're like, you know, the hip Whatever. Because they're blowing up on just doing the, like, you know, I'm not gonna name names. And then there's like, the. The people that have been doing it for, you know, for years and have. Have, like, molded their set, and it doesn't make a difference where it gets out. It's just. It'll be seen because funny's funny, and that's what I'm saying. Like, good for you, man. Like, you know, because I know, like, you know how much Netflix and Hulu hate you for what you said about 10 years ago. It'll never work. Blockbuster's the shit. This is fucking stupid. Nah, it's. I love it, man. And I mean, the. You also, that. The last special, you know, to have it produced by Burr, I mean, that's basically the co. Sign that you. You couldn't even, you know, he recognized it. It was like. It's just the. The. That he's done for, like, you, Jessica Kirsten, which it's like, changed everybody's life. So big ups, you know, to.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah, man. All right. You want to talk about Bob Marley again?

[B]

I'm talking. I'll talk about whatever. Movies, music, whatever.

[A]

You know, we got to do a little bit of this. We got to do. We got to do enough that the. The fan. Fans do not get mad. You have to show the respect to the record, but also, you know, still make it interesting for Joe Schmo that might have only listened to a couple of the. The songs or some people. I don't even know if they listen to the goddamn album that we're putting up. I've had a good run too, man. We're finally starting to get into good. Dude. We're finally consistently. Dude, consistently. I just had. Because we're doing these out of order because I'm leaving tonight to go to Phoenix at 6.

[B]

Oh, why are you doing that? Why are you doing that to yourself?

[A]

I'm opening for a buddy at the celebrity theater. He's doing his. His Netflix special taping. And. And he. He just wanted me to. To open for the weekend, and then I'm going to LA for a few days, which I haven't been there in a minute.

[B]

I see you out here then.

[A]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, I'll be. I'm kind of bummed that I missed the Comedy Store party this week.

[B]

I know. Yeah. Yeah, I went on Sunday. Yeah. Like, if I don't go to the Comedy Store Christmas party, I feel bummed, too. So I was happy that they put it on a date that I'd be not on the road and.

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

To do it. Yeah. Like, I know on a comic, one of his shows got canceled on the weekend and he was happy that he'd be able to go to Comedy Store Christmas party. Like, because, you know, you, you bust your ass all year and then they're gonna be there and celebrate. You want to be there for that? You know what I mean?

[A]

Oh my God.

[B]

It's a fun times.

[A]

I. I've, dude, I used to fly in for it. I used to like, you know, make it work where I would. When I first moved out here to New York, I would. Richie would be like, dude, come in and blah, blah, blah, and, and then, you know, they would give me either my Monday show. So I would come in, do the Monday show, even Steven or whatever, and then, and then fly out. It's just funny. Like, I just, I haven't been to Los Angeles since May because one, I was in Europe for the three months and then when I got back, like October, I think I was like working on that Sunday, November, I didn't do a show. And, and so, so for this month, it just worked out perfectly where it's like, I'm going to Phoenix. The Netflix is already buying me my ticket out there. And then on top of that, cool. I'll just jump, I'll just jump on a 30 minute flight to go out and then hang out for a few days and it works out. I might miss the Comedy Store party, but Laugh Factory party is on, I think the Monday night. So I'll do my show Monday.

[B]

What Monday's that? Because I think this Monday. I think this Monday.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

All right, cool, cool.

[A]

And then the improv.

[B]

I gotta cancel a date.

[A]

Really?

[B]

Yeah. Where are you at Monday? Not, not, not like a show date. A date date.

[A]

Oh, a date. Yeah, dude, I had a date last night that was like, I love it when. And by the way, like, I'm not just you calling this girl, what I'm about to say promiscuous or slutty or anything like that, but just, I love, like, I. It's rare that I go on a date and the girl is just like cool. Also, like has her intention of just like, yo, let's, you know, let's go, let's go out to eat. And then you just want to go back to your place and like, really? And she's like, oh, yeah. And you're like, all right, that's the way it should be.

[B]

Yeah, I wouldn't be mad at that.

[A]

You know, you go to Europe and you see how, okay, everybody is with, like, their sexuality and just being, like, forward. And then we come to America where we were shamed out of all sexual habits by, like, Protestants and pilgrims and far right Christians. You know, this unfair.

[B]

You know, there's no refer. No repression of sexuality in Europe, is it? I haven't been in a minute.

[A]

I. I honestly think it's so funny. When I was in London and I was there for a while, and I'm talking to, you know, not to nickname drop. Well, I. I. So. So a famous comic from Australia that is on the podcast that I love to do.

[B]

Hilarious.

[A]

Yeah. He goes. He goes. He goes. He goes. It's the hidden gem of the world. I'm like, what's that? He goes, that all British women are sluts. And I'm like, really? And he goes, it's the only. It's the only. They're the only women that I. The only country that I. Multiple women in alleyways years ago. Years ago. And I was like, there's no way. And then every show that I did at Top Secret or anywhere in London, I would just meet chicks, end up.

[B]

In the back of the alley, dude.

[A]

Same alleyway. There's like, they have, like. It's like, just like the Jack the Ripper alleyways, where it's like, this is. Where all this is prostitute alley. I don't know.

[B]

The threat of being murdered probably heightens.

[A]

And it's just in America, I don't think it's like, I don't know, man.

[B]

Not enough alley sex in America.

[A]

Not enough, man. Not enough. And that's not saying that I haven't had alley sex out here, but not nearly as much as I think what's going down in England, right? What's. What's Jamaica like? What I mean, I mean, is. Are. Are Jamaican women promiscuous?

[B]

Is.

[A]

It's like, is Rastafari. I don't know anything about the religion. This is. I'm gonna try to see if I can scoot this back into Bob. It's like, is what is like, if, like, Catholic. Yeah. Catholicism. It's like they're. They're about, is it waiting till marriage or maybe, you know, no protection because they always want to make kids. It's like, is. How is sex in. If, you know, in the Rastafari religion, is it, like, wait till marriage?

[B]

I mean. I mean, most Jamaicans aren't rosters, but I know you're trying to talk about Bob Marley, but I feel like, whatever. Whatever. I haven't lived in Jamaica for a minute. But yeah, the issue with sex there is nobody wants their daughter to get pregnant. So. And that was back then. So then that was a big, like, mark on your character, on your family's character. So it's like, kind of like shamed and like, sex is like, looked on or was back then, like something you shouldn't do. So you're talking about being repressed here. It might. Might back then. Definitely it was repressed. Like, there was no abortion clinics either. It's not like you can't get rid of it. You know what I mean? So I feel like people did take chances, you know, as young people, you know, we're gonna always gonna find a way to try to have sex. But I don't think, first of all, you know, a lot, not a lot of people had their own place. So, like. But where there's a will, there's a way. But I feel like there's a certain amount of repression. But there's also music that sings about sex all the time. There's songs that's just all about sex in dancehall. You know what I mean? Just like how good you beat it up. Like what you did to it, how you made a scream. So you know what I mean?

[A]

What is that dancing? Where? I mean, it's literally. You see the videos, I mean, they're beating the. Out of. They're doing like a doggy style type dance. It's like a dance hall that's definitely not doing it to like, to like this kind of reggae, but it's like, right, you know.

[B]

Wwe.

[A]

Yes, yes.

[B]

Wwe sex dancing.

[A]

Yeah, from the top rope. Oh, he's getting his freak on. And it's. It's just like. It's just. I mean, have you ever been.

[B]

I feel like.

[A]

I mean, that's not your vibe. You're. You're not.

[B]

No, no, no, no. I don't even dance much less like, WWE dance sex, you know, I feel like that's a way to get your sexual, like, repression out in front of people, because there's no way to go. So let's create this fun dance and like, blatantly do it so that nobody takes it seriously. And. And I'm having some sexual contact and not getting pregnant.

[A]

I mean, so that's the equivalent of like. Of like Mormon people soaking. It's just like Jamaican people wrestling Jimmy Superfly Snooka off the top rope onto a. Yeah.

[B]

Even though I don't know what soaking is. Y.

[A]

You know, it's. All right. Well, that's.

[B]

I did I did know what it. I did know what it was, but I forgot. Oh, you just put it in and don't move it.

[A]

You don't move it. And sometimes people, like, what they would do is they would. It's not sex, but it's. Sometimes it would have somebody, like, jump on the bed, so. Because they can't do the movement, but somebody else can, like, can influence it by. By moving. I mean, dude, it's crazy, dude.

[B]

So not only are you having. Not only are you having sex, you're having a threesome, so you make it even. You're doing it worse than you pretending to not do it at all.

[A]

They're constantly trying to.

[B]

You.

[A]

What's the word I'm looking for? Not. Not cheat. God. But loopholes. Thank you. Yeah, there's always, like, loopholes to, you know, to making. Making something. No, no, we're not. We're not doing anything wrong. We're doing it straight by the book. It's like.

[B]

But if some gets pregnant, whose baby is it? The person jumping on the bed or the person who's just soaking? I told him to stop jumping.

[A]

I think it's. I think it's a. I think it's the soaker. I think it's definitely the soaker. Yeah, I think the person is like. The person just jumping on the bed is like the. You know, he's just a concierge. Do it. You know what I mean? Can we get you anything? Do you need me to jump harder? Are you short water, Anybody? So who.

[B]

Who is the woman who's being soaked? Who is she yelling harder to the jumper.

[A]

I don't think she's allowed to.

[B]

Person who's in it.

[A]

I don't think she's allowed to. I'm not saying. I'm not saying. She's not able to go, hey, man, like, maybe. Maybe go to the right side of the bed this time and jump over there. I. I mean, maybe there's that. I don't know, man.

[B]

Is. Hey, soaked. Can you soak from the back?

[A]

I think you can.

[B]

So doggy style.

[A]

I mean, you can soak any way you want, dude. Reverse cowgirl. You can. You can. You can pile drive soak. Mormons. Mormons. I mean, it's. It is like a fascinating. Like, they have so many loopholes to get around the. The idea of, like, you did a lot of them. If they put it in the butt, it's not. It's not sexual.

[B]

So that's a Catholic thing too, is it? Yeah.

[A]

I mean, that's why Jews have it right, man. Just, you know, do whatever the you want, dude. There's no shame, but, you know, you're supposed to have nine kids. I think that's not all Jews. That's the, The Hasids are Rastafari, like the Haseeeds of Jamaica.

[B]

I, I, I don't know. Like, I can't speak for, you know, Rastafarian culture, you know, but I, I just enjoy, like, you know, the music. You know what I mean? So. But I don't, I don't know as much about raspberry culture as, you know, maybe I should, you know, or could.

[A]

Yeah, I don't, Yeah, I don't. Look, you, I mean, you, you were born in Jamaica, you lived in England, right?

[B]

And then reverse, like, born in England, moved to Jamaica. I live from last nine till 17.

[A]

Interesting. I didn't. For some reason, I got those mixed up. I mean, was there, there was a, I'm assuming there was like a. What's the word I'm looking for with the England and Jamaica? It was a colony. So did you have, like. It's a British colony, right?

[B]

It's a British colony. It was a British colony, yeah. And so, and so I feel like there was a time in British history when, you know, after all the wars and, you know, they're trying to rebuild England and they're, like, appealing to people from their colonies and prior colonies to, like, come to England and, like, replace people and help them rebuild and, you know, get their economy together. There was a, like a, a group of Jamaicans called the Windbush Generation that moved to, to England from Jamaica. And I think it was called the Windbush Generation because of both. There's a, there's like a famous, like, TV series on Netflix or hbo, like, in done by a really good director called the Windbush Generation or something to do with that. And it's just about, like, West Indian or Caribbean lives when they first moved to England. Like, dealing with the cold, dealing with accepting white people and sometimes racist white people, you know what I mean? And just dealing with just like, the changing culture and keeping their culture as including, like, music, you know, like, like my parents, like, they might have gotten there after the Windbush Generation, but, you know, one thing that they kept with them is, like, Jamaican food, what they cooked, and like, music. Like, growing up in a, in a British Jamaican household, like, you're hearing reggae all the time. You're hearing Bob Marley, my cousins are playing it. John Holt was another, like, famous Jamaican musical artists at the time. And, you know, Jimmy Cliff who just died. Everybody, you know, you're hearing everything.

[A]

Yeah, I just saw that Jimmy, Jimmy had passed away. I mean, I'm looking over the history of what was going on before this record. Because if for everybody tuning in, would you probably see it anyway, our record today is. It's, I'm gonna say Bob Marley and the Whalers, but it's listed as just the Whalers Catch a Fire. Recorded May through October 1972. Released April 13, 1973. Produced by Bob Marley and Chris Blackwell. And this is coming in at number. I want to say this is 129. Because I don't have my normal thing up here because I'm using that. Oh, don't, don't, don't tell anybody what I'm using. But this is, this is, you know, looking back at the records that were pre this, I mean I feel, and maybe I'm wrong, but I feel that this is probably what really is the start of what everybody eventually went on to. Not just love about Bob Marley, but this is, I mean this has got one of his most iconic songs on there. Stir it up, you know, this is, this is the, the, the full lineup of Bob Marley and the Whalers with, with Peter Tosh writing songs. Bunny Whaler, Aston Barrett, Carlton Barrett. Yeah, this is. Rita's Reed is on this. Marsha. This is, this is Bob really becoming, you know, the Bob Marley that everybody knows. I'm assuming he's. I don't know if he's got his hair grown out. He's starting to do the locks. But he's like. You can start seeing on the album coverage picture the spliff one where he's got the, you know, that's. I mean that's one of the most famous pictures of Bob pre him like really getting the long locks. This like, it's so crazy when you know, you get to sit down with this record. I mean this was an easy listen, but yeah, this was his first major international label. It's getting promoted by Island. This is what gave reggae a global launchpad. I mean, but it's got all this stuff we love about Bob. The hard hitting songs, oppression, about oppression, poverty, historical trauma. But also his, the laid back grooves, the love songs, you know, which, which is really what I mean people, you know, you always think reggae is just. Or at least you know, I think a lot of people are reggae. What became is just like this very like, oh man, it's like have a beer, like sit on the beach, smoke a J. But reggae has always been at the forefront you know, and the epicenter. Political, spiritual, romantic. And for the people, like, all at once. Is. Is that something, like, kind of what draws everybody? You know, Is it like, for the people in Jamaica, is that, like, you know, it's. I mean, I'm assuming, of course, you're proud of the music, but it's just like. It's. On the surface, it might seem just like something super chill, but realistically, it's like, you know, it's like punk rock. It's giving you, like, real insights to what is going on in Jamaica in those areas in the world. Right.

[B]

Well, it's the music in its, like, newest form at the time. And just like punk rock, like, when something's new and it's always edgy and it's raw and it's fighting against something that needs to be fought against. So reggae, he, like, comes in with its own sound. Before punk rock, I think, doing, oh, yeah. You know, and then I'm just listening to everybody you named. It's just like. So you named, like, a group, right, The Whalers. Right. But everybody, including the backup singers, had their own individual musical careers. This is like the SNL of a reggae group, you know, where all the cast members go off and become movie stars because they're just that talented. This is like. Like the Eddie Murphy, Joe Piscopo era of snl. But in. In reggae, you have Bunny Whaler, Peter Tosh, the. The Ashton Brothers. Yeah. You got Rita Marley. The other backup singers, the I from the i3s, had their own individual music careers. Like, that's how talented, like, everybody was. So it's like the right people at the right time with the right new style of music to. To open up the window and the door for everybody else to keep on listening and to follow in their footsteps and make music. So it's just. It's just crazy how the universe conspired for the best of the best. To be all in the same place and in the same group at the same time to start something new.

[A]

Do you think they found each other because of just the. The. The talent that each one of them had, that they were like, we're probably the best and the best of what we do. If you're the best at playing bass, you're the best at drums, you're the best at writing and this, and then so they all kind of come together? Or do you think it is. It. It is happenstance. It's only serendipitous that these just kind of found each other and happened to be like. Like the way that the Beatles all like, you know, they were nobodies, but just, it's just a collection of four people coming together and.

[B]

And it's like some things are meant. Some things are meant to be. So I think Bob Marley, like, I've read his book, but it's been a minute. So he grew up with either Bond. He grew up in the country, right? So he grew up with either Bunny Whaler or Peter Tosh. Like they were kid friends. And I think then he moved to Trenchtown. He met Rita Intense. Trench Town. That was his girl. He was pursuing music and I think Tosh was there too. Right? I might be mixing up the names, so don't kill me. But like, when you grow up with somebody and, and then you go to another town and you meet the woman who's going to be your backup singer and romantic partner, who some of your songs are about, and then there's another guy there, and then you're pursuing music and you're all doing it together. That's just this. This was gonna happen, bro. This was gonna happen like, like, and this music was going to be made. These political statements are going to be made. This fight against what needs. Like, it's. It's almost an optimistic story. Like there's going to be bad in this world, but the universe was going to create the people and to. To combat it. Like, and it's going to seem like, how did this happen? Is this an accident? Like, is the moon, like rising when the sun goes down an accident? Like, it's. It's pretty much the same accident as this.

[A]

Interesting. Hey everybody. So you guys have probably heard me talk about how I've been in bands my whole life. I love writing songs and performing in front of crowds. Just like with comedy. As a musician, it can be kind of hard to cut through the noise and really stand out as an artist. I feel like half the music projects I've been in have ended just because we couldn't figure out the answer to that eternal question of how do we get people to hear us? But then again, that was before there was Distrokid. Distrokid is a digital music distribution service that brings your sound to the masses. It's a one stop shop for getting your songs on itunes, Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon, Deezer, Tidal, and many more. What's these? I never even heard of Deezer. How many of them are there? I know all that. That's like the holy grail of streaming services though, and getting paid. We want to get you paid for Your music. That's huge because a lot of bands go broke before they get big. But Distrokid collects earnings and payments and sends 100% of these earnings to artists, minus banking fees and applicable taxes. And that's just one of the tons of benefits of using Distrokid. You can send big files to anyone with their Instant Share feature. You can use the Hyper Follow feature to promote your release and get pre saves on your song. You can even create personal landing pages for yourself, your band, your brand, and whatever you like. It has a free Spotify Canvas generator too, to generate your own Spotify canvas for your songs. And the Mixia feature instantly masters your tracks for higher quality audio. So if you're ready to bring your band to the next level, it's time to check out Distrokid. The Distrokid app is now available on iOS and Android. Go to the app or Play Store to download it. Listeners of this show can get 30% off their first year by going to distrokid.com VIP the 500. That's distrokid.com VIP the500 for 30% off your first year. Dig it. I am your host, Stassi Schroeder. Welcome to Tell Me Lies, the official podcast. What's the most unhinged thing of season three? Steven. Because he's so evil, I do think he is misunderstood. You see everyone face consequences.

[B]

It's intoxicating.

[A]

The writers just know how to trick. Yeah, there's always a twist in this show. It's nothing you would expect. Tell Me Lies, the official podcast, January 6th. And stream the new season of Tell Me Lies January 13th on Hulu and Hulu on Disney Plus. I mean, I, I know exactly what you're saying. That it's like, it is an accident, but it is basically what is going to be going on to be the collection of like, like, this is the equivalent of like Miles Davis's lineup for like kind of blue. Do you know what I mean? Like, you got Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, Bill Evans. You've got literally the greatest collection of jazz musicians of the time, all working on this one record under the name of, you know, of, of Miles Davis, but then all of them go on to have these incredible careers, you know, and so for them to kind of like, not only just be working on what is the definitive launchpad of one. Of what reggae does to get to the world, I mean, this is just such a pioneering, you know, a pioneering group of. Of what? You know, like I said, of reggae Artists that moving forward like, you know, Peter Tosh, Bunny Whaler, everybody, they all went on to do right.

[B]

And it's a no brainer now. But you know, when they were pursuing music, it didn't even really exist in the way that it exists now. You know what I mean? Like so to want to do this at the level that they did it at, it's crazy. Like you, you know, you, you're, you're not working like back then everybody you're supposed to like be old enough to just make money and work and pursue just basic like necessities of life and to like risk it all to like pursue music where there's no money in it because it doesn't really fully exist the way it exists did like after they made it, like financially.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And to, to. It's just like there's a guy with a record like you did. Where's the money for the instruments? Where's the, where's the money to record shit? Like, you know how much expensive it was just to record something back then?

[A]

Oh my God. Yeah.

[B]

Somebody take the chance to like why would I record you and not this other person? Like, I only got like one shot at this, you know, financially. Even, even the person covering the expenses, you know, Blackwell. Yeah. So it's just, and this is even before Blackwell, just for them like in Trench Town to be like, yeah, we're gonna pursue this to get to Blackwell, you know what I mean? And you know, it's just a wild like roll of the dice.

[A]

I mean you. Because I was going back. I mean you don't even realize that they were making music in the 60s, like 65, I think was when the first record came out. But this is what I have found is that when I mentioned Chris and you got to give him a shout because he. Yeah. Local success, limited international reach. They signed to island. Now it's. They're trying to pivot their, their career globally. And then Chris Blackwell, the label founder, offered them, like you said, we're talking about, to get financial support. But now you're getting like in the studio, not just for a single. He's trying to get them to write a record and which. Which you know, at the time was bold and very unusual for a Jamaican group. So this led to what we're talking about today. Recorded in Kingston, taken to London where multi tracks were remixed, overdubbed and broaden their appeal to the rock audiences and then taken the United States. They tore around there and that's what kind of starts giving them this, like this. It Just starts transforming them from just a Jamaican bas act to like a global phenom. And a lot of it has to do. I'm not saying. I mean, they would have eventually got there, but you need to have that back or you need to have that person that really believes in them. You know, I think, and I'm reading here, it's that Chris, his decision to market the Whalers like a rock band is what changed the trajectory of their careers. Do you think. Do you think like, Jamaican artists like, like have historically, like, needed the western inter. Intermediaries to be heard? Or do you see the dynamic, that dynamic, like, shifting today? Is it. Do they need the people from the west to help?

[B]

I mean, Jamaican music has its own ecosystem in Jamaica.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know. You know, so like growing up there, you hear artists, like, when I moved here, right to New York, like, I have a. A completely different set of. Of musical. Like, I don't want to say knowledge. That's the wrong word. But like, I grew up with different music than I grew up with here. Like, I did. We played American music there on the radio, on anything that was hot, that was British and Jamaican music. So it's that combo, you know what I mean? So we probably didn't have as much rock, so I had to learn that here. But it's. And even when I moved here, you didn't hear Jamaican music on the radio. There'd be like one hour on a Friday night when a regular like New York hip hop station would play some reggae, you know what I mean? So then it's just later on, like, other artists broke through, like Shabbat Ranks and Bujo Banton and who else could I think of? Like Shell Broke Through Snow. Yeah. Canadian snow. Yeah.

[A]

That. That. Do. Do black people? Do black people hate?

[B]

Like, you know, I was a man of snow.

[A]

I mean, it's like you have to imagine that, like, when you're a black hip hop artist and you're doing what you're doing and you're not getting the shine and then Vanilla Ice comes out and immediately blows up. And then it's like. And then the same thing with reggae. I mean, it's like such a hard music to break. Break through. And then he does that one song. I mean, dude, that was a number one hit.

[B]

Yeah, it was 100. And you know what? Reggae artists co signed it. They. They like it.

[A]

Really? Really?

[B]

Yeah, yeah. I saw it behind the music on that once. And yeah, he had CO signers or he wouldn't be. It wouldn't have. It wouldn't have, like, did what it did, huh? Yeah.

[A]

Find out, Alex, if I know you're producing, find out who co signed Snow.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Because I'm curious, dude. Yeah, find out who co signed Snow, dude. All right. But you were saying it was about you. I didn't mean to cut you off. When I started singing Informer.

[B]

I can't remember what I was saying.

[A]

All right, let's talk about some of the songs that are on this record. I mean, it opens with Concrete Jungle, which. Is that the first instance of that word being used? Because I now know that it's like, you know, I always assume when you say the word concrete jungle, you were thinking of, like, New York City or like, Chicago or like an area like a big city, like new. You know what I'm saying? Like a real metropolitan city. That then. That was kind of the term. I've heard it in hip hop. I had no idea that if this is where it started, if that is the way where that it started. Hold on, let me double check. I don't know if it says it. No, there's not thoughts on this, because this is like. This is basically. Yeah, it's about urban poverty. You know the lyric, no sun will shine? It evokes the struggle of living in the concrete jungle. Bleak but great. So. And that's what's so funny about Reggae, is, like, you don't even realize that they're saying something like, heavy.

[B]

I mean, I think. I think a lot of music is like that. But Bob Marley was, like, really good at, like, you ever. You ever have to give your dog medicine?

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

And you disguise it in peanut butter.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know what I mean? To make him or her digest it and swallow it, ingest it, and. And then that's just. That's a. That's Bob Marley, like, feeding the truth in peanut butter. You know what I mean? Just like, this is a great way for people to hear about what's really going on. You know what I mean? Plus, you need the sound, you know, the right sound. It's all genius. You need to sound it to sound well so that people are dancing to it. So maybe later on they'll listen to the words. But, like, they might enjoy it first or they might listen to the words. For some people may never dance to it, but it's got to be something that everybody likes about it so that you could, like, push your message across and make people come to the realization of what's going on. So it's pretty genius shit, man. Even the lyrics that you read out was like, yeah, man. Like, people are dancing to that. People are vibing to that.

[A]

Can I ask you a question? Like, did. I mean, I know this is going to sound like such a stupid white person. Like, is Trench Town a city? Is it an area? Is it like. Or is it just like a blanket for.

[B]

It's in. It's in. It's in Kingston. But it was rough. It was rough.

[A]

Yep. Like, it's bad, huh?

[B]

Yeah, it was a rough area.

[A]

I got your.

[B]

I got your supported snow there for you.

[A]

Who's who co signed. He had a key mentorship from DJ.

[B]

Marvin Prince and other stars like Buju Banton, Junior Reed and Mikhail Roach.

[A]

Oh, wow.

[B]

Yeah, legit. Legit.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

I'm not gonna go against Buja Bantan.

[A]

No, dude. Booze is in. I'm in.

[B]

Who.

[A]

So you've lived in. You've lived, you know, lived in New York, lived in London, you've lived in. In Jamaica. You've lived in Los Angeles. Like, where. Where has been the roughest place that you live? Where is the concrete jungle? And it doesn't even have to be so much for just crime, but just where you probably had the most struggle, you know, Like, I. I would say the. Either the beginning in la, when I first moved to Los Angeles was probably one of the harder places I've ever lived. But I mean, even growing up in Germantown, where, you know, where I was with my family and it was like we were having the most, like, financial hardships. Like, that was a really, really. We had a. You know, for the first half of my life, it was easy. And then for like a big chunk of like seven, eight years, like, I mean, we never had to move into the bad areas, but it was just like the struggle was real. Like, where did you have like, the most hardships? Like, like growing up out of those areas?

[B]

I feel like financially, like, we had struggles in Jamaica and so, like, like. But again, like, the simplicity of life made it fun. But definitely, like. Like having money. And then also back then, like, the elections were rough, so it didn't matter where you lived. Like the. It's a small island. And there was like a lot of political. The same stuff that Bob Marley was singing about, like, during election time, like, there was one party. They tried to coerce everybody into, like, voting for them. And so you. So almost like some gang, like, you can't. Like there's threat. You. You get threatened all the way from the election cycle started to vote for this party or you. They make examples of people. People would get shot up if they were like, not gonna vote to coerce other people to vote in that way so that there would be a certain outcome in the election. So there was like, JLP and PNP violence, you know what I mean? So then the PMP's like, well, JLP got guns. We need to protect ourselves. And then they got guns, you know what I mean? So then, yeah, there's this big back and forth and there's this wave of violence in the island. That's when we left, you know, like, he was getting too. There was a lot of, like, going on in the news. So now I don't know if they do it now, but there was a point where Jamaica started. Like, they didn't. They just, like, tomorrow we're having an election, you know, there's no big lead up to it because the lead up to it is months of violence. So then it's just like, had to, like, make that period of, like, having an election shorter.

[A]

Oh, that's crazy. Did your. I mean, does Jamaica influence your writing style?

[B]

Yeah, but I probably don't know in what ways. It probably helps me. Like, we're pretty straightforward. I don't want to speak for every Jamaican, but we straightforward. Like, we. We say what we see. We don't beat around the bush. So it helps with, like, punch lines and observations and not being afraid to say certain things. You know what I mean? So I think it's influenced me. And there's a scent. The, The. The logic of Jamaicans in the way, like, our brains work is definitely in my stand up.

[A]

Yeah. Because it's, it's, you know, how can it not. I mean, you know, you're always influenced by the areas that you grew up, but especially, like, you. It's funny, is that even some of the, The, The. The more like, edgy that you've said, it's like you're also kind of masking very much like, like, you know, like what Bob did. You're feed. You're feeding the dog the pill in some peanut butter, you know, so you're cleaning it up a lot.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, you have to. You have to do that. And. And Bob Marley definitely influenced like. Like, okay, so I can't just be up there not saying nothing or just saying, you know, like, like, check out how, like, he got a very strong message across in an entertaining way. So, like, that always stood with me. Like, so he's influenced my stand up more. More than a lot of comedy, you know?

[A]

Yeah. First three songs, actually, maybe the first four songs on this Concrete Jungle, Slave Driver. Classic protest song, you know, 400 years. Another song is about historic injustice and suffering. Stop that Train. I guess it's like, kind of is like a song about, like, escaping and leaving behind the pain built on, you know, it's just so funny. It's like. It's like you have. You have four songs in a row that are real heavy material and yet you have almost no idea. Like, when I listened to this yesterday to prep for it, it was like, it just doesn't feel like I'm being force fed, you know, it's just. It's very. Like I said, dude, you said it perfectly. It's the. It's the pill and the peanut butter. But then you finally get. Baby, we got a date. Rocket baby. There you go. Something romantic, you know, showcasing the versatility beyond the political tracks. But I honest to God, it's like, what a crazy record to have to have, like, literally the first four songs be these heavy political things about what's going on in the world, what's going on in Jamaica. And then the second half is all like kinky reggae, you know what I mean? Stir it up, Baby, we got a date. So it's like, I guess you gotta. After all the fighting, you know what I mean?

[B]

Yeah, exactly.

[A]

It really is. It's like, you know, I mean, how. How does, like, when you're writing something about heavier themes, how do you soften it, you know, for your comedy? Like, what?

[B]

I just make sure there's punch lines in there. You know what I mean? Like, if I'm gonna say this, then there's got to be a punch lines in there also. You gotta smile also.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

You know, I used to yell. I don't know if you remember, but I was like, when?

[A]

Where did you yell?

[B]

I don't ever remember when I was at, like, a New York comic.

[A]

But then, see, I didn't know you till la.

[B]

Yeah, because you had to just to stay on top of the crowd. It's New York, everybody's loud, you know. But then I'm, you know, as I got, like, older, I mellowed out a little bit. Plus, I just wanted to be me more. So then I was like. And I also realized some of the harsh that I say, if I don't yell it, then it doesn't come off as. As harsh. So that's kind of some of the peanut butter, you know what I mean? And, yeah, so I just. I'm so laid back. Some of the hard stuff I say or edgy is stuff that I say. Doesn't come off as edgy, you know, everybody has their way to deliver it, you know.

[A]

Yeah, but. But I've. I've never. I've. You know, personally, I don't think I've ever really seen you yell on stage. That being said, I've. I've. You know, what I love about you is, like, you can kind of draw everybody in by setting the tone of your pace and being yourself. And then you bring everybody in. And also, like, New York, I mean, there's. I. 90 of the people that I perform with now, I guess, out here, nobody else. Like, I'm the only yelly comic.

[B]

Yeah. New York, back in the day, especially on the black circuit, people yelling. Plus a lot of white comics used to yell, like Dennis Leary, you know. You know, there was Sam Kinison.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like, and these are before my time. But they were all. They were always, like, on the edge. What's his name? Who died. That was in the Texas Outlaws. Like, he was like, you know, you grew up watching people like that?

[A]

Ollie Joe Pranner. No, no, I'm just going by the. By some of the weird pictures we used to see at the Comedy Store that are still up there that you're.

[B]

Like, in the hallway, you're like, oh, Bo.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, he's a yeller for sure. I mean, the number one. Yeah. Where do you think. Where do you think you really did. Did. Did you grow the most as a comic? Was it in New York or. Or when you got to la?

[B]

I feel like both. I just. Because New York is the beginning. Right. And I had to grow enough to, like, end up in la. And then LA was like a different set of growth. Like, now you're a comic. Like, now let's refine. Exactly. And fine tune, like, which type of comic you're gonna be. Like, now you know how to be funny. Can you be funny as you. As your, Your. Your. As your. As your fingerprint in your own way that's different from everybody else? So, yeah, it's funny.

[A]

Like, I. I think that I. I definitely cut my teeth in Los Angeles, but it's like, where I. Where I really think I grew the most was, like, moving out here. You know, New York, New York is just. It is that, you know, concrete jungle. It's a concrete jungle. It's harder. And I don't know if I would have moved out here first, if I would have. If I would have still been doing it. I don't know if I would have been able to survive. I think It's a lot easier, like living in Los Angeles, being broke in la, even though you could, like, you don't need a car in New York and you could take the subway and. And I think maybe like, you know, you could live out in Queens and probably when I started in 08, I couldn't imagine what the rent was. You know, if it is what it is now, it must have been like, you know, a thousand dollars for a studio apartment or maybe a little bit more. But it's like, you know, there is something about that, about being here in New York that is just, you know, not just being around the comics. It's just they're so different. They're just such a. A. I'm gonna call it a stronger group of people, but it's just like, this is the way that like, you would walk into the cel ago and you hear the stories about like just every comic on one another, which they would never do in Los Angeles. Like, if you. If you started on like, somebody like, kind of busting the balls of Neil Brennan, like, he would get really mad, you know what I mean? Whereas here, it's like, it's just the way that it is.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I realized when I moved to la, you can't just bust balls, you know, because people will take it personal. Then those people move up the ladder and then hold it against you and it's like, it's. It's not like that was a unique group in New York where like, ball busting was a part of, like, forging each other as comics. You know what I mean?

[A]

Yeah. All right, let's see what else we got on this. Let's talk about the love making songs on this record. And let's wrap this up. Maybe we got a date. Rocket baby. I mean, it's. It is four thickies and then you get in to the stickies. Stir it up. I mean, stir it ups. Obviously, this is. This is the hit. This is the big one, you know. Originally recorded in 67 re. Recorded here. This version helped the Whalers to wider audiences. I mean, how could it not? I mean, this is a. A. This is that perfect example of. Of. Of Bob Marley when he's not doing the political. The making love, the. You know, it's like he sat. This is. This is like a. Satisfy my soul. It's just the love that you get from. From your partner. But also, you know, that. That one vibe or feeling in an audience. That nostalgia, the anger, the joy, the transcendence. How. I don't know if I Have a question for this, Adam, do we have a question for Stirred Up?

[B]

Is this.

[A]

Is this the next question? I got a better question. What Bob Marley song do you think is the best to, like, what would be Stir It Up? Stir it up is definitely in the Mount Rush.

[B]

Stir it up is foreplay.

[A]

This is. Yeah, this is like, full on. This is definitely, I think, in his top five of songs.

[B]

Yeah. I mean, Stir it up is some. You play on a loop. Like, I. It's. Stir it up is like shortbread cookies.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You ever try to eat just one of those? You can't. Like, the box is open and. Let me just. Let me just have one more. Let me just have one more. After I finish that. Let me. So Stir it up is like shortbread to me. It's like, I play it. It's over already. Imma play it again. Just. I'm sure one more spin will be enough. And then you're like, I gotta hear this again. Like, I. That's. That's what Stirred up does for me. Even, like, when you're just talking about it, I could just hear it in my head, and I was like, damn, I gotta play this right after.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know what I mean?

[A]

Oh, no, I completely agree with you. And I'm looking at just like, some of his, like, I'm going by, like, straight up, his greatest hits. And I know he's probably got deeper cuts that. That are much more romantic and. And sexual and setting the mood, but I mean. And this is just off a legend. I mean, satisfy my soul. I would say Waiting in Vain. I would say stir it up. Yeah, I, I honestly. And then I would say maybe what is off of. What was the other one? Natural Mystic. That was the. That was. That was the other Big Bob record that, you know. Hold on. Bob Marley. There it is. This is like. Yeah, hold on. Natural Mystic. Is that what it is? Is it Natural Mystic, Greatest hits. There's like a second legend for him. Yeah, there it is. Here it is. I got it right here. The. The legend lives on. Oh, this is a good one. Yeah.

[B]

I mean, they got no Woman, no Cry, but I don't think you can really to. No Woman, no Cry. That's more like a poem.

[A]

Yes, that's.

[B]

That's the Romeo and Juliet. That's the. That's the thing you play. That's the Michael. What's his name? John Cusack. Reggae.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Boombox song on the boombox.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. No woman, no cry. I mean, I mean, dude, I'm telling you. I. I think. I think we've. It's like Sun Is Shining we already got. But, like, now. Sun Is Shining is not a sexual song. Natural mystic isn't. That's about, like, you know, what is Natural mystic about? That's not about.

[B]

No, it's about spirituality.

[A]

Yes. Thank you. This is like his Blowing in the Wind. Easy skanking. I mean, no. Excuse me while I like this. I guess you can to. You can to Pimpers Paradise. Yeah. I mean, that song rules, man. No, I would say. There you go, dude. I would say out of the hits, the top three, I would put. I put Stir It Up. I think Stir it up is definitely in the discussion of greatest songs Bob Marley ever wrote to two.

[B]

You know, I'm not gonna argue with you on that. Yeah, you might have nailed it.

[A]

I think I did. I would. I mean, dude, it is. It is. It is everything that Bob is. I think this. This record. I see why this record is now is on the list too. Because, like, this is the. This. This encapsulate. Encapsulates everything that we know about Bob, which is being political, you know. You know, speaking about the experience of where he grew up, the hardships in the world. And then on top of that, because it literally. It's like I said, the first four, if he. What he should have done was side one should have been all the political. And then side two, which kind of is. Is all the. The getting. But unfortunately, track five on side one is. Baby, we got a date. Rocket. Baby, I got your food. Don't worry, babe. We're gonna wrap this up.

[B]

All right.

[A]

Let's. Let's. Let's wrap this up. Get you out of here, brother. Alex, is there anything we're missing that we need to talk about? Kinky reggae. No More trouble. Midnight Ravers.

[B]

I sent you the lineup a while ago.

[A]

Oh, no, no. I'm looking at it. I'm looking at it right now. I mean, this is trying to find. Hold on, let me see if I can find all the stats and stats of this. Accolades. No. How many records did this sell? Did this sell a shitload? I don't see it on the. On the thing. It says. It says. This is what this is like we talked about earlier. This was a way for. For really one of the first records where Bob really was starting to get global shine. This peaked modestly at number 171 on the Billboard 200, number 51 on the Black albums chart. Which is funny that. That's even. That was even a thing. Catch a Fire is now widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential reggae albums of all time. I mean, let me. Ian, before we do the final questions, how, like, when it comes to the. The actual Bob Marley records, like, how familiar you are you with, like, you know, would you put. Would you put Catch a Fire in his, like, you know, top five solo. Not solo, but records? Or would you, like, maybe Burn in, which we did on the podcast, which has, you know, Roster Revolution, Natty Dread. I mean, he's got so many great records with so many great songs.

[B]

Catch Fires is a whaler's album, right, though, right?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I don't. Yeah, I just don't. I wouldn't want to disrespect the. The other whalers, like, after, because I feel like they all contributed to that. Yeah, it's. I mean, but with, you know, that being said, with all that talent on it. It's up there.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I mean, just based on, like, you know, all the talent, like that group like that. That, you know what they call them, like, Power Ranger group of reggae musicians. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[A]

I love that. This is. This is very much the Power Rangers. Yeah. I mean, is this our last record on the. Of Bob Marley? No, it can't be, because I know we're doing. We're doing. What's it called? We're doing. I mean, Legend is on here, too. Which legend was like, the. The white people's introduction to Bob Marley. That was. That was the record that all white people had. And I mean, it's. And it's perfect. I mean, really, if. And I. I mean, the thing about Bob is that what I've noticed is, like, yes, you can just get the greatest hits and be fine with that. But there is something, like, about listening, like, the records are way better and. And being able to, like, listen to this and hear, like I said, Concrete Jungle, Stop that Train, kinky reggae. These are songs that I never heard. And it really is what I think. Yeah. I mean, because, dude, I've never, like, I was always a fan, but like I said, I was a white boy fan, so it was like Legend, Natural Mystic. I had a couple friends that were really into Bob, you know, that I used to smoke with it, so maybe it was on, but it's just the ones that I ever bought. So this was really me just, like, digging in. Do I mean, your opinion.

[B]

Do you played it in the house when I was growing up, so I deserved everything. Yeah.

[A]

I mean, that's the way. That's the way it is. My family was not that cool, dude. Way, way more. Way more white vocal groups in my. In my house with my dad. All right, let's. Let's get you out of here, dude. This has been great. I'm so happy. We got to get you on while this special fresh dude. What's your favorite song on this record?

[B]

I say stir it up Nice.

[A]

Is this a no skip record?

[B]

Yeah. You don't skip that. You skip other songs to get to this.

[A]

Yeah, I don't think I. I think this is, like. This is. There was nothing on here that made me really want to skip over it. And I mean, this is. This is an easy question. Can you to the album right from the jump, or do you have. Do you feel like you should skip to the second half? Because I still.

[B]

Like we said, when there's a will, there's a way.

[A]

Yeah, I just. I think you can. The concrete jungle slave driver for you just don't even. You might not even don't pay attention to what they're saying. And then lastly, what would be your elevator pitch to get someone to listen to this record? Like, how do you. How do you get somebody that's never heard. Which is insane, they've never heard Bob Marley. How would you get them to sum this up?

[B]

I'd ask them, what's the favorite type of music? And I'd say, Bob Marley's. That. But before that. So whatever you like what you like? Rock? Well, Bob Marley's rock, but before rock. Before rock and from Jamaica. You know what I mean?

[A]

Yeah, I think. I think. I mean, if. If somebody. If somebody. I don't know, like, I could see somebody younger being like, oh, I don't want to. I don't want to listen to Bob Marley. I don't think that's. I don't think. I think he's one of the few artists that. That's not the case. Like, he is. If you were saying you should listen to this old people be like, nah, I don't want to listen to.

[B]

I never even considered old. I feel like there's this cool that's baked in every album. So it's like, if you want to consider yourself like any type of person that knows music you like. Bob Marley is one of the things you have to listen to and know about. Like, it's. He baked it in. Like, so that's for decades or for. I don't think this will ever change, man. For, like, to the end of music time.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like, he'll always be like, all right, this is one of the joints. Or the people you gotta like with.

[A]

I agree. I love that you said that. No, and that was kind of what I was gonna. What I was gonna get to. And you literally stole the words out of my mouth, which is like. It is. If you say to some. Some Gen Z person, yo, you ever. You should listen to Bob Marley. It's not something that they would be like, ew, this is boomer music. They would be like, oh, Bob. Oh, he's. Oh. Because he. He is. You know, he's such a. Just the image of. Of who he is, excluding the music, is such a cultural icon of. Of love and peace and getting high and just, you know, trying to make change. It's like he's. It's like he's. I don't want to say he's like, you know, Marvin Gaye, what's going on all the time, but he is like this. This much easier to digest. Like, everything that Bob did is. Is like a vibe where it's like. And I love. And I'm not like, just comparing them because they're both black artists, but I think there is something about being political and being a sexual artist and making music that you can, like, that is. That is saying something, but also something that is just like, chill and just made for, like, you know, the. The. The hang. You know, it's. It is. It's rare that. That you could. That an artist can make that kind of music. And. And everybody, like, if somebody says they don't like Bob Marley, like, they're.

[B]

There's something wrong with them.

[A]

There's something wrong with you, dude. I've never met anybody that's like, man, I like Bob. It's the one. I think it's.

[B]

I think he is.

[A]

I think he is. He is a hundred percent across the board. I would love to. To find somebody that hates Bob Marley. That's what I'm gonna do. In the next episode. I'm gonna. For the next episode, we have one more for Legend. I'm gonna bring somebody on that hates Bob Marley, and we're gonna go track by track. And you're saying you're gonna be like, all right, what about Three Little Birds? Yeah, I can't stand it.

[B]

Why? How.

[A]

It's positive. All right, let's get you out, dude. Promote away. One more time. Where can they find the special? Where can they find you?

[B]

I check out my special Untitled. It's on YouTube. If you watch it, you're just helping out the victims of the LA fire. And. Yeah, man. And follow me on Instagram at Ian Edwards comic. There's a link to the special My bio there. All right. And thanks, Josh, man. Fun talking to you. It was dope as too. It's fun.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I didn't know who was on that night, but it was, it was, it was, it was real fun. Episodes out now too.

[A]

Dude, the crowd was on your side.

[B]

Crowd is. Yeah, they, they love you. And Louis, just the guy that want win.

[A]

Oh, my God. People are saying it was so funny. It was like the girl that we were with, like, I, I, I, Nina, I, I had known her, but I never really met her. And like, I came in, like, so, like, easygoing. And then she's like, on me, on you, on everybody, on Jews. And then I was like. And then I'm not really, like, getting mad, but at a certain point I was like, I was like, is this just mean? Like, like, there's jokes, but there's also like, good God. Like, you know, and her story, like.

[B]

She was perfect for the episode. Like, her stories are crazy, crazy wild.

[A]

If you haven't, if you guys, if you haven't listened to Story wars, me, Ian and this girl Nina with Big J and Luis J. Gomez just did an episode. It came out this week. It's hilarious. You killed it. Your stories were great. And this, the show in general, is fun.

[B]

Everybody was funny. If you were killing her.

[A]

I came off as a full blown anti Muslim. I'm like, no, I love them. I just, like, I just didn't, I didn't get along with that. But, but the thing was, all respect, all love to her, and, dude, you killed it. I just wanted that book. I wanted, I wanted Catcher in the Rye more than anything.

[B]

Hilarious. Five copies.

[A]

Oh, my God, dude, I've got the rack. I've got the rack of books. I don't know if you can see them up on the shelf right there. I mean, I've read the majority of them, but then also, I don't know if you ever do this. Do you have books that you just, like, buy? So they're kind of like up on the mantle, so when women or people come over, they think you're smarter than you are?

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. 100.

[A]

Yeah, I got a few of those. And Catcher the Rye actually did read. I should probably buy it. All right, let's get out of here, brother. Dude, thank you so much for coming on, brother.

[B]

Thank you, brother. All right.

[A]

Oh, what did I tell you? What I tell you. The one and only Ian Edwards on Instagram at Ian Edwards comic. Check out that new special, untitled the Comedy special you didn't know you needed it is on YouTube. It is hilarious. Watch it. We just listened to 1973's Catch a Fire for the Whalers for new music pick this week, distrokid, our proud sponsor has brought you just a number by Morgan Heritage. Links are on the website the500podcast.com and if you were in a band and want your music featured on the 500, send us your song to 500podcasts gmail.com tell us an album, an artist that influenced you in the subject line. Next week 125 Janice Shop and Pearl. It's goody. Talk to you soon. Thank you guys. Love you.

[B]

Bye.

[A]

And power you control everything if we not then we not reach nowhere Then.

[B]

We not reach nowhere. You still love a still love and.

[A]

If you violate your contract you will.

[B]

Lose it all we lose it yeah. Don't be blinded by the few that they let through to brandish millions even.

[A]

Billion it's all about.

[B]

To reach nowhere they will not reach nowhere with diamonds and gold many they control now don't you be blind know that it's all for a time they want you think to support your brother it is a failure they rather you give your money to stranger now are you picking up, picking up picking up picking up now be wise. Simply Times call for simpler things breaking it down Simpler goals call for simpler strength to be pulled Connect the dots and build your kingdom my king Cherish the days we live long enough to.

[A]

See our dreams Top of the heat Careful not to get too deep coded the streets will lay you out and.

[B]

Put you six foot deep Hustle day.

[A]

And night just to survive and if.

[B]

You make a mistake.

[A]

To the world ctbco. The 500 keeping it fleecy for the fleece nation on the 500 the 500 foreign. Hey, it's Kathleen Hanna of Bikini, Kell and Latigre. And I'm so excited to share that I've teamed up with the Rock and Roll hall of Fame to host their new podcast Music Makes Us. I'm gonna get to chat with revolutionary musicians about the things artists really want to talk about. Favorite songs growing up, the lyrics that sparked a new era in their life. What they listen to today and what inspires them to keep doing this. Check out Music makes us available November 18th from the Rock and Roll hall of Fame, Radiotopia and Talk House. Find it wherever you get your podcasts.

[B]

Next chapter Podcast.