Ziggy Marley
A Grammy Award-winner, Ziggy has followed in his father's footsteps as a reggae musician. And Ziggy is also following his father's lead as a political activist. Ziggy has worked with the United Nations and also started a record label, Ghetto Youths Crew. Here, we chat with Ziggy about his views on his music, his spirituality, and what people need to do to get along.
DM) You're looking forward to this tour?
ZM) Yeah, mon very much.
DM) Do you find you're more the kind of guy who enjoys the touring or recording?
ZM) I like it all.
DM) (laughs) Are you ever unhappy?
ZM) Sometimes I get upset, but I'm never unhappy.
DM) Do you find, like you get recharged from the music then, in some sense? Z; Yeah, my music is an inspiration.
DM) It's inspiration for you? Do you enjoy more the performing for the people or the writing of the songs behind the scenes?
ZM) Everything really. The writing of the songs and the performing. Songwriting is something that comes from a higher force, you know?
DM) You feel the music comes from a higher source?
ZM) Yeah.
DM) That sounds like a bit of pressure (laughs). You'd want to make sure you get it right, then, in that sense. It adds a bit of pressure to you, I would think, like a higher standard that you have to follow.
ZM) Yeah, that's why music is my religion. It's a higher standard, not just an everyday thing. Sometimes it's easy and sometimes it's not easy. A lot of times songs aren't written and you have to write them, but sometimes they're already written and they just come to you.
DM) Have you had that exact situation where, you kind of just woke up one morning and the song was in your head?
ZM) Yeah mon, "Love Is My Religion" is one of those songs. At that moment it was like, that's what I've been needing.
DM) And it just came to you like that?
ZM) Just like that.
DM) Do you find your better songs just come to you like that?
ZM) Yeah, it's the one thing that gives me goosebumps.
DM) So this is not the first time that happened. It sounds like you've had a couple times when you just woke up and-
ZM) Yah, mon, it is like