Elfateh merghani interviews legendary bass player aston barrett of the wailers in tokyo
Biography
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Aston "Family Man" Barrett was one of the Barrett brothers (the other being the younger brother on drums Carlton "Carly" Barrett) who played with Bob Marley and The Wailers, The Hippy Boys, and Lee Perry's The Upsetters. He was the bandleader of Marley's backing band, as well as co-producer of the albums, and the man in charge of the overall song arrangements.
Aston continues to tour with and lead The Wailers Band. He has great support from Marley's fan base to this day, despite his legal wrangling with the Marley family.
Aston was the mentor and teacher of Robbie Shakespeare of the duo Sly & Robbie.
In 2012 he received a Lifetime Achievement award from Bass Player magazine.
Equipment
Barrett plays a Fender Jazz Bass guitar, Acoustic 370 bass amplifier.
Legal battle
In 2006 Barrett filed a lawsuit against Island Records, the Wailers' label, seeking £60 million in unpaid royalties allegedly due him and his now deceased brother. The lawsuit was dismissed.
Nickname
Barrett's "Family Man" nickname came about before he had any children of his own. Aston foresaw his role as a band leader and started to call himself "Family Man". He has fathered 41 children since.
Quotes
Robbie Shakespeare (Sly & Robbie, who has been estimated to have played bass on 200,000 tracks.”
"Well…what can I say? He is the man (laughter). Just the way the man plays the bass, you know. There are gun fighters and there are gun fighters, seen? I can't tell you nothing more. He is a master for me. I have had help and influences from other people, but I have to give it mostly to Family Man."
”There was bluebeat, rocksteady and ska. That all happened before reggae, which kind of happened in about '69, you know, when reggae as we know it was invented by the Barrett brothers, I'd say."
"The first time the Wailers went to England, soon after this, I caught them by chance up in Tottenham Court Road. I thought they were pretty feeble compared to what I'd been hearing in Steer Town. But they certainly got their act together real quick. Family Man joined in on the bass, and Bob obviously had all of the stuff required."
”I think the drum and bass, they are a very important part in Bob music. It was, you know, Family Man and Carlton, two brothers. They have their own style."
John Lennon (The Beatles, discussing his plans for a comeback album in early 1980 while listening to Burnin'):
"In fact, if they really wanted the right sound, they should go to Jamaica! Go to the same studio that Bob Marley used! Get down with the Rasta men and smoke ganja in big spliffs or hash in chillums. Then they could get that deep-down, super funky, bass-box sound that comes from Trenchtown. You couldn't get that sound in New York. No way!"
Discography
The Sound of Macka Dub (Carlton Barrett & Family Man) [aka Macka Dub] [197X]