Following an assassination attempt at his home in 1976, Bob Marley left Jamaica and eventually arrived in London. It was whilst he was here that he would record what Time magazine pronounced to be “the best album of the 20th century”, Exodus.
Exodus was released on June 3, 1977, and includes a string of hits: “Jamming,” “Waiting In Vain,” “Three Little Birds,” “One Love/People Get Ready” and, of course, the title track.
The Attack
1976 was a very tumultuous period for Jamaica with a state of emergency declared due to growing inequality in the society. Bob Marley soon found himself caught up in events in the lead up to the general election of December 15.
The Jamaican Prime Minister Michael Manley persuaded Marley into performing at a free concert called Smile Jamaica, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, to be staged just ten days before the election to help to defuse tensions on the street. Although politically neutral this was taken by some as tacitly supporting the main party.
On December 3, 1976, two days before the Smile Jamaica concert, seven men with guns raided Marley’s house at 56 Hope Road. Marley and his band were on break from rehearsal. Marley’s wife, Rita, was shot in the head in her car in the driveway. The gunmen shot Marley in the chest and arm. His manager, Don Taylor, was shot 5 times in the legs and torso. Band employee, Louis Griffiths took a bullet to his torso as well. Astonishingly, there were no fatalities.
The Smile Jamaica Concert went ahead at the National Heroes Park, Kingston two days later on 5 December. With the bullet still lodged in his arm, to an audience of 80,000 fans, which mercifully passed off without incident.
The next morning, Marley flew out of Jamaica and would not return for more than a year.
Exodus to London
The attack led Marley to flee Jamaica and go to London. His album Exodus was inspired exactly by these tragic events.
During their 14-month stay in London, Bob Marley and the Wailers recorded numerous songs, which Chris Blackwell of Island Records divided into two albums, Exodus and its follow-up, Kaya, released in 1978.
ASTON BARRETT: We spent some good times in London. Just living life, all of us in the band, doing music as we always did. Recording at Island studios was a vibe. It was nice.
Aston Barrett of The Wailers
Visiting Kennington
Whilst in London he lived in a number of houses including Bloomsbury, Kennington, Notting Hill and Chelsea. During this time Bob was a regular visitor to the former Rastafarian temple on St Agnes Place, just behind Kennington Park (Agnes Place was London’s longest-running squat from 1969 to 2007). Bob would often visit when in London and would also play football in Kennington Park
