Nobody in the band got paid for live albums, especially after Bob Marley died – Former Guitarist
Former guitarist for Bob Marley and the Wailers, Al Anderson, has recounted how the management team failed to properly pay him and the other members of the band for some of their work.
In an interview with GhanaWeb’s David Antwi on Talkertainment on February 7, 2025, Al Anderson revealed that while some members of the group received money for their work, the band was not compensated for their live performances.
“We were having a lot of problems with management because a lot of money was being made. The record company was making theirs, and all the lawyers were making theirs. Bob was making his portion too. But they kind of took advantage of the band members,” he said.
“This means the Barrett Brothers, Wire Tyrone, myself, I-Trees, and nobody in the band got paid for the live albums,” he stated.
Anderson added that the situation worsened after Bob Marley’s death, when the lawyers and accountants began perceiving the band as “slaves.”
“There was a period where we were getting money when Bob was alive. When he passed, the lawyers and accountants went crazy. They lost their minds. They just thought we were a bunch of slaves.
“And they were going to handle us like plantation owners. Chris Blackwell, that was his lawyer, and his accountants, Marvin Zoltan, David Steinberg, and his manager, Don Taylor, he was a sharp guy, but he was along for the ride. Not to make the group strong enough to be independent as a band. He was all about the money,” Anderson added.
Watch the video below:
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
