Burning Spear
Burning Spear
Winston Rodney OD, better known by the stage name Burning Spear, is a Jamaican roots reggae singer and musician. Burning Spear is a Rastafarian and one of the most influential and long-standing roots artists to emerge from the 1970s...
NationalityJamaican
ProfessionReggae Singer
Date of Birth1 March 1945
CountryJamaica
builders stones
There was a lot of stones what the builders refused. I think I was one of the stones what many builders did refuse.
develop knowledge students taught therefore
Students have to be taught about everything. So therefore the knowledge of the students would develop around and about everything.
black mean music people reggae speaking
Reggae music don't really focus on one thing, you know. If reggae music is speaking about the struggle of people, and the suffering, it don't mean black people. It mean people in general.
change hearts people share
We don't need no more danger, we don't need no more difficulties, we don't need no more misunderstanding, and we don't need no more violence. We need the people to see each other and know of each other, feel each other, touch each other, share with each other, and change hearts with each other.
africa ashamed defeat fear form individual speak themselves tries within
I feel that no one should be ashamed or have fear or doubt within themselves when they speak about the roots or Africa wherein I and I originate from. It's like an individual who tries to disown himself, and to me, it is a form of defeat by disowning yourself.
coming commercial forget good level life lose material mean people roots steps tend
Some people see life as many steps up and try to forget where they are coming from, you understand? A little step in life on a commercial or a material level is a good step, but a big step does not mean a strong step - you tend to lose your roots - and if you don't be careful, you can fall.
alone energy mind music quite rich shall strength
I'm not a rich person financially, but I am in mind and soul. I have so much energy and strength, and I can do a lot of things that make me, and I think my fans, quite happy. When everything's gone, music alone shall live on.
encouraged records sold supposed treated
A lot of things encouraged me to start my label. I think it's very important for an artist to know how many records they've sold and where they've sold. I know that I have never been treated the way I'm supposed to be treated - like an artist. That's why I do things for myself. I feel like I'm a free man.
people spoke talking
When Marcus Garvey spoke about self-reliance, he wasn't only talking about people of colour. It's like self-reliance in general, for anyone. Just keep moving and moving within the right direction, and everything will be all right.
music
If I walk away from music, I walk away from myself.
blend brings music musician people tries
Every musician tries to blend in some reggae. It's the only music that brings all people together, different races, different religions.
melody moves music reggae
Music is creation. In reggae the lyric, the music itself, arrangement, that vibe, such melody - everything within the music moves the people, understand?
love music
I love what I do: there is no pressure. The music doesn't like pressure.
essence james listen musical time tina various
I usually listen to various kind of singers. Curtis Mayfield was my favorite. James Brown, Tina Turner, queen of soul, I started to get that musical essence from that time before I even do my first song.