Post by Michael Messer on Sept 12, 2020 8:41:47 GMT
So sad to hear this news today.
Toots Hibbert, pioneering Reggae legend that was one of the people responsible for globalising Reggae, has died. Toots was 77 years old and had COVID-19.
My brother, David Messer, worked with Toots & The Maytals many times over the past fifteen years. David promoted Toots & The Maytals UK tours. I met Toots on two occasions and both were wonderful experiences. The first time was at the Forum in Kentish Town at the after-show "do". Apart from Toots and his family, the room was awash with Reggae royalty and music biz movers and shakers, and the air was of course thick with smoke and laughter. The second time was in Reading a few years ago, which was a much quieter, intimate and more personal meeting. Toots and his family and band were in the dressing room area and once again Toots was holding court and filling the room with smoke and laughter. I remember the security staff were not as used to smoke filled dressing rooms as they were in London, and they told David to stop them smoking as it was illegal to smoke indoors and illegal to smoke marijuana in this country. David knew he was on a pointless mission, but did what the security guys had asked him to do. So David came into the dressing room and said to Toots that the staff were saying he and the band had to stop smoking! I won't write this in a Jamaican accent, but Toots looked at David and said..."David, my hearing is not so good anymore....what did you say?" David said it again with a big grin on his face and Toots replied...."No, I'm still not getting it". Then Toots called David over and said quietly and politely..."If we don't smoke we don't do our show tonight" Of course with a sold out show that shut the security staff up well and truly! The show was superb and the after-show was wonderful.
Toots & The Maytals....definitely one of my favourite early sounds of Jamaican music. Toots was a heavy weed smoker, but he was extremely fit, strong and healthy. So sad to lose him to this terrible cruel virus.
Toots Hibbert >RIP
I am sure David will post some photos on social media later, I will share them on here.
Shine On
Michael
Toots Hibbert, pioneering Reggae legend that was one of the people responsible for globalising Reggae, has died. Toots was 77 years old and had COVID-19.
My brother, David Messer, worked with Toots & The Maytals many times over the past fifteen years. David promoted Toots & The Maytals UK tours. I met Toots on two occasions and both were wonderful experiences. The first time was at the Forum in Kentish Town at the after-show "do". Apart from Toots and his family, the room was awash with Reggae royalty and music biz movers and shakers, and the air was of course thick with smoke and laughter. The second time was in Reading a few years ago, which was a much quieter, intimate and more personal meeting. Toots and his family and band were in the dressing room area and once again Toots was holding court and filling the room with smoke and laughter. I remember the security staff were not as used to smoke filled dressing rooms as they were in London, and they told David to stop them smoking as it was illegal to smoke indoors and illegal to smoke marijuana in this country. David knew he was on a pointless mission, but did what the security guys had asked him to do. So David came into the dressing room and said to Toots that the staff were saying he and the band had to stop smoking! I won't write this in a Jamaican accent, but Toots looked at David and said..."David, my hearing is not so good anymore....what did you say?" David said it again with a big grin on his face and Toots replied...."No, I'm still not getting it". Then Toots called David over and said quietly and politely..."If we don't smoke we don't do our show tonight" Of course with a sold out show that shut the security staff up well and truly! The show was superb and the after-show was wonderful.
Toots & The Maytals....definitely one of my favourite early sounds of Jamaican music. Toots was a heavy weed smoker, but he was extremely fit, strong and healthy. So sad to lose him to this terrible cruel virus.
Toots Hibbert >RIP
I am sure David will post some photos on social media later, I will share them on here.
Shine On
Michael
