Today I share with you an excellent soundboard recording of one of the many rehearsals held in May 1977 at Island’s Basing Street Studios in London. Bob Marley and the Wailers are slated to play 4 shows at the famed Rainbow Theatre in the Finsbury Park area of North London. The shows, scheduled each night from June 1-4, 1977, are in support of the Exodus album which is released on June 3, 1977.

The rehearsal is held at Island’s Basing Street Recording Studios. Set within an old church that had been deconsecrated, Island’s Chris Blackwell recorded a number of artists there for Island Records, such as Iron Maiden, Bob Marley, Steve Winwood, Free, Bad Company, Robert Palmer, Jimmy Cliff, Nick Drake, Fairport Convention, King Crimson, John Martyn, Mott the Hoople, Quintessence, Roxy Music, Sparks, Cat Stevens, Spooky Tooth, Traffic, If, Jethro Tull, the Average White Band, the Lighthouse Family, and the Sensational Alex Harvey Band.

In addition to recording there, Marley also lived for a year in an upstairs apartment at the studio, and his personal chef cooked at Basing Street for most of the 1980s.

In 2012, the studio, now known as SARM Studios, will be completely redeveloped to accommodate 2 brand new, state-of-the-art recording studios, office premises, a set of luxury townhouses, and a small selection of flats.

It always amazes me when I listen to a Wailers’ rehearsal. The songs are played to perfection in most cases, with Bob adding his own commentary and ad-libs. This set is no different. I absolutely love the versions of “Guiltiness” and “Crazy Baldheads/Running Away” played during these sessions. Carly’s drumming is so perfect and so distinctive. For me, Carly’s drumming is the highlight of this set.

In addition to the audio files, I have included an interesting article that was published in March 2006 in Sound on Sound. Although it focuses mainly on the recording of Catch A Fire and Burnin‘, it includes tons of technical information and stories about the Basing Street studios while Bob Marley and the Wailers recorded there.

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Bob Marley and the Wailers

Basing Street Rehearsals

May 31, 1977 01. Exodus

02. I Shot The Sheriff

03. No Woman, No Cry

04. No More Trouble

05. Positive Vibration

06. Natty Dread

07. Jammin’

08. Guiltiness

09. Natural Mystic

10. Lively Up Yourself

11. Crazy Baldheads~Running Away Transfer: Sony D3 (Azimuth adjustment) > Jet Audio (>PCM 44,1000 kHz, 16 Bit, Stereo) > CDWav > Flac Level 8 DOWNLOAD FLAC FILES HERE