Steppin' Razor: The Rebel Life of Peter Tosh

by John Masouri

Overview

The very first and definitive biography of Peter Tosh, rude boy,founder member of the Wailers and a compelling recording artist in his own right– Tosh was Jamaica’s most controversial reggae star.

For the Mystic Man, music was the message. A fiery advocate of Rastafari and African nationalism as well as the legalisation of marijuana, his uncompromising political stance has won him a reputation as Jamaica’s Malcolm X. One of reggae’s most extraordinary stories, the life of Peter Tosh came to an end when he was brutally murdered in 1987 amidst rumours involving the supernatural and Kingston’s criminal underworld.

In this essential biography, John Masouri – esteemed reggae journalist and author of Pressure Drop: Reggae in the Seventies – conducts hundreds of interviews with those who knew Peter Tosh best, including Bunny Wailer and other close associates. Tracing his recording career, we learn of his encounters with Eric Clapton and Joe Cocker, and volatile relationships with Bob Marley and Lee Scratch Perry. Tosh’s darker side is also revealed in tales of the singer’s fascination with the occult and in unprecedented detail, his untimely and tragic demise.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781917274203
Publisher:	Omnibus Press
Publication date:	07/14/2026
Series:	Omnibus Remastered
Pages:	512
Product dimensions:	5.08(w) x 7.80(h) x (d)

About the Author

John Masouri is a British music journalist and author based in Cornwall, with over four decades of expertise illuminating reggae and its vibrant offshoots – roots, dub, dancehall, and lovers rock. He’s written acclaimed biographies like Wailing Blues: The Story of Bob Marley’s Wailers, Pressure Drop: Reggae in the Seventies, and Simmer Down: The Early Wailers’ Story. A longtime contributor to Echoes magazine, he has also penned album liner notes, interviews, and documentaries for BBC, VP Records, and major labels.

Table of Contents

Foreword Roger Steffens vii

Part I Rasta Shook Them Up 1

1 Didn't It Rain 3

2 No Sympathy 23

3 Climb The Ladder 32

4 The Toughest 41

5 Stepping Razor 51

6 Arise Black Man 60

7 Go Tell It On The Mountain 71

8 Fussing And Fighting 83

9 Rod Of Correction 93

10 Mark Of The Beast 103

11 Talkin' Blues 113

Part II Don't Look Back 121

12 There's One In Every Crowd 123

13 Legalise It 136

14 Word, Sound & Power 152

15 Equal Rights 169

16 Peace Treaty 185

17 Bush Doctor 200

18 Some Girls 213

19 When The Whip Comes Down 226

20 Mystic Man 240

21 Lessons In My Life 261

22 Oh Bumbo Klaat 285

Part III I Am That I Am 307

23 Wanted, Dread And Alive 309

24 Mama Africa 334

25 Youth Consciousness 346

26 Midnight Dread 360

27 Heavy Manners 378

28 Swaziland 398

29 No Nuclear War 407

30 Vampire 425

31 Why Must I Cry? 442

32 The Legacy 467

Index 483