One Love

Today marks the 30th year since we lost reggae legend and activist Bob Marley. People across the world today are remembering the legacy the 36 year-old artist through celebration of his life and craft. His father, Norval Sinclair Marley, was a white Jamaican of English descent whose family came from Essex, England. Norval was a captain in the Royal Marines, as well as a plantation overseer, when he married Cedella Booker, an Afro-Jamaican then 18 years old. Norval provided financial support for his wife and child, but seldom saw them, as he was often away on trips. In 1955, when Marley was 10 years old, his father died of a heart attack at age 60. Marley faced questions about his own racial identity throughout his life. He once reflected:

“I don't have prejudice against meself. My father was a white and my mother was black. Them call me half-caste or whatever. Me don't dip on nobody's side. Me don't dip on the black man's side nor the white man's side. Me dip on God's side, the one who create me and cause me to come from black and white.”

The London footprint left by Bob Marley includes a Bayswater B&B, a Chelsea townhouse and the unlikely setting of a school gym in Peckham. Guide books tend to point visitors to an apartment block in Camden, where a heritage plaque unveiled in 2006 honours the Jamaican musician at his former north London home. Robert Nesta Marley lived at 34 Ridgmount Gardens in 1972 when he first came to England, just as his group the Wailers were making a name for themselves.





They also lived in the somewhat bizarre confines of a semi-detached house in Neasden. From here Marley & Co would have enjoyed panoramic views of the North Circular, parts of Wembley and the Welsh Harp by Brent Reservoir.

1977 brought another sojourn in London for Marley, this time for nearly two years as he and the Wailers decamped a Chelsea townhouse at 42, Oakley Street. The financial constraints of the past were gone; the reggae star could afford a cook and was able to bankroll a huge entourage. Marley had a cosy retreat at the top of the house where he was visited by his girlfriend Cindy Breakspeare, a former Miss World.

It was also a highly creative time and the Wailers went on to make a further two albums, Exodus and Kaya, the latter recorded in a converted laundry in Ravenscourt Park. This was the era of hits such as Jammin', One Love and Waiting in Vain. It was also here that a cancerous tumour was discovered in Marley's toe, which later would spread fatally to the rest of his body. Within three years reggae's global ambassador would be dead, leaving a wife, 13 children and no will - and a back catalogue of music that would be mined, reversioned and reissued for decades to come.



Marley is considered by many to be one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Most critics agree that no other musician has single-handedly held such sway over a music genre the way Marley did with reggae.

Bob Marley also helped popularise Rastafarianism, which venerates the late Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie. Selassie, who was deposed in 1974 and died in 1975 (many people believe he was murdered), is hailed by Rastafarians as an incarnation of God.

Bob Marley, who was born Robert Nesta Marley, grew up dirt poor on the streets of Kingston, Jamaica. Much of his music aims to lift up the impoverished and powerless, and anthems like "Get Up Stand Up" and "I Shot the Sheriff" carry a strong antiauthoritarian streak.

At a young age Marley fell in with the Rastafarians—known as the blackheart men among the Kingston residents who feared them. The Rastas then were a group of street preachers who taught the Bible and smoked marijuana.


Haile Selassie in 1934


Haile Selassie, Emperor of Ethiopia, the only African country not to have been colonised.

Although its roots go back to the early 1900s, Rastafarianism takes its name from Ras (Prince or Duke) Tafari Makonnen, Haile Selassie's name until he was crowned emperor of Ethiopia in 1930. The faith predicted that a new king with the power of God would rise out of Africa.

Many of Bob Marley's songs had an African connection. "Exodus" and "Redemption Song," for example, decried racism and the European colonisation of Africa, and celebrated freedom from oppression.


Bob Marley and the Wailers, Dalymount Park, Dublin


I only saw him once the summer before he died when Bob and the wailers played their only Irish gig on 6th July 1980 at Dalymount Park in Phibsboro, the home ground of Dublin’s Bohemian Football club. It was a precious memory and despite the lousy sound quality a great concert. But it had its surreal moments also. Behind Bob, The Wailers And his backing singers The I-trees was a large cloth banner in Rasta colours of the Emperor Ras Tafari with the Lion of Judah in the background. By way of contrast in front of the stage being wildly distracting were a group of 30 Dublin skin heads moshing and jumping up and down. I remember Marley looking askance at them on a number of occasions – like the rest of us he wasn’t sure seeing these animated skinheads if Jah would be there. I’m not sure the skinheads “got it.”

Later that year Bob Marley and the Wailers played in New York City in September 1980 (Madison Square Garden), as support to The Commodores. Two days after this concert Bob Marley collapsed in Central Park, and was diagnosed with cancer. He died a few months later on 11th May 1981. What a great journey Marley had made from Nine Mile in Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica. To his fellow Rasta he is on that journey still.

"One love, one heart, one destiny."

Bob Marley

Nesta Robert "Bob" Marley, OM (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981)

http://www.bobmarley-foundation.com/foundation.html

One Love

Today marks the 30th year since we lost reggae legend and activist Bob Marley. People across the world today are remembering the legacy the 36 year-old artist through celebration of his life and craft. His father, Norval Sinclair Marley, was a white Jamaican of English descent whose family came from Essex, England. Norval was a captain in the Royal Marines, as well as a plantation overseer, when he married Cedella Booker, an Afro-Jamaican then 18 years old. Norval provided financial support for his wife and child, but seldom saw them, as he was often away on trips. In 1955, when Marley was 10 years old, his father died of a heart attack at age 60. Marley faced questions about his own racial identity throughout his life. He once reflected:

“I don't have prejudice against meself. My father was a white and my mother was black. Them call me half-caste or whatever. Me don't dip on nobody's side. Me don't dip on the black man's side nor the white man's side. Me dip on God's side, the one who create me and cause me to come from black and white.”

The London footprint left by Bob Marley includes a Bayswater B&B, a Chelsea townhouse and the unlikely setting of a school gym in Peckham. Guide books tend to point visitors to an apartment block in Camden, where a heritage plaque unveiled in 2006 honours the Jamaican musician at his former north London home. Robert Nesta Marley lived at 34 Ridgmount Gardens in 1972 when he first came to England, just as his group the Wailers were making a name for themselves.





They also lived in the somewhat bizarre confines of a semi-detached house in Neasden. From here Marley & Co would have enjoyed panoramic views of the North Circular, parts of Wembley and the Welsh Harp by Brent Reservoir.

1977 brought another sojourn in London for Marley, this time for nearly two years as he and the Wailers decamped a Chelsea townhouse at 42, Oakley Street. The financial constraints of the past were gone; the reggae star could afford a cook and was able to bankroll a huge entourage. Marley had a cosy retreat at the top of the house where he was visited by his girlfriend Cindy Breakspeare, a former Miss World.

It was also a highly creative time and the Wailers went on to make a further two albums, Exodus and Kaya, the latter recorded in a converted laundry in Ravenscourt Park. This was the era of hits such as Jammin', One Love and Waiting in Vain. It was also here that a cancerous tumour was discovered in Marley's toe, which later would spread fatally to the rest of his body. Within three years reggae's global ambassador would be dead, leaving a wife, 13 children and no will - and a back catalogue of music that would be mined, reversioned and reissued for decades to come.



Marley is considered by many to be one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Most critics agree that no other musician has single-handedly held such sway over a music genre the way Marley did with reggae.

Bob Marley also helped popularise Rastafarianism, which venerates the late Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie. Selassie, who was deposed in 1974 and died in 1975 (many people believe he was murdered), is hailed by Rastafarians as an incarnation of God.

Bob Marley, who was born Robert Nesta Marley, grew up dirt poor on the streets of Kingston, Jamaica. Much of his music aims to lift up the impoverished and powerless, and anthems like "Get Up Stand Up" and "I Shot the Sheriff" carry a strong antiauthoritarian streak.

At a young age Marley fell in with the Rastafarians—known as the blackheart men among the Kingston residents who feared them. The Rastas then were a group of street preachers who taught the Bible and smoked marijuana.


Haile Selassie in 1934


Haile Selassie, Emperor of Ethiopia, the only African country not to have been colonised.

Although its roots go back to the early 1900s, Rastafarianism takes its name from Ras (Prince or Duke) Tafari Makonnen, Haile Selassie's name until he was crowned emperor of Ethiopia in 1930. The faith predicted that a new king with the power of God would rise out of Africa.

Many of Bob Marley's songs had an African connection. "Exodus" and "Redemption Song," for example, decried racism and the European colonisation of Africa, and celebrated freedom from oppression.


Bob Marley and the Wailers, Dalymount Park, Dublin


I only saw him once the summer before he died when Bob and the wailers played their only Irish gig on 6th July 1980 at Dalymount Park in Phibsboro, the home ground of Dublin’s Bohemian Football club. It was a precious memory and despite the lousy sound quality a great concert. But it had its surreal moments also. Behind Bob, The Wailers And his backing singers The I-trees was a large cloth banner in Rasta colours of the Emperor Ras Tafari with the Lion of Judah in the background. By way of contrast in front of the stage being wildly distracting were a group of 30 Dublin skin heads moshing and jumping up and down. I remember Marley looking askance at them on a number of occasions – like the rest of us he wasn’t sure seeing these animated skinheads if Jah would be there. I’m not sure the skinheads “got it.”

Later that year Bob Marley and the Wailers played in New York City in September 1980 (Madison Square Garden), as support to The Commodores. Two days after this concert Bob Marley collapsed in Central Park, and was diagnosed with cancer. He died a few months later on 11th May 1981. What a great journey Marley had made from Nine Mile in Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica. To his fellow Rasta he is on that journey still.

"One love, one heart, one destiny."

Bob Marley

Nesta Robert "Bob" Marley, OM (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981)

http://www.bobmarley-foundation.com/foundation.html

Coast Dining, Camden Town, London

Camden Town is tucked in behind Euston Station and the Grand Union Canal north of Central London and overflows with a variety of colourful markets, shops, restaurants, bars, pubs, clubs, theatres and cinemas and more dubious enterprises. The town attracts enormous crowds of Londoners and tourists alike, particularly at weekends. It is an edgy and at times uneven area where I hadn’t been for some time. On this occasion I was making a foray not to the Camden Road / Royal College side but to Parkway on the other side of Camden High Street which connects Camden to Regents Park.



Here at the park end of Parkway up from a well known music venue, The Dublin Castle, a tired old kebab restaurant called Tawa was reborn in summer 2009 as a stylish fish restaurant resplendent in the title of Coast Dining. I wanted to try it as it is surprisingly difficult to get fresh unadorned seafood in London. First impressions are the “look and feel” of Coast is very successful with tasteful white surfaces and bleached wood effect tables with stylish plastic chairs to give an uncluttered Beach House effect adorned with original art from Cornwall. At the rear there is the “Backroom” and an open kitchen in the Greek tradition where you can see the chefs at work. The shellfish is kept on an iced refrigerated display at the front of the house so it can be inspected on the way in. There are also two outside tables pour deux. I had somewhat laughed at the concept of tables overlooking traffic clogged Parkway but with the railings, hanging baskets and canopy they looked surprisingly cosy. The layout is modern, with a contemporary atmosphere, and music featuring strongly as a backdrop to the dining experience.



Co-owner Cornishman David Upton takes the restaurant down the sustainable route, avoiding threatened species such as cod, for example, and concentrating on British seafood. Two plateau de fruits de mer are offered - one with Dorset crab at £60.00 for two, the other for featuring a whole split lobster at £84.00 for two. Those who don't want to eat seafood will find ribeye steaks and burgers from the chargrill, marinated chicken, vegetarian risotto and soups. We ordered a combination of the daily special at £10 for two courses which is somewhat limited with two starters and two mains from which we chose a really nice Gravadlax and a Thai noodle seafood salad which was very flavoursome. The shell fish selection @ £18 was properly served on a silver cradle with a bed of crushed ice containing two rock oysters, tiger prawns, razor clams, shrimps and mussels. They were all very flavoursome and fresh suggesting Coast both sources and handles its produce well. The cheese board we shared was a selection of 3 good cheeses with a generous portion of cheese and two ramekins of pickled onion and chutney but only small water biscuits. At £8.50 I would have expected a selection but when we asked for more biscuits they were brought cheerily and quickly.



The wine list has been carefully constructed from across the world with the emphasis on harmonising the flavours of the food with the fruits of the wine. An example is the House Champagne from the well regarded producer Alain Waris et Fils from Champagne-Ardenne which is a small but reputed family producer and which sells at £36. Keeping with the St Ives connection, Coast has linked up with a co-operative art gallery from St Ives, Art Space, www.artspace-cornwall.co.uk , giving artists their chance to showcase their work in London, and offering the diners the opportunity to purchase the paintings at the restaurant.



Overall I left with a very favourable impression of Coast from our cheerful and helpful South African server, the good bread at the table, the cutlery, linen napkins and crockery which were of a very good quality and added to the excellent overall ambience. The seafood was of excellent quality and the passion for freshness shines through and in a major city like London this is expensive and I felt the starters and mains were fairly priced. The restaurant business is hard graft particularly for small proprietor owned restaurants like Coast competing against chains and having put a plate on the table restaurateurs tend to look for their profit on drinks and deserts. However I felt deserts @ £6, ice creams @ £5 and a Chilean Chardonnay at £19.50 were over egged – it was somewhat quiet on a Wednesday and the pricing on these items would push a three course meal with wine, digestif, coffees and the discretionary 12 ½ % service charge to £40/45 a head which is a bit on the high side.



However Coast is a good restaurant with excellent service and atmosphere and real passion for good food and wine which is something of a jewel on Parkway so it is very definitely worth an outing. Camden attracts such an eclectic crowd because it provides for good and for bad, most things for most people. At Coast Dining it provides excellent seafood in fine surroundings. Like Arnie, I will be back!

Coast Dining

108 Parkway, Camden, London, NW1 7AN

Cuisine: Fish Average Price: £40/45

Tel: 020 7267 9555 Email; info@coastdining.co.uk

Transport: Camden Town Tube (Northern Line)

Website;

http://www.coastdining.co.uk

Coast Dining, Camden Town, London

Camden Town is tucked in behind Euston Station and the Grand Union Canal north of Central London and overflows with a variety of colourful markets, shops, restaurants, bars, pubs, clubs, theatres and cinemas and more dubious enterprises. The town attracts enormous crowds of Londoners and tourists alike, particularly at weekends. It is an edgy and at times uneven area where I hadn’t been for some time. On this occasion I was making a foray not to the Camden Road / Royal College side but to Parkway on the other side of Camden High Street which connects Camden to Regents Park.



Here at the park end of Parkway up from a well known music venue, The Dublin Castle, a tired old kebab restaurant called Tawa was reborn in summer 2009 as a stylish fish restaurant resplendent in the title of Coast Dining. I wanted to try it as it is surprisingly difficult to get fresh unadorned seafood in London. First impressions are the “look and feel” of Coast is very successful with tasteful white surfaces and bleached wood effect tables with stylish plastic chairs to give an uncluttered Beach House effect adorned with original art from Cornwall. At the rear there is the “Backroom” and an open kitchen in the Greek tradition where you can see the chefs at work. The shellfish is kept on an iced refrigerated display at the front of the house so it can be inspected on the way in. There are also two outside tables pour deux. I had somewhat laughed at the concept of tables overlooking traffic clogged Parkway but with the railings, hanging baskets and canopy they looked surprisingly cosy. The layout is modern, with a contemporary atmosphere, and music featuring strongly as a backdrop to the dining experience.



Co-owner Cornishman David Upton takes the restaurant down the sustainable route, avoiding threatened species such as cod, for example, and concentrating on British seafood. Two plateau de fruits de mer are offered - one with Dorset crab at £60.00 for two, the other for featuring a whole split lobster at £84.00 for two. Those who don't want to eat seafood will find ribeye steaks and burgers from the chargrill, marinated chicken, vegetarian risotto and soups. We ordered a combination of the daily special at £10 for two courses which is somewhat limited with two starters and two mains from which we chose a really nice Gravadlax and a Thai noodle seafood salad which was very flavoursome. The shell fish selection @ £18 was properly served on a silver cradle with a bed of crushed ice containing two rock oysters, tiger prawns, razor clams, shrimps and mussels. They were all very flavoursome and fresh suggesting Coast both sources and handles its produce well. The cheese board we shared was a selection of 3 good cheeses with a generous portion of cheese and two ramekins of pickled onion and chutney but only small water biscuits. At £8.50 I would have expected a selection but when we asked for more biscuits they were brought cheerily and quickly.



The wine list has been carefully constructed from across the world with the emphasis on harmonising the flavours of the food with the fruits of the wine. An example is the House Champagne from the well regarded producer Alain Waris et Fils from Champagne-Ardenne which is a small but reputed family producer and which sells at £36. Keeping with the St Ives connection, Coast has linked up with a co-operative art gallery from St Ives, Art Space, www.artspace-cornwall.co.uk , giving artists their chance to showcase their work in London, and offering the diners the opportunity to purchase the paintings at the restaurant.



Overall I left with a very favourable impression of Coast from our cheerful and helpful South African server, the good bread at the table, the cutlery, linen napkins and crockery which were of a very good quality and added to the excellent overall ambience. The seafood was of excellent quality and the passion for freshness shines through and in a major city like London this is expensive and I felt the starters and mains were fairly priced. The restaurant business is hard graft particularly for small proprietor owned restaurants like Coast competing against chains and having put a plate on the table restaurateurs tend to look for their profit on drinks and deserts. However I felt deserts @ £6, ice creams @ £5 and a Chilean Chardonnay at £19.50 were over egged – it was somewhat quiet on a Wednesday and the pricing on these items would push a three course meal with wine, digestif, coffees and the discretionary 12 ½ % service charge to £40/45 a head which is a bit on the high side.



However Coast is a good restaurant with excellent service and atmosphere and real passion for good food and wine which is something of a jewel on Parkway so it is very definitely worth an outing. Camden attracts such an eclectic crowd because it provides for good and for bad, most things for most people. At Coast Dining it provides excellent seafood in fine surroundings. Like Arnie, I will be back!

Coast Dining

108 Parkway, Camden, London, NW1 7AN

Cuisine: Fish Average Price: £40/45

Tel: 020 7267 9555 Email; info@coastdining.co.uk

Transport: Camden Town Tube (Northern Line)

Website;

http://www.coastdining.co.uk