Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
Stephen 'Cat' Coore (left), Richard Daley (centre) and William 'Bunny Rugs' Clarke of Third World. - File
Third World, one of the longest-surviving, still very active self-contained reggae bands, turns 35 years old in 2008 with a new album and plans for a special series of concerts.
The album is Third World and Friends and William 'Bunny Rugs' Clarke, long-time lead singer for the band, told The Gleaner that among the tracks on it are a remake of 1865 (96 Degrees in the Shade), produced by Stephen and Damian Marley. Sense of Purpose is another Third World standard which will also get a makeover. Anthony B and Tarrus Riley are also guests on the set, which Third World's guitarist Stephen 'Cat' Coore is in charge of.
Rugs also said that, "In celebration of Third World's 35th anniversary in the year 2000 and love, we are planning to have our celebration at King's House on December 28". That show is 'Committed', once a regular fixture on Third World's calendar and which was last staged in 2005. However, there are also plans to do a special series of concerts called 'Explanitations' and 'Transmigation', which were once put on in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
A theatrical production
A fusion of dance, drama and music, complete with appropriate lighting, Rugs describes it as "A theatrical production of Third World's musical journey".
It is not only the shows that Clarke hopes will be a revisit to Third World's earlier days. He said that the current Third World line-up wishes to incorporate former members of the band, including Ibo Cooper, Prilly Hamilton, Irvin Jarrett and Willie Stewart, in the 35th anniversary celebrations.
The current members are Clarke, Coore, Herbie Harris Richard Daley and Tony 'Ruption' Williams.
Approaching what would be mid-life for a human being, Third World shows no signs of retreating to a more sedate pace. Clarke points out that "in the last three or four years Third World has been busier than at any time before".
In 2007 alone they played all across Europe, toured the Caribbean and visited Australia, Ghana, Nigeria and Reunion Island, among other stops. And this year more European dates, concerts in Japan and across the United Kingdom as well as the Caribbean are on the roster.
Often it is not only a matter of playing a single date and moving on, as Clarke points out that "when we go to Japan we don't only do the festival, we are also at the Blue Note (club), two weeks, two shows a night".
Also among the slew of Third World's more noted songs are Jah Glory, Try Jah Love and remakes of Sattamassagana and Dreamland.
