''Wanted Dread & Alive'' is the fifth studio album by the Jamaican reggae musician

Peter Tosh Winston Hubert McIntosh, OM (19 October 1944 – 11 September 1987), professionally known as Peter Tosh, was a Jamaican reggae musician. Along with Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer, he was one of the core members of the band the Wailers (1963� ...

. It was released in 1981 in two different versions, one for Jamaica and the USA (EMI America) and one for Europe (Rolling Stones Records). It was reissued by Capitol in 2002, with bonus tracks. The lead single was the duet with the American singer

Gwen Guthrie Gwendolyn Guthrie (July 9, 1950 – February 3, 1999) was an American singer-songwriter and pianist who also sang backing vocals for Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Peter Tosh, and Madonna, among others, and who wrote songs made fa ...

, "Nothing But Love". The album peaked at No. 91 on the ''Billboard'' 200.

Critical reception

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' deemed the album "a mixed bag of political sloganeering, Rastafarian cant and reggae-pop". ''

The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...

'' thought that "the title cut maintains the outlaw pose with music that easily makes the grade, but lyrics that betray Tosh's penchant for recycling old imagery". '' The New Rolling Stone Record Guide'' wrote that it contains "some of the best Sly and Robbie playing ever".

Track listing

All tracks composed by Peter Tosh except where indicated.

EMI America and Jamaica (SO-17055)

;Side 1 #"Coming in Hot" #"Nothing But Love" (Ella Mitchell, Freddie Harris) #"Reggae-Mylitis" #"The Poor Man Feel It" #"Cold Blood" ;Side 2 #

"Wanted Dread & Alive" #"Rastafari Is" #"That's What They Will Do" #"Fools Die"

Rolling Stones Records (1A 062-64378)

;Side 1 #"Coming in Hot" #"Nothing But Love" (Ella Mitchell, Freddie Harris) #"Reggaemylitis" #"Rok With Me" (Jean Watt) #"Oh Bumbo Klaat" ;Side 2 #

"Wanted Dread and Alive" #"Rastafari Is" #"Guide Me from My Friends" #"Fools Die"

Capitol 2002 reissue (37693)

#"Coming in Hot" #"Nothing But Love" #"Reggaemylitis" #"Rok With Me" #"Oh Bumbo Klaat" #"Wanted Dread and Alive" #"Rastafari Is" #"Guide Me from My Friends" #"Fools Die (For Want of Wisdom)" #"The Poor Man Feel It" #"Cold Blood" #"That's What They Will Do" #"Rok With Me" (Alternative Long Mix) #"Nothing But Love" (Long Version) #"In a Milan"

Personnel

*Peter Tosh - lead vocals, backing vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussion *

The Tamlins The Tamlins are a Jamaican reggae vocal group formed in the late 1960s, known for their hits such as "Baltimore", and their work with artists such as Peter Tosh. History The group originally comprised Carlton Smith, Junior Moore and Winston Mor ...

- backing vocals *

Robbie Shakespeare Robert Warren Dale Shakespeare (27 September 1953 – 8 December 2021) was a Jamaican bass guitarist and record producer, best known as half of the reggae rhythm section and production duo Sly and Robbie, with drummer Sly Dunbar. Regarded as ...

- bass guitar *

Sly Dunbar Lowell Fillmore "Sly" Dunbar (born 10 May 1952, Kingston, Jamaica) is a drummer, best known as one half of the prolific Jamaican rhythm section and reggae production duo Sly and Robbie. Biography Dunbar began playing at 15 in a band called ...

- drums *Pee Wee Walters - flute *Darryl Thompson - lead guitar *

Mikey Chung Michael Chung (1950 – 28 December 2021) also known as Mao Chung, was a Jamaican musician who played keyboards, guitar and percussion instruments. He was also an arranger and record producer of Jamaican music, and worked with a wide array of m ...

- rhythm guitar *

Keith Sterling Keith Sterling (born Keith Sterling-McLeod, January 1952, Kingston, Jamaica)Larkin, Colin (2006) ''The Encyclopedia of Popular Music'', 4th edn., OUP USA, , p. 743 is a piano and keyboard player. Biography Keith Sterling is a well-respected Jama ...

Robbie Lyn Robert "Robbie" Bernard Lyn is a Jamaican session musician who plays piano, keyboard and synthesiser. Biography Robbie Lyn is a popular Jamaican session musician, who has played with various session/backing bands including Now Generation, Sound ...

- keyboards *

- lead vocals on "Nothing But Love" * Noel "Scully" Simms, Uziah Thompson - percussion *

Dean Fraser Dean Ivanhoe Fraser (sometimes appearing as Dean Frazer) (born 4 August 1957) Allmusic.com biography by Sandra Brennan/ref> is a Jamaican saxophonist who has contributed to hundreds of reggae recordings since the mid-1970s. He was awarded the Mu ...

- tenor and alto saxophone *Ronald "Nambo" Robinson - trombone *Barry Rogers,

Jon Faddis Jon Faddis (born July 24, 1953) is an American jazz trumpet player, conductor, composer, and educator, renowned for both his playing and for his expertise in the field of music education. Upon his first appearance on the scene, he became known ...

, Lew Soloff,

Lou Marini Louis William Marini Jr. (born May 13, 1945), known as "Blue Lou" Marini, is an American saxophonist, arranger, and composer. He is best known for his work in jazz, rock, blues, and soul music, as well as his association with The Blues Brothers ...

- horns on "Nothing But Love" ;Technical *

Geoffrey Chung Geoffrey Aloysius Chung (1950 – 13 October 1995) was a Jamaican musician, recording engineer, and record producer. Biography Chung was born in 1950 in Kingston, Jamaica.Moskowitz, David V. (2006) ''Caribbean Popular Music: an Encyclopedia of ...

- recording, mixing

References

Peter Tosh albums 1981 albums Rolling Stones Records albums {{reggae-album-stub