From a redwood forest to major stages: Rebelution bassist talks about 'Live in St. Augustine'

St. Augustine is a special venue for modern reggae band Rebelution, the group's bassist and founder Marley Williams said.

The Grammy-nominated band has performed at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre at least a dozen times, including two shows in June for their Good Vibes Summer Tour 2022. And in September 2021 they recorded a show in St. Augustine for a live album, which they recently released.

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Williams spoke with The Record this month during a break before performing, as he rested in a tree-shaded area at the amphitheater grounds.

"I think the character of this venue is really amazing," Williams said. "I think that what surrounds it, how it's set up, the proportion of it, how many people it holds ― love the, I call it, the canvas, because you can paint light on it with a light show. … I think a lot of people love it, too.

"I think there's a lot of history and tradition here of great artists, so it's a good spot. After the product came out, you know, the footage and our sound, I was really happy that we chose (the) St. Augustine Amphitheatre."

Formed in Isla Vista, California, Rebelution released their first album in 2007. They received a Grammy nomination for Best Reggae Album in 2017, led the Billboard Reggae Chart multiple times and earned widespread attention for their live shows, according to the group's website.

In addition to Williams, who now lives in Miami, the group features Eric Rachmany on vocals and guitar, Rory Carey on keyboards and Wesley Finley on drums.

Rebelution is one of the biggest-selling reggae bands in the world, and the group has performed to crowds at venues such as Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado and festivals such as Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza.

Marley Williams, bassist and founder of Rebelution

Record: What do you like to do in St. Augustine?

Williams: (When visiting the Castillo de San Marcos), you kind of feel like you go back in time. … Instead of just cruising around with brand new buildings and stuff, you're like, "Whoa, if these walls could talk, what stories would I get?" That was really cool.

I've been to the beach here: Amazing. You know, even just, like, cruising around … you don't have, you know, these kind of trees and this kind of moss hanging in California where I grew up, so as a nature lover it's always cool to see how lush everything is and how green it is.

Record: Would you tell us more about how you grew up?

Williams: While I was still being carried around in my mom's belly, my dad, he bought 48 acres of redwood forest. And it was untouched, and we had to, like, have our own road built … they eventually made a house out of redwood trees and driftwood from the beach. And I was born in it, and it was very off the grid: no electricity, running hot water. You know, outside bathroom. You know, no heater. If you wanted to make food, make a fire. If you wanted hot water, make a fire.

Record: Where is that?

Williams: Point Arena. It's three hours up the coastline from San Francisco.

Record: Did growing up like that influence your music?

Williams: Definitely. Where I come from, a lot of people before it was legal (grew) weed for a living. And I think when you're in nature, when you're growing weed, there's a lot of parallels with like Rastafarians because Rastafarians are very about, you know, living off the earth, their music. And I think a lot of people where I come from, like, relate to that kind of as a parallel lifestyle in some ways. Not always.

My parents named me Marley after Bob Marley, and reggae was always around. I went to a lot of festivals as a kid, and I kind of just thought it was normal. But then when I got out of my small town of 440 people, I realized that it's not a mainstream sound. It's more of a grassroots kind of thing for people who are fans of Jamaica and Jamaican artists like I am.

And when I moved to Santa Barbara for school, I realized that, like, nobody really listened to, like, real reggae music. Like I don't consider … Rebelution, like, real reggae music. It's kind of a spinoff. It's our take … with us growing up in California and the artists that we love, and also our appreciation for Jamaican music. So, you know, I met Eric (Rachmany). I didn't even know who he was. … I heard him play like Morgan Heritage. And I was like, "You listen to, you know, real reggae music." I thought I was the only one in college. And we hit it off.

Record: How old are you? Do you have any wife, kids?

Williams: 39. No wife or kids. … You know, I've been kind of more doing my own thing. So no kids, no wife, no ex-wife. Keeping it simple. Less is more.

Record: Is there an experience you hope people have at your shows?

Williams: I think especially for our music, it's providing a place for people to just chill out from everything. Just be like, "You know what? We're here right now. There's no plans tomorrow. There's no, Did everything go good today?" It's just, "Take a break. See the light show. See us here. Dance. Meet new people." … (our fans are) all ages, races, shapes and sizes. … this is, like, "Come on in." It's a family affair.

Record: Did you always believe that you would be famous?

Williams: I always knew I was going to be an entertainer in some way. I really like being on the spot. It makes you feel like you're alive, you know, for me.

Record: Is there a mission that you associate with your music or something that you hope people will take away?

Williams: Positivity, unity, togetherness, you know, relaxation, inspiring change, inspiring to treat people well.

Record: What inspires you in songwriting and what is that process like?

Williams: I think notes on a bass or guitar or whatever instrument are like colors, and so if you want to paint a picture, what kind of picture are you painting? Is it a bright picture? Is it a darker picture? What kind of mood does it have? And so when you make a song, like, you get a feeling ― just like if you show somebody a picture and you see the colors, you're going to feel a mood. It's the same thing, but you just see it through your ears.

Record: What's one of the highlights of your career so far?

Williams: I think just kind of like having my mom on stage or my brother or my dad or people, like, in my inner circle … them, like, getting to experience it with me, having them close by. It's pretty special.

― Tom Szaroleta of the Florida Times-Union contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: Rebelution bassist: St. Augustine Amphitheatre has 'amazing' character