Dr Michael Barnett, organiser of the annual Peter Tosh Symposium, says it is important to keep that forum fresh by presenting different sides of the reggae legend, who died in September 1987 at age 42.

This year’s event took place on October 16 at The University of the West Indies, Mona, Undercroft, with the fiery singer-songwriter’s daughter Niambe, and former managers Copeland Forbes and Alan “Skill” Cole the featured speakers.

While Barnett hailed their insightful presentations, he said organisers are looking for “different speakers and different angles” to maintain interest in the symposium which was first held at The UWI in 2007.

Barnett noted that Cole and Forbes gave interesting anecdotes about Tosh, who would have turned 80 on October 19.

“I think Alan and Copeland gave important information on Peter because they knew him first-hand. You can have people giving great analysis, but there’s nothing like having people who have intimate knowledge of Peter,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

Niambe Tosh, who was the first speaker, spoke about her father’s legacy. She said it is critical for a new generation of artistes and fans to know about his contribution to Jamaican culture.

Cole, arguably Jamaica’s greatest footballer, recalled his time managing The Wailers during the early 1970s. At the time, that group comprised Tosh, Bob Marley, and Bunny Livingston (later known as Bunny Wailer).

Forbes spoke about the group’s early years in Trench Town, their relationship with producers Clement Dodd, Leslie Kong, and Lee “Scratch” Perry, as well as his stint managing Tosh in the early 1980s.

Considered the most militant of The Wailers, Peter Tosh officially went solo in early 1974. Two years later, he recorded the provocative Legalize It album for CBS Records, which was followed the next year by the equally controversial Equal Rights.

Peter Tosh, along with disc jockey Jeff “Free I” Dixon and Wilton “Doc” Brown were killed by three gunmen at his Barbican home on September 11 1987. In 1988, his
No Nuclear War won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album.

Dennis “Leppo” Lobban, a former acquaintance of Peter Tosh, who led the bloody attack, was initially sentenced to hang. That was commuted to a life sentence in 1995.

Tosh Fest, a concert in his honour, is scheduled for October 20 at Natty’s Ocean View Entertainment Centre in Tosh’s native Westmoreland.