Before Bob Marley came on the scene, many in Britain dismissed reggae as either the stuff of one-hit wonders or skinhead dance music. Now it is recognised as influential style, which has not only sold millions of records worldwide but had a major effect on the mainstream. But only a few of his fans realise the man’s recording career was as lengthy as it was: though he died aged just 36 in 1981, he’d been active in the studio since 1962 onwards. Despite some of the tracks featured here would be re-recorded on later albums, these ‘prototypes’ exhibit a rough-hewn, soulful feeling. We all knew his music was timeless; this was but further proof.

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