Stirring Up The Spirit Of Reggae

By CHRISTOPHER JOHN FARLEY

Bunny Wailer was a founding member--with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh--of the Wailers, the legendary reggae band. Bunny, the last survivor of that core trio, will perform opening day at the 21st annual Reggae on the River Festival in Piercy, Calif., Aug. 6-8 (tickets are available on eBay). Reggae on the River, a DVD of past festival performances, is out this week. TIME's Christopher John Farley spoke with Bunny.

WHAT MAKES THIS FESTIVAL SPECIAL? It's a Rasta-ized event. It's a very cultural setting. The atmosphere makes you feel very welcome and very united with the next person that you see.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO COMBAT PIRACY? The Wailers might have been the most pirated group coming out of Jamaica, because we were accepted globally. I can't be wasting too much time and energy on these pirates because sometimes it's not worth it.

WHAT SHOULD FANS DO? I would like the fans to know that when they buy pirated Wailers albums, they're not in support of the Wailers. And I would hope they wouldn't buy those albums.

WHY ARE THE WAILERS STILL SO POPULAR WITH KIDS EVEN TODAY? When we sang those songs, we were teenagers. So it affects teenagers. And then as they grow, it grows with them. You never get tired of the Wailers, because you can't find two Wailers songs that sound alike.