As Bob Marley’s revolutionary art director, Neville Garrick designed the singer’s album sleeves, beginning with his 1976 breakthrough album, Rastaman Vibration, whose front cover image is of the reggae king stroking his chin – a characteristic, pensive pose. Earlier this year, the Rastaman Vibration sleeve – which promised “This album jacket is great for cleaning herb”– was recognised by Billboard magazine as one of the 100 best album covers of all time.
“I had some images I had shot of Bob,” Garrick, who has died aged 73 of prostate cancer, said in an interview with the reggae archive livicated.com. He recalled having done “a watercolour wash of Bob in that militant army jacket” that he cut out and pasted on to a piece of burlap (hessian), which as an artist he had been using in preference to canvas.
