A dreadlock from Bob Marley is expected to sell for £25,000 under the hammer in the UK.
The 1.5 inch dreadlock was taken from Marley's live appearance on BBC's Top of the Pops on 22 June, 1978, where he and his band, The Wailers performed 'Satisfy My Soul'. It has been described as the first "genuine example" from the reggae music legend's hair to go up for auction in 20 years.
The hair was reportedly requested by a then teenage fan named Andrea.
“Back in the day you were permitted to get on stage at Top of the Pops with the bands. After Bob Marley had finished singing, myself and a friend went up onto the platform where he was performing,” Andrea recalled. “He was chuckling away and I asked if I could take off a piece of his hair. He just kept nodding and chuckling and appeared amused by it so I twisted a piece of his dreadlock off. And he of course gave me his autograph as well. I’ve kept it in my autograph album ever since".
It was also confirmed that the highest bidder of this hair, will also get their hands on Andrea's Top of the Pops promotional flyer, which was inscribed on the back with the wrong date: “Andrea and Melanie went to Top of the Pops on 2/6/78, we saw Kid Jensen [presenter], Black Sabbath, Showaddywaddy, Heatwave, Bob Marley, Thin Lizzy and unfortunately Legs + Co".
The auction itself is open until 2pm on Thursday, April 9. You can make your bid via this link here.
Back in 2023, the biopic for Bob Marley, 'One Love' was released, which explored the reggae icon's early life in Jamaica, as well as his on stage performance, and rise to superstardom. It also looks at the assassination attempt on his life which he survived.
It was also produced by the music legend's son Ziggy Marley, with Reinaldo Marcus Green directing the project. Green also directed the Oscar winning King Richard. Marley was played by Kingley Ben-Adir, with Lashana Lynch starring as his wife, Rita Marley.
Marley sadly died from cancer aged 36 in 1981. More on this story from Nova here.
