Steppin' Razor

The Rebel Life of Peter Tosh

John Masouri

$38.99

Paperback

Forthcoming
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English

Omnibus Press
19 February 2026

Reggae; Biography: arts & entertainment

Series: Omnibus Remastered

'A masterwork' – Roger Steffens

Peter Tosh: the rude boy, the radical, the Rasta. A founding member of The Wailers and a compelling recording artist in his own right, Tosh was much more than Bob Marley’s bandmate. An uncompromising firebrand, he was Jamaica’s most controversial star.

In this, the very first and definitive biography of Tosh, esteemed reggae journalist John Masouri explores one of reggae’s most extraordinary stories. This story ended in violence in 1987, when Tosh was brutally murdered. In the aftermath, rumours swirled about his involvement in Kingston’s criminal underworld.

Steppin’ Razor draws on hundreds of interviews with those who knew Peter Tosh best, including Bunny Wailer and other close associates. Tracing Tosh’s recording career from The Wailers to international acclaim, Masouri details his encounters with Eric Clapton and Joe Cocker and his volatile relationships with Bob Marley and Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry. Tosh’s darker side is also revealed – from his fascination with the occult to, in unprecedented detail, the events surrounding his tragic, untimely and mysterious death.

By: John Masouri
Imprint: Omnibus Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
ISBN: 9781917274203
ISBN 10: 1917274203
Series: Omnibus Remastered
Pages: 512
Publication Date: 19 February 2026
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

John Masouri is a British music journalist and author based in Cornwall, with over four decades of expertise illuminating reggae and its vibrant offshoots – roots, dub, dancehall, and lovers rock. He’s written acclaimed biographies like Wailing Blues: The Story of Bob Marley’s Wailers, Pressure Drop: Reggae in the Seventies, and Simmer Down: The Early Wailers’ Story. A longtime contributor to Echoes magazine, he has also penned album liner notes, interviews, and documentaries for BBC, VP Records, and major labels.