Opposition to Tosh's M16 Guitar eBay Auction Growing

As per my last post below, it looks like Peter Tosh's legendary M16 guitar he got as a gift from a fan in 1983, on his Mama Africa tour, is going on sale on eBay tomorrow as planned. But not without a fight from his family and ex-managers...

For the full story on the fan and how he ended up getting this guitar into Tosh's hands, check it here.

Following a scathing commentary by guest columnist Herbie Millerin Nov. 19ths Jamaica Observer, reggae impresario Copeland Forbes who, like Miller, was a former Tosh manager, called the planned auction an "illegal transaction". Forbes said, "the family is hurting by the news of the impending auction of their father's most prized posses on his M-16 guitar. We all as lovers of reggae music MUST do something to stop this illegal transaction that is about to take place."

Tosh's youngest child Jawara, in an open letter wrote: "We would like the people of Jamaica and across the globe, who are interested in this auction, to know that they are bidding on stolen property. After Peter was brutally murdered in his home, many of his personal belongings came up missing, this guitar being one of those items. The Tosh family is doing everything in their power to see that this auction does not take place and wants the world to be aware of this injustice. We are Not Gonna Give It Up!"

Forbes wrote a letter to the Jamaica Gleaner last week explaining how this legendary guitar came to be in Tosh's hands:

"It was I who bought that guitar from a fan who custom-made it specially for
Peter and brought it to the Franklyn Plaza Suite Hotel in Los Angeles, where
Peter and his group, Word Sound and Power, were staying on our stop in Los
Angeles when Tosh played the famous Greek Theatre during the Mama Africa World Tour of 1983. During our stay at the hotel a young reggae fan came to the
hotel and asked to see Peter Tosh. The front desk clerk then called me in my
room, as I was then Tosh's manager, saying that a fan wanted to see Peter. I
then spoke to the fan on the hotel's phone and he told me that he had a special
gift for Peter which he personally made for the Bush Doctor."

For the full story on the fan and how he ended up getting this guitar into Tosh's hands, check it here. Long live the Bush Doctor!