I was 19 and finished my studies of cook in the hotel college at Talence. We were a good small handle of cooks in faction this Saturday June 11th at the Guyenne hotel. Wedged in our clothes skimped to make bunches of flowers for a empty hotel, nobody there never slept except this evening. Two big Greyhound BMW and a BMW black glowing unloaded in the street. Mr. Archambeau (the teacher responsible for our team) saw coming in the reception (factitious) a small " Taz" rasta very very irritated and very very English… The teacher didn't understand nothing. I lived in London next to White Chapel (rasta district ) and i talked english well. "Explain to these crazy people that is not a real hotel!". I left the head from my floral composition, dam BOB MARLEY!!! There in front of me! and very irritates. I collected his yelling complaints and looking to his girlfriend who was more taller than him. I sorted his words and exposed them to my superior. "The organizer had reserved rooms in the Aquitania at the Lake but this mothefucker forgot the reservation, we don't know where to sleep!You are our only hope, we need the entire hotel!".

The teacher took the telephone when Bob's coloured tribe came to the hotel. "This hotel is EMPTY!" he protested," Please can yuh help us Olivier!!", me was going to become in five minutes the saver of Bob Marley and the band. Me who thought never go to see them in Bordeaux because i was working, me who had snap my money for Supertramp in the same Bordeaux Lake with a bad echo, "School" in the Gavarnie circus, me who for two months had requested to have time to run to the lake with hope to listen from outside the end of the concert. Gluppss. Emotions. The Director wanted to talk to me "Olivier then what we do, call to me this Mr Marley, i speak a little english they don't not need to fire with these guys in my hotel. They smoke outside! " I was the person who announced to Bob that he can take the 16 rooms for his more than 32 members of staff! Outburst of joy, music on all the floors. Immediate brothel, stripes on the walls, flowers pots emptied to make large cendars. The " factice" has quickly was used. Defloration of the mattresses, wc … Big Bob did not leave me any more I became his mentor, "Hey Young frenchie. Live You in Shepperds Bush! We are Neighbours!". They left the hotel for the soundcheck. He invited us to the concert in Backstage!

Whore the mouth of the college friends when they saw our heads behind the amplifiers! Unforgettable, Incredible. Me who grew up in the music… I wasn't a reggae addict, Klaus Schulze, Manual Gottsching, Tangerine Dream, it was my life , the Hardware also, Judas Priest, Uriah Heep, Ian Gillan Band but then to live that there to make cuckoo to more than 10000 people, to receive accodances (wet) of the Messiah. To smoke spliff with "Jah Himself" ! The next day was epic, arrangement of the places. Oddly, they were very respectful and humble and even some of them remade their bed. And to finish after transaction with the principal and my parents, i brought back at home to London via Basle and Germany, they embarked me in one of the buses and i learned how to make cake with the ganja. They did jam on the road, it was a great memory. They were a big family, very hierarchical, very organized. Nothing was treated in light maner, it was a true professional business very respectful. I lived three days with them. I kept contact only one year with the mama of the family.

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