The Wailers have been one of the biggest influences in my life and ‘Selassie Is The Chapel’ has been a keystone in my life. When I was about 21 and living in San Diego, there was a big reggae scene there. I was still trying to discover myself – who I was as a man and as an artist – and that song was central to this.
I have memories of driving through Ocean Beach in San Diego listening to this song and, y’know, just trying to figure out what this fucking life’s about, what I’m gonna do and what records I’m gonna make. I knew that I wanted to sing but I was afraid to. Singing along to this song helped me to have confidence in myself. At the end of the day, this song is about inspiring people to fully express themselves and it certainly did that for me. Out of all the songs they’ve done, it sounds like the most angelic, like I can feel the sun in the song. When I die, I want that song playing at the funeral. It was such an influence.
