LEE “SCRATCH” PERRY 2010

May 24, 2010

Lee “Scratch” Perry (born Rainford Hugh Perry, on 20th March 1936, in Kendal, Jamaica) is one of the most influential people in the development of reggae and dub music on the planet.

Some call him a genius, others claim he’s certifiably insane, a madman. Truth is, he’s both, but more importantly, Lee Perry is a towering figure in reggae — a producer, mixer, and songwriter who, along with King Tubby, helped shape the sound of dub and made reggae music such a powerful part of the pop music world. Along with producing some of the most influential acts (Bob Marley & the Wailers and The Congos to name but two) in reggae history, Perry’s approach to production and dub mixing was breathtakingly innovative and audacious — no one else sounds like him — and while some claim that King Tubby invented dub, there are just as many who would argue that no one experimented with it or took it further than did Lee Perry.

Lee Perry’s Biography and Discography is impossible to cover here, below you’ll find the basics. For a fuller 5 page biog, check out Upsetter.net.

Lee “Scratch” Perry – The Basics:

Lee “Scratch” Perry was born Rainford Hugh Perry on March 20, 1936 in Kendal, Jamaica. His work as a producer and musician is considered some of the most influential in the history of ska, reggae, and dub – Jamaican music in general, in fact. He is still alive, and resides in Switzerland.

Lee “Scratch” Perry – The Studio One Years:

Lee “Scratch” Perry began working in the recording industry in the 1950s as a record seller for Coxsone Dodd’s Sound System, which was essentially a mobile booth containing speakers and a variety of American R&B records. The DJ would play the records in the street, and the record seller would hawk them. Coxsone Dodd eventually turned to making his own records in the legendary Studio One, where Perry was his assistant.

Lee “Scratch” Perry – The Upsetter Years

After personality conflicts caused Perry to break with Coxsone Dodd, Perry served a short stint at Joe Gibbs’ studio, and eventually began his own label, Upsetter Records. His first hit single, recorded with his band The Upsetters, was called “People Funny Boy”, and made two major musical innovations: first, it was a very early use of a “sample” (a clip of a sound used for effect, common in rap), and it was also the first recording of the rhythm that is now identified as reggae.

Lee “Scratch” Perry – The Black Ark Years:

In 1973, Lee “Scratch” Perry built his own recording studio, known as the Black Ark. At this point, he began focusing heavily on production, and worked with such legends as Bob Marley and the Wailers, The Heptones, and Junior Marvin. It was during his collaborations with Bob Marley that he made some of his most notable innovations.

Lee “Scratch” Perry – The Invention of Dub:

Lee “Scratch” Perry is often credited as being the inventor of dub, an off-shoot of reggae that emphasizes mixing-board remixes of instrumental songs, often with the bass and drums turned up and lots of reverb. Dub, in turn, is the predecessor of many genres of dance music, as well as hip-hop.

Lee “Scratch” Perry – The Later Years

Eventually, Perry grew tired of the Kingston scene, particularly after Bob Marley’s death. He travelled extensively, performing and recording, and eventually settled down in Switzerland. At the age of 73, he is still a major and vibrant performer and someone we’re proud to have involved in this years Numusic.

In June of 2000, David Katz’ monumental biography of Perry, People Funny Boy: The Genius Of Lee “Scratch” Perry was published. More than ten years in the making, it gave an unprecedented account of Perry’s life and work. In the words of the Upsetter himself, “I am the half. The half that’s never been told.”