Lee "Scratch" Perry
Lee "Scratch" Perry OD (born Rainford Hugh Perry; 20 March 1936[1] – 29 August 2021[2][3]) was a Jamaican record producer, composer and singer noted for his innovative studio techniques and production style.[4] Perry was a pioneer in the 1970s development of dub music with his early adoption of remixing and studio effects to create new instrumental or vocal versions of existing reggae tracks.[5] He worked with and produced for a wide variety of artists, including Bob Marley and the Wailers, Junior Murvin, The Congos, Max Romeo, Adrian Sherwood, Beastie Boys, Ari Up, The Clash, The Orb, and many others.
Lee "Scratch" Perry
Rainford Hugh Perry
"Pipecock Jackson"[a]
"The Upsetter"
Kingston, Jamaica
- Record producer
- singer
- songwriter
1958–2021
http://www.lee-perry.com/ (no longer works as it requires Adobe Flash)
Early life[edit]
Rainford Hugh Perry was born on 20 March 1936 in Kendal, Jamaica, in the parish of Hanover, the third child of Ina Davis and Henry Perry.[1] His mother had strong African traditions originating from her Yoruba ancestry that she passed on to her son.[1] His parents were both laborers, but his father later became a professional dancer.
Lee left school at age 15 and lived in Hanover where he did not have much regard for working, and preferred to play dominoes and live according to his own desires. He eventually wound up in Clarendon where he got into the dance and music scene and earned the nickname "The Neat Little Thing". Lee later moved to Kingston after experiencing a mystical connection to stones ("When the stones clash, I hear like the thunder clash... and I hear words... These words send me to Kingston. Kingston means King's Stone, the Son of the King... the stone that I was throwing in Negril send me to King Stone for my graduation.") where he apprenticed at Studio One.[6]
Career[edit]
Early work[edit]
Perry's musical career began in the late 1950s as a record seller for Clement Coxsone Dodd's sound system. As his sometimes turbulent relationship with Dodd developed, he found himself performing a variety of important tasks at Dodd's Studio One hit factory, going on to record nearly thirty songs for the label.[3] Disagreements between the pair due to personality and financial conflicts led him to leave the studio and seek new musical outlets. He soon found a new home at Joe Gibbs's Amalgamated Records.[3]
Working with Gibbs, Perry continued his recording career but, once again, financial problems caused conflict. Perry broke ranks with Gibbs and formed his own label, Upsetter Records, in 1968. His first major single "People Funny Boy", which was an insult directed at Gibbs, sold well with 60,000 copies sold in Jamaica alone. It is notable for its innovative use of a sample (a crying baby) as well as a fast, chugging beat that would soon become identifiable as "reggae". Similarly his acrimonious 1967 single as Lee "King" Perry, "Run for Cover", was likewise aimed at Sir Coxsone.
From 1968 until 1972, he worked with his studio band the Upsetters. During the 1970s, Perry released numerous recordings on a variety of record labels that he controlled, and many of his songs were popular in both Jamaica and the United Kingdom, where his instrumental "The Return of Django" was a top five hit in 1969. He soon became known for his innovative production techniques as well as his eccentric character.[3]
In 1970, Perry produced and released the Wailers track "Mr. Brown" (1970) with its unusual use of studio effects and eerie opening highlighting his unique approach to production.
The Black Ark[edit]
In 1973, Perry built a studio in his back yard, the Black Ark, to have more control over his productions and continued to produce notable musicians such as Bob Marley and the Wailers, Junior Byles, Junior Murvin, the Heptones, the Congos, and Max Romeo. He also started the Black Ark label, on which many of the productions from the studio appeared.[7] With his own studio at his disposal, Perry's productions became more lavish, as the energetic producer was able to spend as much time as he wanted on the music he produced. Virtually everything Perry recorded in The Black Ark was done using basic recording equipment; through sonic sleight-of-hand, Perry made it sound unique. Paul Douglas mentions:
Personal life[edit]
Perry resided in Switzerland with his wife Mireille and their two children. He had four other children by the names of Cleopatra Perry, Marsha Perry, Omar Perry, and Marvin (Sean) Perry in various parts of the world. In 2015, his new studio in Switzerland, the "Secret Laboratory", was damaged by a fire that also destroyed his stage costumes and unreleased recordings.[39][40]
Death[edit]
Perry died on 29 August 2021[41] at the Noel Holmes hospital in Lucea, Jamaica, from an unspecified illness, aged 85.[42][43]
