Lee Perry


 * (This page covers both Jamaican record producer Lee "Scratch" Perry, aka the Upsetter, and his studio band, the Upsetters. For the backing band of Little Richard, see Upsetters(2).)

"'The Kenny Dalglish of reggae' (Peel bestows the ultimate superlative, 14 February 1979)"

Lee "Scratch" Perry (born Rainford Hugh Perry, 20 March 1936, Kendal, Jamaica) is a musician and producer who has been influential in the development and acceptance of reggae and dub music in Jamaica and overseas. He employs numerous pseudonyms, including Pipecock Jackxon and The Upsetter.

thumb|320px|right|Lee Perry - Croaking Lizard A [[Peelenium choice for 1976]]

In the early 1970s Lee Scratch Perry was one of the producers whose mixing board experiments resulted in the creation of dub. 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 & the Wailers, Junior Byles, Junior Murvin, The Heptones, The Congos and Max Romeo. 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. Perry remained behind the mixing desk for many years, producing songs and albums that stand out as a high point in reggae history. By 1978, stress and unwanted outside influences began to take their toll: both Perry and The Black Ark quickly fell into a state of disrepair. Eventually, the studio burned to the ground. Perry has constantly insisted that he burned the Black Ark himself in a fit of rage … (read more at Wikipedia)

Links to Peel
Peel was a huge fan of Perry and played his records consistently down the decades, selecting 'Croaking Lizard' from the landmark 'Super Ape' album for the 1976 Peelenium. After DJ's death, five Perry-produced singles were found in John Peel's Record Box.

Festive Fifty Entries

 * None

Sessions

 * None

Peelenium

 * Peelenium 1976: Croaking Lizard

John Peel's Record Box
Peel's box of 142 favourite singles featured five produced by Perry.

thumb|320px|right|Lee Scratch Perry - Bafflin' Smoke Signal


 * Upsetters: Bucky Skank / Yucky Skank (Down Town) 1973
 * Upsetters: Key Card / Domino Game (DL International) 1975
 * Versalites / Lee Perry & The Upsetters: Cutting Razor / Black Belt Jones (DL International) 1974
 * Lee Perry: Bafflin' Smoke Signal / Black Smoke Signal (Black Ark) 1978
 * Max Romeo: Sipple Out Deh' /Revelation (Upsetter) 1976

Shows Played
(The list below, compiled from the datebase of this site, features only releases issued under Lee Perry's own name, aliases such as "Scratch" or the "Upsetter", or credited to his backing band, the Upsetters, and excludes Perry's production work with other artists. For such details, please search under the name of the individual artist.)


 * 1973
 * 08 May 1973: Sunshine Showdown (single) Downtown
 * 19 July 1973: Bucky Skank (7" single) Downtown


 * 1978
 * 03 August 1978: The Lion (LP - Return Of The Super Ape) Lion Of Judah
 * 18 August 1978: Bird In Hand (LP - Return Of Super Ape) Lion Of Judah
 * 21 August 1978: Return Of The Super Ape (LP - Return Of Super Ape) Lion Of Judah
 * 29 August 1978: Congo Dub (b-side of double single Row Fisherman by Congos) Upsetter
 * 31 August 1978: Congo Dub (b-side of double single Row Fisherman by Congos) Upsetter (also known as Fisher Man Dub by Lee Perry)
 * 02 November 1978: Bafflin’ Smoke Signal (7”) Black Ark
 * 02 November 1978: Dub Line (7” – Guide Line) Black Ark


 * 1979
 * 09 January 1979: Home Guard Dub (Single) Upsetters
 * 16 January 1979: Dub Money (7” – Mr Money Man) Upsetter
 * 29 January 1979: Captive Dub (Single) Upsetter
 * 14 February 1979: Captive (Single) Upsetter (JP: "The Kenny Dalglish of Reggae")
 * 21 May 1979: Return Of The Super Ape (album - Return Of The Super Ape) Lion Of Judah
 * 04 June 1979: Soul Fire
 * 19 July 1979: Captive (Single) Upsetter
 * 30 July 1979: City Too Hot (12")
 * 30 August 1979: Bafflin' Smoke Signals (7 inch) Black Ark


 * 1980
 * 09 January 1980: Keep On Skanking
 * 07 February 1980: Cane River Rock (12") Black Art
 * 19 June 1980: Captive (7”) Black Ark
 * 30 June 1980: Bed Jammin' (LP - The Return Of Pipecock Jackson) Black Star
 * 27 August 1980: A Live Injection (7”) Upsetter
 * 02 September 1980: Brad Draw (7” – Bushweed Corntrash) Clocktower
 * 23 September 1980: Just Keep It Up


 * 1981
 * 28 April 1981: unknown (LP - unknown)
 * 12 May 1981: Kill Them All (LP-The Upsetter Collection) Trojan


 * 1983
 * 23 March 1983: Time Marches On


 * 1985
 * 20 November 1985: Surplus (album - The Upsetter Box Set) Trojan
 * 17 August 1987 (& Dub Syndicate): Blinkers (LP-Time Bomm X De Devil Dead) On-U Sound
 * 08 September 1987 (with Dub Syndicate): Jungle (Disco Plate) (10” single) EMI


 * 1991
 * 26 October 1991 (King Tubby & The Upsetter): Spanish Town
 * 26 October 1991 (King Tubby & The Upsetter): King And The Upsetter At Spanish Town (LP-At The Grass Roots of Dub) Studio 16




 * 1992
 * 14 March 1992: Perry’s Mood (CD – Excaliburman) Seven Leaves
 * 01 May 1992: Kimble (LP-Joe Gibbs And Friends: The Reggae Train 1968-71) Trojan
 * 10 May 1992 (BFBS): Kimble (Comp. LP - The Reggae Train: Joe Gibbs & Friends 1968 - 1971) Trojan
 * 29 May 1992: I Am The Upsetter (album - Explosive Rock Steady Joe Gibbs Amalgamated Label 1967 to 1973) Heartbeat


 * 1993
 * 15 January 1993: Babylon A Fall (LP - Sounds From The Hotline) Heartbeat
 * 31 January 1993 (BFBS): Babylon A Fall (album - Soundz From The Hot Line) Heartbeat
 * 14 February 1993 (BFBS) (with Heptones): Sufferer's Time (7") Island
 * Early March 1993 (BBC World Service): Kimble
 * 05 March 1993: Kimble (Various Artists LP - Joe Gibbs & Friends – The Reggae Train 1968-1971) Trojan Records
 * 21 March 1993 (BFBS): Kimble (Various Artists LP - Joe Gibbs & Friends – The Reggae Train 1968-1971) Trojan TRLS 261
 * Peel Late Spring 1993: Bucky Skank (7") Downtown
 * 28 August 1993: Keycard (7 inch) DL International


 * 1995
 * 24 March 1995: Jungle


 * 1997
 * 24 September 1997: Dreadlocks In Moonlight (3xCD-Arkology) Island Jamaica
 * 09 October 1997 (BFBS): Clint Eastwood (7") Punch


 * 1998
 * 03 March 1998: I Am The Upsetter (LP: Explosive Rock Steady) Heartbeat
 * 24 April 1998 (BFBS): Justice To the People (Compilation CD-Out Of Many, The Upsetter) Trojan
 * 03 December 1998: side 1 track 1 (EP-Black Ark In Dub) Track Ark


 * 1999
 * 08 June 1999: Sunshine Rock (LP – The Upsetter Shop Vol. 2) Heartbeat
 * 22 July 1999 (with Glen Adams): X-Ray Vision (Take 4) (CD-The Upsetter Shop Vol. 2) Heartbeat
 * 02 September 1999: A Noah Sugar Pan (LP – X-Ray Music: A Blood & Fire Dub Directory) Blood & Fire
 * 05 September 1999 (BFBS): Rally Dub (Compilation CD-X-Ray Music: A Blood & Fire Dub Directory) Blood & Fire
 * 03 November 1999: Bafflin' Smoke Signal (12") Black Art
 * 24 November 1999: Croaking Lizard (LP-Super Ape) Island (Peelenium 1976)


 * 2000
 * 07 February 2000 (BFBS) (& I Roy): Space Flight (Compilation CD-Lee Perry & Friends - Chapter 2 Of 'Words')' (Trojan)
 * 19 February 2000 (BFBS): unknown
 * 15 February 2000: Dyon Anaswa (7” single) Orchid
 * 21 March 2000: Ironfist (7”) Clocktower
 * 30 March 2000: Uncle Desmond (album - The Upsetter - Essential Madness From The Scratch Files) Metro
 * 06 April 2000: Cow Thief Skank (CD-The Upsetter-Essential Madness From The Scratch Files) Metro
 * 18 April 2000: What A Botheration (LP: Essential Madness from the Scratch Files) Metro
 * 27 April 2000: The Upsetter (LP – Essential Madness From The Scratch Files) Metro
 * 05 April 2000: Kimble (LP – Essential Madness From The Scratch Files) Metro
 * 01 June 2000 (Radio Eins): Fist Of Fury (comp album - The Upsetter - Essential Madness From The Scratch Files) Metro


 * 2001
 * 28 February 2001: Goosey Version (Take 2) (Compilation CD-Born In The Sky (Upsetter At The Controls 1969-1975) Motion
 * 30 May 2001: Perry In Dub (10") Jamaican
 * 14 June 2001: Funky Dub (10 inch) Jamaican
 * 17 October 2001: Cow Thief Skank (7” single) Upsetter
 * 05 December 2001: Perry's Jump Up (LP - Skanking With The Upsetters: Rare Dubs 1971-74) Jamaican


 * 2001
 * 28 February 2002: Bafflin’ Smoke Signal (single) Black Ark
 * 16 October 2002: Kinky Mood (LP - Flashing Echo) Trojan
 * 13 November 2002: Rejoicing Skank (LP - Flashing Echo) Trojan
 * 10 December 2002: Dubbing In The Back Seat (LP - Various - Flashing Echo) Trojan


 * 2003
 * 28 October 2003: Sipple Dub
 * 12 February 2003: Callying Butt (LP - Flashing Echo) Trojan


 * 2004
 * 08 January 2004: Iron Gate Dub (LP - 'Reminah Dub') Original Music
 * 08 April 2004: Iron Fist (7") Clocktower
 * 13 April 2004: Black Panta (LP-14 Dub Blackboard Jungle) Auralux
 * 14 April 2004: V/S Panta Rock (LP- Upsetters 14 Dub Blackboard Jungle) Auralux
 * 15 April 2004: Khasha Macka (LP – 14 Dub Blackboard Jungle) Auralux
 * 22 April 2004: African Skank (LP- Upsetter's 14 Dub Blackboard Jungle) Auralux