Since retrospective compilations are too numerous to mention, the following discography focuses almost entirely on original albums crediting Perry or his Upsetters band, explored in roughly chronological order it only mentions in passing the single-artist albums Perry produced with singers, vocal groups and deejays, many of which are worth seeking out on their own.Ībout half of the recordings Perry made in the ska years are collected on CHICKEN SCRATCH, when he was trying to make it as a singer, rather than a music producer. However, the post-Ark catalogue has plenty of interest for the discerning listener, as well as younger fans less versed with the man’s voluminous archive. Then, after Perry underwent a dramatic personal metamorphosis, the post-Ark period has several distinct sub-phases itself, as a wandering Perry fostered significant partnerships abroad with expatriate Jamaicans such as Melvin “Munchie” Jackson and Lloyd “Bullwackie” Barnes, as well as non-Jamaican producers such as Adrian Sherwood, Mad Professor, and numerous others.ĭiehard reggae purists often deride anything Perry recorded away from the Black Ark, and it is certainly the case that the Quality Control button was missing on some later works. Perry had his first significant hits shortly thereafter, in the fast-paced early reggae style (AKA “skinhead reggae”), but really came into his own during the roots era of the mid-to-late ’70s, when the establishment of his Black Ark studio allowed for unfettered musical creativity, especially in the evolving dub format.
As he’s been recording for over 50 years, there are several distinct phases to contend with, beginning with early ska work at Studio One – where he was chiefly employed as a vocalist – and the subsequent apprenticeship stages that led to him becoming an independent producer in his own right with the formation of the Upsetter label in late 1968.
The recorded output of reggae shaman Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry forms something of a bottomless pit, a never-ending well of individual sounds that all bear his unorthodox hallmarks.
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