Lee Perry fans?

[nobody]

Can't reacll if I've mentioned this before this before...probably have.

But, anyway, I've been in reggae mode lately...I don't subscribe to the notion that reggae is only for warm weather. And, for my money, once you go beyiond Bob Marley, it doesn't get any better than Lee Perry. His catalog is huge, boith from a producer standpoint and his work as a solo artist and with the Upsetters and others. I can't really think of any other individual who was involved in so many classic records of the genre. A trio of standouts that I've played the last couple days include...

<img src="http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drc500/c514/c514278u1a2.jpg">
Early dub from a master, recorded at Black Ark. Murky, rythms, lots of echo. A classic with classic cover art to match.

<img src="http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drc500/c510/c51022ij45g.jpg">
Classic album that has seen its stature grow over the years as it went from obscure legendary recording to a more widely available classic through the magic of reissues. Excellent vocal work by the Congos highlighted by Perry's singular production style.

<img src="http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd900/d962/d96218c9uh0.jpg">
Everyone knows the title track, buit there's plenty more where that came from. Another landmark coming out of the Black Ark. Another testament to the genius of Lee "Scratch" Perry.

I could list several more, but I'll leave something for someone else to post about. Anyone else got an favorites from Scratch they wanna mention?

[Davey]

Yeah, I only have my vinyl copy of the middle one, Heart of the Congos. Great stuff, but I got nothin to add. Anyone have the newer CD version with all the bonus tracks?

[nobody]

The vinyl I have is the reissue with the bonus tracks on side 4. Good stuff, but not sure I'd tell you to go grab it just to get 'em if you already have a copy. It's dub versions and extended versions for the same tracks. Of course, with Perry mixing it up, the versions are great, but for the money, you may be better off grabbing something elswe since you've at least already got the basic tracks. None of the are too radivcally altered, mostly pretty subtle embellishments and loopong things around to extend them. Whether to grab it or not would depend on the quality of your vinyl copy if I were you as some releases of it have been pretty good while others have been poor.

They have done a great job cleaning up the sound on the whole thing though, although one of the extrea tracks has some harsh distortion in one part. There's a thing in the liner notes about how they couldn't clean that bit up without basically just dropping the section out completely. If you're a vinyl fan, the Simply Final/Blood & Fire release really is nice. I'm really happy about how many classic and hard to find reggae titles Simply Vinyl has released over the last several years. My Super Ape is from them as well and sounds great.

[-Jar-]

I have a fairly rare Lee Perry release called "Mystic Miracle Star" - recorded with a bunch of white guys.. Basically these dudes, I'm not even sure who they are, lay down some fairly rootsy riddims and Perry just goes nuts vocally over top. There are always at least 2 if not 3 and sometimes 4 vocal tracks overlayed. All stream of conscious. I'm not sure which one I'm supposed to listen to, they're all crazy. I'm not sure all that great of an album, but it's pretty entertaining.

I have a Mad Professor dub of a Perry "electronic" era album called "ExPerryments at the Grass Roots of Dub" - one of those million dub albums that the Mad Professor has put out over the past 20 years or so. Perry is as crazy as ever. Deep ass bass, even if it is all synth.

Probably my favorite Scratch tune is his contribution to the Dub Syndicate track called "Dubbing Psycho Thriller" where he sings about playing his drum machine in your spare bedroom and deprogramming you and your computer.. awesome.

-jar

[ericl]

I've got two of those albums you've pictured(superape and the congos record), both great, i don't have much more lee perry though. With prolific musicians like lee scratch I tend to be intimidated by their massive catalogs.. never sure what to get.

I saw him play a couple years ago, entertaining but kinda sad. He's a real old guy, probably looks a lot older because of drugs. anyway its cool because he can still rock a house but the same time depressing that they parade this legend out there in these ridiculous outfits ( all kinds of random shiny objects sewn onto his clothes, like a schizophrenic acidhead made it). Still a fun show though.

-Eric