Reggae and dub legend Lee “Scratch” Perry at the Forum Hertfordshire

January 5th, 2012

One of the most influential people in the reggae and dub music Lee “Scratch” Perry with his Upsetters Band will be performing live at the Forum Hertfordshire on Friday 3^rd February

Born Rainford Hugh Perry on March 20, 1936 in Kendal, Jamaica, Perry’s career as a producer and musician is considered to have produce some of the most influential sounds in the history of ska, reggae and dub.

He began this career 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. He then became Coxsone Dodd’s assistant once Coxasone began recording his own material.

Perry 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.

In 1973, Lee "Scratch" Perry built his own recording studio, known as the Black Ark. It was at this stage where he began to focus is attention on production he was able to work with legends such 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.

Now settled in Switzerland Perry is still performing at the age of 72, and is known for his wild outfits and bizarre (though highly entertaining) on-stage storytelling.

For  tickets click here

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