Lee "Scratch" Perry

Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Image via Twitter @SratchLee

Channeling the music shaman: Top-five Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry albums [listen]

Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry , the visionary master of reggae and dub, passed away on 29 August. Take a look and listen at the famed Jamaican producer and musician’s best albums.

Lee "Scratch" Perry

Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Image via Twitter @SratchLee

The international reggae community suffered a heavy loss with the passing of Lee “Scratch” Perry. The influential musician passed away on Sunday 29 August at the age of 85. No cause of death has been provided to the public. 

Long-time reggae musician friend and collaborator Max Romeo had the following to say about the passing of Lee “Scratch” Perry to Rolling Stone:

“This morning, when I heard — I hadn’t cried in about 16 years, since my best friend passed on — that Lee died, I found out that I still had tears left.” 

Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry: Prolific to the end

Lee “Scratch” Perry was prolific to the end, releasing No Bloody Friends — a collaboration with Ral Ston earlier this month on 13 August.

In celebration of Rainford Hugh Perry aka Lee “Scratch” Perry and his pioneering genius as music artist and producer, The South African takes a look at some of his best albums. 

ALSO READ: ‘Salvador Dali of music’: Reggae and dub wizard Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry dies

Pick of Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry albums

1. Chicken Scratch (1989)

Lee “Scratch” Perry’s album Chicken Scratch was released in 1985. Perry scored himself a job working at Jamaican record producer Coxsone Dodd’s Downbeat Sound. After bagging the job, he auditioning as a singer with a song titled Chicken Scratch

In an awful turn of events, the audition did not go well and he was nicknamed “Chicken Scratch”. After some time, “Chicken Scratch” simply became “Scratch”. 

2. MAX ROMEO – WAR INA BABYLON (1976)

Lee “Scratch” Perry worked with Max Romeo often producing and featuring on some of his songs. Perry would always add his signature touch to Romeo’s music.

One stand-out track from War Ina Babylon is Max Romeo and The Upsetters’ Chase The Devil which Perry produced and featured on.

3. ROAST FISH, COLLIE WEED & CORN BREAD (1978)

Roast Fish, Collie Weed & Corn Bread was named the award-winning artists’ best album by Best Ever Albums. The album — released in April 1978 — marked the first time he featured himself as a vocalist on every track of an album. 

4. JAMAICAN E.T. (2002)

Perry released Jamaican E.T. in 2002 to instant critical acclaim. The album went on to win a Grammy Award in 2003 for best reggae album.

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5. THE REVOLUTION DUB (1975)

The Revolution Dub is a 10-track album by Perry’s studio band The Upsetters. The album has mostly Perry’s vocals on it and is a smooth compilation of bass sounds.