Roots Archives Forum

I know that Lee Perry has created a plethora of albums and I only own a few but I was just wondering if people could suggest me their favorite records of Scratch?

I currently own:
Lee Perry and Freinds - Build the Ark
Lee Perry - Super Ape
Lee Perry - From the secret laboratory
Lee Perry - Wonderman Years
Lee Perry - Arkology

I have many others produced by him but on which he doesn't feature. (E.g. Heart of the Congos)

I have heard many times that it is a bit 'hit and miss' with Lee perry some records being some of the finest reggae, others being a dissapointment. So that's why I need some guidance.

Jungle lion is quite a nice cd of mostly good Perry productions

Archive series is an intresting cd with some great tracks and some ropey ones

If you can get the "dub triptych" double cd set this will give you three Perry dub albums, two of them early. its not outstanding music but it has some amazing moments and is overall very good.

Musical Bones, enter the dragon and return of the wax are also available in a set of 3 don't remember the name, but enter the dragon is great and musical bones is very good.

If you enjoyed super ape then you should get columbia colly by Jah lion (llyod) and Natty Passing through by Prince Jazzbo as they have a very similar vibe to super ape

those are the Perry albums that I think are worth seeking out, after you've listerned to those you'll be so hooked on his music that you'll end up buying everything he produced.... trust me ... it's already happened to a lot of people on this forumn

I would tend to avoid anything post 1980 while your first getting into Perry. Post the demise of the Black Ark he turned to talking gibberish over records, some poeple love this, but I'm guessing that based on the albums you mentioned above then your more intrested in his 70's output

another tip would be to avoid bargin priced cd's as chances are they will be fakes that have nothing to do with Perry

Another advise would be to go to Mick Sleeper's eternal thunder site where Mick has spent hours looking at each Perry release and advising us what's worth listening to and what is a bit rubbish, or indeed fake.

War Ina Babylon
Blackboard Jungle Dub
Megaton Dub
Heart Of The Ark

From the albums that he voiced himself I like "Roast Fish, Collie Weed & Corn Bread" best.
Pure genius!

Thanks Congo Bunny! NottyDread, if you are new to Lee Perry's music, his vast catalog can be a confusing thing to navigate. There are lot of great collections, a lot of mediocre albums, and also a lot of bogus collections that you should avoid.

There are some good suggestions here, but for more details, check out the discography section of my Lee Perry website. I've spent the last 15 years being a Scratch nerd, reviewing hundreds of compilations and albums:

http://www.upsetter.net/scratch/disco

Good luck and happy listening!

for r&b, ska and rocksteady you must check Chicken Scratch on Studio One / Heartbeat

from the Black Ark I like Scratch and Company which is credited to the Upsetters

enjoy the music!

Thanks for all your replies I will try and seek some of these records out.

@Mick Sleeper, i'll make sure that I check out your site, sounds very useful/informative just what I need for Scratch's work. What a great resource you've created for LSP fans.

@Congo Bunny, thanks your suggestions were very helpful. I hadn't even heard of some of the records you suggested.

@Peace Pipe, I have heard many people commend "Roast Fish, Collie weed, and Cornbread" it will be the next one I listen to I think.

Does anybody have any thoughts on 'History, Mystery, Prophecy.' I understood that it was Perry trying to be more commericial (said in a rather critical way) but one of my freinds said that the album was one of their all time favorites. ????

I would also recommend

"Open The Gate"
"Rastafari Liveth"
"Larks From The Ark"
"Cutting Razor"
"Dry Acid"
"Public Jestering"
"Voodooism"
"Produced And Directed by"
"Divine Madness"
"Words of My Mouth"
"Version Like Rain"
"Chapter 2 of Words"
"Chapter 3 Live As One"
"Black Arkives"
"Truth And Wizdom"
"Wizdom"
"Give Me Power"
"Shocks Of Mighty"

These are all excellent various artist CD`s covering period late 60`s through late 70`s. There is some duplication of tracks but each one is worth having on its on merit.

Also, none of them are bogus and they are all released through very reputable labels.

Also worth getting is "Soundz From The Hotline" and "Dub Tryptich" which are also excellent.

Yes, Soundzs From The Hotline is excellent. History Mystery Prophecy - not so much! Here are my reviews...

*History, Mystery, Prophecy* is one of the weakest Lee Perry solo albums. Recorded at a time when Scratch had a long-standing grudge with Island Records, it sounds as if he was forced into a new wave lounge act at the Holiday Inn, complete with skinny black leather tie and other 1980s affectations. The songs all have a watered down, synth pop sound to them, and more often than not border on embarrassing. The album is saved by a few good songs: "Mr. Music", an enjoyable pop reggae groove, "Daniel" (AKA "Jah Road Block"), and the hilarious, X-rated "Bed Jamming".

---

The sleeve notes call *Soundzs From The Hotline* "the missing link in the Lee Perry legacy", and it's one hell of a link. Although *Roast Fish Collie Weed And Cornbread* stands as Scratch's only solo album from the 1970s, *Soundzs From The Hotline* acts as a second solo album made up of mostly unreleased 1970s productions. References to Pipecock Jackxon (an alter ego Scratch assumed circa 1980) date some of the songs from that period; others sound as if they date from the glory days of the Black Ark. Still others date back to the early 1970s and feature rhythms recorded at Randy's. The odd man out is "Ashes And Dust", which is "Vibrate On" with new vocals and samples, recorded at Channel One in 1982. Everything here is pure midnight magic, with Scratch at his best over crisp and heavy rhythms. Highly recommended.

Does "Soundzs From The Hotline" exist on vinyl or CD only?