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Lee "Scratch" Perry (Photo Credit: Phyllis Pollack)
Grammy winning reggae legend Lee Scratch Perry’s August 25 concert at Hollywood’s Key Club on Sunset Strip lit a flame in more ways than one. The self-proclaimed madman stunned the crowd as he flicked a lighter, and held its full flame to his tongue for at least a full three seconds. The stunned audience cheered him on, as bewildered fans watched, in a combination of astonishment, confusion, horror and amazement. Unscathed, Perry proceeded to make a statement about fire, followed by exaltations to Haile Selassie. “I am the internet and the outer net,” Perry also proclaimed.
No stranger to fire, Perry burned down his famously revered Jamaican Black Ark Studios in 1979. Perry recently told me, “If there is too much corruption in the place where you do things, you have to burn it, or you have to flood it. Either by water or by fire. So people wonder, how do you have the best studio in the world and burn it down. Look how much I believe in God that I sacrifice it.”
As witnessed at last night’s concert, not even fire can stop this gifted producer and performer. Nor can flame stop the prolific tongue of this brilliant rhyme master, and dub artist.
With a wicked sense of humor, Perry combines lyrics about sexuality, materialism, politics and corruption, laced with spirituality in a way that may seem contradictory at first glance, but when taken in as a whole, project a logical, well-thought out world view. “I know not everybody understand,” acknowledged Perry on stage. For those who understand however, Perry is nothing less than an international lyrical and musical treasure.
It is difficult to summarize Perry’s musical importance and his countless contributions to popular culture. Perry has released over fifty albums, an amazing feat in itself. Having started working in the music business back in the Fifties, Perry’s first record was 1961’s “Chicken Scratch.” Perry’s first hit, “People Funny Boy,” released in 1968 on his Upsetter label, was instrumental in helping shape what would become known as reggae music.
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Lee "Scratch" Perry (Photo credit: Phyllis Pollack)
His experimental work with dub was nothing less than groundbreaking. Perry aptly proved, “Dub Take The Voodoo Out Of Reggae.” A much sought producer, Perry worked with musicians including Junior Murvin, Junior Byles, David Isaacs, The Congos, and Max Romeo, including his “War Out Of Babylon.” There was also Perry’s work with this studio band, originally known as Gladdy’s All Stars,” the house group known as the Upsetters. Add to the mix, his studio work with Earl George “Bagga” Walker. Perry also put in work with the seminal reggae group The Heptones, on tracks like “Fatties,” and throughout the years. Perry has worked under a variety of monikers, as his name changed on album credits from time to time.
Perry’s production for Bob Marley and The Wailers yielded important works, as well. Their Perry-produced Soul Rebel tracks and their second album, Soul Revolution, also produced by Perry, are reggae essentials. Perry also worked with U.K. rockers The Clash on their Complete Control, and Joe Strummer and company later recorded Junior Murvin’s “Police And Thieves,” which had been co-written and produced by Perry. Even all of this is just a small sample of his accomplishments, and of those with whom he has worked and recorded with, artists ranging from the Beastie Boys to George Clinton. Perry’s Scratch Came, Scratch Saw, Scratch Conquered included two tracks featuring Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards.
Perry was the first person to scratch vinyl (hence, the name "Scratch), a practice used in several musical genres, including hip hop, while DJs commonly scratch in clubs today. It was Perry who started all of this.
The Upsetter, deeply moved by his spiritual sentiments, also convinced the late Bob Marley to express his political beliefs on his recordings, as he did with others, including The Clash. Marley shared in the same religious beliefs as Perry, ones that were expressed repeatedly by Perry at last night’s show. Despite a business disagreement about music licensing rights, Perry and Marley continued to conspire together in the studio, and remained cordial.
Perry’s long-held religious convictions go with him wherever he is, and that included last night’s performance. Perry’s often sex-laced lyrics and on-stage comments put a different slant on sexual healing, and it is no surprise. It was 1990 when Perry released his Sexual Healing album on the Black Cat label, and it remains one of his longtime themes.
“I love you,” Perry yelled out to his audience, as his audience screamed back at him, “I love you!”
Now living in Switzerland, Perry’s Los Angeles concert date could not have been a minute too soon.
Perry entranced his audience from the show’s start to finish. He walked on stage, dragging a regulation size, imitation leopard fur suitcase, emblazoned with colorful emblems, including a drawing of Haile Selassie I, The Lion Of Judah, an actual CD with the colors of the Ethiopian flag, red, yellow and green, symbolic of Rastafarian culture, and two colorful United States government seals, the version seen on the back of a dollar bill. That only describes one side of the suitcase that Perry kept close to him on stage, which he never opened, until he was off stage, after the show.
The 73 year-old Perry walked on to the stage, dressed to the nines. If Keith Richards is an interesting stylist, one could argue that Perry may have outdone him. Perry, dressed in a black velvet, semi-length, designer Christian Audigier Ed Hardy jacket, complete with a Lion of Judah on it, strutted on stage, donning his bright purple dye that lights up his hair and beard. His beautifully ornate, custom made Christian Audigier designer jacket was accompanied by a white Christian Audigier t-shirt.
Perry’s predominately light brown leather boots, with leather fringe, green heels, red and yellow patterns, a picture of Haile Selassie I, and the Lion of Judah, added to his dressed to kill demeanor. There was also what appeared to be an embossed or imprinted skull on his right shoe. The incredible amount of jewelry on his fingers, neck and hat to go with all of this accentuated Perry’s fashion statement.
Not be outdone by any of the rest of his clothing, his Capri-length white pants revealed striped knee high socks that were yellow, hot pink, purple, aqua, blue and orange. All together, it all looked pretty good. With clothes like this, who needs dreads?
Perry’s enchanting couture could not have been a better choice, given who he is.
Throughout his performance, Perry relentlessly, softly and rhythmically paced back and forth across the stage, showering the audience with lyrics that Perry delivers seemingly effortlessly, as the band pulsated his tracks.
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Lee "Scratch" Perry walks it like he talks it. (Photo credit: Phyllis Pollack)
Perry’s comments on stage were of unity, universal love, his belief in Haile Selassie I and Jesus.
“Did you choose your right king?” he asked the crowd. “Find your right god?” he queried, as he spoke of “One god” and his religious faith. As would be expected to those familiar with Perry’s music, he also made references to Hare Krishna, and other spiritual teachings, in an expression of one love and university. Perry delivered his lyrics, often filled with the struggle between spiritual versus physical, and the places they share in common, as well as their contrasts, sometimes quoting biblical references, including, “I am that I am,” from Exodus 3:14.
The pulsating, rhythm driven music that he flowed with was played with a 4-piece band.
Perry urged a few women in the audience to come on stage and dance while he performed.
Perry performed songs including “Jungle," “I Am A Madman,” “Inspector Gadjet,” “Roast Fish And Cornbread,” “War Dance,” "De Devil Dead," "Sun Is Shining," “War In A Babylon,” and “One Drop.” Perry also delivered his very danceable and joyous “Pun-Pun,” in which he preaches, “Pussy may come and pussy may go, but Jesus Christ remains.”
At the end of the show, Perry began freestyling, intermittently saying, “I gotta go,” and he soon approached his suitcase, and dragged it off stage with him.
To the audience’s elation, the legendary reggae artist returned for a long encore.
Perry was not just blowing smoke. The concert was pure fire.
Perry finally left the venue with his suitcase, no doubt ready to catch the Night Train.
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http://www.examiner.com/x-19141-Hollywood-Concerts-Examiner~y2009m8d22-Grammy-winning-reggae-legend-Lee-Scratch-Perry-urge-Michael-Jackson-not-to-bleach-his-skin-color
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