We speak about the architect of dub in the present tense because the mystery and magic of his energy continues to surround us. It lives through an unbreakable legacy that has revolutionised music; a legacy originating from one of the most significant music creators of the last 100 years.
Without doubt, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry is an orphic channeller, a superhero, a Black Ark Magician; he’s an oracle and a cosmic channeller projecting a fountain of disconnected oracular statements and streams of consciousness. He bedazzles and discombobulates; cackling at his own riddles; speaking from another realm. It reveals his inner anarchist in duality with an eccentricity laced with boundless humour.
‘Spaceship To Mars’, due for release September 13th via Creation Youth Records, epitomises the spirit of Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and how it lives through those of us who are obsessives of this mystery of a man – and who’s discography continues to be contested to this day. He is said to have made something in the region of 2000 albums. This album though, is one he started with Youth in the third dimension – and oversaw to completion from an unquantifiable one.
Each artist featured is as fervent about Scratch and his works as the next. The original backing tracks infused with his incantations are sprinkled with the vocals of these lyricists; creating a sublime tapestry harking back to 70s Scratch. The psychic rapport is evident. Youth calls it “Voodoo magic meets raiders of the lost ark.” It sums up the cosmic coming together of an album that’s been a good seven years in the making. With the energy of his voice, he turns a grainy black and white world into colour. And the artists on this album – Carroll Thompson, Blue Pearl, Zoe Devlin, RDF, Boy George, Hollie Cook – evidently feel this as lyricists and song writers in their own right who have synchronised so effortlessly with the sounds of Scratch.
The day we met him in 2017 after he played Guilford’s Boiler Room venue, is the day we realised that anything is possible. The stairs going up to the backstage area were rammed with people trying to get a look in. We had to fight to get through then asked to wait. His tiny form was larger than life as he walked into the private room with open arms and a beaming smile. Nobody knew what would happen next or where the conversation would go. Youth remained composed, steering the conversation with fluidity. Taking the lead from Scratch, we found ourselves traversing a spontaneous discussion about sex and spirituality, art and astrology.
Mid-conversation, Scratch pulls three cards from an Egyptian tarot pack, seemingly, from thin air: Ma’at – the Goddess of Truth, Osiris – God of the Afterlife and Isis – Goddess of Healing and Magic. Powerful cards with profound meanings that resonate with our reality now as much as they did back then. An urban shaman, his ritualised rejection of consumerist state-controlled power; witnessed when he burnt down the Black Ark Studio. A new incarnation of it is in the works, thanks to his love, Mirielle – a studio that will see younger generations evolve new sounds into the future – sounds through which Scratch will continue to live.
He once wrote a letter to the Japanese Minister of Justice on the behalf of Paul McCartney explaining the benefits of Collie Weed. And why not? Midway through his conversation with Youth, he asks for a hug and we get into conversations about birthdays, families and star signs – revealing a humorous, gentle and funny soul. On stage, he plays with the elements by making circles. “Fire and water,” he confirms; then begins to scratch his head of bright red hair. “Here, look my hair. My hair’s funny.” There is meaning to be found. “I’m a fish trying to look like a human being,” he tells us. And he has advice for new generations of musicians. On these sleeve notes, we will leave you with this: “You should wake up early and look into the sun, but not too long, ’cos the sun a ball of fire and it burn out your eye. But love the sun because without the sun you’ll be too cold. You’ll be freeze if you don’t have any heat. And don’t eat no more meat and eat no more beef and stop eat fish. And then you become immortal.
Words by Anu Sharma.
Thoughts Words Action 