This collection includes six previously unissued studio recordings and seven previously unreleased live recordings. This album was released at the dawn of the 21st century and was the return of Lee Perry to Trojan Records after fourteen years since his last album. This shows off The Upsetters eccentric and innovative approach to music-making and was released in 2000, it includes a blend of weird and wonderful sounds along with lyrics that range from being weird and absurd. This long overdue collection covers the original album along with unreleased recordings and live tracks. It is now time to review a selection of the tracks.
CD 1: ON THE WIRE
1. LEE ‘SCRATCH’ PERRY ON THE WIRE. Lee Perry screams his way into this and from start-to-finish we hear some weird spoken lyrics. The rhythm track is mid-tempo and has Perry doing more with the vocal, the track actually turns-out to be rather catchy. Pleasing way to open the collection. 3. FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS. Starting off with a bell sound it then has a spoken vocal. Moving on we listen to a full-on rhythm track on which the vocal is shared and some more so -called bell sounds. Overall this is catchy and although at 11 mins in duration it doesn’t ever become to much. 5. YES, MY FRIEND. A non-Reggae rhythm opens this 7min 01secs track before a full-on Reggae beat takes over. The vocal is powerful and there is some trombone behind, a catchy track. 7. SEASIDE (MYSTIC MIRROR). This opens with a mid-tempo rhythm track behind a lead vocal the is augmented by further vocals from time-to-time. Another lengthy track at 8mins 42cecs. 9. KEEP MOVING. This is actually Bob Marley & The wailers and most Jamaican music fans will have heard this before, maybe not this recording. It is the b side to a track titled ‘Disco Devil’ and was on 12″ when released in 1977. 10. BURN FUNKY. This starts with a spoken intro and then moves into a mid-tempo sound that has a catchy rhythm track. There is a lead vocal and some female chorus that comes and goes throughout.
CD 2: UNRELEASED STUDIO & LIVE RECORDINGS
1. KEEP ON MOVING (full mix). This features The Upsetters on a Bob Marley song and is Dub all the way. Nothing to write home about and at 2mins 48secs is well long enough. 3. JAH COME. This is a slower track and was originally titled ‘When Jah Comes ‘and vocalised by Devon Irons. This is credited to Lee Perry, make up your own mind. Plenty of bongo drumming on the rhythm track and one ends up listening to a full-on Roots Reggae recording 6. STARS IN THE BATHROOM. Live recordings starts off with a spoken vocal before moving into a fast Roots sound. The vocal continues to be spoken and although there is nothing special about this it does have a catchy feel. 7. SIX MILLION DOLLAR DUB (live) This starts with some weird spoken words and they continue throughout. The rhythm track is surprisingly catchy even though it does not go anywhere, for fans of the Dub genre it will not disappoint. 10. ROCKING ON THE WIRE (live). The vocal starts off with a long, shouted vocal and then moves into a fast, laid-back rhythm track. The vocal is spoken throughout and one hears vocal singers most of the way through, after the intro. interesting track this one and catchy. 11. WAR IN A BABYLON (live). This was also recorded by the late Max Romeo and here we have a semi-instrumental version. It comes with a laid-back vocal and a punchy rhythm track, at mid-tempo. This is a very pleasing version and very catchy, 5mins 18secs is not long enough in one’s opinion. 13. OPEN DOOR (live). Spoken intro once again before we hear a smoot rhythm track that does not have a Reggae beat. The vocal is good although hard to decipher, the overall track is catchy and a fine way to finish off the collection.
CONCLUSION
At the close of the 1990s, the unreleased live tracks were delivered to Trojan Records by Lee Perry. Annotated by official Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry biographer, David Katz this 2CD collection is a must for fans of Lee Perry’s extensive recording career and includes over two and a half hours of musical magic and mayhem. Presented to a high standard by Cherry Red Records with the usual 8 page informative booklet it is good value at £14 99p. Look out for the next Lee Perry collection due in August.