Either Dollar in Teeth or Return of Django appear on just about every ska compilation ever...compiled. And they're seriously good tracks. Other than those two though I admit, my knowledge of Upsetters instrumentals was scanty. Anyway, the other week, after twenty years of not really being that bothered I decided to check out some of their other output. I pondered which track to post and was torn between Sipreano and Tipper Special. Ska and more so dub can test even my taste for repetition, but these two though I find thoroughly satisfying, mainly on account of their slight weirdness I think, a defining attribute of the famous Lee Perry production. Regarded as a legend in this household and I know all my friends feel the same way, is he famous in the real world?
I was going to leave it on the question there, but I spoke to my brother shortly after I'd written it and so I asked him. He had absolutely no idea who he was. Didn't even know what he did.
Anyway, Tipper Special. I opted for this one on the grounds that it's drier.
He's big here at Medd Towers too. Whether or not that makes him famous is another matter. But without him, Marley, I Roy and Tosh there would be no reggae, ska, blue beat or dub. Or Joe Strummer, probably.
ReplyDeleteI once taught a kid whose names was Lee Perry. I said 'you know there's a reggae artist with the same name as you?'. He said 'what's reggae?'
ReplyDeleteJohn - he played a gig in Holm Firth a bit back and I was tempted to try and get there from Sheffield with a few friends. We were a bit bemused at his choice of venue. But then there was that thing in the Guardian a few weeks ago, about how Huddersfield was a bit of a Mecca for Reggae artists on account of a German bloke there who made valves for amps.
ReplyDeleteSA - Oh dear.
My ten year old loves Perry. The two albums with the Orb are excellent, bonkers but brilliant
ReplyDeleteHe's the Spike Milligan of Reggae. And I mean that in a good way
ReplyDeleteIt's funny the way people seem to section a lot of music off from kids - I can understand why they'd want to shield them from profanity laden songs, but it's odd that a kid listening to, say, Can would seem somehow inappropriate.