Lee 'Scratch' Perry has died.
The Jamaican Observer confirmed the news after speaking to representatives from his family, with the legendary producer passing away at the age of 85.
Entering Jamaican music as a kid running alongside soundsystems, Lee 'Scratch' Perry built up his knowledge quickly, in one of the toughest music playing fields on the planet.
Initially recording ska, he developed his musical voice as the percussive impact of Jamaican music deepened.
A continual pioneer, he scored bona fide UK chart hits with The Upsetters, providing British skinheads with many of their early anthems.
It's as a studio innovator that his reputation rests. One of the true pioneers of dub, Lee 'Scratch' Perry's endlessly innovative take on bass abstraction pushed back the boundaries for musicians across the world.
Building his Black Ark studio, Perry used the base as a hub for daring sonic experiments, resulting in a seemingly endless string of astonishing albums as the 70s progressed.
Yet personal fears over the Jamaican music scene saw Lee 'Scratch' Perry burn the studio down at the end of the 70s; instead, he became a global wanderer.
Embraced by the post-rave generation, his latter recordings saw the producer develop close associations with much younger artists – such as The Orb – as his innovations continued.
An artist who crafted a truly singular universe, he most recently lived in Switzerland with his wife Mireille, and their two children. He had four other children in various parts of the globe.
Clash spoke to Lee 'Scratch' Perry at length at decade ago, discussing his roots in Jamaican sound system culture, his thirst for innovation, and his family life – find that profile HERE.
