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People Funny Boy: The Genius of Lee 'Scratch' Perry
Arguably the most influential force in Jamaican music, Lee Perry brought Bob Marley to international stardom and has since collaborated with artists such as Sir Paul McCartney, The Clash and The Beastie Boys. The book delves behind the myth of Perry to give a fuller examination of his life and work through extensive interviews with family members, fellow artists, friends, lovers, enemies, as well as the man himself to present a complex portrait of a unique soul driven by unseen spiritual forces. This revised edition contains new information on Perry's recent years, including his Grammy Award and cessation of herb smoking. The text has been thoroughly revised, making the new edition a more factually accurate and greatly improved read.
542 pages, Paperback
First published November 17, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 13, 2016
I really wanted to enjoy this and it had been on my 'to read' list for years. My wife picked this up in a charity shop before Christmas and this most definitely was my 'most-looked-forward-to' Christmas read.
That said, I can't but feel a little disappointed by this book. There is potential in here for a truly fantastic book but I think the book needs edited quite a lot. I think one could easily lose 100 pages and still have a better book. I wanted to devour this book but it took weeks to get through and I use the term 'get through' deliberately. It felt like a real chore getting through this book and quite hard work.
The main reason for this is the infuriating habit of introducing every single person who ever worked with Perry. Not just major players - everyone! We hear where and when people were born, what their parents were called and what jobs they did and what job they did. Then we get onto their entire recording career! I could understand doing this for significant people (Coxsone Dodd, Bob Marley etc.) but really - the person who owned the record shop across the road???? I also have a minor gripe in a book so thorough also has a few small inaccuracies. If one is going to spend so long on such small detail let's get it right!
As a fan of Perry's work for a number of years you do get a fascinating look into his life. Because Perry is quite possibly mentally unwell and definitely unstable and has spent much of the last 40 years speaking in riddles it's quite hard to write a conventional biography. It's hard getting into Perry's head and once you think you have got a grip on him he changes perspective and focus. As a consequence of this Katz interviews as many sources as possible to cover Perry's life and career, both personally and musically.
The upshot of this is that there are many voices in here and Katz presents them equally valid and everyone is invited to contribute. This gives the book a sense of authenticity. It is much a history of Jamaican music as it is of Perry's work.
I think the book is exceptionally honest. Katz is clearly a fan and acknowledges Perry as a genius. Anyone familiar with his work would find this hard to disagree with. From the Ska of the 60's, a pioneer of Reggae in the 70's and one of the top two or three people in the creation of Dub Perry's music transcends time. He was significant in breaking the Wailers through and involved in so many important hits of the 70's. His work in other genres and change in perspective from a producer and engineer to a live act and vocalist in the 80's is covered well. I would argue that the Discography at the end of the book is superb and an essential addition to the book - I'm really grateful for it's inclusion.
Katz is honest about Perry's failings. His colleagues comments over recompense for musical collaboration are covered ('Perry paid me nothing') although Perry often claims the same happened to him. It's clear that the decades of unscrupulous and unauthorised Perry releases have not seen royalties head his way. Perry's quite shocking treatment of partners is covered without glamourizing. Perry often had affairs, fathered children, moved countries and shacked up with another without even notifying the person looking after his family. Perry often expressed shock that people weren't there for him whenever he returned...
Perry's public bust-ups with pretty much everyone he worked with and collaborated with are featured and although Perry's comments are highlighted pretty much everyone has a right of reply.
One could read this book and actually feel like they don't like Perry much but there is something quite special about him. He has always been ahead of his time and maybe does come from space. He's made beautiful music, music to dance to, music to relax to, music to think and sometimes quite a lot of unlistenable shit! Katz does have an opinion on Perry's work and is honest about what he feels is good or not (I'd disagree with him on a few pieces but I think the important part is that Katz doesn't say everything is great).
My favourite chapters were about the early days, hey day and eventual destruction of the Black Ark. It was great reading about the stories of the great music made. Perhaps a 'history of the Black Ark' book would have been more focussed and inherently a better book.
Not a great book but a great story. Worth picking up for the discography alone and don't forget to listen to Perry's work as you read this!
That said, I can't but feel a little disappointed by this book. There is potential in here for a truly fantastic book but I think the book needs edited quite a lot. I think one could easily lose 100 pages and still have a better book. I wanted to devour this book but it took weeks to get through and I use the term 'get through' deliberately. It felt like a real chore getting through this book and quite hard work.
The main reason for this is the infuriating habit of introducing every single person who ever worked with Perry. Not just major players - everyone! We hear where and when people were born, what their parents were called and what jobs they did and what job they did. Then we get onto their entire recording career! I could understand doing this for significant people (Coxsone Dodd, Bob Marley etc.) but really - the person who owned the record shop across the road???? I also have a minor gripe in a book so thorough also has a few small inaccuracies. If one is going to spend so long on such small detail let's get it right!
As a fan of Perry's work for a number of years you do get a fascinating look into his life. Because Perry is quite possibly mentally unwell and definitely unstable and has spent much of the last 40 years speaking in riddles it's quite hard to write a conventional biography. It's hard getting into Perry's head and once you think you have got a grip on him he changes perspective and focus. As a consequence of this Katz interviews as many sources as possible to cover Perry's life and career, both personally and musically.
The upshot of this is that there are many voices in here and Katz presents them equally valid and everyone is invited to contribute. This gives the book a sense of authenticity. It is much a history of Jamaican music as it is of Perry's work.
I think the book is exceptionally honest. Katz is clearly a fan and acknowledges Perry as a genius. Anyone familiar with his work would find this hard to disagree with. From the Ska of the 60's, a pioneer of Reggae in the 70's and one of the top two or three people in the creation of Dub Perry's music transcends time. He was significant in breaking the Wailers through and involved in so many important hits of the 70's. His work in other genres and change in perspective from a producer and engineer to a live act and vocalist in the 80's is covered well. I would argue that the Discography at the end of the book is superb and an essential addition to the book - I'm really grateful for it's inclusion.
Katz is honest about Perry's failings. His colleagues comments over recompense for musical collaboration are covered ('Perry paid me nothing') although Perry often claims the same happened to him. It's clear that the decades of unscrupulous and unauthorised Perry releases have not seen royalties head his way. Perry's quite shocking treatment of partners is covered without glamourizing. Perry often had affairs, fathered children, moved countries and shacked up with another without even notifying the person looking after his family. Perry often expressed shock that people weren't there for him whenever he returned...
Perry's public bust-ups with pretty much everyone he worked with and collaborated with are featured and although Perry's comments are highlighted pretty much everyone has a right of reply.
One could read this book and actually feel like they don't like Perry much but there is something quite special about him. He has always been ahead of his time and maybe does come from space. He's made beautiful music, music to dance to, music to relax to, music to think and sometimes quite a lot of unlistenable shit! Katz does have an opinion on Perry's work and is honest about what he feels is good or not (I'd disagree with him on a few pieces but I think the important part is that Katz doesn't say everything is great).
My favourite chapters were about the early days, hey day and eventual destruction of the Black Ark. It was great reading about the stories of the great music made. Perhaps a 'history of the Black Ark' book would have been more focussed and inherently a better book.
Not a great book but a great story. Worth picking up for the discography alone and don't forget to listen to Perry's work as you read this!
August 18, 2012
A brilliant biography of one of the most eccentric music producers ever known. Covers all Perry's career, from Studio One to the glorious Island recordings. The discography at the end of the book is great, ideal for any obsessive collector of Perry's recordings to track down some of those obscure gems. Katz' work in this book is more like an academic text book than a music biography, an excellent and thorough work.
April 26, 2022
Highly recommended for fans of one of the most important (and mysterious) artists of the 20th century. This updated version (original pressing published 2001) traces Perry's activities in the new millennium, up to his untimely passing from physical form in 2021. He mystified fans and collaborators with his idiosyncratic mannerisms and esoteric, shamanistic approach to music making and to life as a whole. Whether one believes in magick or not, it's hard to deny that Lee "Scratch" Perry, if anyone, seems to be spiritually connected to some higher force that acts as his guide, according to Perry, telling him what to do next in his progressions. Katz does an excellent job of conveying the methods to the madness of such a fascinating persona. Testimony from fellow producers and musicians, friends and (sometimes) foes, lovers and family, who experienced the Upsetter firsthand illustrate the imagination and inventiveness, excellence and excess, fame and fortune to frustration, isolation and sometimes belligerence that this complex and sometimes self-contradicting personality manifested. The good, the bad and the ugly is all in here with stories, anecdotes and an excellent selection of discographical references spanning over six decades. 5 Stars!
Check out the full review on my website, www.cultchaclash.com - https://cultchaclash.blogspot.com/202...
Check out the full review on my website, www.cultchaclash.com - https://cultchaclash.blogspot.com/202...
March 21, 2021
One of the fun things about re-reading this brilliant book today is having You Tube at my finger tips and thus I can listen all those excellent rare tracks mentioned by Katz throughout the book. Timeless
May 4, 2024
Found this on hardback in a charity shop..in fact one of two copies and was surprised to find this in the wild like this.
Anyhow very pleased I picked it up..my introduction to Perry was a Reggae compilation years back which contained tracks he had worked on such as war in a babylon and police and thieves which I guess was the draw me being aware of the Clash version.
This was on cassette but since then I've owned some Perry on various formats really showing he has remained of interest.
This book shows the bewildering amount of releases he managed over the decades of his life, of varieing quality but to be honest such was his prolific nature that this in unavoidable.
The book also looks at his sometimes troubled private life , substance use and eccentricities, whether his mental health informed his art is a question you ponder but alike Joe Meek or Phil Spector you can't help but feel it did.
A good book if you care about Perry but in honesty if not you may find this tedious as it really focuses heavily on the work he produced.
Anyhow very pleased I picked it up..my introduction to Perry was a Reggae compilation years back which contained tracks he had worked on such as war in a babylon and police and thieves which I guess was the draw me being aware of the Clash version.
This was on cassette but since then I've owned some Perry on various formats really showing he has remained of interest.
This book shows the bewildering amount of releases he managed over the decades of his life, of varieing quality but to be honest such was his prolific nature that this in unavoidable.
The book also looks at his sometimes troubled private life , substance use and eccentricities, whether his mental health informed his art is a question you ponder but alike Joe Meek or Phil Spector you can't help but feel it did.
A good book if you care about Perry but in honesty if not you may find this tedious as it really focuses heavily on the work he produced.
October 18, 2019
Definitely DEFINITIVE. Katz goes into microscopic detail about Lee Perry’s life, from his childhood, early rudeboy years and up to his 80s-00s assimilation. I would have given this 5 stars, but i felt is had TOO MUCH detail and may put off some readers who arent that familiar with Perry’s amazing music. The fact that Lee Perry stall walks the ert and tours at 82 is a brilliant achievement!
September 19, 2020
Insightful. Legendary. One of the best. I learned a lot about Perry from reading this
October 28, 2025
Amazing work, deeply researched and yet easy to read. Thank you for the music and vibes Scratch!
October 18, 2014
I've been working on this book for a year, more than that, even. It's a compendium of artists, songs, studios, riddims, records, sound systems, lovers, haters and music industry executives -- and it reads like one. I love reading about Scratch's personal life, but the intricacies of who played on each track he ever produced has -- so far -- bogged down this book.
September 19, 2012
As a deep reggae fan, I don't mind all the recording session details especially renamed tracks, dub versions etc. The second half of the book has a lot of lol moments, especially Scratch's behavior in the 80's.
The Jamaican recording industry is rife with mysteries. This book uncovers more of them.
The Jamaican recording industry is rife with mysteries. This book uncovers more of them.
July 21, 2007
Man, but this is a good book. David Katz was hand picked by Scratch to be his biographer, and had unprecedented access to his life and family. This book is meticulously interviewed and researched, and aside from the inevitable pages of trainspotter discography fetishizing, very entertaining.
September 6, 2007
A bit too long for it's own good, Perry's a genius, but I think his tale is better told in Katz's other book where other voices are heard in helping the Super Ape's story be told in the context of the times.
January 4, 2022
Wow, this is a hefty tome. The research that has gone into it is phenomenal but this gives it a quite dry feel. At times it feels like you’re reading a catalogue of studio recordings, personnel, record companies, live engagements etc. A little more unbridled enthusiasm would not have gone amiss.
September 13, 2016
Obviously a labor of love by David Katz -- 500 small-print pages about Jamaican musical innovator Lee Perry. Only caveat: you'd definitely want to be a Perry fan to take this on.
August 5, 2011
I love many of Lee Perry's records, but this book gets bogged down in too much detail about recording sessions.
November 16, 2012
Exhaustive in detail, full of surprising and sometimes shocking anecdotes. Everything you could ever want to know about the genius madman.
October 27, 2013
Exhaustive, and exhausting! Well worth it if you have an interest in Jamaican music history but perhaps a bit too detailed on the discography side of things for the casual reader.
January 31, 2016
David Katz is the perfect guy to write this book, and it points to LSP's genius that he roped Katz into doing it. Put "Heart of the Congos" on automatic replay and read this.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews