LEE ‘SCRATCH’ PERRY’S SWISS STUDIO DESTROYED BY FIRE!

The Switzerland studio of legendary music producer Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry was destroyed by fire last Thursday.

Perry lost recording equipment, costumes, books and other personal items at the studio known as Secret Laboratory.

He blamed only himself for the tragedy.

“I forgot to out a candle and my whole Secret Laboratory burned out…Everything gone!!!! I am so sad and my wife is so mad,” Perry wrote on Facebook.

“My whole life collections, arts, my magic hats, my magic boots, ally my crazy show outfits and costumes: King Pope, General, Magician…All my electronics and studio equipment and my magic mic, books, music, CDs…” added Perry.

Born in Kendal, Hanover, the now 79-year-old Perry made his name in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s as a producer of penetrative music by a number of revolutionary artistes.

His Upsetter label produced some great reggae songs, including Small Axe and Duppy Conqueror by the Wailers; Beat Down Babylon (Junior Byles) and the album Heart of The Congos by the Congos.

Most of Perry’s productions were done at his Black Ark studio in Kingdom. Interestingly, claiming to be under stress, he set fire to that studio and destroyed it in 1978.

Perry, who is eccentric, has, however, maintained a cult-like following worldwide, and still tours and records.

In 2003, he won a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album with ‘Jamaican ET’.