Editing Lee "Scratch" Perry (section)

===The Black Ark===
In 1973, Perry built a studio in his back yard, [[Black Ark Studios|the Black Ark]], to have more control over his productions and continued to produce notable musicians such as [[Bob Marley and the Wailers]], [[Junior Byles]], [[Junior Murvin]], [[the Heptones]], [[the Congos]], and [[Max Romeo]]. He also started the Black Ark label, on which many of the productions from the studio appeared.<ref name=":2">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=liOx8tyfJwAC&pg=PA1|title=People Funny Boy – The Genius Of Lee 'Scratch' Perry|last=Katz|first=David|date=17 November 2009|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=978-0-85712-034-2|pages=175, 181–2|language=en}}</ref> With his own studio at his disposal, Perry's productions became more lavish, as the energetic producer was able to spend as much time as he wanted on the music he produced. Virtually everything Perry recorded in The Black Ark was done using basic recording equipment; through sonic sleight-of-hand, Perry made it sound unique. [[Paul Douglas (musician)|Paul Douglas]] mentions: <blockquote>"Scratch had a particular sound and everybody was fascinated by his sound. He had this way of putting things together; it was just his sound and it influenced a lot of people. I’ve even gone to the Black Ark with [[Eric Gale]] for that [[Negril (album)|Negril]] album; I remember myself and Val Douglas, we laid some tracks there, Eric Gale overdubbed stuff on there, but I honestly don't remember what happened to it."<ref name=":3">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=liOx8tyfJwAC&pg=PA1|title=People Funny Boy – The Genius Of Lee 'Scratch' Perry|last=Katz|first=David|date=2009-11-17|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=978-0-85712-034-2|pages=83|language=en}}</ref></blockquote>

Perry remained behind the mixing desk for many years, producing songs and albums that stand out as a high point in reggae history. He was known to remain in the studio for days at a time when mixing, taking no visitors or calls, and very little food or drink.<ref name="Bradley">{{cite book |last1=Bradley |first1=Lloyd |title=Reggae: The Story of Jamaican Music |date=2002 |publisher=BBC Worldwide |location=London, UK |isbn=0563488077 |page=60}}</ref>

By 1978, stress and unwanted outside influences began to take their toll: both Perry and the Black Ark quickly fell into a state of disrepair. Eventually, the studio burned to the ground. Perry has constantly insisted that he burned the Black Ark himself in a fit of rage.