The Upsetters

The Upsetters served as the enduring house band for producer Lee "Scratch" Perry and lent their playing to numerous landmark reggae releases, among them the Wailers' first chart successes. Their name derived directly from Perry's 1968 hit single "The Upsetter," a designation he likewise gave to his own imprint. Although personnel shifted constantly, with any available studio musician stepping in the moment recording began, several prominent Jamaican players moved through the ranks, among them brothers Aston and Carlton Barrett along with Sly Dunbar, Glen Adams, Winston Wright and Boris Gardiner. While the group itself notched a few successes, notably the 1969 track "Return of Django," its chief renown came from backing other artists; the most far-reaching of these associations occurred with the Wailers across the late 1960s and early 1970s on such pivotal cuts as "Duppy Conqueror," "Small Axe" and "Soul Rebel."