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The Upsetters
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The Upsetters

The Upsetters were the house band for Jamaican reggae producer Lee "Scratch" Perry. The name of the band comes from Perry's nickname of Upsetter, after his song "I Am the Upsetter", a musical dismissal of his former boss Coxsone Dodd.

History

The Upsetters were originally Gladdy's All-Stars, led by pianist Gladstone Anderson, and they recorded the international hits "Live Injection" and "Return of Django". The double A-side release of "Return of Django" / "Dollar in the Teeth", peaked at No. 5 in the UK Singles Chart in November 1969. When other commitments prevented the All Stars from participating, another band named the Hippy Boys were recruited to do the subsequent tour in the United Kingdom. This line-up remained the studio band that is most associated with the name, going on to eventually form the nucleus of Bob Marley's backing band the Wailers.

The band included guitarist Alva Lewis, organist Glen Adams and brothers Aston "Family Man" Barrett and Carlton Barrett, on bass guitar and drums respectively. Under Lee "Scratch" Perry's direction, the band backed Bob Marley on a full-time basis, especially on the albums Soul Rebels and Soul Revolution Part II.

By 1972 the Barrett...

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Career timeline

Stories about The Upsetters from the JamaicansMusic archive, oldest first · 2024

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  1. 2024

    Music

    Aston ‘Family Man’ Barrett, Bassist and Backbone of the Wailers, Dies at 77

    The Kingston-born bassist whose lines anchor ‘Stir It Up,’ ‘No Woman, No Cry,’ ‘Jamming’ and ‘Could You Be Loved’ died on February 3, 2024 after what his family called a long medical battle. From the Upsetters to four decades leading the Wailers, Family Man defined how reggae bass is played.

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