Perry's punky reggae party

The reggae pioneer Lee 'Scratch' Perry was the John Wayne of space cowboys. Now, he's curating this year's Meltdown festival and feels like Superman, he tells Ian Burrell

It may not be entirely obvious from his frequent outpourings of inter-stellar philosophy, but Lee "Scratch" Perry has gone on a health kick to get himself straight. The eccentric reggae production genius has cut down on his intake of red meat and stopped drinking wine. He has even given up smoking the sacred herb. At the age of 67, the man who pioneered the dub sound, produced some of Bob Marley's best-loved material and inspired artists from Sir Paul McCartney to The Clash is under doctor's orders to clean up his lifestyle. "If I want to stay alive, then I've got to stop smoke. I have to stop joke. I don't eat pork, red meat anymore, I don't drink wine anymore and I never take coke," he explains poetically.

The results are remarkable and Perry's medical practitioner – a "Dr Harry Krishna" – is said to be delighted. "I feel 100 per cent stronger. Now I'm feeling like Superman!" says the Jamaican producer who once called himself Super Ape. News of Perry's fine fettle is mostwelcome, coming as it does ahead of his imminent artistic directorship of London's ambitious Meltdown music festival. For three weeks on the South Bank, Scratch will oversee performances by a spectacular array of global artists. "The word 'meltdown' mean to make over, to recreate and wipe out what is to be wiped out," he says. "To wipe out the evil spirits you have to select only the good spirits. I'm looking forward to this as a victory for Hai-Lee Scratch Perry and the people who believe in God."

Among Perry's many other nicknames and aliases is The Upsetter, reflecting his desire to break the mould. Thus, the spiritual cousins that Perry and his team have brought together in what he calls a "melting pot" include a range of misfits and mavericks from rock party animals Fun Lovin' Criminals to rap messiahs Public Enemy. Scratch himself is due to appear on stage with the trip-hop bad boy Tricky and the leftfield soul diva Macy Gray. It is an all-star line-up, as Perry himself is happy to acknowledge. "I only could choose the best. Only the best is good enough," he says.

The creator of some of the classic moments in reggae history, including Max Romeo's "War Ina Babylon", Junior Murvin's "Police and Thieves" and Heart of the Congos byThe Congos, Perry the Upsetter is himself upset at the lack of financial reward he has received from record companies for his work. The material Scratch made with the Wailers has become the most bootlegged in the band's repertoire, thanks to long-standing copyright confusion. Further grievances stem from the loss of tapes recorded at Black Ark studio in Kingston, Jamaica, which he burnt down in 1983 after a nervous breakdown.

Perry no longer likes to be known as "The Godfather of Reggae" and often expresses resentment at the direction Jamaican music has taken since he left the island for Europe. Nevertheless, one of the highlights of Meltdown must surely be the bringing together of some of Jamaica's greatest stars in the shape of former Black Uhuru vocalist Michael Rose and the mighty drums and bass of Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare to perform some of Perry and Marley's joint compositions.

Guest vocals will be delivered by Neville Staples, formerly of The Specials and Fun Boy Three, Rankin' Roger, once of The Beat, and Skin, who sang with rock band Skunk Anansie. Perry himself has also agreed to exercise his marijuana-free larynx on the night (Saturday 14 June). "No problem. You have to have a bit of the past," he says, adding cryptically: "It was rebel and mixing with devil but in the case of good over evil God have to conquer the rebels."

It is not entirely clear whether Perry personally nominated all of the artists due to perform at the 11th Meltdown. Asked how his line-up would measure up to the package put together by last year's director David Bowie, Scratch appears to think that the Thin White Duke might be among his own guests. "It would be wonderful to have David Bowie there," he ponders. "I am one of his fans, I love David Bowie."

In fact, Meltdown opens on Sunday 8 June with a performance at the Royal Festival Hall by the African artist Alpha Blondy, who Perry describes as having "a good spirit, he has a good soul – he's good inside".

Scratch hopes that the festival will attract an open-minded crowd. "I think people looking for the solution and people looking for salvation will be coming to the show and I think people will be very happy to know that this is the victory they have been waiting for and the time has come for the change." This change, he says, could "not happen nowhere else but in England", his lucky country.

"I am 100 per cent good-lucky in England. 'Punky Reggae Party' [a Bob Marley and the Wailers track] was written in England, London, Great Britain. And everything I do in England is a big success." "Punky Reggae Party" reflected the crossover between the two music genres in the late Seventies and Perry became a favourite with the likes of the Sex Pistols and The Clash, for whom he produced a version of "Complete Control".

Perry came to England after the loss of the Black Ark, working with English reggae producers including Neil "Mad Professor" Fraser and Adrian Sherwood. Then, in 1989, he moved to Switzerland with his new wife Mireille Ruegg, a bright Zurich businesswoman who he met after she attended one of his concerts. The couple now live with their children in a family home overlooking Lake Zurich, and Mireille is Scratch's manager. "It's extremely glorious and wonderful in Switzerland," Perry says. "I was crowned in Switzerland and rain come and snow come and ice to crown me in the Swiss mountains."

Though some of his pronouncements may appear to be not of this world, Perry is not as hat-stand as he sometimes makes out. He breaks off at one point in the interview and lucidly dictates an address to his wife. He also seems impressed by news of the West Indies' historic Test match victory over Australia in Antigua, remarking that "this means the West Indies is stepping up".

Whether or not it has anything to do with giving up his once-treasured weed, Lee Perry has kept sight of his place in the pantheon of musical greats and knows that Meltdown 2003 gives him an opportunity to highlight his legacy.

"Everything you see there, it has to be there for the recreation of my brain and the recreation of my throne and my crown," he says. "I am the King and the Queen no longer exists. I am the money. Mr L for pounds, Mr S for dollars and Mr P for power." Indeed.

Lee 'Scratch' Perry's Meltdown 03, 8-30 June, South Bank Centre, London SE1 (020-7960 4242)