Symarip (also known at various stages of their career as The Bees, The Pyramids, Seven Letters and Zubaba) were a British ska and

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...

band, originating in the late 1960s, when Frank Pitter and Michael Thomas founded the band as The Bees. The band's name was originally spelled ''Simaryp'', which is an approximate reversal of the word ''pyramids''. Consisting of members of

West Indian A West Indian is a native or inhabitant of the West Indies (the Antilles and the Lucayan Archipelago). According to the ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED''), the term ''West Indian'' in 1597 described the indigenous inhabitants of the West In ...

descent, Simaryp is widely marked as one of the first

skinhead A skinhead or skin is a member of a subculture that originated among working-class youth in London, England, in the 1960s. It soon spread to other parts of the United Kingdom, with a second working-class skinhead movement emerging worldwide i ...

reggae bands, being one of the first to target skinheads as an audience. Their

hits Hits or H.I.T.S. may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * '' H.I.T.S.'', 1991 album by New Kids on the Block * ''...Hits'' (Phil Collins album), 1998 * ''Hits'' (compilation series), 1984–2006; 2014, a British compilation album s ...

included "Skinhead Girl", "Skinhead Jamboree" and " Skinhead Moonstomp", the latter based on the

Derrick Morgan Derrick Morgan OD (born 27 March 1940)Walters, Basil (2012)A New Day – Songs heralding JA’s Independence", ''Jamaica Observer'', 3 June 2012, retrieved 3 June 2012 is a Jamaican musical artist who was popular in the 1960s and 1970s. He w ...

song, " Moon Hop". They moved to Germany in 1971, performing reggae and

Afro-rock Afro rock is a Rock music, rock music genre that fuses Western rock instrumentation with traditional African musical elements, which emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Influences Afro rock draws heavily from traditional African music styl ...

under the name Zubaba. In 1980, the single "Skinhead Moonstomp" was re-issued in the wake of the

2 Tone Two-tone, two tone, or 2 tone, etc., may refer to: Audio and sound * Second-order intercept point#Two-tone analysis, Two-tone analysis, in nonlinear system measurement * Two-tone attention signal * Two-tone Warning chime, chime, such as the "ding ...

craze, hitting No. 54 on the UK Singles Chart. The band officially split in 1985 after releasing the album ''Drunk & Disorderly'' as The Pyramids. The album was released by

Ariola Records Ariola (also known as Ariola Records, Ariola Express, Ariola-Eurodisc and BMG Ariola) is a German record label. In the late 1980s, it was a subsidiary label of the Bertelsmann Music Group, which in turn has become a part of the international ...

and was produced by Stevie B. Pitter and Ellis moved back to England, where Ellis continued performing as a solo artist, sometimes using the stage name 'Mr. Symarip'. Mike Thomas met a Finnish woman while living in Switzerland and relocated to Finland doing the groundwork for the Finnish reggae culture through his band 'Mike T. Saganor'. Monty Neysmith moved to the United States, where he toured as a solo artist. In 2004,

Trojan Records Trojan Records is a British record label founded by Jamaican Duke Reid, Lee Gopthal and Chris Blackwell in 1968. It specialises in ska, rocksteady, reggae and dub music. The label currently operates under the Sanctuary Records Group. Th ...

released a

best of A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be creat ...

album including a new single by Neysmith and Ellis, "Back From the Moon". In 2005, Neysmith and Ellis performed together at Club Ska in England, and a recording of the concert was released on

Moon Ska Records Moon Ska Records was one of the most influential ska record labels of the 1980s and 1990s. The label operated from 1983 until 2000, and during those seventeen years, only released ska and ska-influenced music. Originally named ''Moon Records'', a ...

as ''Symarip – Live at Club Ska''. In April 2008, they headlined the Ska Splash Festival in

Lincolnshire Lincolnshire (), abbreviated ''Lincs'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber regions of England. It is bordered by the East Riding of Yorkshire across the Humber estuary to th ...

as Symarip, and later performed at the Endorse-It and Fordham Festivals. Pitter and Thomas now perform in a different band as ''Symarip Pyramid''. Their Back From The Moon Tour 2008–2009 was with The Pioneers. In 2009, to celebrate the rebirth of the band and the reunion of the two original members, Trojan Records released a compilation album, ''Ultimate Collection''. Pitter holds all copyright and trademark rights for the name 'Symarip Pyramid'.

Line-up

*Roy Ellis – singer,

trombone The trombone (, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the Brass instrument, brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's lips vibrate inside a mouthpiece, causing the Standing wave, air c ...

(1969–1985, 2019) *Josh Roberts – guitar (1969–1985) *Michael "Mik" Thomas – bass guitar (1969 – 1985, 2008 – present) *Frank Pitter – drums (1969 – 1985, 2008 – present) *Monty Neysmith – keyboards, including

Hammond organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert, first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding #Drawbars, drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, sound was created ...

(1969 – 1985, 2010 – present) *Roy Bug Knight – saxophone (2008 – present) *Johney Johnson – trumpet (2008 – present) *Carl Grifith –

tenor A tenor is a type of male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. Composers typically write music for this voice in the range from the second B below m ...

and

alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgians, Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in the key of E♭ ( ...

(2008 – present)

Partial discography

Albums

*The Pyramids – ''The Pyramids'' – President – PTL-1021 (1968) *Symarip – ''Skinhead Moonstomp'' –

Trojan Trojan or Trojans may refer to: * Of or from the ancient city of Troy * Trojan language, the language of the historical Trojans Arts and entertainment Music * '' Les Troyens'' ('The Trojans'), an opera by Berlioz, premiered part 1863, part 18 ...

– TBL-102 (1970) *Simaryp – ''Skinhead Moonstomp'' – Trojan – TRLS187 (1980) *The Pyramids – ''Drunk and Disorderly'' –

Ariola Ariola (also known as Ariola Records, Ariola Express, Ariola-Eurodisc and BMG Ariola) is a German record label. In the late 1980s, it was a subsidiary label of the Bertelsmann Music Group, which in turn has become a part of the international ...

(1985) *Symarip/The Pyramids/Seven Letters – ''The Best Of'' – Trojan TJACD154 (2004) *Symarip/The Pyramids – ''Ultimate Collection'' – Trojan (2009)

Singles

*Blue Beat BB-386A "Jesse James Rides Again" (as The Bees) 1967 *Blue Beat BB-386B "The Girl in My Dreams" (as The Bees) 1967 *Clmbia Blue Beat DB-101A "Jesse James Rides Again" (as The Bees) 1967 *Clmbia Blue Beat DB-101B "The Girl in My Dreams" (as The Bees) 1967 *Clmbia Blue Beat DB-111A "Prisoner from Alcatraz" (as The Bees) 1967 *Clmbia Blue Beat DB-111B "The Ska's The Limit" (as The Bees) 1967 *President PT-161A "Train Tour To Rainbow City" 1967 *President PT-161B "John Chewey" 1967 *President PT-177A "Wedding in Peyton Place" 1968 *President PT-177B "Girls, Girls, Girls" 1968 *President PT-195A "All Change on the Bakerloo Line" 1968 *President PT-195B "Playing Games" 1968 *President PT-206A "Mexican Moonlight" 1968 *President PT-206B "Mule" 1968 *President PT-225A "Tisko My Darling" 1968 *President PT-225B "Movement All Around" 1968 *President PT-243A "Do Re Mi" 1969 *President PT-243B "I'm Outnumbered" 1969 *President PT-274A "I'm a Man" 1969 *President PT-274B "Dragonfly" 1969 *Attack ATT-8013A "I'm A Puppet" (as Symarip) 1969 *Attack ATT-8013B "Vindication" (as Symarip) 1969 *Doctor Bird DB-1189A "People Get Ready" (as Seven Letters) 1969 *Doctor Bird DB-1189B "The Fit" (as Seven Letters) 1969 *Doctor Bird DB-1194A "Please Stay" (as Seven Letters) 1969 *Doctor Bird DB-1194B "Special Beat" (as Seven Letters) 1969 *Doctor Bird DB-1195A "Flour Dumpling" (as Seven Letters) 1969 *Doctor Bird DB-1195B "Equality" (as Seven Letters) 1969 *Doctor Bird DB-1206A "Mama Me Want Girl" (as Seven Letters) 1969 *Doctor Bird DB-1206B "Sentry" (as Seven Letters) 1969 *Doctor Bird DB-1207A "Soul Crash (Soul Serenade)" (as Seven Letters) 1969 *Doctor Bird DB-1207B "Throw Me Things" (as Seven Letters) 1969 *Doctor Bird DB-1208A "There Goes My Heart" (as Seven Letters) 1969 *Doctor Bird DB-1208B "Wish" (as Seven Letters) 1969 *Doctor Bird DB-1209A "Bam Bam Baji" (as Seven Letters) 1969 *Doctor Bird DB-1209B "Hold Him Joe" (as Seven Letters) 1969 *Doctor Bird DB-1306A "Fung Sure" (as Simaryp) 1969 *Doctor Bird DB-1306B "Tomorrow at Sundown" (as Simaryp) 1969 *Doctor Bird DB-1307A "Stay With Him" 1969 *Doctor Bird DB-1307B "Chicken Mary" 1969 *Treasure Isle TI-7050A "Skinhead Moonstomp" 1969 *Treasure Isle TI-7050B "Must Catch A Train" 1969 *Treasure Isle TI-7054A "Parson's Corner" 1970 *Treasure Isle TI-7054B "Redeem" 1970 *Treasure Isle TI-7055A "La Bella Jig" 1970 *Treasure Isle TI-7055B "Holiday by the Sea" 1970 *Attack ATT-8013A "I'm A Puppet" 1970 *Attack ATT-8013B "Vindication" 1970 *Duke DU-80A "Geronimo" 1970 *Duke DU-80B "Feel Alright" 1970 *Trojan TR-7755A "Feel Alright" 1970 *Trojan TR-7755B "Telstar" 1970 *Trojan TR-7770A "To Sir With Love" 1970 *Trojan TR-7770B "Reggae Shuffle" 1970 *Trojan TR-7803A "All For You" 1971 *Trojan TR-7803B "All For You" (version) 1971 *Trojan TR-7814B (1) "Stingo" 1971 *Trojan TR-7814B (2) "Geronimo" 1971 *Creole CR-1003A "Mosquito Bite" *Creole CR-1003B "Mother's Bath" *Creole CR-1006A "Can't Leave Now" *Creole CR-1006B "Teardrops" *Rhino RNO-129A "Jesse James Rides Again" 1974

References

External links

Biography on Trojan Records siteMr. Symarip – Roy EllisSymarip Pyramids Myspace profileInterview with Roy Ellis on Litopia
{{Authority control First-wave ska groups British reggae musical groups British ska musical groups Skinhead Trojan Records artists Blue Beat Records artists