Symarip became one of the original British bands to play ska and reggae in the late 60s. Founded originally as The Bees by Michael Thomas and Frank Pitter, the band took shape in 1969 with those two alongside Ray Ellis, Joshua Roberts, and Monty Naismith. After some time as The Pyramids backing Jamaican star Prince Buster, the group went into the studio and delivered Skinhead Moonstone, an album that was a decade ahead of its time in 1969. Loaded with stomping beats, tracks like the title track, “Skinhead Girl”, “Skinhead Jamoree”, and a cover of “These Boots Are Made for Walking” captured a particular subculture, gave off a good-time party vibe, and made the group cult stars, but they didn’t achieve mainstream success. They spent the 70s playing where they could around Europe, and mixing in notable African rhythms into their signature sound. Their prescience would be rewarded when in 1980, at the height of the UK’s 2 Tone scene, “Skinhead Moonstone” would be re-released as a single and climb to number 54. They released a final album, 1985’s Drunk & Disorderly, before disbanding. In the 21st century Naismith and Ellis would start performing again under the Symarip name, while Thomas and Pitter toured as Symarip Pyramid.
