I was thinking about how to begin this review, and in the end I just can’t help starting with a personal memory. Symarip was one of the first bands I discovered as a teenager in the skinhead reggae section. I devoured stories about how the band was originally called The Pyramids, and how by reversing the name and slightly twisting it, the name Symarip was created. I was fascinated by their essential 1970 album Skinhead Moonstomp. To me, it was the holy grail of the genre. A few years ago, the popularity of the iconic cover photo skyrocketed so much that I felt like every band associating itself with the skinhead subculture had reworked that image in some way to suit their own needs.
It annoyed me even more that twenty years ago I managed to find only the 1980 reissue on vinyl on eBay. I never really liked the artwork of that version, but at the same time I was the only one among my friends who owned the record and could spin it at parties. Back then, I had no idea what the band members were doing later on, and it never even crossed my mind that any of them might still be actively involved in music. But in 2008, a poster for Subculture Fest in Prague appeared, and on it was the name Roy Ellis. That concert was a dream come true for many people. A packed club, several hundred enthusiastic fans, and chaos under the stage from which some friendships were born for the next twenty years (even the ones that started with a fight). Since then, a lot of time has passed. Roy Ellis has returned to the Czech Republic several times, and a book about him was published by music journalist Honza Vedral, a member of the now-defunct Prague ska band The Chancers (great band, check them). I even had the chance to exchange a few words with Roy when I later worked festival security at one of his shows.
Since then, Roy Ellis has released several albums and singles on the Spanish label Liquidator Music. If someone had told me back then that at the age of 77 he would record a live album in Prague, I probably would have thought they were crazy. And yet, it happened. The record was released on Liquidator as a proper double vinyl in a gatefold sleeve and feels like a dignified summary of his career.
The album captures a Prague concert performed together with the project Rudeboy Paradise, made up largely of former members of The Chancers and associated musicians. It’s also worth mentioning that Roy’s first concerts in Prague were played with the ska/reggae band Green Smatroll (still working, check them out too), who definitely deserve attention. The album contains sixteen tracks and was released on both black and red vinyl.
We love live records mainly because some songs gain completely different energy on stage compared to their studio versions. Sometimes, however, the opposite happens and beloved hits lose their magic. That’s not the case here. The recording manages to faithfully capture the atmosphere of the night, and you can clearly hear that Roy Ellis, as an experienced frontman, knows exactly how to work with the audience in a completely natural way. The set blends reggae, ska, and rocksteady across different stages of his career. Classic cuts from Skinhead Moonstomp dominate, but newer songs are included as well. The selection leans more toward the ska and rocksteady side rather than the more soul-influenced tracks like Let Me Take You Higher, which Roy once recorded with The Teenagers.
Among the moments that truly stand out is the melancholic Grooving Out Of Life, originally recorded with The Transilvanians from Galicia. The energetic The Skinheads Dem A Come and the romantic Come On And Dance With Me also shine. For me personally, side B has the strongest atmosphere overall, where you can clearly hear how Roy interacts with the crowd, for example in Chicken Merry.
This record has a massive atmosphere and I genuinely love it. The transfer of club energy onto vinyl works perfectly, and every time I play it at home, it pulls me right back into the venue among the crowd. It’s sentimental, old-fashioned in the best possible way, and overwhelmingly positive. Maybe it’s because this is the kind of music you take your girl to a club for and enjoy a proper date. Maybe it’s the pure joy of music that radiates from this recording. Or maybe I’m just a little older now and slowly entering a slightly nostalgic phase. Either way, spending the autumn of life with this record sounds far better than with arthritis and endless binge-watching in a retirement home.
One final thing. I truly appreciate the determination and passion with which Toni Face keeps Liquidator Music alive and active. For me, Liquidator is one of the most essential labels in today’s ska and reggae scene. Releasing music with such persistence and maintaining a high standard of quality in genres that are now more the domain of dedicated fanatics than the center of the music world requires enormous enthusiasm. And for that, he deserves both respect — and support.
TOP TRACKY: Grooving Out Of Life, Come On And Dance With Me, Stay With Him
