Ramases: Complete Discography 2014

 

With a name that means – ‘born of the sun-god Ra’, Ramases, or indeed as modern Egyptologists have it Ramesses, is the name that is conventionally used to describe the names of 11 Egyptian pharaohs of the New Kingdom period of the country’s history. It’s no surprise therefore, that when Mr Barrington Frost from Sheffield, was visited by one of the great kings himself in a vision, that he

took the name of his visitor, renamed his wife, Dorothy Frost, Selket, after the Egyptian Goddess of cures and set out to make music. Once you’ve met a Pharaoh, I assume you just have to do something extravagant to honour them. Like a British Moondog then, Ramases embarked on the practice of strange costume and strange behaviour. The music he made, whilst perhaps equally strange to some, bears the hallmarks of serious endeavour and forethought. Spaced, conceptual and unashamedly grandiose, and cut with outstanding musicians on board, the two albums that Ramases released are now both cult prog classics, released on the equally cult prog label – Vertigo. 
                           

Without a band at this point, the pair located to Strawberry Studios in Stockport to record their debut, Space Hymns. The studio was owned by four chaps who were to have a lasting impact on the UK

music scene themselves as 10cc. Kevin Godley, Eric Stewart, Graham Gouldman and Lol Crème would form the band in 1972, but at this point they were free to help Ramases and help him they most certainly did. Space Hymns was released on the label in 1971, (Vertigo 6360 046). Replete with a dramatic and beautiful painting by Roger Dean on the cover, the inside folded out into a huge, solarized poster of Ramases and Selket holding ears of corn in retrospect it looks for all the world like a progressive rock album – but it isn’t. 
                      

Decidedly folky in tone, with the hippy tinges one might expect from Amon Düül or Quintessence,

it was really a psych record that found its audience in the prog market as a welcome anomaly. A counterpoint perhaps to the endless tempo and time-signature twiddling of labelmates like Gentle Giant or Cressida and full of tantric chanting and quasi-religious overtones. Two singles were released from the debut, Balloon/Muddy Water (Phillips 6113 001) and Jesus Come Back/Hello Mister (Phillips 6113 003) – once again neither, perhaps unsurprisingly, bothered the pop charts.
                       

In 1975, Ramases and Selket returned with this masterpiece, Glass Top Coffin. Co-produced by Ramases and keyboardist Barry Kirsch, the album was markedly different from the debut. More eclectic and certainly more professional it was another concept album based on space themes. Orchestral arrangements gifted by members of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the London

Symphony Orchestra clearly helped Ramases to fashion his space hymns into a space opera. Confident perhaps in their abilities with a solid recording set-up Ramases and Selket both found their voices on this record. Their duet on Now Mona Lisa being a seductive and beguiling standout. The cover was a sticking point for Ramases, who clearly had an acute aesthetic sensibility. The cover was designed by him with artist Dave Field, but a mistake in the production, which lead to the figure on the cover not being pop-out as he had planned annoyed him just enough to lose interest. Ramases were no more and after poor sales he retreated from the industry.

(Brian Currin, May 2012)
                           

The strange saga of Ramases suggests that he, (real name Barrington Frost) (AKA Ramases), was

quite a persuasive force. On the first album, 'Space Hymns', his backing musicians were Strawberry Studio owners Godley, Stewart, Gouldman and Crème later known as 10CC and here four years later he somehow managed to enroll members of the Royal Philharmonic and London Symphony Orchestras to augment a fresh backing band. The result is stunning. The bookends to this concept album are reminiscent of a theme from a 1950's movie. Between them are ten songs with various levels of arrangement and orchestration from stark to lush. Seemingly heartfelt and innocent they become surreal under the weight of accomplished musicianship - rather like what you would expect if an 8 year old

child wrote some songs which were arranged by a professional and brought to fulfillment by a world class orchestra. Ramases' voice is beautifully recorded and far more polished than on Space Hymns, while his writing style reminds one of 'Long Time Back' from the Star Trek episode 'The Way To Eden' - Space campfire songs almost. With the knowledge of his suicide in 1976, the themes of his spirit returning to outer space take on a melancholy flavor re-enforcing the delusion that he was the reincarnation of the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramases.

                       

Ramases, born Kimberley Barrington Frost (1 January 1934 – 2 December 1976)

RAMASES - COMPLETE DISCOGRAPHY 2014

                          

Ramases – Complete Discography
Label: StormVox Records – CDSV02
Format: 6 x CD, Compilation, Box Set, Limited Edition
Country: US
Released: Apr 22, 2014
Genre: Rock
Style: Psychedelic Rock, Folk, Prog Rock

The dreamer dreamed the dust rose up and walked
But when the dreamer woke did anyone tell the dust
– and I fell – and stars like dust covered me. (Ramases)

“The Stars, Like Dust” was a 1951 book by Isaac Asimov. In “Hallo Spaceboy” by David Bowie in 1995, he sings “But moondust will cover you, cover you”.

                        

CD1.  SPACE HYMNS (REMIXED AND REMASTERED)    

                       

    
01. Life Child
02. Hello Mister
03. And The Whole World
04. Quasar One
05. You're The Only One
06. Earth People
07. Molecular Delusion
08. Balloon
09. Dying Swan Year 2000
10. Jesus Come Back

11. Journey To The Inside

CD2.  SPACE HYMNS (RARITIES)            

                      

01. Life Child (Rare)
02. Hello Mister (Rare)
03. And The Whole World (Rare)
04. You're The Only One (Rare: Part I)
05. Quasar One (Rare: Part I)
06. Quasar One (Rare: Part II)
07. Earth People (Rare)
08. Molecular Delusion (Rare)
09. Balloon (Rare)
10. Jesus Come Back (Rare: Part I)
11. Dying Swan Year 2000 (Rare)
12. You're The Only One (Rare: Part II)
13. Jesus Come Back (Rare: Part II)
14. Journey To The Inside (Rare)
15. Hotlegs – Studio Jam

AND THE WHOLE WORLD LYRICS

                         

And I sat right down on the hard, hard ground
And I knew this was the finding of myself
And my life stood still and I looked around
And I saw for the first time who I am

And the whole world started singing
As the last, last song went down
And the whole world started laughing
As the corn sprang from the ground

And the whole world started crying
As the rain came falling down
And we all just stood there watching
As the world went round and round

There’s a time that’s made for living
There’s a time that’s made for pain
And you feel the world turn over
And it brings you back again

As a tiny child-like figure
You are standing face to face
With the one who is the giver
And you turn to take your place

And the whole world started singing
As the last, last song went down
And the whole world started laughing
As the corn sprang from the ground

CD1. + CD2. Flac Size: 720 MB

CD3. GLASS TOP COFFIN (REMIXED AND REMASTERED)        

                   

    
01. Golden Landing
02. Long Long Time
03. Now Mona Lisa
04. God Voice
05. Mind Island
06. Only The Loneliest Feeling
07. Sweet Reason
08. Stepping Stones
09. Saler Man
10. Children Of The Green Earth
11. Glass Top Coffin
12. Golden Landing (Part II)

CD4.  GLASS TOP COFFIN (RARITIES)        

                       

    
01. Golden Landing (Rare: Part I & II)
02. Long Long Time (Rare)
03. New Mona Lisa (Rare)
04. God Voice (Rare)
05. Na Na Na Na (Rare)
06. Mind Island (Rare)
07. Only The Loneliest Feeling (Rare)
08. Sweet Reason (Rare)
09. Stepping Stones (Rare)
10. Saler Man (Rare)
11. Children Of The Green Earth (Rare)
12. Glass Top Coffin (Rare)
13. This Was The World (Bonus)

CD3. + CD4. Flac Size: 785 MB

CD5.  RAMASES (SINGLES AND BONUSES)        

                 

     

01. Ramases & Selket – Crazy One
02. Ramases & Selket – Mind's Eye
03. Ramases & Selket – Love You
04. Ramases & Selket – Gold Is The Ring
05. Ramases & Selket – Screw You
06. Ramases – Balloon (Alt. Edit)
07. Ramases – Muddy Water
08. Ramases – Jesus Come Back (Alt. Edit)
09. Solomon King – Life Child (Solomon King Version)
10. Ramases – You're The Only One (Alt. Edit)
11. Ramases – Quasar One (Alt. Edit)
12. Ramases – And The Whole World (Alt. Edit)
13. Ramases – Hello Mister (Alt. Edit)
14. Ramases – Earth People (Alt. Edit)
15. Ramases – Sweet Reason (Alt. Edit: Part I)
16. Ramases – Sweet Reason (Alt. Edit: Part II)
17. Ramases – Stepping Stones (Alt. Edit)
18. Ramases – This Was The World (Alt. Edit)
19. Ramases – Dying Swan Year 2000 (Alt. Edit)

CD5. Flac Size: 454 MB

CD6.  RAMASES - TRIBUTE        

                     

   
01. Leafpeepers – Life Child
02. Nick Eberhardt – Crazy One
03. State And Madison – Long Long Time
04. Ethan Gold – Balloon
05. Ramases Incarnate  –Life Child (2012 Version)
06. Blonde From Fargo Ft. Casey O. Day – Hello Mister
07. Duvestar – Children Of The Green Earth
08. The NoMen – Earth People
09. Napolean – Golden Landing
10. Rocketboat – Sweet Reason
11. Haroula Rose – Dying Swan Year 2000
12. QuasiModo 5 – You're The Only One
13. Duoya – Molecular Delusion
14. Celestial 天上 Ft. Shamus Dark – Hello Mister (Dub)
15. Casey O. Day – God Voice
16. Martin Ekman – And The Whole World
17. Julia Othmer – Jesus Come Back
18. Shamus Dark – Life Child
19. Hugo – You're The Only One
20. The Space Monks Ft. The Subatomic Alliance – Journey To The Inside
 

CD6. Flac Size: 505 MB

LINE - UP

                         

Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Music By, Lyrics By, Arranged By – Ramases (real name Barrington Frost), Sel (Dorothy Frost)
Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Tabla – Jo Romero
Backing Vocals – Kay, Sue, Sunny, The Eddie Lester Chorale
Drums, Percussion – Roger Harrison
Electric Bass, Double Bass – Pete Kingsman
Orchestra – Members Of The London Symphony Orchestra, Members Of The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Piano, Synthesizer – Barry Kirsch
Saxophone – Bon Bertles
Martin Raphael - sitar on Space Hymns