And Friends

Since Roy Ellis came back to the Ska and Reggae music in 2003, he has been traveling all around the globe and met many different bands with which he has been playing with. Some of these bands recorded some tracks with him that now are compiled is this album.

One of the bands he has more often played with are Transilvanians from Vigo, they first recorded a 7” covering the old Symarip tunes ‘You Can’t Leave Now’ and ‘Stay With Him’ together and then the album ‘Almighty Ska’, but the song that appears in this album was a collaboration that Roy did with them for Transilvanians album ‘Echo, Vibes & Fire’ released in 2014 entitled ‘Mr. Rudy’, and we have include an alternate version mixed by Roberto Sánchez.

‘More That Unites’ is a track with music written and produced by John Roy, (Smoke and Mirrors Sound System, CA, USA). Roy Ellis toasts over the track. Tony Devenish (Rebelation UK) wrote the melody and lyrics. Roger Rivas (The Aggrolites) mixed the song and Dan Vitale (Bim Skala Bim) sang lead vocals.

Kalles Kaviar, from Switzerland, was the first band Roy Ellis played with after his comeback, they recorded together several tunes that were released on Kalles Kaviar’s album ‘Early Bird’. We have chosen old Symarip hit ‘Must Catch A Train Tonight’ to be part of the album.

65 Mines Street, from France, has played a fistful of gigs with Roy and went to the studio for recording ‘Orchestration Reggae’, a song that has never been released before. Like ‘I’m Outnumbered’ that has never been released physically, was just released in the digital world, a collaboration with Rome’s pride Shots In The Dark, old Roy Ellis friends that has backed him live all over Italy.

Another previously unreleased tune is ‘Fly Away’ featuring German band The Magic Touch, they have payed many times together for the last two decades, mostly in Germany, and recorded this song long time ago but, for some reason, was never been released. Not like ‘Shine Your Light On Me’, the song featuring Swiss band Cosmic Shuffling, whom has played live with Roy, mainly in Switzerland, and then released this song with Liquidator in 2022 as a 7” single.

‘A Love Song Gone Wrong’ is a great single that Roy Ellis released with British label Original Gravity. The tune written and produced by this record label boss, Neil Anderson, who also played all the instruments in the recording, was released on 7” single.

2009 was the year of the release of ‘Let Me Take You Higher’, a Soul single Roy Ellis released with Spanish band The Teenagers, from Granada. This 7” sold out very quick and nowadays is a collector item. Most of Roy Ellis fans loves soul music and this tune is one of their favorites.

Roy Ellis has also recorded many dub plate specials for sound systems all around and the tune called ‘A Date Tonight’ was a dub plate for Selector Boldrick at Rooftop Studio, from Prague. This tune turned out to be a brand new song having Roy Ellis writing new lyrics over an old Harry J riddim.

In 2012 Roy Ellis met Thee Hurricanes from Los Angeles, with whom he played some great gigs and also released two new tunes that were released on 7” by Angel City Records and Liquidator Music. We have featured the tune called ‘Can You Feel It’ which was also featured in a TV advertisement by Tommy Hillfiger fashion brand.

Some other friends Roy has met on the way are Torvic Drum and King Teddy. Torvic Drum is the drummer from Barcelonian band The Kinky Coo Coo’s whom played many times with Roy, he has released some digital singles as solo artist during the last years and this collaboration with Roy, entitled ‘What A Morning’, is released on a physical record for the first time.

The last tune in the record is entitled ‘Reborn In Your Eyes’, Roy Ellis recorded it for Mazda car make that has been broadcasted on the TV, but most of Roy Ellis fans has never listened to it and has never been released before, until now in this great album you are holding in your hands.