Britain's first reggae band to perform in Newcastle ahead of documentary screening at Tyneside Cinema

The Cimarons
-Credit: (Image: Strike Media)


A groundbreaking reggae band are set to perform in Newcastle ahead of launching a documentary telling their story at the Tyneside Cinema.

Harder Than The Rock tells the story of the Cimarons, said to be Britain's first reggae band, and its release coincides with the beginning of Black History Month. Formed by teenage Jamaican immigrants in a London bus shelter in 1967, the band were at the forefront of the reggae explosion in the 1970s.

They collaborated with industry legends including Bob Marley, Toots & the Maytals, Jimmy Cliff, Lee "Scratch" Perry and even Sir Paul McCartney. Despite their significant contributions, the band have been largely under-recognised for their music and impact.

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The documentary, which received a standing ovation at the Sheffield DocFest, aims to poignantly capture the Cimarons' history and follows their final chapter, when, despite losing their beloved drummer Maurice Ellis to cancer, they dream of performing to live audiences one last time.

The band will be in Newcastle next month where they will play a DJ set alongside Don Letts at Hoochie Coochie on October 2. The next day, Harder Than The Rock will premiere at the Tyneside Cinema, followed by a Q and A session featuring The Cimarons, Don Letts, and film director Mark Warmington.

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Mark Warmington, the film director, said that it had been an honour to tell the Cimarons story. He said: "If ever a band had an excuse to be bitter and resentful of the music industry, I think Cimarons would be top of the list.

"The way those guys have been exploited is obscene, but they’ve persevered with dedication, humour and, above all, a commitment and love for reggae music. I’m delighted that this documentary is now going some way to getting them the recognition they deserve."

James Baxter, the film's producer, said: "We had a number of offers via distribution companies; however we spent so much time making the film, we wanted to put the same time and effort into releasing the film to the right cinemas at the right time. We noticed after the Premiere of the film at Sheffield Doc festival there was a significant ground swell of interest for the band and their music."

The Cimarons and Don Letts' DJ set takes place on October 2 at Hoochie Coochie, while the screening of Harder Than The Rock is on October 3. There will also be screenings of the film at Alnwick Playhouse on October 10, the Forum Hexham on October 13, the Gala Durham on October 15, and a screening is to be confirmed at Whitley Bay's Jam Jar Cinema.