The Pyramids

The Pyramids

The Pyramids are a surf rock group from Long Beach, California, United States, active from 1961 to 1965. The group is one of several acts using the name The Pyramids, but this line-up is the American surf band.

History

The band forms in California around 1961 and is built around Steve Leonard on bass guitar, alongside Skip Mercier on lead guitar, Willy Glover on rhythm guitar, Tom Pitman on saxophone and Ron McMullen on drums. It is one of the later surf groups to emerge and is described as having strong promotion.

The band’s first single, “The Pyramid Stomp”, does not break through nationally. Leonard then studies the Chantays’ “Pipeline” and develops a variation on the opening reverb riff, which leads to the band’s better-known material.

Commercial peak and publicity

In early 1964, The Pyramids reach the Top 20 with “Penetration”, with promotion handled by manager John Hodge. Hodge also gives the group a highly visible image by having them shave their heads at the height of the British Invasion, after which they are billed as “America’s answer to the Beatles”.

During performances, they wear Beatles wigs and throw them into the audience partway through the show, revealing their shaved heads. Hired girls then run onstage. Other stunts include arriving at a booking on elephants or by helicopter. These tactics help the group gain wider attention, and they appear on Bandstand, Hullabaloo and in the beach film Bikini Beach.

Recorded output

The band records one album and several non-hit singles before splitting up. Their early and later releases include “The Pyramid Stomp”, “Penetration”, “I’m A Playboy”, “Shakin’ Fit” and “What Is Love?”.

The Pyramids are also associated with a club of answer-record style material around the early 1960s, including the song “I’m A Playboy”, which is issued through Correc-tone and Cub, and “Shakin’ Fit”, which is sold to Vee-Jay in Chicago.

Line-up

The group’s line-up includes Skip Mercier, Willy Glover, Steve Leonard, Tom Pitman and Ron McMullen. Steve Leonard is the member specifically named in the verified information.