The Shakin' Pyramids

The Shakin' Pyramids
The Shakin' Pyramids in Montreal, 1983 (l-r: Dave Duncan, James G. Creighton, Ken McLellan)
Background information
Origin	Glasgow, Scotland
Genres	Rockabilly Rock and Roll
Years active	Late 1970s–1983
Labels	Cuba Libre (Virgin Records) Scotti Brothers Records Raucous Records
Past members	Dave Duncan James G. Creighton "Railroad" Ken McLellan

The Shakin' Pyramids (also known as Shakin' Pyramids) were a Scottish rockabilly band formed in Glasgow in the late 1970s. The band consisted of Dave Duncan (vocals, harmonica, percussion) James G. Creighton (acoustic & electric guitar, vocals) and "Railroad" Ken McLellan (acoustic guitar, vocals).

During the band's recording career from 1980–1983, they released two studio albums, four singles and three extended plays—one of which was recorded with the late British recording star Lonnie Donegan. A 1983 compilation album was released shortly after the group's disbandment, and a live album followed in 2001. Although the band did not enjoy any major chart successes, their work was generally well received by critics. They earned a fan base through their energetic live performances, which were originally honed on the streets of Glasgow and later exhibited via their extensive touring and a number of television appearances. In recent years, their work has been described as having helped define the short-lived rockabilly revival of the early 1980s.

The Shakin' Pyramids originally formed in the late 1970s as buskers and quickly gained a reputation for their live performances on the streets of Glasgow. The band then spent time in France writing material and developing their sound while using their busking skills to pay their way. Upon returning to Scotland, The Shakin' Pyramids signed a record deal with Cuba Libre, a subsidiary of Virgin Records.

The band's first song for the label, "Reeferbilly Boogie", was recorded in 1980 on a four-track recorder at the Hellfire club in Glasgow, and was unexpectedly named "Single of the Week" by NME. Their first EP, entitled Take a Trip, was released the following year. The title track appeared on their debut album, entitled Skin 'Em Up (1981), which was released to positive reviews, notably receiving perfect review ratings in popular publications such as NME and Rolling Stone, as well as being cited in later years as a favourite among rockabilly collectors.AllMusic, who also praised the record, described it as having "helped define the short-lived rockabilly revival of the early '80s." The album was promoted by a single, "Tennessee Rock 'n 'Roll", which was also released as an EP featuring original b-side "Alright Alnight" and two new tracks. That year, the band increased their profile by recording and releasing a third and final EP with the late British recording star Lonnie Donegan, who has been described by the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums as "Britain's most successful and influential recording artist before The Beatles."