The story of a reggae band who worked with greats such as Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff but never hit the big time is being told in a new film.

The Cimarons, made up of Locksley Gichie, Franklyn Dunn, Maurice Ellis, Carl Levy and Carl Lewis, regularly met at the Tavistock Youth and Community Centre in Harlesden back in 1967 shortly after immigrating to England from Jamaica.

They went on to work as a backing band with reggae and pop music greats - but earned neither wider recognition nor much money.

With a Camden gig approaching, they may finally get their moment in the limelight after interest was boosted by a film telling their story.

The Cimarons' story began when Gichie met Dunn in a bus shelter with a guitar in his hand and invited him to the youth hostel the following week to play.

Following their first concert in 1968, the band were at the forefront of the explosion of reggae music in the 1970s.

The Cimarons collaborated with music legends including Bob Marley, Toots & the Maytals, Jimmy Cliff, Lee 'Scratch' Perry, and Paul McCartney.

But despite their contributions, the band were largely underrecognised. 

Today the band are still without ownership or royalties for a huge amount of their work.

A documentary, Harder Than The Rock, is being released in cinemas this month, in line with Black History Month, celebrating the group.

The film captures their 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 film's director Mark Warmington said: "It’s been an absolute honour to have Cimarons entrust me to tell their story, which started in 1967 and continues to the present day.

"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."

The film had a Crucible Theatre World Premiere at the Sheffield DocFest in June, hosted by filmmaker and DJ Don Letts, and received a standing ovation. 

The Cimarons will be performing at The Underworld, Camden High Street on October 27.

Visit https://www.theunderworldcamden.co.uk/event/cimarons-27th-oct-the-underworld-london-tickets/