The Ramong Sound was a British R&B, soul and ska band, active from 1965 to 1966.

The Ramong Sound was a London based outfit, that featured two black lead singers doing Sam & Dave styled duets, one of them being Raymond Morrison (aka Ramong Morrison^[1]), and the other being a former professional boxer, Clem Curtis^[2] who had also done some wrestling.^[3]

Morrison had left Jamaica and arrived in London in 1954.^[4] During his time, Morrison (also known as Ray Morrison) had worked with Trev Thoms.^[5] He had also fronted or sung with The Graham Bond Organisation for a brief period.^{[citation needed]}

Nigerian born Mike Falana was a member for a period of time and had been a star in his own right.^[6][7] He had been a member of the African Messengers,^[8] The Johnny Burch Octet,^[9] the Graham Bond Organisation, having replaced Jack Bruce.^[10]

Prior to joining the Ramong Sound, 25 yo Clem Curtis was a professional boxer and had worked as a painter and interior decorator.^[11]

Guitar player Alan Warner was an experienced musician, and joined the Ramong Sound after having worked in various bands. He would stay with the group through all of their name change evolutions from Ramongs to Foundations, until he left the Foundations in 1970 to join progressive rock band Pluto.

At some stage, the group was called The Ramongs,^[2] or The Ramong.^[12] It may be that the last title in the succession of name changes was The Ramong Sound as the name was being used in early 1967.^[13]

Clem Curtis joined the group after hearing from his uncle that the lead singer of the group Ramong, was looking for backing singers and he should give it a try. At this time Curtis' singing experience was more or less limited to singing with his uncle when he came around the house with the guitar.^[14] So he joined The Ramong Sound as a backing singer. He later was sharing the lead with Raymond Morrison.^[15] The group had a steadily growing reputation and following around the London club scene due to their energetic performances. ^{[citation needed]} Morrison and Curtis performed duets.^[16] Even though Curtis lacked the experience, he was able to work on his style then.^[17]

After the original lead singer, Ramong Morrison, whom the group was named after, was imprisoned for six months,^[12] the group attempted to recruit Rod Stewart, but Stewart had other plans.^[18] Later, a friend of the band called Joan suggested Arthur Brown as a replacement.^[19] When Brown walked in for his rehearsal at the Westbourne Grove bar, he saw the drummer was bent backwards over the bar with Clem leaning over him with a spear at his throat.^[20] Contrary to his wild image he had with The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, he was very straight when he joined the band and he didn't drink, smoke or take drugs.^[21] While with the group, Brown and Curtis would do songs separately as well as together in Duets. They were covering mainly soul music material. Years later in an interview Brown stated that he was "chuffed" to be singing with Curtis. Incidentally Brown already had his Crazy World band up and running at the same time.^[22] Around this time they had gone through a succession of name changes that included The Foundation Sound,^[12] The Foundation Squad,^[23] and would eventually evolve into The Foundations.^[24] Arthur Brown would leave the band after a couple of months.^[21]

The group emerged in early 1967 with a new horn section consisting of Dominican trombonist Eric Allandale and Jamaican saxophonists Pat Burke and Mike Elliott filling roles once held by Mike Falana and the other horn player(s). Drummer Tim Harris filled the position once held by Lyndsay Arnold, and Clem Curtis was now the lead singer.^{[citation needed]}

The group had been living in a former gambling den called The Butterfly Club which they ended up running. They were eventually forced out by a protection racket gang and had to move next door into what was described as a squalid disused mini-cab office.^[1]

The February 4, 1967 issue of Melody Maker shows a booking for The Ramong Sound (misspelt as The Ramog Sound) at the All-Star Club at 9a Artillery Passage, London E1 on Sunday, February 5, 1967.^[25]

The Foundations would go on to have several hits,^[26] including "Baby Now That I've Found You" with Clem Curtis on lead vocals^[27] and later with Colin Young on "Build Me Up Buttercup".^[28]

According to jazz musician and historian Anote Ajeluorou, Mike Falana had health issues and died abroad,^[49] and according to an article on the Otherweis... website, he died in 1995.^[50]

Raymond Morrison died at age 81 in Jamaica in February 2013.^[51]

Clem Curtis died aged 76 in March 2017.^[52]

• Raymond Morrison aka Ramong Morrison – lead vocals
• Clem Curtis – lead vocals
• Arthur Brown – vocals
• Alan Warner - guitar, backing vocals
• Peter McBeth – bass guitar
• Con – keyboards
• Lyndsay Arnold – drums
• Mike Falana – trumpet
• Unknown – other horns