Ramases was the creation and alter-ego of Martin Raphael (sometimes known as Barrington Frost), born in Sheffield

Sheffield

Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...

, UK

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

. Formerly an army PT instructor

Physical Training Instructor

Physical Training Instructor is a term used primarily in the British Armed Forces and British police, as well as some other Commonwealth countries, for an instructor in physical fitness.-United Kingdom:...

, whilst involved in a central heating

Central heating

A central heating system provides warmth to the whole interior of a building from one point to multiple rooms. When combined with other systems in order to control the building climate, the whole system may be a HVAC system.Central heating differs from local heating in that the heat generation...

 business in Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

, was inspired to assume the mantle of the Egyptian Pharaoh

Pharaoh

Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...

 of whom he believed himself a reincarnation, and take up a musical career. Early singles (recorded with his wife, Dorthy Frost aka Selket) failed to make any impact, Space Hymns was recorded at Strawberry Studios

Strawberry Studios

-Formation:The facility was originally called Inner City Studios and located above a music store in the town centre. In early 1968 it was bought by Peter Tattersall, a former road manager for Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas. Tattersall invited Eric Stewart – then lead guitarist and singer of...

 in Stockport

Stockport

Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...

 with soon-to-be members of 10cc

10cc

10cc are an English art rock band who achieved their greatest commercial success in the 1970s. The band initially consisted of four musicians -- Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley, and Lol Creme -- who had written and recorded together for some three years, before assuming the "10cc" name...

.. It has the most expansive artwork Roger Dean was ever allowed to produce with a 6 page fold out on printing card of a Cathredral Steeple lifting off into the cosmos. On the other side in infra red style colour Ramases and Sel stride forward holding aloft wheat in a Demeter like pose from the Eleusinian

Eleusinian Mysteries

The Eleusinian Mysteries were initiation ceremonies held every year for the cult of Demeter and Persephone based at Eleusis in ancient Greece. Of all the mysteries celebrated in ancient times, these were held to be the ones of greatest importance...

 Mysteries. When illuminated from behind the coverart comes together as a divinised humanity mystically steps out and over an outmoded religious establishment into cosmic/life affirming destiny in this tour de force of album design. The lyrics deliver the same confident message.

Glass Top Coffin was recorded in London, following Ramases relocating to Felixstowe

Felixstowe

Felixstowe is a seaside town on the North Sea coast of Suffolk, England. The town gives its name to the nearby Port of Felixstowe, which is the largest container port in the United Kingdom and is owned by Hutchinson Ports UK...

, and he never produced another album. He died in 1978 but his death was not widely reported in musical circles until the early 1990s.

Singles

• "Crazy One"/"Mind's Eye" (As Ramases & Selket, published by CBS in 1968. The A-side is an earlier version of the song Quasar One.)
• "Love You"/"Gold Is The Ring" (As Ramases & Seleka, published by Major Minor in 1970. Love You sometimes listed as, and in some territories may have been issued as, Screw You.)
• "Balloon"/"Muddy Water" (Published by Philips in 1971. Sometimes listed as Ballroom.)
• "Jesus Come Back"/"Hello Mister" (Philips, 1971)
• "Niño Viviente (Life Child, or, more accurately translated, Living Child)"/"Hola Señor (Hello Mister)" (Vertigo, 1972, Chile)