(c’94-present) Colin Davies, Ben ?, G. Armitage, and Chris Jackson.

Out of the free party scene of the early 90’s came the Woking / Guildford area electronic / trance crew Pineapple Tribe. The crew’s first outing was to a boarded-up property in Colgate, near Horsham, in ’94, after which they began DJ’ing at The Britannia Inn, Guildford and The Abinger Arms, Abinger, and on 6 October ’95 they also appeared at The Stoke Hotel, Guildford.

18 May 1994: Pineapple Tribe’s Chris Jackson at The Brittania Inn, Guildford. Source: Pineappletribe

They would subsequently become a regular feature at Notting Hill Carnival and had a presence at the Glastonbury Festival. They self-released a number of records on the Pineapple label. The 12″ ‘The Pineapple Tribe EP‘ [PINEAPPLE 001] carried “Anxiety” on the A-side, with “Supersonic Rainbow” on flip. There was a second 12″ [Pineapple 002] ‘Pineapple Tribe Vs. Pushanco ‎– Untitled‘ that lent further into breakbeat / progressive house. The three tracks – “Shank“, and two versions of “Pfp” – were all written by Armitage, recorded at Path Studios, and mastered at Keith “Jah Tubby” Swan’s mastering studios, JTS Studios.

Pineapple Tribe’s New Year Eve bash at Francis Corner. Source: Pineappletribe

Along a section of the North Downs Way, Francis Corner sits above the village of Shere. On 31 December in ’95 or ’96 party goers travelled the tracks built by the Canadian Pioneer Corps during WWII, for Pineapple Tribe’s New Years Eve ‘rave’. On 15 February ’97, The Farnham Fusion Festival, at The Maltings, Farnham, featured Pineapple Tribe in The Coalition Dance Emporium along with Fish Pig, Seed, and The Bridge.

We can neither confirm nor deny if Pineapple Tribe were involved in an all-night rave in August ’97 at the chalk pits off White Down Lane. After keeping local villagers awake with “some sort of demonic festival”, it was broken up when police served the organisers a notice under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act at 8:30am. The Crew, well Ben at least, were on The Coalition Dance Stage at Ambient Green Picnic ’98, held in Guildford, between sets by Kava Kava and Glow on the itinerary.

The last we heard is that the Pineapple Crew appeared at Notting Hill Carnival in 2024 and will likely be back again.

Gallery:

Pineapple Tribe first outing c’94, Colgate nr Horsham. Source: Pineappletribe
Pineapple Tribe first outing c’94, Colgate nr Horsham. Source: Pineappletribe
Pineapple Tribe first outing c’94, Colgate nr Horsham. Source: Pineappletribe
6 October ‘1995: The Pineapple Tribe Sound System blew The Stoke Hotel, Guildford. Source: Pineappletribe
15 February 1997: The Farnham Fusion Festival featured Pineapple Tribe in The Coalition dance Emporium
Clipping from 15 August 1997 copy of The Surrey Advertiser. We can neither confirm or deny in Pineapple Tribe were involved! Source: Pineappletribe
Pineapple Tribe’s DJ Ben appeared at Ambient Green Picnic 1998, in Guildford. Picture courtesy of The Surrey & NE Hampshire Music Scene
Pineapple Tribe’s DJ Ben appeared at Ambient Green Picnic 1998, in Guildford. Picture courtesy of The Surrey & NE Hampshire Music Scene
Pineapple Tribe’s DJ Ben appeared at Ambient Green Picnic 1998, in Guildford. Picture courtesy of The Surrey & NE Hampshire Music Scene
The A-side of the “Pineapple Tribe Vs. Pushanco ‎– Untitled” [Pineapple 002] 12″
The B-side of the “Pineapple Tribe Vs. Pushanco ‎– Untitled” [Pineapple 002] 12″
The 12″ “The Pineapple Tribe EP” [PINEAPPLE 001] carried “Anxiety” on the A-sde, with “Supersonic Rainbow” on flip.
Pineapple Tribe at Notting Hill Carnival in 199?. Source: Pineappletribe
Pineapple Tribe’s Colin. Source: Pineappletribe
Pineapple Tribe at Notting Hill Carnival in 199?. Source: Pineappletribe
Pineapple Tribe presence at Glastonbury. Source: Pineappletribe
Pineapple Tribe in a field! Source: Pineappletribe
Pineapple Tribe in a field! Source: Pineappletribe
Pineapple Tribe’s emblem. Source: Pineappletribe