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Band

The Equals

The Equals

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The Equals
Origin North London, England
Genre(s) Pop, reggae, rock
Years active 1965–1979
Label(s) RCA, President
Former members
Eddy Grant
Derv Gordon
Lincoln Gordon
Pat Lloyd
John Hall

The Equals were a pop/reggae/rock group that formed in North London, England in 1965. They are mainly remembered for its million-selling chart-topper, "Baby Come Back". Eddy Grant, then sporting dyed blonde hair, founded the group. Also in the original line-up were the twin brothers Derv and Lincoln Gordon, as well as John Hall and Pat Lloyd.

History

They started rehearsing on a council estate at Hornsey Rise, North London in 1965.[1] In 1966 the group released the "Hold Me Closer" / "Baby Come Back" single, which did not capture much attention in the United Kingdom. However, in Germany and The Netherlands it went to #1 - a position its re-issue would later reach in the UK. Thus, the racially mixed London group gave President Records their only number one hit[2]. A gold disc was presented to the group in June 1968 for a combined one million sales of the record.[1] The year 1968 saw the release of "I Get So Excited" which appeared in the Top 50 of the UK Singles Chart. It was reported in September 1969 that all five members of the group had been injured in Germany, when their car ran off a motorway in a gale.[3]

A string of single releases followed up to 1970, all of which charted in the UK. The group also attracted attention as one of the few racially integrated bands of the 1960s, which was reflected in the group's name: The Equals.

Following a collapsed lung and heart infection which put him out of action at the beginning of 1971, Grant went home to Guyana.[3] He promptly left The Equals to pursue his solo career. In the late 1970s and early 1980s released several Top 40 singles, including "Living On The Front Line", "Electric Avenue" and "Romancing the Stone". Grant also topped the UK Singles Chart in 1982 with "I Don't Wanna Dance". Although The Equals never charted again after Grant's departure, they remained a popular live act, performing into the late 1970s and beyond.

In 1980, The Clash recorded a successful cover version of The Equals' song "Police On My Back". In 2006 Willie Nile released his cover of "Police on My Back" on his Streets of New York CD.

The Equals' song "Green Light" was covered by The Detroit Cobras, on their 2007 album, Tied & True.

The song "Baby Come Back" refused to go away. It returned in 1994, when Pato Banton scored an unexpected UK number one with his cover.

Original line-up

  • Derv Gordon - lead vocals - born Dervin Gordon, 29 June 1948, Jamaica
  • Lincoln Gordon - guitar - born 29 June 1948, Jamaica
  • Eddy Grant - guitar - born Edmond Montague Grant, 5 March 1948, Plaisance, Guyana
  • Pat Lloyd - bass guitar - born Patrick Lloyd, 17 March 1948, Holloway, London
  • John Hall - drums - born 25 October 1946, Islington, London[1]

Discography

UK chart singles

  • "I Get So Excited" / "The Skies Above" - (1968) (UK #44)
  • "Baby Come Back" / "Hold Me Closer" - (1968) (UK #1, IRL #2, NOR #4, U.S. #32[4])
  • "Laurel And Hardy" / "The Guy Who Made Her a Star" - (1968) (UK #35)
  • "Softly Softly" / "Lonely Rita" - (1968) (UK #48)
  • "Michael and The Slipper Tree" / "Honey Gum" - (1969) (UK #24)
  • "Viva Bobby Joe" / "I Can't Let You Go" - (1969) (UK #6, IRL #3)
  • "Rub A Dub Dub" / "After the Lights Go Down Low" - (1969) (UK #34)
  • "Black Skin Blue Eyed Boys" / "Ain't Got Nothing to Give You" - (1970) (UK #9)[5]

UK chart albums

  • Unequalled Equals - (1967) (UK #10)
  • Equals Explosion - (1968) (UK #32)[6]

Compilation albums

  • First Among Equals - The Greatest Hits - (1996)

See also

  • List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart
  • List of number-one singles from the 1960s (UK)
  • UK No.1 Hits of 1968
  • List of 1960s one-hit wonders in the United States
  • List of performances on Top of the Pops
  • List of performers on Top of the Pops
  • Caribbean music in the United Kingdom
  • IBC Studios
  • Laurie Records
  • RCA Records

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs, 2nd, p. 238/9, London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd.
  2. Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits, 1st, Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years, 1st, London: Reed International Books Ltd. CN 5585.
  4. [The Equals at All Music Guide Allmusic.com discography - Charts & Awards]
  5. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums, 19th, London: Guinness World Records Limited.
  6. Gambaccini, Paul (1996). British Hit Albums, 7th, Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Publishing Ltd.

External links

This page was last modified 14.12.2010 00:48:12

This article uses material from the article The Equals from the free encyclopedia Wikipedia and it is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.