On Saturday, November 30th @ 10AM, DJ Renee Black speaks with Derv Gordon, the former lead singer of North London’s pop, R&B and rock group The Equals.
Often credited with being one of the first interracial rock groups in the U.K., The Equals also bear the distinction of being a truly international band with an inclusive sound that revolutionized rock, bringing Jamaican and African touches to British beat. The Equals seamlessly integrated R&B, soul, and ska to bubblegum long before The Specials, Talking Heads, and The Clash(who covered The Equals).
Formed in 1965, the original line-up consisted of Guyanese immigrant Eddy Grant on lead guitar, Jamaican brothers Derv and Lincoln Gordonon vocals and bass (respectively), and native Brits John Hall on drums and Pat Lloyd on rhythm guitar.
Their album covers stood as a testament to a brave new integrated world, one that was just within sight in mid-60’s London. Surely, if anything could bring humanity together through our differences, it was dance music. The Equals first charted in 1968 with “I Get So Excited,” “Baby, Come Back,” and “Softly Softly” – infectiously danceable songs that they are still well-known for to this day.
