The Equals are some deep cut material. One of my kids favorite songs. I can listen to it five times in a row and like it more each play.
I'm pathetic, like one of those drama kids who know who Tears for Fears are through Gary Jules. It's fair to say that Spahn Ranch's interpretation is lifeless and uninspired; nonetheless, in the ouvre of the band it's kind of emblematic of the point where they sorta gave up on that whole dark'n'dusky industrial thing.
The Equals were kind of formative for later British bands. They led the way for future racially integrated bands on the island. The specials and really most the 2nd wave ska bands were into them. They influenced the Clash, who covered the Equals "Police on my Back." The lead singer was Eddie Grant who you might remember from his solo hit "Electric Avenue." Eddie moved back to the Caribbean after the Equals and shook up some of the strong divisions between different Caribbean music styles, getting people from various backgrounds to record and collaborate with each other. It was almost a music revolution but not quite.