The Equals – Stand Up And Be Counted (CBS Records UK, 1972)

by Dave Sharp on Oct 09^th, 2010

The Equals – Stand Up and Be Counted (Single)
CBS Records (UK)
1972

Side A
Stand Up and Be Counted

Side B
What Would You Do To Survive

Reviewer: Dave Sharp

Sure, Sly and the Family Stone get all the credit for mixing great grooves with racial diversity, but few include The Equals in racial-barrier busting conversations.  Hailing from London, they bring an interesting blend of late 60’s funk-rock with reggae and Caribbean rhythms.  Of course its fun, how can you go wrong with that combination?  But, they also add some punch to the message.  Much like other period bands like War and the Chamber Brothers they include fist-raising power-to-the-people tracks like “Stand Up and Be Counted”, a single on CBS Records that was never released in the US. This single, which also included “What Would You Do To Survive”, marked the last leg of their recording career and the final countdown of Eddy Grant’s involvement.  Grant went on to a semi-successful (in the US, at least) solo career and now tours with the likes of UB40 and others mostly overseas.

“Stand Up and Be Counted” is a buzzing song with soul-brother penchant that you can easily hear an feverous assembly shouting in unison. Metaphorically, it holds double meaning in fighting the just-a-number metaphor for the masses as well as provoking those oppressed to voice their stance.  It probably could have succeeded in the US, but only with substantial promotion as it wasn’t the only sound of this type circulating.

The B track’s simple and addicting rhythm catches you from the first beat and doesn’t let go with relentless bass lines and even a horn filler to keep your body moving.  Reminiscent of early Bill Withers and dead-on to Sly and the Family stone, its has a pop element that should have made it the A track.

Add The Equals to your list of import searches and hit up the dusty seven inch boxes stashed away in random corners and nooks at Grimey’s in pursuit.