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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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GRANT, Eddy

(b 5 March '48, Guyana, West Indies) Singer, songwriter, producer, studio boss. Began as mainstay of UK pop group the Equals in '60s, often seen as forerunner of 2- Tone movement of late '70s: wrote their hits 'Baby Come Back', 'Black Skin Blue Eyed Boys' '68--70; was outrageous frontman with hair dyed white; CD compilations are exuberant collections. On their split he opened Coach House Studios in North London '73, intended to control every facet of production, forming own label Ice '74 and overseeing pressing and distribution. Prod. records by the Gladiators. Among his own Eddy Grant '75, Message Man '77, Walkin' On Sunshine '79, last was a critical favourite, Grant using his synthesizers to create music with ersatz steel drum as well as orchestral effects (title track covered by Rockers' Revenge '82 for no. 2 UK hit). Own first hit was 'Living On The Front Line', no. 11 '79: it won him a whole new audience with its 'street cred' (street in Brixton where young blacks hang out is the 'front line'). Subsequent ballad 'Do You Feel My Love' was no. 8 '80; LP Love In Exile '80 satisfied, Can't Get Enough '81 was a bigger success: top 40 UK album followed by hits 'I Don't Wanna Dance' (no. 1 '81), 'Electric Avenue' (no. 2 '83, also about a street in Brixton, seen as comment on riots there). Wrote and performed theme song 'Romancing The Stone', which then wasn't used in the '84 film; LP Going For Broke '84 had ingenious mix of pop and politics; Live At The Notting Hill Carnival was also '84. He performed in Poland and Cuba '85, maintained independence with his Blue Wave studio in Barbados, used by Mick Jagger, Sting and Elvis Costello; he worked with young classical composer Roxanna Panufnik on a re-orchestrated 18th- century opera Inkle And Yarico for the Holders Season '97 in Barbados. His hits compilation was Walkin' On Sunshine on Parlophone; reissues and other albums on Ice CDs: Born Tuff, Killer On The Rampage, File Under Rock, Soca Baptism.