Eddy Grant | |
|---|---|
 Grant inPerth, Australia in 2009 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Edmond Montague Grant (1948-03-05)5 March 1948 (age 77) |
| Origin | London, England |
| Genres | (seemusical style section) |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instruments |
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| Years active | 1965–present |
| Labels | |
Edmond Montague Grant (born 5 March 1948)[1] is aGuyanese-British singer, songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist known for his genre-blending sound and socially conscious lyrics. In addition to this, he also created the genre of "ringbang".[2] He was a founding member ofthe Equals, one of the United Kingdom's first racially mixed pop groups who are best remembered for their million-selling UK chart-topper, the Grant-penned "Baby, Come Back".
His subsequent solo career included the 1982 song "I Don't Wanna Dance", plus the platinum 1983 single "Electric Avenue", which is his biggest international hit. He earned aGrammy Award nomination for the song.[3] He is also well known for the 1988 anti-apartheid song "Gimme Hope Jo'anna".
Grant was born inPlaisance,British Guiana (nowGuyana), later moving toLinden.[4][5] His father, Patrick, was atrumpeter who played in Nello and the Luckies.[5] While he was at school, his parents lived and worked in the United Kingdom, sending back money for his education.[5] In 1960, he emigrated to join his parents in London.[6] He lived inKentish Town and went to school at theAcland Burghley Secondary Modern atTufnell Park, where he learned to read and write music.[7] He became a big fan ofChuck Berry, and after seeing him play at theFinsbury Park Astoria decided on a career in music.[7][8]
In 1965, Grant formedthe Equals, playing guitar and singing background vocals, and the band had two hit albums and a minor hit with the single "I Get So Excited" before having anumber one hit in 1968 with his song "Baby, Come Back".[9] The tune also topped theUK Singles Chart in 1994, when covered byPato Banton featuring Robin andAli Campbell of thereggae groupUB40.[10] The Equals had five further top 40 hits in the UK up to the end of 1970.[11] TheBaby Come Back album featured a song by Grant titled "Police on My Back," which was recorded bythe Clash for their 1980 albumSandinista![12]Willie Nile released his version of "Police on My Back" on hisStreets of New YorkCD.[13] The Equals' song "Green Light" co-written by Grant from their 1968 albumSupreme, was recorded bythe Detroit Cobras, for their 2007album,Tied & True.[14]
In this period he also worked as a songwriter and producer for other artists, includingthe Pyramids (producing their debut single "Train Tour to Rainbow City") andPrince Buster, for whom he wrote "Rough Rider", and started the Torpedo record label, releasing British-madereggae singles.[6]
On 1 January 1971, Grant suffered aheart attack andcollapsed lung, leading to his departure from the Equals to concentrate on production, opening his own Coach House Studios in the grounds of hisStamford Hill home in 1972, and startingIce Records in 1974, initially distributed byPye Records and later byVirgin Records.[4][6][7] He producedthe Pioneers' 1976 albumFeel the Rhythm, as well as early recordings by his younger brotherRudy, working under the name the Mexicano.[6] During this time he also branched out of music, learning totap dance, and subsequently trying his hand at acting at the behest of fellow Guyanese immigrant actorNorman Beaton.[15]
A self-titled solo album released in 1975 made little impact, as did the proto-socaMessage Man, completed and released in 1977, on which Grant played all the instruments himself.[6] "Hello Africa", a song from theMessage Man album, is considered among the very first soca songs ever recorded.[16] Grant began incorporating elements of rock, pop, soul, calypso, andAfrican music into his sound.[16] His breakthrough as a solo artist came two years later with the albumWalking on Sunshine, which spawned the UK top 20 hit "Living on the Frontline".[6] He returned to that chart in 1980 with the top 10 hit "Do You Feel My Love", the opening track ofCan't Get Enough, the 1981 album giving him his first entry in theUK Albums Chart.[17] The album included two further hit singles, "Can't Get Enough of You" and "I Love You, Yes I Love You".[17]
From 1982 onward, Grant was based inBarbados (where he opened his Blue Wave Studios), the same year releasing his most successful album,Killer on the Rampage, which included his two biggest solo hits, "I Don't Wanna Dance", which spent three weeks at number one in the UK as well as selling well internationally, and "Electric Avenue", which reached number 2 in both the UK and the US.[6][8][17] He also began producing and promoting local artists such asDavid Rudder,Mighty Gabby, Tamu Hibbert, andGrynner.[6] A lean period followed; his 1984 title song for the movieRomancing the Stone was cut from the film and stalled outside the UK top 50 when released as a single, although it fared better in the US and Canada.[6] His albumsGoing for Broke (1984),Born Tuff (1987), andFile Under Rock (1988) failed to chart and produced no further hit singles.[6] Grant participated inPrince Edward's charity television specialThe Grand Knockout Tournament (1987).
Grant returned to the charts in 1988 with the anti-apartheid single "Gimme Hope Jo'anna", a number 7 hit in the UK.[6][7][17] The song was banned by the South African government.[18] In the late 1980s he pursued other business interests including music publishing and a nightclub, and built up the success of his Blue Wave studio, which was used byThe Rolling Stones,Sting,Cliff Richard andElvis Costello.[6][7]
Grant continued releasing albums in the 1990s, includingBarefoot Soldier (1990),Paintings of the Soul (1992),Soca Baptism (1993) andHearts and Diamonds (1999).[6] In 1994, he introduced a new genre,ringbang, at the Barbados Crop Over festival.[6][19] Grant said of ringbang: "What ringbang seeks to do is envelop all the rhythms that have originated from Africa so that they become one, defying all geographical boundaries."[6] In 2000, he organised the Ringbang Celebration festival inTobago.[6] In 2001, a remix of "Electric Avenue" reached number 5 in the UK and an attendant Greatest Hits album reached number 3 in that country.[20]
In 2004, Grant created a song for the yogurt based drinkYop, to the tune of "Gimme Hope Jo'anna".[21] On 18 April 2006, Grant released the albumReparation.[22] The title of this album is a call forrestitution for the transatlantic slave trade.[23] There was an 11 year gap before his next album, when he released his 2017 albumPlaisance.
In 2008, he performed atNelson Mandela's 90th birthday concert, and also played several dates in the UK, including theGlastonbury Festival.[18] As of 2023, Grant has refused to allow his music onstreaming platforms such asApple Music andSpotify, out of protest for how the platforms pay artists.[24] However, in February 2024, his albumKiller on the Rampage became available on the aforementioned streaming services again, including the original version of "Electric Avenue."
In September 2020, Grant suedDonald Trump, who wasPresident of the United States at the time, for unauthorised use of Grant's 1983 chart hit "Electric Avenue" in an August 2020 presidential campaign video. Trump posted the video onTwitter where it was viewed more than 13 million times before Twitter took it down after Grant's copyright complaint. Grant's song plays during 40 seconds of the animated 55-second video.[25][26][27] Trump unsuccessfully attempted to have the suit dismissed, citing fair use and "absolute presidential immunity".[28][29][30] Grant asked for US$300,000 in damages.[29]
Trump's attorney told the court that the deposition contained sensitive information about Trump's presidential campaign strategy. He asked that Trump and campaign advisorDan Scavino's testimony be permanently sealed because it would give an "unwarranted competitive advantage" to his opponents in the 2024 presidential election, and because it "could be used against them in other, parallel, litigations unrelated to this matter".[31] On 13 September 2024, the court ruled that fair use did not apply to the campaign ad and that Trump had to pay Grant damages in an amount to be determined by a jury, as well as Grant's legal fees.[32] "The video is best described as a wholesale copying of music to accompany a political campaign ad," the judge wrote.[33]Copyrightlately noted: "With liability established, the case will now focus on determining damages."[34]
On 20 November 2024, the court issued an order stating that the two sides had settled the lawsuit and that the case would be discontinued. The order did not disclose the terms of the settlement.[35]
In 2016, it was announced that Grant would receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the government ofGuyana.[36] He was previously honoured with a postage stamp featuring his likeness and ringbang logo by the Guyana Post Office Corporation in 2005.[37] Grant was nominated for a Grammy in the26th Annual Grammy Awards for his song "Electric Avenue".[3]
Grant is known for his unique style that blends various Western, African, and Caribbean musical traditions. Grant's music is primarily classified asreggae rock[38][39] andsoca,[16][40] but his sound has blended various musical elements, such aspop,[41]electro-pop,[42]funk,[2]disco,[43]soul,[44]calypso,[45]ringbang,[2] andworld music elements[44] such asAfrican polyrhythms andsamba.[46]
| Studio albums | |
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| Singles | |
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| Related articles | |
