Equus - ST

Tracks

Side 1

		Track Name	Length
	1	Metal Man	04:22
	2	I´ll be Waiting	03:35
	3	When You Gonna Find the Time	03:24

Side 2

		Track Name	Length
	1	Powerlife	03:44
	2	Think of You	03:35

Side 3

		Track Name	Length
	1	Mother Earth (1990)	03:20
	2	If That's What it Takes (2009)	04:19
	3	A Better Life (2023)	04:23

Images

Videos

Information/Write-up

Equus formed in London, Ontario in 1980, when five high school friends began shaping what would become one of the city’s stronger early-1980s AOR hard-rock outfits. At a time when Southwestern Ontario still supported a thriving club and campus circuit, the band built its reputation the traditional way — rehearsing relentlessly, refining harmonies, and working the regional stage network with discipline and ambition.

The core lineup centred on Cameron Grant (vocals, guitars), Danny Allen (vocals, drums), Peter Schaefer (guitars, vocals), Ken Lucier (bass), and Duncan Grant (keyboards). Their sound reflected the era’s melodic hard-rock sensibility: layered guitars, prominent keyboards, dual-vocal interplay, and tightly structured songs that balanced arena-scale choruses with musicianship rooted in classic rock tradition.

By 1985, Equus entered the studio to document their material, resulting in the self-titled 5-song 12-inch mini-album Equus, released on London’s Auto Records (Auto 001). Produced by Peter Brennan, the EP captured the band at full stride, with tracks such as ‘Metal Man,’ ‘I’ll Be Waiting,’ ‘When You Gonna Find the Time,’ ‘Powerlife,’ and ‘Think of You’ presenting a confident blend of melodic rock and driving guitar work. Some copies were issued with a lyric/photo insert, and the record was manufactured and distributed through Auto Records, giving the band a tangible presence beyond the live circuit.

The following year, Equus issued the 7-inch single ‘You Decide’ b/w ‘She’s Gone’ (Auto 002). Again produced by Peter Brennan — this time for Jim Dunlop Productions with Metropolitan Productions — the single was recorded at EMAC Studios in London, Ontario, engineered by Joe Vaughan with assistance from Pauline VanderWerf, and mastered at Laquer Channel in Toronto. The release expanded the group’s sonic palette, incorporating guitar synthesizer textures and more polished studio layering while retaining the band’s vocal-forward identity.

During the mid-1980s, Equus shared stages with prominent Canadian acts including Gowan, Helix, and Blue Rodeo, positioning themselves within a competitive national scene that was rapidly evolving. Like many independent Canadian bands of the period, lineup adjustments and the realities of sustaining momentum without major-label backing eventually slowed their trajectory, but the music retained a loyal following in Southwestern Ontario.

Reunion performances in 1992 and again in 2011 brought the original core members back together, reaffirming both the strength of the material and the band’s enduring chemistry. Decades later, renewed interest in Canadian independent hard rock led to the restoration and expansion of their catalogue. In 2024, a remastered and expanded edition of Equus was issued in Europe by Pride & Joy Music Classixx, limited to 500 copies. Remastered by Paul Piccari, the release combined the original 1985 EP tracks with selections from the 1986 single and additional archival material, including new recordings and previously unreleased songs.
-Robert Williston

Musicians
Cameron Grant: electric guitar, lead vocals, backing vocals
Danny Allen: drums, electronic drums, percussion, lead vocals
Ken Lucier: bass, vocals on ‘Metal Man,’ ‘I’ll Be Waiting,’ ‘When You Gonna Find The Time,’ ‘Power Life,’ and ‘Mother Earth’
Peter Schaefer: lead guitar, guitar synthesizer, lead vocals, backing vocals
Duncan Grant: keyboards
Ian Stewart: bass on ‘You Decide’ and ‘She’s Gone’
Chris Robinson: alto saxophone on ‘Think Of You’
Mark Schupp: drums on ‘Mother Earth’
Carl Campbell: electric guitar on ‘Mother Earth’
Mark Underwood: keyboards on ‘Mother Earth’
Adrian Nicholas: vocals
Peter Brennan: vocals

Production
Produced by Peter Brennan
Co-produced by Marcus Mason
Remastered by Paul Piccari

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