THE EQUINOX/HARD ROCK 4118 (-73) UK

Little is known about this band (borrowed some of the background facts below from fellow blogspotter "Robots For Ronnie" - see linklist). Four piece British hard rock combo from Chesterfield only existing two years, between 1972 and 1974. After playing local clubs they got a contract with Boulevard label for one album. "Boulevard" a later reshaping or subsidary (uncertain which) of the infamous sixties Saga label, known for badly manufactured semi-legit compilations and frequently conning new aspiring bands and artists. Apparently the handeling of this followed the same pattern. The members were paid a total of £25 per head. Back cover says it was made at Saga studios, London, but as the story goes actually recorded in a studio engineer's basement. Also the front cover image has nothing to do with the band, just a random pic the company had in store. At release early 1973, without any promotion from the label, the record didn't sell and went directly to the cheap bins. Today from a later perspective I think it's well worth some love, not least from die-hard hard rock collectors or fans of odd garage. If you look behind the mostly bad mixing and partly too compressed sound it's not bad at all. Ten self-penned songs as ballads, pure rock, hard rock and psych, all with a true garage atmosphere. Some reminding of more renowned stuff (e.g. "Rat Trap" partly coinciding with The Band's "The Weight") but most of it coming through underived. Vocalist/guitarist Mick Shedd has an appealing voice, the guitars are fine and backing right on spot. I'm sure if managed by another label, recorded in real studio with an experienced crew, and with larger promotion this would have done a lot better. Saga/Boulevard, always on a tight budget, didn't have the means to provide that, but at least they gave them the opportunity to record an album...and that's gotta be worth something. Spanish 2008 vinyl reissue on Wah Wah Records (LPS 059) limited to 500 copies. Don't know of any other issues. UK first had label a shown here and thin matt cover. (SÄGÖ*) (ÖGÄ)