In response to some of the great feedback on my previous upload, I've decided to share with you another obscure 80's gem in my vinyl collection; one that really didn't get much love in the R&B music industry back in 1987. Ladies and gentlemen I present to you E.Q.'s lone self-titled LP from the Atlantic label; a critically forgotten New Jack Swing production conjured up by executive producers: Ahmet Ertegun and Gregory Abbott.
Sad to say, but I couldn't find a whole lot of history on the web about E.Q.'s tenure in the music business; let alone an article of some sort during his rise and fall with Atlantic. To be honest...he seems to fit the bill of an unknown 80's musician who had completely fallen off the radar with listeners worldwide, because the only little piece of factual information I could find on E.Q. was his full name known to some as Efrain Quinones; nothing more or less going forward except his assumed native roots outside of New York City.
While we haven't heard any updates on E.Q.'s whereabouts since 1987, the personnel who had worked alongside him on this LP where extremely notable music makers in 80's R&B; one is particular was a guy named Reggie Griffin, who had intrigued an immense amount of Electro-Funk listeners in 1984 with his album from Qwest Records called, 'Hot Fingers.' Plus, despite Gregory Abbott being one of the executive producers...Ms. Cindy Mizelle from Attitude's lone 1983 LP \"Pump The Nation,\" which was also pressed on the Atlantic label by the way...contributed her background vocal chops to six out of the nine songs on E.Q.'s sole LP; not bad if you really enjoyed her 1984 solo single on the 'Beat Street' soundtrack titled, \"This Could Be The Night.\"
Anyhow, I think the main reason why E.Q.'s music never went anywhere was either because of bad marketing, or, his slew of four different producers; two of which (Ahmet Ertegun & Rob Mounsey) were former ones he had originally collaborated with in 1985 with the release of his first single on Atlantic titled, \"Goodbye Love.\"
One things for sure, I think he should've stuck with Reggie Griffin & Arif Mardin all throughout this album because his first three songs: \"Let's Make A Move,\" \"Sweeter By The Minute\" (in my opinion the best song), and \"Don't Put Out The Fire,\" really should've been instant chart-topping hits on the radio; like seriously, where the heck was Billboard in all of this!
On top of those three amazing songs not even making a dent on the charts, it seems as though that could as well be the issue of why we haven't gotten a brief update from E.Q. today; personally, I don't blame him reaching out at all after hearing the end of \"Sweeter By The Minute.\" Still, it has been over 30 years, and I'm sure everyone is eager for an update. If anything, I just hope E.Q. isn't dead because this dude seriously had some decent soulful pipes that could've been up there with the likes of Keith Sweat for instance!
Anyway, I've recorded both sides of the vinyl release of your own listening pleasure, so here is the tracklist starred with my own recommendations; double stars mean you should check out first:
