TunePlay - THE EQUALIZER (1985) Stewart Copeland

In the early 1980s "everything old was new again" as in directly preceding years films such as SUPERMAN, STAR WARS, ROCKY and RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK turned "retro" pulp into the wave of the future. TV's response exploded in 1988 with reduxes of AMAZING STORIES, ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS and THE TWILIGHT ZONE, along with new series based on the classic gumshoe milieu - among them ABC's MOONLIGHTING (a rift on Dashiell Hammett's THE THIN MAN) and SPENSER: FOR HIRE starring Robert Urich as Robert B. Parker's venerable Boston sleuth; ... all of this in the same year! The most intriguing of the new lot however was CBS's THE EQUALIZER - co-created by writers Michael Sloan (COLUMBO, QUINCY, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA) and Richard Lindheim (B.J. AND THE BEAR). Starring BREAKER MORANT's Edward Woodward (a veteran of The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts as well as West End and Broadway theater), he was part Paul Kersey from DEATH WISH, part Simon Templar from THE SAINT, and part James Bond as Robert McCall - former member of "The Agency" (an unspecified American intel division), who seeks to atone for past sins by lending his services gratis to average New Yorker Joes and Janes finding themselves up against imbalanced odds, be it from street thugs, corrupt police, terrorists (foreign and domestic) or even black ops operatives crossed into the civilian sector.
Perhaps topping THE LOVE BOAT and MURDER SHE WROTE for it's impressive list of established (and up-and-coming) guest stars, over it's four season run THE EQUALIZER featured appearances by Robert Mitchum & Richard Jordan (re-teamed after THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE and THE YAKUZA; and together temporarily filling in for Woodward whilst he recovered from a 1987 heart attack), Kevin Spacey, Bradley Whitford, Lawrence Fishburne, Patricia Clarkson, E.G. Marshall, Ving Rhames, Stanley Tucci, Anthony Zerbe, THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK's Robin Curtis, and even musicians taking a stab at acting including Meat Loaf, Adam Ant, The Beastie Boys' Adam Horovitz and series composer himself Stewart Copeland in a humorous "blink and you'll miss it" one episode cameo as a pickpocket.
As mentioned in our earlier WALL STREET TunePlay suite ( • TunePlay - WALL STREET... ), Copeland was born in 1952. The son of CIA officer Miles Copeland, Jr., he took up the drums at 12, was raised internationally in Cairo, Beirut, the U.S. and England; and throughout the 1970s alternately worked as road manager and backup drummer for various groups until founding in 1977, along with Sting and Henry Padovani (later replaced by Andy Summers), the progressive rock band THE POLICE. Copeland's first assignment in film was Francis Ford Coppola's RUMBLE FISH (1983). Then after THE POLICE went on "extended hiatus" in '86, the drummer with a composer's sensibilities dove headlong into scoring - to this day one of his most notable works as musical voice of THE EQUALIZER, on which he'd compose an astounding 51 of the series' 88 total episodes.
THE EQUALIZER introduced Copeland's stunningly unique sound to the mainstream audience; and it would simultaneously launch his career as a soloist. In keeping with the series' "mash up" (before that phrase was coined) concept of "tradition merged with new aged high tech", Copeland's musical accompaniment would a) with the exception of McCall himself, forgo the Wagnerian structure of identifiable leitmotifs, and instead choose to score the city of New York itself as a primary character; and b) fuse classical structure with the (some considered "sacrilegious" at the time) combo of "percussion carrying melody and synthesized strings" attached to world rhythms (Lebanese and Reggae influenced), then introduced via the early break-beat "sampling" technology of the day. Copeland's would be a coldly ethereal yet dense "urban ballet" sound inexorably linked to the modern cityscape. And it would years later influence composers such as Hans Zimmer, Thomas Newman and more.
Excerpted from the 1988 album "THE EQUALIZER And Other Cliffhangers" our TunePlay suite is taken from an analog source, and as such may contain some mild audio distortion.
CEJ
1) The Equalizer Busy Equalizing - Theme from THE EQUALIZER (0:00 of 14:55)
2) Screaming Lord Cole And The Commanches (3:16 of 14:55)
3) Lurking Solo (7:55 of 14:55)
4) Music Box (12:36 of 14:55)
For more "TunePlay" mini movie music suites go to www.gullcottage...
"Bear Mann" is a KZbin channel of The GullCottage/Sandlot, a film blog and growing reference library "Celebrating The Art of Cinema, ... And Cinema As Art".
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All rights held by copyright owner. Presented here for educational and criticism purposes only.

[@rosscollingwood5189]

Forget the Denzel Washington remakes. Edward Woodward was THE Equalizer - the one, the only!

[@Adam-gp7co]

Spot on

[@kingforty881]

ABSOLUTELY! Denzel is LAME.

[@krishnan-resurrection714]

Lame as a one legged drake .....Washington sucks ass .......

[@mercoid]

Yes sir!!! That is correct!

[@tennkenobi]

Denzel is a fabulous actor, he’s just not Robert McCall.

[@MrEab2010]

Woodward created one of the great characters of the late 20th century.

[@williampowell3378]

Yeah

[@alanhargreaves-thevoiceofr2361]

yeah ..subsequent efforts by non humans paled into nothingness . . . . .!!!!

[@WarrenFahyAuthor]

So cool.

[@kools67]

along with Pee Wee Herman - McCall were the icons of the 20th Century!!

[@lennyrussell8954]

Edward is the Equalizer, what a show with the backdrop being New York and great characters like Control and Mickey this show should never be remade.

[@jeffwelshJedidivemaster]

Control could of played spocks uncle he is a vulcan that never was

[@georgemichaelspenis9083]

No, make it an ensemble junk cast of black women, trannies and other LGBTQers, water it down with a group of shitty woke writers, marinate with anti-normal fundamentalism use a crappy sound track done on a cassette tape AND VOILA! See BS flames out another turd remake.

[@johnwhite3015]

only one equaliser Edward Woodward. R I P.

[@TheRetroShed]

I'm currently working my way through all the episodes again - I've not seen them since the early 80s as a kid. Used to stay up to watch them and I must say having seen the two movies lately - not a patch on Mr Woodward. And I'm a huge Denzel Washington fan as well! The whole premise of an ex agency / Brit living in New York and dishing out his kind of justice was spot on. The music was absolutely unique - there was never a score anywhere near as good before or since. Even down to McCall driving a Series III XJ was a fabulous choice. RIP Mr Woodward. Thanks for the memories Sir!

[@FeedbackPete]

The original English man in New York

[@captainkirk4519]

Agreed. Edward was the only and will always be the only Equalizer. The movies have no character or heart - just violence. To be honest Edwards Equalizer would eat the other ones for breakfast.

[@billkeithchannel]

Jan Hammer for Miami Vice might be a close second to Stewart.

[@TheRetroShed]

@@billkeithchannel absolutely. His album “Escape from Television” is excellent. Takes me right back to those Miami Vice evenings when it was shown on telly. Great stuff!

[@billkeithchannel]

@@TheRetroShed Miami Vice was 9pm on Friday and at 8pm was _Crime Story._ The bass riff they used in every episode is branded into my brain. I loved their cover of _Runaway_ that was used as the opening theme and closing music.

[@gloomyvale3671]

My favourite theme to one of my favourite shows. Perfect role for Edward Woodward. The music by Copeland was stunning.

[@judeannegossin5373]

The best theme song EVER. Copeland rocked it.

[@judeannegossin5373]

I AGREE. YOU CAN TELL THAT THERE WAS A BIG DIFFERENCE.

[@raflaughter3474]

I am in heaven with this. Stewart Copeland and Edward Woodward. An Equalizing combination.

[@ann-mariebarmby1228]

Love them both xx

[@jeffwelshJedidivemaster]

If they played the theme clubbed to death as featured in the matrix it would be an extra level of soundtrack magic

[@georgemichaelspenis9083]

Now if only SEE BS had kept Queef Latrine from pissing on this amazing gem!

[@vincentfisher4748]

Edward Woodward along with this soundtrack made the original show legendary .Don't care much for the Queen Latifah remake.

[@timallen5988]

I have to agree I cringed where I seen she was playing McCall. I don't mind Denzel Washingtons movies, they are actually pretty good. Just didn't keep any of the shows magic.

[@alanhargreaves-thevoiceofr2361]

monkey crap

[@cromlaughsatyourfourwinds8333]

It was this show that turned me onto Stewart Copeland. And am I glad!

[@kools67]

and you discovered The Police after this?

[@dazdaz105]

Everyone wanted to be The Equalizer in the school yard games 👍 brilliant show

[@kools67]

I wanted to be Stanley Moonshine - he was our local milkman...I just wanted to be him full stop!! it became an obsession for me - when I grew up and started my first job I spent my first wage on a couple of glass bottles of milk!! that is a true story I don't buy milk no more - I think it is vile and detest it!! life eh!!

[@larry7728]

Edward Woodward's The Equalizer was a show that, regrettably, I somehow missed in the 80s. I just discovered it on the streaming Classic 80s TV channel and I am totally hooked! The theme music by Copeland is fantastic and show is itself is stellar! Edward Woodward brings a sensitive realism to the complex lead character and has the depth of acting experience and just the right urbane personality to pull it off perfectly. The show's writing and casting are superior and the direction, blocking and cinematography are on the level of a big screen movie production most of the time, which was somewhat unusual for TV in the 80s. Most shows from the 80s are easily dated from the get-go, but not The Equalizer... its timeless!

[@GaryBailey-hk4ex]

Ah it is so good to see scenes from my EQUALIZER from T.V. with Edward Woodward and Robert Lansing and hear that awesome music by Mr. Copeland. Wonderful indeed!!! GaryBailey

[@tschak909]

"Tell me you composed this on a Fairlight, without telling me you composed this on a Fairlight."

[@stormymaiden]

Copeland.....genius!!!

[@5809AUJG]

Beautiful. Copeland's score for "The Equalizer" was one of the show's most profound and iconic elements...unforgettable and marvelous. It is as singular as the one and only Equalizer himself: Edward Woodward. There will never be another, as far as I'm concerned. He took McCall and made him his own. No one else can hope to come close. Thank you for celebrating this remarkable gem of a score and TV series...it warms my heart to see it acknowledged so beautifully. You have done well. Much appreciated!

[@bearmann3949]

Whoa! Thanks so much! I completely agree with all you've said. Woodward made THE EQUALIZER his own (and there will never be another) every bit as much as Errol Flynn infused CAPTAIN BLOOD with his own personality and life's blood, and every bit as much as there can never be another Han Solo or Indiana Jones apart from Harrison Ford. Those personas are just too inexorably linked to those characters. The same with Copeland's EQUALIZER score - it every bit as much an integral part of THE EQUALIZER's DNA as Woodward himself. So glad to know other artistic kin out there feel the same way about the originals, ... about the classics. All the best my friend. - CEJ

[@5809AUJG]

Thank you, Bear! It's wonderful to know that there are still people like you out there who have so much intelligence, good taste, and pure class! Please, keep bringing on your beautiful videos....for a dedicated collector of fine film and TV music like me, your creations are as welcome and appreciated as can be. I love them. You have the discernment to know what's the best, a true artist's eye and ear, and the intelligence and gifts to put these things together with beauty and true grace. Again, I say to you, well done! Eagerly awaiting your next video!! And...Edward Woodward, the one and only Equalizer, forever!!! :)

[@judeannegossin5373]

They do not make shows like The Equalizer. Edward Woodward kicked ass and so did Copeland with the Theme. Copeland coexisted the theme exactly to the concept of the show.

[@PredatorAlienate]

Unlike Danzel Washington's Equalizer, Edward Woodward's did not resort to actual vigilantism. He collaborated with the police, operating within the bounds of the law. Nor did the original character push his use of violence to gruesome excess. The former Equalizer would have considered the latter crude and tasteless.

[@MrCraigblaze]

A very good crime TV show !!

[@sergioleone1375]

Good to see Mickey Kostmayer in The Dark Knight. Always liked the episodes with him in.

[@tinaryan5916]

Loved him in Angel too, great actor

[@markyinbelfastxx9088]

Thursday nights After sledge hammer and V , great times

[@bluestar8768]

Tv gold! I loved this show as a kid. Why dont they repeat it? They show trashy repeats all the time. They need to play this fantastic tv show again!

[@WarrenFahyAuthor]

Great fuckin' show, and such awesome music.

[@WarrenFahyAuthor]

And Denzel is perfect stepping in. Just use the music, too, damn it!

[@alanhargreaves-thevoiceofr2361]

@@WarrenFahyAuthor we Europeans dont care for 'Denxel' mate. . . . .

[@WarrenFahyAuthor]

@@alanhargreaves-thevoiceofr2361 He'll grow on you even though you're... racist?!

[@WarrenFahyAuthor]

DENZEL IS NOT "LAME" you farging IDIOTS! He's an absolute perfect "race-swap" because it doesn't matter AT ALL. You don't get your own cause.

[@williamferrante2272]

Great theme song

[@stormymaiden]

Copeland......master forever!!

[@mercoid]

ME TV should pick this show up. NOW!!!

[@TheGodParticle]

Great score, really made the series.

[@monkeymanbob]

For those of a certain age, not only was this a top tv tune but also a stunning demo (at the time) showing off what the Commodore Amiga could do with sound.

[@alexiadylon6142]

Probably the greatest soundtrack to any series I have ever heard.

[@James-nl6fu]

Mysterious Englishman in menacBing 1980's New York City ♥️Denzil's somebody else while Stewart Copeland's powerfull "dark New York" soundtrack 👌 was a major co-star to the leads

[@TheLAGopher]

One was a retired Cold Warrior whose primary opposition were state actors in a global chess match, which while at times violent, was based on mutual respect.The other, a retired veteran of War on Terror Black Ops whose job was to hunt down and kill, before moving on to the next target. They are very different interpretations of the same basic character and concept.

[@MrTamiya89]

Absolute Legend

[@bigvalvader4341]

I think all of this music is available on The Equalizer and Other Cliffhangers. Pretty easy to get on CD still

[@jeanhodgson8623]

The tunes, as the uploader says, are on an album. The album was released on a CD - I have a copy - so we are not restricted to an analog copy. I don't think that there were many copies of the CD issued. I found my copy in a used CD store in Huntsville, Alabama in 1997. I was surprised to see it, because, although I had seen the TV series, I didn't know that an album had been issued. It would be great if the Copeland soundbites from the TV shows were made available.

[@wavstudionet]

In my opinion, Edward Woodward as The Equalizer in today's time would make an excellent Marvel character in the vein of Daredevil and Punisher. PS. Denzel would make a great Marc Spector aka Marvel's Moon Knight.

[@wavstudionet]

McCall and Castle are two sides of the same coin. The difference being McCall uses reason first. Villains underestimate him because of age. So when reason doesn't work he uses force. And they regret it immediately.

[@wavstudionet]

The Equalizer needs his own Marvel comic book. Do the Edward Woodward version in Earth-616 and Denzel Washington in Earth-65

[@rosscollingwood5189]

That's an interesting thought!

[@terrelll.howard8660]

It was Money?

[@TheLAGopher]

@@wavstudionet Might have to disagree with that. Frank Castle has lost all faith in the system, while Woodward's McCall has a working known relationship with and contacts within the NYPD. Castle won't kill an honest Police Officer,Federal Agent, or US Military operative who crosses his path,but he has no use for the system. McCall often acts within the system by advising his clients to go to the cops as a first option, or contacting the Police himself,before going in to deal with a problem. If anything, Denzel's McCall is much closer to Frank Castle in temperament and tactics in that he is direct and attacks with overwhelming violence of action.

[@tennkenobi]

‘Don’t do it’ ... thug reaches for gun...BANG.... thug falls to the ground, Equalised.

[@bearmann3949]

Yes, Jim B., this is Copeland's "Concert" or "Radio" version (as they are often called) - wherein the composer takes a 30 - 60 second Theme and expands it into a more polished / rounded / more listenable 3 min. + rendition.

[@mahmood6164]

My all.time.favrote.edward.woodward

[@georginaelizondo]

Excelente música para un también excelente serie de TV 😎💪🏼👏👍

[@mikecane]

What a series. And that score! When Copeland left, the music just didn't have it. Thanks for this and the montage.

[@gloomyvale3671]

I was so disappointed by the music in the later series when Copeland left. It went from wicked to bland. Generic tosh. My favourite theme to a show ever.

[@efrayinyisraeil8339]

Awesome. Its like Zappa returning

[@julielark3980]

Love it! Thanks for this. Loved "The Equaliser." Happy birthday, Mr Woodward! Requiescat in pace. +

[@user-jk7lv5kj6h]

Here's a travel trip - if you ever visit NY. Put The Equalizer music on your Ipod and hit repeat. Then after your trip it will transport you back there. :)

[@stefanoripari1816]

Great Stewart copeland numbers 1The Police

[@stefanoripari1816]

Ascoltate anche The Rithmatist e anche Rumble fish sono eccezionali

[@n90cks]

Love this!

[@jameshowman3235]

I remember a profound line McCall delivered to an angry young man bent on revenge: "Every time you shoot someone you see a face, and you never forget that face."

[@larryrobisch7208]

Amasterpeicccccccamen

[@alanhigh8125]

Sorry, "Queen" Latifah and Denzel Washington aren't in the same league as Edward Woodward. They Never have been, and they never will be. Another Brit, someone like Daniel Craig, who's capable of quiet menace (like Woodward) would be a good choice.

[@davidpatton7635]

Daniel Craig is said to be retiring from the Bond character after one more release. As at this writing, he is 50. E Woodward was 56 for Season 1. Not hard to visualize Craig as McCall, retired from MI6 and making amends.

[@grantgrove6800]

As an aside, Rupert Friend from Homeland (Quinn) is apparently being lined-up to replace Craig as 007.

[@adrianwalker1242]

One of the best ideas this year.

[@BixbySnyder209]

Daniel Craig in a reboot series with original music is like a dream come true. Seriously. . . Wow !

[@scousesonata]

Curved Air 1976!

[@Paul-oo5gz]

Yes good work I like the police.

[@PredatorAlienate]

Unlike Denzel Washington's Equalizer, Edward Woodward's version seldom felt obliged to commit serious crimes in order to stop heinous criminals. He was no murderous vigilante.

[@jameschavez6400]

The newspaper ad q.if you got a problem -,I had a problem with stewart being criminalized ,I didn’t appreciate police corruption stewart,Andy and gordon are golden ⭐️⭐️⭐️❤️

[@jiji2panam274]

Thanks Thanks

[@rendezvouzwithrama]

Why isn't this series repeated?

[@bluestar8768]

I loved this show... this is tv gold and should be repeated

[@krishnan-resurrection714]

it is .....

[@bluestar8768]

Which channel?

[@krishnan-resurrection714]

@@bluestar8768 Forces TV...Britain ..

[@bluestar8768]

👍 thank you

[@earlsmith7017]

This is off of Copeland's project. While it sounds good and all it still isn't the original television show theme which had a grittier, more aggressive approach. Cool nonetheless.

[@jeanhodgson8623]

Earl, these tracks are on an album. Stewart wrote them, but they are performed by a guy called Jeff Seitz. They were recorded for the album and are not sound bites from the show. Whether he used real drums or electronic, I have no idea. From Season 2 of the TV show, where Stewart composed the music, it says that it was performed by Jeff. I find that a little disappointing, but maybe Stewart was too busy to perform the music; that would explain why several later episodes (and the first few of Season 2) had music by others. The others sound dull by comparison. Stewart was 1/3 of the whole show.

[@StillTheVoid]

Glad to have you back

[@bearmann3949]

Thanks big time Johnny. Been a super busy last year with quite a few "irons in various fires". I think things are "normalizing" enough where I should be able to once again post more TunePlay suites with regularity. Thanks for the feedback Cochise! All the best! - CEJ

[@StillTheVoid]

Bear Mann Request At Close Range (1986) and Vampires (1998)

[@bearmann3949]

Johnny Black Hey Johnny, while I've got nearly a thousand film soundtracks in the personal collection, would you believe AT CLOSE RANGE and VAMPIRES (though I'll definitely have that one soon - I truly love John Carpenter's film scores) are not among them? Sorry about that!

[@howdoyoulikethat5253]

The net works are revitalizing, some old popular T.V. series of yesteryear. WELL TELL ME THEN., WHY NOT "THE EQUALISER" !? A superb series it was. Well, written, well acted, well directed ! 🎥👍👍

[@georgemichaelspenis9083]

Let’s get an amazing Rock Band’s drummer to do the music of our show! WIN. Edward Woodward made The Equalizer. Denzel Washington did him justice, but not so much in the sequel!

[@graemehunter5403]

where can you watch all 4 seasons there is Know one like edward

[@kendallrivers1119]

I would buy the complete series. So worth it.

[@Dproud2700]

This music would be perfect for even the new Equalizer with Queen Latifah

[@Funktastic_Ed]

It's the Copeland album's version, the one from the TV Show had a different sound, with different effects and intruments (better IMO).

[@sayport2]

something interesting about Stewart's Father in this book:A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal by Ben Macintyre

[@basaraksan835]

FIRST EQUALIZER

[@chuyhighman6927]

🥸🎧📲🔈❤️💙🧡💜💚💖❤️‍🔥

[@stephaniehowel2479]

I would like to know the record thats playing in the episode of the equalizer MAMAS BOY when Ronnie is at the party. Please help me with the song. Its just the instrumental .

[@GEEKICIDALTENDENCIES]

Queen Latifah Brings McCall back in The Equalizer 2021....let the OG hate begin....watch the trailer !! she has Edward Woodward DNA all over her portrayal of the Character........Also love this is recorded of a LP

[@kendallrivers1119]

LOL uh NOBODY has Edward's "DNA" in them because there's only one Edward Woodward like there's only one Denzel Washington and only one Queen Latifah. Stop trying to sell it so hard, my friend if it requires you to be that desperate that makes me wonder if I should even give it a chance.

[@GEEKICIDALTENDENCIES]

@@kendallrivers1119 With all do respect Kendall! I can see by your comment that you are as big a fan of both Vrs of The Equalizer as i am! that being said and with Queen Latifah's 3rd incarnation (Robin McCall) ...1st Ep in the bag!...Please give it a watch and get back to me with your thoughts.. I'd like to compare notes!.. Ergo if you have not watched the "Desperately sold" trailer nor the 1st episode it would render the opinions you've shared above Moot!

[@thequietrevolution3404]

@@GEEKICIDALTENDENCIES Don't feel discouraged. When "The Equalizer" first aired it wasn't very popular. "Miami Vice" and "Dallas" were the series nearly everyone talked about during the '80's. McCall and company kinda took off around the third season. Unfortunately, the series ended in 1989 with the fourth season. I suspect due to health concerns for Edward Woodward.

[@jims974]

@@thequietrevolution3404 The ratings were still doing ok at the end of Season 4 and they'd got past the health issues. EW went straight into another series (which tanked unfortunately). Equalizer ended largely because Angela Lansbury basically emptied the coffers of Universal with her pay deal for Murder She Wrote and a number of shows had to be shelved.

[@alanhargreaves-thevoiceofr2361]

its Poo ..Edward is the Equalizer

[@Mark-ts3qr]

to archie from casey

[@DanielCardei]

I actually thought that The equalizer was an original idea with Denzel Washington. OFC not.

[@stricktly2leftfeet]

Wash your mouth out with soap!

[@RichardM-kv4uu]

I love the TV theme, but this version doesn't do it for me, the percussion sounds horrible, which is strange because Stewart Copeland is a great drummer. Sounds like he used a drum machine for this version, which is a shame. There's a great remix by maadmaestro of the original TV theme which is well worth looking for.

[@user-jk7lv5kj6h]

Can't find it :(

[@jeanhodgson8623]

Rich, these tracks are on an album. They are not sound bites from the TV show. They were recorded separately for the album. They were performed by a guy called Jeff Seitz. I don't know whether he used electronic drums.

[@culttelevision]

@@jeanhodgson8623 Jeff Seitz was Stewart's Engineer and Fairlight man. He actually played all of Stewart's track for the TV series from 1985-1987. He engineered this and played the drums on this commercial release - it's real Tama drums. The TV version used Fairlight and Simmons drum machines

[@lazyfreedom98]

control NYC computers

[@bryross3418]

.