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Loading Zone - The Loading Zone (1968)
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The Loading Zone was one of the first Bay Area bands to incorporate a horn section into the emerging psychedelic sound emanating out of San Francisco. Formed in Oakland in 1967 by keyboard player and vocalist, Paul Fauerso, the Loading Zone opened many a show at the Fillmore, supporting acts like Cream, Big Brother & The Holding Company, the Grateful Dead, and many others. From the Berkeley psychedelic-rock band, the Marbles, Fauerso recruited both guitarists, Pete Shapiro and Steve Dowler. The rhythm section of Bob Kridle and George Newcom held down the bottom end, forming the core group. Though rooted in R&B, the group also veered off into psychedelia, rock, jazz, and electric blues initially. Adding horns to the mix, they paved the way for bands like Tower Of Power. In early 1968, Fauerso placed an ad in the San Francisco Chronicle seeking a new lead vocalist, resulting in Linda Tillery joining the band just prior to them signing with RCA Records. Tillery was the key ingredient; a charismatic singer who became the focal point on stage and her powerful voice provided much of the band's identity. However, the group's self-titled album failed to capture the onstage excitement, receiving poor reviews and the group was soon dropped from the label. They did soldier on to record another album, but after internal problems and the failure to gain support of radio, the band broke up in 1969. Fauerso and Tillery revived the group with new members in 1970 before breaking it up for good less than a year later. Shortly afterwards, Tillery began pursuing her own path, releasing her solo debut album, Sweet Linda Divine, on CBS in 1970 to enthusiastic reviews and high praise, becoming a prominent musical figure on her own throughout the next several decades.
Linda Tillery - vocals
Paul Fauerso - keyboards, vocals
Pete Shapiro - guitar
Steve Dowler - guitar
Bob Kridle - bass
George Newcom - drums
Todd Anderson - saxophone
Pat O'Hara - trombone
Review is from this nice site, where you can find a live recording of Loading Zone.
Nevermind please, I figured it out. I must say that I'm glad to see Lost in Tyme back up and running. You guys have had some great tunage on the blog. Very cool new site as well. I'll be back alot. Thanks
29 November 2008
6.Sosof
This reminds me of the Nite-Liters....still new to me as I have spent most of my life listening to garage and psyche and being scared of funk, because I associate it with college frat house basements, sadly. Would kill to find this on vinyl so I could play it at a little night I do...
17 December 2008
7.Lawrence Wise
Believe it or not, I first heard of THE LOADING ZONE--by accident, but a GOOD accident--via the old ELVIRA VHS Movie Series during the mid-'80s. It was a video of "ALABAMA'S GHOST", one of the wildest psychedelic films I've ever seen. (I think it was a Ray Dennis Steckler film--gotta check the flick again). Anyways, THE LOADING ZONE was 'hired' as the backing band for 'Alabama', a black roadie/stockboy for TEX MURPHY, who one night discovered the long-buried cache of magician CARTER THE GREAT. Alabama took up Carter's mantle and toured the nation (with a British promoter). Of course, they never counted on "Vampires" and some illegal 'super hashish' being part of the fun. Silly movie, but THE LOADING ZONE kicked booty (I think the film was in 1969/1970).
Anyways, I wondered it they were a real band, and it turns out they were. I've been dying to find this album since someone told me about it in the '90s.
I'm gonna slap my earphones on and crank this thang up. Thank for preserving great music for all of us.
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