North California Groups : L

The information on the North California Groups pages was compiled by Gray Newell based on research by: Alec Palao, Corry Arnold, Ben Chaput, Joey Dryfka, Mike Dugo, Ross Hannan, Vernon Joynson, Gray Newell, Stephane Rebeschini, Obert Sonsten, Jason Sweitzer Bruce Tahsler and Max Waller.

These pages were originally made available on the North California Groups website which, unfortunately, no longer exists. The pages are provided here as an archive of that site and are currently being updated at irregular intervals.

The information is presented alphabetically by group name:

Barbara Mauritz - Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
Bob Swanson - Banjo, Guitar
Bill Douglass - Bass
Ed Bogas - Viola

1970 A Sign Of Change Fillmore 30003
1971 Cross Between Warner Brothers WS 1920
1971 Bring Out The Sun Warner Brothers WS 1952

Starting out as a duo comprising Barbara Mauritz and Bob Swanson in 1969, they were backed by a variety of classical instruments on their debut album A Sign Of Change in 1970, one of the early releases on Bill Graham's Fillmore label. Moving to Warner Brothers for the following pair of albums they continued blending avant garde, folk, jazz and psychedelia, even throwing in a little gospel to the mix. Dave Rubinson produced all three albums, with Jerry Garcia guesting on the second. They also had some tracks on The Last Day's Of The Fillmore album.

No information is available for this group at the present time.

No information is available for this group at the present time.

Pete Barsotti - vocals
Steve Nelson - drums
Steve Barsotti - bass
Dave Carpender - guitar

The post Haymarket Riot group from mid 1967 to 1969.

No information is available for this group at the present time.

9.7-8-9.67 Fillmore The Byrds/Loading Zone/LDM Spiritual Band
9.14-15-16.67 Fillmore Electric Flag/Mother Earth/LDM Spiritual Band

Andy Arguello - Guitar
John Lujan - Drums
Mike Mendoza - Guitar
George Tomelloso - Vocals, Guitar
Eddie Williams - Bass

45 Too Much Lovin'/I Need Believin' - Dixon 111/112 1965

From Liberty Island, southwest of Sacramento. Eddie Williams was later in The Weathermen.

Lived on Liberty Street S F, hence the name. Bassist was Mike Friedman, formerly with The Answer.

No information is available for this group at the present time.

From Sunnyvale.

Played live with New Delhi River Band, Ephemeral Metamorphosis, The Magic Theatre and the Dentist.

John Palmer - Guitar
Jeff Gadbois
G. Forgath
Eddie Moss
W. Stewart
Rick Sweet

Circa 1967, their base of operations alternated between Richmond and Chico. Personnel included former members of Boy Blues, Plague and future members of Savage Resurrection. Made a demo recording for Elektra.

Stephen Miller - Organ, Vocals
Larry Easter - Wind
Dino Long - Bass
Snake McAndrew - Drums
Fred Walk - Guitar, Sitar
Clark Pierson - Drums

1968 Proud Flesh Soothseer Mercury 61181
1969 Fever Shot Mercury 61218
1970 Till the Break of Dawn Philips 600326

Linn County were a jazz/psych/blues band from Iowa formed in 1965. They transferred to Chicago before joining the migration to San Francisco. They broke up in 1970 but later that year Stephen Miller recorded his eponymous solo album, which had four tracks recorded by the original Linn County line up.

An Oakland combo circa 1968.

No information is available for this group at the present time.

No information is available for this group at the present time.

No information is available for this group at the present time.

Lonely Years / Wood Grain Alcohol (Epic 10602)June 1970
Up And Down / Whirled Piece (Epic 10628)1970
Feelings Of Delight / Turn Your Face To A Smile (Epic 10737)May 1971

Up And Down (Epic PE-25631)1970
Little John (Epic PE-30414)1971

Included former members of Just Six. Under the name Little John they recorded two albums for epic in 1970/71.

Chris Mickey
Kirk Linstrum
Jeff Hawley
Jerry Radcliff
Jacque Asbury
Vince Green
Gary Lawrence
Rollin Lewis
David Hillis

A jug band from Hayward, became a light show in 1967.

David Green - guitar, vocals
Cliff Walker - bass
Eric Kahlberg - rhythm guitar
David Ponts - drums

45 Crystalize Your Mind / Now It's Over - MTA 140

Evolving out of KW & the Evils, a Fort Bragg surf band, the Living Children went through several line up changes before settling on the personnel listed above. They took their name from the title of a song recorded by their close friends, Yuba City's the Boy Blues, Living Child. In March 1967 their lone 45 was released, the Rolling Stones influenced A side, which eulogised life in drugged out Haight Ashbury contrasting well with the wistful melancholic lament that was on the flip which is very reminiscent of material by Arthur Lee's Love. After being busted for possession of marijuana Walker left, his replacement was former Transatlantic Winkham Chicken No. 5 bassist Reed Stubbs. Soon after Ponts also left and Armondo "Moon" Quevedo was drafted in as drummer at which point they became Truman Coyote. Unfortunately the early promise shown on the 45 was never allowed to develop, due to David Greens' drug problems, and the band eventually fizzled out. Green died tragically in the early 80s, shot dead by a drug dealer.

No information is available for this group at the present time.

Scott Lyman - Bass
Joe Meyer - Vocals, Drums
Jeff Runyon - Organ
Ray Wilkins - Guitar

45 A Night Like This / Brigitta - Court Es 127/8 1966

Formed in Courtland High School in Sacramento in 1965, they split up in 1967

Paul Fauerso - Vocals, Keyboards
Bob Kridle - Bass
George Newcom - Drums
Peter Shapiro - Guitar
Steve Dowler - Guitar
Linda Tillery - Vocals
Steve Busfield - Lead Guitar
Mike Eggleston - Bass
George Marsh - Drums

1968 Loading Zone - Rca 3959
1970 One For All - Umbrella 101

Out of Oakland, Paul Fauerso formed Loading Zone in 1967 with Pete Shapiro and Steve Dowler, who had both previously played with The Marbles. Linda Tillery joined in 1968 just before the band signed to RCA. They played a kind of blues jazz fusion with soul touches and often supplemented the line up with a horn section. The original line up split after the debut album was released, but a reformed line up issued a second album on the Umbrella label in 1970. Linda Tillery also released a solo album as Sweet Linda Devine in 1970 and has continued to perform and record through to the present time. Loading Zone finally broke up in 1973.

Eric Redstrom - vocals, harmonica
Dick Gregerson - rhythm guitar
Todd King - lead guitar
Mike Lawler - drums
Brian Linsley - bass

From Hillsborough