Locomotive's only album was an oddball piece of second-tier British psychedelia, stuck somewhere between psych and progressive rock, and mixing in a lot of soul music, a good deal of jazz, and a bit of classical. In those respects, they were similar to Traffic and Family, though putting more emphasis on soul music. The influences didn't cohere as well as they did in Traffic and Family, though, and the material wasn't nearly as effective. Of-the-day traits like swirling organ, fishbowl-distorted vocals, and phased drumming provided the freakiest elements, along with the band's liking for throwing in jazzy tempo changes. Melodically and lyrically, Locomotive were uncommonly grim for a late-'60s British psychedelic band, and there was a touch of Procol Harum in the vague tormented metaphysical questing of some of their lyrics and vocals. It's a reflection of their relatively inaccessible original material that the most memorable song is their cover of the United States of America's "Coming Down/Love Song for the Dead Che," an imaginative choice, considering the original must have been barely known in Britain at that time. (Richie Unterberger/allmusic.com)


Norman Haines - Lead Vocals, Organ, Harpsichord, Mellotron, Piano
Mick Hincks - Bass, Lead Vocals (Track 3), Backing Vocals
Bob Lamb - Drums, Percussion
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Bill Madge - Tenor Saxophone
Chris Mercer - Tenor Saxophone
Dick Heckstall-Smith - Tenor Saxophone
Lyn Dobson - Tenor Saxophone
Henry Lowther - Trumpet
Mick Taylor - Trumpet