East Bay Grease is the debut album by the soul and funk group Tower of Power, released in 1970. The band was one of the early music groups to be signed by Bill Graham’s Fillmore Records, which released the LP.

The album shows the band at an early stage of development, trying out several lead singers including Rick Stevens who soon left the band (1972) because of heavy drug abuse. In a retrospective review, music historian Rickey Vincent said the album contained “sloppy and raggedy horn-heavy R&B.” Drummer David Garibaldi later said that his playing style was undisciplined during this time, that the album showed his “rough edges”. He began private drum lessons with a Bay Area drum teacher named Chuck Brown, and polished his technique in time for the improvements to be heard on 1973’s Tower of Power album.

The album was released on CD in 1992 by Rhino Records.

All selections written by Emilio Castillo and Stephen Kupka, except “Sparkling in the Sand” by Emilio Castillo, Stephen Kupka and Lawrence Lopez.

Production credit