"Steppin' in a Slide Zone" is a 1978 single by the English

progressive rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog; sometimes conflated with art rock) is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early 1970s. In ...

band

the Moody Blues The Moody Blues were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1964, initially consisting of keyboardist Mike Pinder, multi-instrumentalist Ray Thomas, guitarist Denny Laine, drummer Graeme Edge and bassist Clint Warwick. The g ...

. It was the first single the Moody Blues had released in five years, after the band's temporary hiatus. It was written by bassist John Lodge, and was released a month later on the album '' Octave''. The song peaked at number 39 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and number 41 in Canada. '' Billboard'' magazine described "Steppin' in a Slide Zone" as a "fast paced rocker". '' Cash Box'' praised the "fuzz keyboard work, punctuating horns...towering chorus, excellent production values and...unusual lyric." One of the most noticeable differences in the band's sound after this hiatus was that the Mellotron and

Chamberlin The Chamberlin is an electro-mechanical keyboard instrument that was a precursor to the Mellotron. It was developed and patented by the American inventor Harry Chamberlin from 1949 to 1956, when the first model was introduced. There are several ...

(a similar instrument to the Mellotron) had been replaced with more widely used synthesizers, and "Steppin' in a Slide Zone" was the first of their singles to use synthesizers. The synthesizer would ultimately give the Moody Blues a more electronic sound, which departed from the more symphonic sound of their past career.

Personnel

Justin Hayward David Justin Hayward (born 14 October 1946) is an English musician best known as the lead singer, songwriter and guitarist of the rock band the Moody Blues. Hayward became the group's principal lead guitarist and vocalist over the 1967–1974 ...

– electric guitar, backing vocals * John Lodge – bass guitar, lead vocals *

Mike Pinder Michael Thomas Pinder (born 27 December 1941) is an English rock musician, and is a founding member and original keyboard player of the British rock group the Moody Blues. He left the group following the recording of the band's ninth album '' ...

– keyboards, backing vocals *

Ray Thomas Raymond Thomas (29 December 1941 – 4 January 2018) was an English multi-instrumentalist, flautist, singer, founding member and composer in the English progressive rock band the Moody Blues. His flute solo on the band's 1967 hit single "Night ...

– flute, backing vocals *

Graeme Edge Graeme Charles Edge (30 March 1941 – 11 November 2021) was an English musician, songwriter and poet, best known as the co-founder and drummer of the English band the Moody Blues. In addition to his work with the Moody Blues, Edge worked as ...

– drums, percussion

References

{{Authority control The Moody Blues songs 1978 singles Songs written by John Lodge (musician) 1978 songs Decca Records singles