Mountain (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Headquarters | Long Island , United States |
| Products | Music albums, singles, live performances |
Mountain was a rock ensemble originating from Long Island, New York, established in 1969. The initial lineup included vocalist and guitarist Leslie West, bassist and vocalist Felix Pappalardi, keyboardist Steve Knight, and drummer N. D. Smart—who was soon succeeded by Corky Laing. Although the band dissolved in 1972, they reunited multiple times prior to West’s passing in 2020. They gained widespread recognition for their 1970 track "Mississippi Queen", a staple in classic rock, alongside the frequently sampled "Long Red" and their notable appearance at the 1969 Woodstock Festival. Mountain played a pivotal role in shaping the sound of heavy metal music during the 1970s by blending elements of hard rock, blues rock, and heavy metal.
The introductory drum break from the live version of "Long Red" has become one of the most sampled beats in hip hop history, featured in over 700 tracks by artists such as EPMD, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, Kanye West, and the Game. Prominent songs utilizing this sample include Jay-Z’s "99 Problems" and Kanye West’s "The Glory".
1969–1972
At the start of 1969, Leslie West, previously a member of the Long Island-based R&B group The Vagrants, formed Leslie West Mountain with Norman Landsberg on keyboards and bass, alongside drummer Ken Janick. They performed live shows and recorded demos. Producer Felix Pappalardi, known for his work with Cream and earlier production for the Vagrants, showed interest in West’s projects. Frustrated by the prevalent R&B and blues scenes of the 1960s, West aimed to develop a rawer, more intense sound influenced by Eric Clapton’s work with Cream.
Although Pappalardi declined the trio’s demo recordings, he agreed to contribute bass to West’s solo album Mountain, which featured Landsberg and drummer N.D. Smart. This album showcased West’s gritty vocals and blues-infused guitar playing, complemented by Pappalardi’s distinct bass lines. After proposing a joint tour, Steve Knight replaced Landsberg on keyboards.
Adopting the name "Mountain" from West’s solo album title, West, Pappalardi, Smart, and Knight performed on the West Coast before their third show at the 1969 Woodstock Festival. Despite receiving enthusiastic audience reactions, their performance was excluded from both the original Woodstock film and live album; however, they appeared on "Woodstock II" with renditions of "Blood of the Sun" and "Theme for an Imaginary Western." The 40th Anniversary Edition of Woodstock also features filmed versions of "Beside The Sea" and "Southbound Train."
Shortly after Woodstock, Canadian drummer Corky Laing replaced Smart. Laing contributed to Climbing!, released in March 1970, which contained their hallmark hit "Mississippi Queen." The song reached number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was featured in the cult classic film Vanishing Point. The album itself peaked at number 17.
Mountain pursued an extensive touring agenda while working on Nantucket Sleighride, which was released in January 1971. Although it climbed to number 16 on the charts, it did not produce a major hit single; its title track served as the theme for ITV's Sunday political show Weekend World in the United Kingdom. Despite receiving favorable critical reviews for subsequent albums, commercial momentum waned.
Following Nantucket Sleighride, Mountain issued Flowers of Evil in November 1971—a hybrid release combining studio tracks with live performances recorded at New York’s Fillmore East.
The group disbanded in February 1972 after completing a tour in the UK, citing issues such as substance abuse along with Pappalardi’s exhaustion from touring and hearing impairment. A live album titled Mountain Live: The Road Goes Ever On was released shortly thereafter in April 1972.
While Pappalardi resumed studio production work, West and Laing formed a new band called West, Bruce and Laing with former Cream bassist Jack Bruce. Their debut concert in America took place at Carnegie Hall, igniting a competitive bidding process ultimately won by Columbia Records. Over two years, this trio released two studio albums plus one live recording. Following Bruce's exit in 1973, West and Laing briefly continued performing under Leslie West's Wild West Show name, featuring guest appearances by Mitch Ryder and other musicians.
Post-1972
By August 1973, Mountain was reassembled by West and Pappalardi, featuring Allan Schwartzberg on drums and Bob Mann (formerly of Dreams) handling keyboards and guitar duties. This formation toured Japan and issued the double live album Twin Peaks in February 1974. The subsequent studio release, Avalanche (July 1974), saw Corky Laing return on drums alongside David Perry as a second guitarist. This record marked the last Mountain album with Pappalardi before the group disbanded following a final performance at New York City's Felt Forum on December 31, 1974.
On April 17, 1983, Gail Collins Pappalardi—who was not only Pappalardi's spouse and co-songwriter but also responsible for many album cover designs and lyric contributions—fatally shot him in their Manhattan residence.
After nearly ten years apart, West and Laing revived Mountain in 1981 with Miller Anderson (previously with Savoy Brown and Keef Hartley) on bass. Due to visa complications, Anderson was replaced by Mark Clarke in 1984, and the band recorded Go for Your Life, released in March 1985. That summer, they appeared at Knebworth Fayre alongside prominent acts such as Deep Purple and Scorpions. The album was dedicated to Pappalardi’s memory. Soon after, Mountain shared a stage with Triumph at Illinois’ Prairie Capital Convention Center.
Mountain entered a period of inactivity until 1992 when West and Laing returned with Richie Scarlet, known for his work with Ace Frehley. Scarlet was succeeded by Randy Coven in 1993. In 1994, the lineup featured West, Laing, Noel Redding, and guest musician Elvin Bishop. By 1995, the ensemble from 1984–85 comprising West, Laing, and Clarke reunited to record Man's World in 1996. The band’s activities then slowed until 2001 when Scarlet rejoined for touring and recording Mystic Fire (2002).
In 2003, West and Laing authored Nantucket Sleighride and Other Mountain On-the-Road Stories, chronicling their most successful years and musical journeys.
Mountain’s sound gained exposure to new listeners through video games: "Mississippi Queen" was featured in RedOctane’s Guitar Hero III (2007) as well as Harmonix’s Rock Band. Their final studio effort, Masters of War (2007), consisted entirely of twelve Bob Dylan covers and included a guest appearance by Ozzy Osbourne.
During late 2008, the group toured North America supporting Joe Satriani with Rev Jones on bass. Critics highlighted Mountain’s strong blues roots throughout these performances.
Among their notable admirers are Howard Stern, Randy Rhoads, John McLaughlin, Johnny Ramone, Clutch, Dennis Miller, John Frusciante—whose Red Hot Chili Peppers track "Readymade" incorporates a riff inspired by Mountain—and Martin Barre of Jethro Tull who acknowledged Leslie West’s influence. Additionally, Beastie Boys sampled "Mississippi Queen" on their album Paul's Boutique.
Mountain continued to perform sporadically featuring West, Laing, and Jones. In June 2011, Leslie West underwent amputation of his lower right leg due to diabetes complications but persisted in performing under his own name while including Mountain songs. Corky Laing launched Corky Laing Plays Mountain in 2015 with Joe Venti and Phil Baker; this lineup later included Richie Scarlet and Ken Sidotti for a U.S. tour in 2016. Mark Mikel joined on bass until touring paused in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Leslie West passed away on December 22, 2020 at age 75 following a heart attack.
In 2021, Corky Laing's iteration of Mountain resumed touring with Laing on drums and vocals, Joe Venti handling bass and vocals, and Richie Scarlet on guitar and keyboards.
Band members
- Original lineup
- Leslie West – vocals, guitar (1969–1972, 1973–1974, 1981–1985, 1992–1998, 2001–2010; passed away 2020)
- Felix Pappalardi – bass guitar, vocals, keyboards (1969–1972, 1973–1974; deceased 1983)
- Steve Knight – keyboards (1969–1972; died 2013)
- Corky Laing – drums and percussion (1969–1972, 1973–1974, 1981–1985, 1992–1998, 2001–2010)
Studio albums
| Year | Album | Highest chart rankings | Certifications | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | CA | AUS | GE | NO | UK | |||
| 1970 | Climbing! | 17 | 19 | — | — | — | — |
|
| 1971 | Nantucket Sleighride | 16 | 14 | 38 | — | — | 43 |
|
| 1971 | Flowers of Evil | 35 | 23 | 39 | 39 | 17 | — | |
| 1974 | Avalanche | 102 | 91 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1985 | Go for Your Life | 166 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1996 | Man's World | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2002 | Mystic Fire | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Live albums
| Year | Album title | Chart peak positions | Certifications |
- |
Billboard 200#Top albums on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States and Canada (US) |
UK Albums Chart |
- |
style="text-align:left;" |1972 |
style="text-align:left;" |Mountain Live: The Road Goes Ever On |
style="text-align:center;" |63 |
21 |
style="text-align:center;" | |
- |
style="text-align:left;" |1974 |
style="text-align:left;" |Twin Peaks |
style="text-align:center;" |142 |
— |
style="text-align:center;" | |
- |
style="text-align:left;" |2004 |
style="text-align:left;" |Eruption |
style="text-align:center;" |— |
— |
style="text-align:center;" | |
- |
style="text-align:left;" |2013 |
style="text-align:left;" |The Man and the Mountain (Leslie West & Mountain) [2CD] |
style="text-align:center;" |— |
— |
style="text-align:center;" | |
- |
style="text-align:left;" |2019 |
style="text-align:left;" |Live at Woodstock |
style="text-align:center;" |— |
— |
style(" text- align : center ; ") | | |
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Compilation albums
| Year | Album | Highest chart rankings | Certifications | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
AUS | |||
| 1973 | The Best of Mountain | 72 | 62 |
|
| 1995 | Over the Top | 142 | — | |
| 2004 | The Very Best of Mountain | — | — | |
| 2010 | Crossroader: An Anthology 1970–1974 [2CD] | — | — | |
| "—" indicates albums that did not enter the charts. | ||||
Singles
| Year | Song title | US |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | "Dreams of Milk and Honey" | |
| "Long Red" | ||
| 1970 | "Mississippi Queen" | 21 |
| "For Yasgur's Farm" | 107 | |
| 1971 | "The Animal Trainer and the Toad" | 76 |
| "Silver Paper" / "Travelin' In The Dark (To E.M.P.)" | ||
| "Roll Over Beethoven" | ||
| "Waiting to Take You Away" | ||
| "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" | ||
| "Hard Times" | ||
| "Spark" | ||
| "In Your Face" |