Felix Pappalardi - Don't Worry, Ma (1979)

(U.S 1964 - 1983)

As a producer, Felix Pappalardi is perhaps best known for his work with British psychedelic blues-rock power trio Cream, beginning with their second album, Disraeli Gears. Pappalardi has been referred to in various interviews with the members of Cream as "the fourth member of the band" as he generally had a role in arranging their music. He also played a session role on the songs he helped them record. He also produced The Youngbloods' first album.

As a musician Pappalardi is widely recognized as a bassist, vocalist and founding member of the American hard rock band/ heavy metal forerunner Mountain, a band born out of his working with future bandmate Leslie West's soul-inspired rock and roll band The Vagrants, and producing West's 1969 Mountain solo album. The band's original incarnation actively recorded and toured between 1969 and 1971. Felix produced the band's albums, and co-wrote and arranged a number of the band's songs with his wife Gail Collins and with Leslie West.

Mountain

Pappalardi was forced to retire because of partial deafness, ostensibly from his high-volume shows with Mountain. He continued producing throughout the 1970s and released a solo album and recorded with Japanese hard rock outfit Blues Creation.

In 1978 there were rumours that Pappalardi was reuniting with former Mountain drummer Corky Laing and joining Ian Hunter and Mick Ronson in a new supergroup. If that had happened it would have been fantastic but sadly it was pure rumour. Instead he did something completely unexpected: he made a soul album.

William Ruhlmann writes: '1979's Don't Worry, Ma was a Pappalardi solo effort, the follow-up to his 1976 album Felix Pappalardi & Creation, in which he teamed with a Japanese rock quartet. 

This time, he employed a bunch of New York super-session musicians, only acting as singer with a basic band consisting of guitarist Eric Gale, keyboardist Richard Tee, bassist Chuck Rainey, and drummer Bernard Purdie (who also, amazingly, was the credited producer instead of Pappalardi), plus a collection of strings, reeds, and horns, as well as a trio of female backup singers.

'Nor had Pappalardi, as he usually did, co-written original material with his wife and lyricist, Gail Collins. Instead, this is a collection of covers including the leadoff track, the folk-blues standard "Bring It with You When You Come," the folk standard "Water Is Wide," Tommy Tucker's 1964 R&B hit "Hi-Heel Sneakers," and, in a funk arrangement, Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love" (for which Pappalardi produced the original recording). The arrangements are in a bluesy, funky style, for the most part, suggesting Memphis soul or James Brown's band”.'

Wife Kills Pappalardi

Pappalardi was married to Gail Collins. She contributed lyrics to many Mountain songs and co-wrote Cream’s “World of Pain” with Pappalardi and “Strange Brew” with Pappalardi and Eric Clapton. Both songs are in Cream’s Disraeli Gears.

As Gail Collins, her artwork appears on the album covers, Climbing!, Nantucket Sleighride, Flowers of Evil, Mountain Live: The Road Goes Ever On, Twin Peaks and Avalanche.

Gail Collin's Artwork

On April 17, 1983, Gail Collins shot Pappalardi once in the neck and killed him. She claimed it was an accident. On September 21 of that year, a jury found her guilty of criminally negligent homicide. She was sentenced to four years, however she only served two years of the sentence in the end.

The judge in the case seemed annoyed by the verdict, making a point of reminding jurors, "She called her attorney instead of calling for help -- she was concerned with her own well-being," and giving her the maximum sentence under the law.

Collins died on December 6, 2013 in Ajijic, Mexico, where she had apparently "lived as a recluse" while "undergoing experimental cancer treatments." [extract from ultimateclassicrock.com]

For a full account of the story, including statements by Leslie West and Corky Laing, take a look at musicdayz

This post consists of FLACs ripped from my cassette tape (still plays faultlessly) and includes full album artwork for all media (vinyl, CD, tape).   This album was a real surprise when I first heard it - some essence of Mountain still exists but musically this is a refreshing collection of funky, soulful covers. In particular, his remake of Cream's megahit "Sunshine Of Your Love" is a highlight.  

Track Listing

01. Bring It With You When You Come (Traditional) - 3:43

02. As The Years Go Passing By- 4: 11

03. Railroad Angels - 4:35

04. High Heel Sneakers - 4:45

05. The Water Is Wide - 3:00

06. Sunshine Of Your Love - 4:34

07. Caught A Fever - 4:35

08. White Boy Blues - 3:59

09. Farmer's Daughter - 4:12

 

The Band:

Vocals - Felix Pappalardi

Bass – Chuck Rainey, Felix Pappalardi

Drums, Timpani, Tambourine – Bernard Purdie

Guitar – Eric Gale

Piano, Organ – Richard Tee

Felix Pappalardi Link (266Mb)

New Link 06/09/2023

Leslie West - The Great Fatsby (1975)

(U.S 1964 - Present)
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Leslie West first gained recognition as the lead guitarist for the Vagrants, a locally popular 1960s Long Island group. One of that group's singles was produced by Felix Pappalardi, a bass player who also produced Cream. After the Vagrants and Cream split up, Pappalardi played bass on and produced West's debut solo album, Mountain (July 1969). Following its release, the two teamed up with drummer Norman Smart (soon replaced by Corky Laing) and keyboard player Steve Knight to form the band Mountain, which cut the albums Climbing! (February 1970) (a gold-selling LP featuring the Top 40 single "Mississippi Queen"), Nantucket Sleighride (January 1971) (which also went gold), and Flowers of Evil (November 1971). In 1972, Pappalardi left Mountain to return to being a producer. (Posthumous record releases included Mountain Live (The Road Goes on Forever) [April 1972] and The Best of Mountain [February 1973].) West and Laing joined with former Cream bassist Jack Bruce to form West, Bruce & Laing.

The trio recorded two studio albums, Why Dontcha (October 1972) and Whatever Turns You On (July 1973). (A live album, Live 'N' Kickin', was released in April 1974.) Bruce quit in the summer of 1973, and West and Laing briefly formed Leslie West's Wild West Show. Then West, Pappalardi, Alan Schwartherg (drums), and Bob Mann (keyboards) re-formed Mountain, recording a double live album, Twin Peaks (February 1974), in Osaka, Japan, in August 1973. This was followed by a Mountain studio album, Avalanche (July 1974), made by West, Pappalardi, Laing, and Knight. Then Mountain split again, and West formed the Leslie West Band, releasing The Great Fatsby (April 1975) (which featured Mick Jagger) and The Leslie West Band (1976) (which featured Mick Jones, later of Foreigner).

Bedeviled by substance abuse problems, West retired from music for a time, then cleared up and again re-formed Mountain with Laing and bassist Mark Clarke (Pappalardi had died in 1983) for Go for Your Life (March 1985). The group broke up again, and West made Theme (1988), again teaming with Jack Bruce. West then participated in the Guitar Speaks (1988) and Night of the Guitar (1989) recordings of legendary rock guitarists for IRS Records' Illegal subsidiary. His next solo album was Alligator (August 1989), followed by Dodgin' the Dirt (1994). In 1994, West and Laing teamed with ex-Jimi Hendrix Experience bassist Noel Redding in another edition of Mountain, recording two tracks for the compilation Over the Top (1995). The solo As Phat as It Gets followed in 1999. After an album for Voiceprint, Guitarded, in 2004, West released two blues-inflected albums for Blues Bureau International, 2005's Got Blooze and 2006's Blue Me.

West & Laing

Review

Leslie West is probably best known for his work with Mountain. Mountain grew out of the session for Leslie's debut solo album recorded in 1969. The album was produced by Felix Pappalardi who had more famously produced Cream. One of the first gigs Mountain ever played was at the celebrated Woodstock Festival in August 1969. From there the band recorded a number of influential and hugely successful albums. The band have gone through many ups and downs over the years including the death of Felix Pappalardi however they are still an incredibly popular draw and feature Leslie West alongside long time drummer Corky Laing. As a solo artist Leslie West continued his career during breaks from Mountain in the mid seventies and despite working extensively with Mountain Leslie manages to also keep his solo career a going concern.

Corky Laing

'The Great Fatsby' was Leslie's solo album originally released in 1975 and was completed following another bout of activity from Mountain. The album includes a number of guest players including Spooky Tooth's Gary Wright and Mick Jagger who plays guitar on the album rather than singing. The album is an eclectic affair including as it does a number of covers including "House Of The Rising Sun" (Animals), "A Little Bit Of Love" (Free), "Honky Tonk Women" (Rolling Stones) and "If I Were A Carpenter" (Tim Hardin). The album also includes the song "High Roller" which is co written by Leslie West, Corky Laing and Keith Richard /  Mick Jagger and also features Mick Jagger on guitar. The album was always a popular album in the Leslie West canon and has been out of print for a short period prior to this reissue. [extract from RecordHaven]
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This post features FLACs ripped from my Phantom Vinyl which I purchased over 40 years ago while completing my Year 12 HSC. Full album artwork and label scans are included. I was a big Mountain fan at the time with Nantucket Sleighride (Live Version) and Mississippi Queen on repeat play, on my ONKO turntable. Although this album had a different sound to his Mountain material, it showed another side of West that was refreshing. I'm sure you will enjoy this album, if not just for the great covers that he plays with the help of Jagger, Wright and Laing
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Track List

01. Don't Burn Me
02. House of the Rising Sun
03. High Roller
04. I'm Gonna Love You Thru the Night
05. E.S.P.
06. Honky Tonk Women
07. If I Still Had You
08. Doctor Love
09. If I Were a Carpenter
10. Little Bit of Love

Musicians:
Guitars: Leslie West, Mick Jagger, Joel Tepp
Pianos: Howie Wyeth, Gary Wright, Matry Simon
Mellotron: Howie Wyeth
drums & Percussion: Corky Laing, Nick Ferrantella
Bass Guitars: Don Kretmar, Ken Hinkle, "Buffalo" Bill Gelber, Leslie West
Horns: Frank Vicari
Woodwinds: Frank Vicari, Joel Tepp
Harmonica: Sredni Vollmer
Vocals: Leslie West
Backing Vocals: Dana Valery, Jay Traynor
Solo Female Vocals: Dana Valery
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The Great Fatsby Link (215Mb)  New Link 13/10/2023
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Mountain - Live At Woodstock (1969) Day 2

(U.S 1969–74, 1981–85, 1992–98, 2001– present)
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Bob Dylan once said that the ‘60s reminded him of a flying saucer landing – everybody heard about it, but only a handful ever saw it. Out of that handful who saw the decade up close, few had the view of the musicians who played the 1969 Woodstock Festival. The festival, long since pinned like a museum butterfly under history’s glass, misfired for some and cemented the reputations of others. The performance of Crosby, Stills & Nash marked only their second public appearance. Other bands such as The Grateful Dead still talk about how dissatisfied they were with their performance, while the great Alvin Lee and Ten Years After enjoyed, particularly after the concert film’s release, a considerable boost in popularity. Most famously, Jimi Hendrix’s rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” filled more pages in the guitar great’s growing legend and lingers in public consciousness as the event’s defining moment.

Treading the boards in Max Yasgur’s field transformed Mountain’s career as well. The band’s close to classic lineup, minus soon-to-be-enlisted drummer Corky Laing with ND Smart still on drums, ripped through a set largely culled from guitarist Leslie West’s recently released solo album entitled “Mountain.” The wide-eyed, expressive and impressively built West manned center stage as if the fates conspired to place him there at that moment and time, while former Cream producer Felix Pappalardi stood semi-shadowed to his right unleashing furious bass runs in accompaniment. It is little stretch to say the massive crowd heard nothing quite like this before.

Mountain, L-R (Back) Felix Pappalardi, Leslie West, (Front) Corky Laing, Steve Knight.

It wasn’t the overpowering bluster or blues histrionics of West’s guitar. By 1969, Cream and the Jimi Hendrix Experience spawned a host of imitators and influenced countless others to carry on their groundbreaking work to its logical conclusion. However, the public had yet to hear a guitarist capable of uniting accessibility, melody, power, fluent vibrato, and strong rhythm playing into one package. His imposing frame juxtaposed against the small size of his Les Paul Junior along with his surprisingly soulful and muscular vocals completed the picture. His torrid performances on “Beside the Sea” and “Southbound Train” impressed many and didn’t go unnoticed by record executives.

[By Jason Hillenburg for Goldmine Magazine, April 25, 2017]

Leslie West

Leslie West reminisces about Woodstock in an Interview with Rolling Stone:

Woodstock Remembered: Mountain Guitarist Leslie West on Playing the Fest

“When we flew over in the helicopter, it felt like something out of Close Encounters of the Third Kind“

Woodstock was just our third job, and it was quite a thrill. Mountain got on the show because our booking agent also handled Jimi Hendrix. I remember watching Creedence, Sly and the Family Stone, the Who. And I was thinking, “How can I top that?” It was one good band after another. It was a thrill, I’ll tell you.

We hired our own helicopter ’cause we had heard that it would be chaos getting up there. When we flew over in the helicopter, it felt like something out of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. There was a first-aid kit, and I opened it up and took out an amyl nitrite popper. I looked out at that crowd, and I almost fell out of the helicopter.

Felix Pappalardi

I think I had the most amplifiers of anybody there. It was paralyzing because that stage, that setting, was some kind of natural amphitheater. The sound was so loud and shocking that I got scared. But once I started playing, I just kept going because I was afraid to stop.

There were bagels backstage, and they were going real quick. I remember that distinctly because our manager brought these barbecued chickens up in the helicopter — his wife had told him he’d better bring something to eat, and we were the only ones with food. Well, with all the smoke that was there, the appetites were crazy, and there was absolutely nothing to eat. We could have probably sold those chickens for like five grand apiece. [extract from rollingstone.com]

This post consists of MP3's (320kps) (sourced on the web some time ago) and includes Mountain's full Woodstock setlist.   Limited artwork is also included along with select photos, with alternative front cover shown below.  As was for many of the bands who played Woodstock, Mountain owed their big break to the performance they made at this iconic festival.  In fact, they even subtitled one of their tracks in recognition to the festival's host, Max Yasgur.

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Tracklist

01 Blood Of The Sun 3:00

02 Stormy Monday 7:18

03 Theme For An Imaginary Western 5:13

04 Long Red 5:45

05 Who Am I But You And The Sun (For Yasgur's Farm) 3:47

06 Besides The Sea 3:32

07 Waiting To Take You Away 4:50

08 Dreams Of Milk And Honey 16:11

09 Southbound Train 6:16

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Mountain were:

Leslie West - Guitar & Vocals

Felix Papalardi - Bass & Vocals

N D Smart - Drums

Steve Knight - Keyboards

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Mountain Live At Woodstock Link (128Mb) New Link 26/12/2024

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Mountain - The Road Goes Ever On - Live (1972)

(U.S 1969–74, 1981–85, 1992–98, 2001– present)
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Mountain is one of those rare bands in the past thirty years that can be credited with forging a style and sound that would for ever change the face of Rock music. The innovative studio and live music of Leslie West, Felix Pappalardi, Corky Laing and Steve Knight, Mountain, is one of those elite examples.The combination of Leslie’s unique tone and feel, Felix’s studio production skills,Corky’s powerful double bass drumming and Steve’s keyboard textures, produced some of the best and memorable rock tunes ever, Mississippi Queen, Nantucket Sleighride, Theme From an Imaginary Western, Yasgur’s Farm, Never In My Life, Blood of the Sun, Dreams of Milk and Honey, all stand the test of time and are forever etched in rock history. These songs came from the classic rock albums, Leslie West-Mountain, Mountain-Climbing! and Nantucket Sleighride. Mountain only lasted two and half years but that’s all it took to create their permanent legacy …

Mountain was born out of the sixties music explosion. Leslie came from The Vagrants,an East Coast power house band that was making a name for themselves. Corky came from the band Energy that was produced by Felix Pappalardi. Felix had extensive producing credits before Mountain formed in 1969.He was a classically trained musician who studied conducting and music arranging in college. His skills eventually lead him to Mountain. He produced Cream’s Disreali Gears and worked with many other prominent artists from the Greenwich Village folk scene. Steve Knight was brought in by Felix because of prior musical affiliations. Eventually this small web of the music scene brought these four guys together. They debuted at the Fillmore in 1969 and went on to play at the granddaddy of all music festivals Woodstock. They established themselves as one of the premiere rock bands of their time. The band eventually called it quits in 1972.

Leslie West

Mountain was one of those magical music collaborations that can’t be duplicated. Just like Cream, the Beatles, Led Zepplin, The Who, The Jimi Hendrix Experience,The Rolling Stones,or any great band it’s a once in a lifetime twist of fate that brings individuals together to make their mark on history of music. In their short musical life they produced three gold albums and created one of the most recognized rock tunes “Mississippi Queen”. The most enduring legacy any band can hope to achieve is to have others generations of musicians aspire to copy them. Leslie West’s guitar playing did that for many guitarists. He had that rare gift to have his own tone and touch that helped define the Mountain sound. Whether you love or hate them, you can’t deny them their place in rock music.  [extract from sun103.com]

Mountain Live: The Road Goes Ever On is the fourth album by hard rock band Mountain. Released following the band's first breakup in 1972, Windfall Records compiled the album using old live material. Mountain would later reform in 1974. The title comes from J. R. R. Tolkien's novel The Hobbit.

Felix Pappalardi

I have always had a soft spot for Mountain, Leslie West was one of my favorite guitarists growing up and I used to think Nantucket Sleighride was the greatest song ever written. This live rendition of Nantucket Sleighride, all 17 and a half minutes, will blow you away. Rock and roll as it should be. Being a huge fan of live albums, I was pumped to hear a live recording of Mountain in their prime (although it's only 4 songs) including that extended side-length version of their best song. 

One thing that makes this album fantastic is that you can "feel" the excitement of the crowd while listening to it.   The guitar sound is enormous, and Leslie Wests constant rearrangement of the lead guitar lines of Mountains songs is always interesting, but on this album they just shine.  The guy is the master of major scale melody as well as minor scale blues, and at times his guitar lines almost sound nursery rhyme-like.     

Album Review

"Long Red" - Great song from Leslie's solo album, and the live cut on this album is fantastic...complete with great energy and drumming from Corky and a blistering guitar solo from Leslie. Hey, dozens of hip-hop artists have sampled this track, so it's got to be worth something. 

L-R: Steve Knight, Felix Pappalardi, Leslie West

"Waiting to Take you Away" - Interesting pick for them to include as one of only four tracks on this live album since it is only an OK song and they could have used any one of their hits from Climbing! instead (Mississippi Queen, Theme..., Yasgur's Farm, Never In My Life, etc.), but Leslie does a great job making this song sound worthy of inclusion and adds a decent guitar solo. 

"Crossroader" - Also not one of my favorite Mountain songs, but is on here because they were promoting the album at the time...One of Felix's great bass lines and Leslie fills in as only he can as usual. 

L-R: Felix Pappalardi, Leslie West, Corky Laing

"Nantucket Sleighride" - One of the most underrated songs in the pantheon of Rock & Roll. This oft-overlooked guitar epic is captured in it's finest form on this record. There are longer versions (Twin Peaks) and harder rocking versions (Mystic Fire), but no other version of this song is as complete and indulgent (without being over-the-top) as the 17-minute cut on 'The Road Goes On Forever'. 

Corky and Felix work together setting the mood throughout the entire song, making the listener truly believe they are travelling in a whaling boat in New England. Leslie adds in fill after fill throughout the verses and rips out some spectacular licks during his epic guitar solos that invoke the chaos and trauma of harpooning a whale and the ensuing "Nantucket Sleighride" as it is called. Fantastic live version! A must listen for all guitar-lovers. 

Overall, an excellent live album by a great American band in their prime, my biggest complaint is that the album is too short (see Twin Peaks) and with too many good songs not included, but still bang for bucks, one of the best live recordings of the 70's...and there were a lot of good ones !

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This post consists of FLACs ripped from my trusty Australian vinyl - which has outlived three turntables and umpteen number of stylus's. Still sounds as good as the day it had its first spin.  Full album artwork and label scans are also included.

Play this one LOUD Folks!

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Track Listing

01 - Long Red   (5:43)

02 - Waiting To Take You Away  (4:37)

03 - Crossroader   (6:14)

04 - Nantucket Sleighride   (17:22)

Mountain were:
Leslie West (Guitars and Vocals)

Felix Pappalardi (Bass and Vocals)

Corky Laing (Drums)

Steve Knight (Keyboards)

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Mountain Live FLAC Link (209Mb) New Link 26/12/2023

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Mountain - The Best Of (1973) plus Bonus Track

(U.S 1969–74, 1981–85, 1992–98, 2001– present)
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The Best of Mountain is the first compilation by American hard rock band Mountain. It consists of material recorded throughout 1970-1971, culled from their first three LPs. On April 15, 2003, the album was remastered and reissued in an expanded edition with new liner notes and four bonus tracks, two of which are taken from Leslie West's first solo album, 1969's Felix Pappalardi-produced "Mountain", the project which eventually led to the formation of the band.
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LOUD and PROUD
Between 1969 and 1971, when the US spawned a wave of bands playing in the loud and proud mould of blues rock/psychedelic hard rock/proto-heavy metal - Grand Funk Railroad, the James Gang, Iron Butterfly, Steppenwolf, Blue Cheer, Alice Cooper, the Amboy Dukes, Cactus etc - it was Mountain that stood loudest and proudest. For a start the band boasted the mighty Leslie West (born Leslie Weinstein, 1945, in Queens New York), owner of a roaring, barrel house vocal bawl and a phenomenal guitar style that allowed him to switch with ease from heavy riffs and rampaging power chords to passages of remarkable grace and melodic flair.

The second part of the equation was multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and producer Felix Pappalardi (born 1939. m the Bronx New York) who not only contributed a thick, cranked-up bass sound but also co-wrote (with his wife Gail Collins) and sang in a conventional, tuneful voice the band's more sensitive and complex songs. Thirdly, drummer Corky Laing (born 1948, in Montreal Canada) laid down a titanic beat that also relied on an adroit sense of time change and polyphonic rhythm to help set the band apart. With added keyboard colouration from Steve Knight, West and Pappalardi were able to combine all these elements into a unique whole. The band's studio work was tightly focused while in the live situation their forte was the extended improvisation that could see a song like 'Nantucket Sleighride' extrapolated beyond 30 minutes as the mood arose.

The classically trained Pappalardi initially worked as an arranger and session musician around the Greenwich Village folk scene before finding fame as producer of the Youngbloods' 'Get Together' and finally international recognition as producer for Cream on their Disraeli Gears (1967), Wheels Of Fire (1968) and Goodbye (1969) albums. Pappalardi had also produced the final (flop) single for West's soul/R&B band the Vagrants in late 1967. By 1968, West had fallen under the spell of Eric Clapton having seen Cream play at the Fillmore East (then still known as the Village Theater).

Ironically, as Cream broke up and Clapton eschewed the heavy blues rock route. West was determined to maintain the tradition. Pappalardi recognised West's vast talents and agreed to produce and play on his debut album, Leslie West - Mountain. Issued in September 1969, it boasted many fine examples of Cream inspired blues rock. West and Pappalardi had already decided to form a band, their fourth gig being an appearance at Woodstock that August. Straight after that, original drummer Norman D. Smart was replaced by Laing in time to record Climbing!  Laing immediately hit his stride by not only delivering in the drumming department but also contributing lyrics for 'Mississippi Queen', 'Silver Paper', 'Never in My Life' and 'For Yasgur's Farm'.

Pappalardi & West

The    band    entered    New   York's Record Plant towards the end of the   year.  Ever   the   perfectionist, Pappalardi   would  rehearse   them for ten hours a day, forcing them to   complete   multiple   takes   in order to get the best out of the songs. For such a relatively new band, 'Climbing!' proved to be an   incredibly   mature   and   cohesive   album. Released in March 1970, it reached #17 on the Billboard album chart, going on to sell over 500,000 copies.
"Mississippi Queen" kicked off the album in a blaze of hard rock fireworks. Featuring an instantly recognizable cow-bell intro leading into a driving, heavy beat which is matched by one of the great gonzo guitar riffs of all time, it peaked at #21 on the Billboard chart when issued as a single. A prime slice of loud, raucous blues rock, the song secured Mountain's position at the forefront of the American hard rock tradition. "Mississippi Queen" further attained cultural immortality when heard in the classic Simpsons' episode Homerpalooza (1996).

"Theme For an Imaginary Western" was a cover from Jack Bruce's recent solo album Songs for a Tailor (produced by Pappalardi), with Pappalardi taking the lead vocal. Although originally listed on each album as 'Theme For an Imaginary Western', this song has subsequently often been billed as 'Theme From an Imaginary Western'. Whatever the case, lyricist Pete Brown has been quoted as saying the song "was a romantic soundscape of music, full of longing and sadness", and indeed Mountain do justice to its beguiling and elegiac tone.

In a similar vein is "For Yasgur's Farm", a kind of tribute to Max Yasgur (whose farm provided the setting for Woodstock), framed in a universal message to love with a strong English traditional feel.

In the heavy rock corner, Mountain turned over more slabs of riff-rock in the shape of 'Silver Paper','Siting on a Rainbow'/Boys in the Band' and in particular the magnificent 'Never in My Life'. This is the kind of rampaging rocker that Mountain did best, full of West's huge downbeat riffs and crashing open chords. Furthermore, it comes on like a runaway steam train with Laing's driving double bass-drum kick and ingenious Latin feel. Like 'Mississippi Queen' and 'Nantucket Sleighride' it remained in the Mountain live set for years to come, and there's a particularly crushing version featured on the double live album Twin Peaks (1974).

With Mountain's tame arid popularity spreading fast, and a heavy year of touring out of the way, they were back at the Record Plant in early 1971 for their next album, Nantucket Sleighride did even better than the debut by reaching # 16 on the Billboard chart and approaching a million sales; it's probably the highpoint of the band's career. Monumental tracks such as "Don't Look Around", "Travelin' in the Dark (To E.M.P.)" and 'Nantucket Sleighride (For Owen Coffin)' - the epic tale of searching "for the mighty sperm whale" - were Pappalardi masterstrokes, with lyrics by his wife. They boasted odd melodies, jazz-like syncopated rhythms, a massive drum sound, Pappalardi's innovative and propulsive bass lines and West's trademark riffagc in equal measure.

'Nantucket Sleighride' was heard extensively in the UK as the theme tune for ITV's long running World in Action series, Nantucket Sleighride was almost an album of two halves, with West taking control on tracks like 'You Can't Get Away!', 'The Animal Trainer and The Toad' and the slide guitar showpiece 'The Great Train Robbery'. 'The Animal Trainer and The Toad' is how Rolling Stone magazine described the relationship between Pappalardi and West at the time.

Flowers Of Evil, the second 1971 album, was notable for its terrific ride track which I've added as a bonus cut. It's one of the band's great rock and roll tracks, with Pappalardi's vocals in the chorus fed through a Leslie cabinet which gives the whole a distinctly psychedelic edge.

In 1972, Mountain split for the first time; they reformed and then split again in late 1974.There are many more tales of high adventure to be told about Mountain - reformations, more albums, continual touring, alcohol and drug abuse - but we'll leave the history for now. West and Laing have continued to work together as Mountain periodically over the ensuing years. Sadly, Gail Collins shot Felix Pappalardi to death on 17 April, 1983. The music world lost one of its true visionaries. As West has said, "Felix changed the face of rock, alright". [lan McFarlane - Melbourne]
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This post consists of FLACs ripped from my Australian Pressing (Image Records) which I bought as a teenager when the album was first released. Since then I have accumulated most of their albums on the Windfall and CBS labels, but my trusty Image Labels are still the best !
Full album artwork for both Vinyl and CD are included. I was in two minds whether to keep the track listing true to the original release, but the absence of "Flowers of Evil" was too much to endure so I've added it as a Bonus Track.  The live version of Nantucket Sleighride on their live set 'The Road Goes Ever On' (1972) is probably one of the best recordings Mountain ever made, and it is my intention to post this album in the near future, so stay tuned.

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Track Listing

01 - Never In My Life
02 - Taunta (Sammy's Tune)
03 - Nantucket Sleighride
04 - Roll Over Beethoven
05 - For Yasgur's Farm
06 - The Animal Trainer And The Toad
07 - Mississippi Queen
08 - King's Chorale
09 - Boys In The Band
10 - Don't Look Around
11 - Theme From An Imaginary Western
12 - Crossroader
13 - (Bonus Track) Flowers Of Evil 

Mountain are:

Leslie West - Guitar, Vocals

Felix Pappalardi - Bass, Vocals
Corky Laing - Drums
Steve Knight - Keyboards

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Mountain FLACs link  (284Mb)
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