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• A NEW 7CD CLAMSHELL BOX SET FEATURING THE ALBUMS ‘LESLIE WEST – MOUNTAIN’, ‘CLIMBING!’, ‘NANTUCKET SLEIGHRIDE’, ‘FLOWERS OF EVIL’, ‘TWIN PEAKS’ AND ‘AVALANCHE’.
• ALSO INCLUDES MOUNTAIN’S PERFORMANCE AT WOODSTOCK IN 1969 AND TRACKS LATER RELEASED ON ‘THE ROAD GOES EVER ON’
• THE SET FEATURES AN ILLUSTRATED BOOKLET AND A NEW ESSAY BY MIKE METTLER.
Founded in Long Island, New York in 1969, Mountain were one of the most influential American rock bands of the late 1960s/early 1970s. Their musical style fused blues, hard rock and progressive influences and was anchored around the virtuoso guitarist Leslie West, the producer, writer and multi-instrumentalist Felix Pappalardi, drummer Corky Laing and keyboard player Steve Knight.
Taking inspiration from the legendary British band Cream, West had approached producer Pappalardi (who had worked with Cream and Jack Bruce) with a view to him producing West’s first solo album. The resulting album ‘Mountain’ was released in July 1969 and saw West backed by Felix Pappalardi on bass and keyboards and drummer N.D. Smart. To promote the album a band was assembled with the addition of Steve Knight on keyboards.
Adopting the name Mountain, the band appeared at the Woodstock Festival in 1969 and made a significant impact. Shortly after this performance Smart was replaced by Corky Laing and Mountain embarked on the recording of their first studio album as a band. ‘Climbing!’ was released in 1970. The album ‘Nantucket Sleighride’ issued in January 1971 was even more polished, featuring the infamous title. Later that year ‘Flowers Of Evil’ continued the pattern of success by featuring studio material along with a side of live recordings.
In 1972, Mountain had a hiatus when West and Laing teamed up with Jack Bruce in a new trio, and the live album ‘The Road Goes Ever On’ was issued featuring two tracks from the band’s set at Woodstock along with additional tracks recorded live in New York and London in late 1971 and early 1972. Mountain reformed in 1973 with Robert Mann joining on keyboards and drummer Allan Schwartzberg. This line-up toured Japan and recorded the mighty ‘Twin Peaks’ live album in August 1973. Mountain’s final studio offering of the 70s was the album ‘Avalanche’ which saw Laing return to the band before they disbanded in late 1974.
Tracklist
DISC ONE
Leslie West – ‘Mountain’ Released in July 1969
1. Blood of the Sun
2. Long Red
3. Better Watch Out
4. Blind Man
5. Baby, I’m Down
6. Dreams of Milk and Honey
7. Storyteller Man
8. This Wheel’s On Fire
9. Look to the Wind
10. Southbound Train
11. Because You Are My Friend
DISC TWO
Mountain Live at the Woodstock Music & Arts Fair, Bethel, New York
16th August 1969
1. Blood of the Sun
2. Stormy Monday
3. Theme for an Imaginary Western
4. Long Red
5. Who Am I But You and the Sun (For Yasgur’s Farm)
6. Beside the Sea
7. Waiting to Take You Away
8. Dreams of Milk & Honey
9. Southbound Train
DISC THREE
‘Climbing!’ released in 1970
1. Mississippi Queen
2. Theme For an Imaginary Western
3. Never in My Life
4. Silver Paper
5. For Yasgur’s Farm
6. To My Friend
7. The Laird
8. Sittin’ on a Rainbow
9. Boys in the Band
Bonus tracks
10. For Yasgur’s Farm (live)
11. Stormy Monday Blues (live)
DISC FOUR
‘Nantucket Sleighride’ Released in January 1971
1. Don’t Look Around
2. Taunta (Sammy’s Tune)
3. Nantucket Sleighride (To Owen Coffin)
4. You Can’t Get Away!
5. Tired Angels (To J.M.H.)
6. The Animal Trainer and the Toad
7. My Lady
8. Travellin’ in the Dark (to E.M.P.)
9. The Great Train Robbery Bonus track
10. Travellin’ in the Dark (to E.M.P.) (live)
DISC FIVE
‘Flowers of Evil
Released in November 1971
1. Flowers of Evil
2. King’s Chorale
3. One Last Cold Kiss
4. Crossroader
5. Pride and Passion
6. Dream Sequence (medley)
Guitar solo
Roll Over Beethoven
Dreams of Milk and Honey
Variations
Swan Theme
7. Mississippi Queen
Bonus tracks
8. Crossroader (live)
9. Nantucket Sleighride (live)
Taken from the album ‘Live: The Road Goes Ever On’ – Released in April 1972
DISC SIX
‘Twin Peaks’
Released in February 1974
1. Never in My Life
2. Theme for an Imaginary Western
3. Blood of the Sun
4. Guitar Solo
5. Nantucket Sleighride
6. Crossroader
7. Mississippi Queen
8. Silver Paper
9. Roll Over Beethoven
DISC SEVEN
‘Avalanche’
Released in July 1974
1. Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On
2. Sister Justice
3. Alisan
4. Swampy Boy
5. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
6. Thumbsucker
7. You Better Believe It
8. I Love to See You Fly
9. Back Where I Belong
10. Last of the Sunshine Days