Mountain

by Leslie West, Mountain

Overview

Frequently classified as the first album by the group Mountain, which was named after it, Leslie West's initial solo album featured bass/keyboard player Felix Pappalardi, who also produced it and co-wrote eight of its 11 songs, and drummer N.D. Smart II. (This trio did, indeed, tour under the name Mountain shortly after the album's release, even performing at Woodstock, though Smart was replaced by Corky Laing and Steve Knight was added as keyboard player for the formal recording debut of the group, Mountain Climbing!, released in February 1970.) Pappalardi had been Cream's producer, and that power trio, as well as the Jimi Hendrix Experience, were the models for this rock set, which was dominated by West's throaty roar of a voice and inventive blues-rock guitar playing. Though West had led the Vagrants for years and cut a handful of singles with them, this was his first album release, and it made for an auspicious debut, instantly establishing him as a guitar hero and setting the style of Mountain's subsequent recordings. [Originally released in July 1969 as Windfall 4500, Mountain was reissued on CD on April 16, 1996, as Columbia/Legacy 66439.] ~ William Ruhlmann

Product Details

Release Date:	03/01/2008
Label:	Sbme Special Mkts.
UPC:	0886972489421
Rank:	41120

Tracks

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

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Leslie West   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Mountain   Primary Artist
Steve Knight   Keyboards,Percussion
Norman Landsberg   Organ,Keyboards
Norman D. Smart   Drums
Felix Pappalardi   Bass,Director,Keyboards,Guitar (Bass),Musical Direction
N.D. Smart II   Drums

Technical Credits

Joel Brodsky   Photography
Beverly Weinstein   Art Direction
Norman Landsberg   Composer
David Krieger   Design
John Ventura   Composer
Bob Irwin   Reissue Producer
Bob d'Orleans   Engineer
Bob Dylan   Composer
John Tobler   Liner Notes
Felix Pappalardi   Composer,Producer
Gail Collins   Composer
Leslie West   Composer
Vic Anesini   Mastering
Rick Danko   Composer