Leslie West
Leslie West ( born October 22, 1945 in New York as Leslie Weinstein ) is the founder, lead singer and guitarist of the rock band Mountain.
Life
West was born in New York and grew up in Hackensack, New Jersey. After his parents divorced, he changed his surname from Weinstein in West. He learned to play classical guitar at the age of 12 years. Later, he became particularly interested Cream and The Beatles. He was the first member of the band The Vagrants, which was successful with the cover version of the song Respect in 1967. The Publications of the band The Vagrants were partly produced by Felix Pappalardi.
Mountain was founded in 1969 by West and Pappalardi. West had previously released his eponymous first solo album. Mountain has often been compared to Cream, had cooperated with the Pappalardi. Rolling Stone called Mountain " a louder version of Cream". However, West's guitar playing always pointed towards rock, while Eric Clapton was arrested yet clear at this time in Blue Rock. Not only therefore Mountain was often referred to as the first hard rock band in the world. Here, however, it must be remembered that Led Zeppelin's debut album appeared in 1969. Leslie West was later called by some guitarists from the Hard & Heavy - area like Eddie Van Halen or Zakk Wylde as a model or youth idol.
On Saturday, 16 August 1969, the band performed at the Woodstock Festival, supplemented by keyboardist Steve Knight. The band had its greatest success with Mississippi Queen and written by Jack Bruce Theme for at Imaginary Western.
Published after the separation from Mountain West and drummer Corky Laing Mountains along with Jack Bruce two studio and one live album under the name West, Bruce and Laing.
In 1974 came the reunion of Mountain, but did not stop until the end of the same year. It was published in this period, the last recorded with the participation Pappalardis studio album " Avalanche ". Mountain then stepped up today sporadically from time to time in appearance.
West worked musically in the 1970s still with The Who on their album "Who 's Next " and Bo Diddley's 1976 album to published together. End of 1975, West had some time to replace the stepped out with Lynyrd Skynyrd Ed King talks. This was followed by even joint publications and guest appearances with Joe Bonamassa and Ozzy Osbourne.
West today counts Eric Clapton among his greatest musical influences.
In June 2011, West was amputated a portion of the lower right leg due to life-threatening complications of his diabetes. His first public appearance two months after the operation was the Rock ' N' Roll Fantasy Camp in the Gibson Studios on August 13, 2011 in New York.
Equipment
Although numerous other instruments and amplifiers used in the further course of his life, which corresponded to his new sonic ideas, Leslie West is now associated primarily with a Gibson Les Paul Junior. During the period he favored a mountain in the color " sunburst " and one in "TV Yellow". As an amplifier he was using at the time Sunn Amplifiers. The sound of this combination is now in the guitar scene directly associated with Leslie West and has become his trademark. From the company Dean Guitars there is a Leslie West Signature model, which very reminiscent to the pickups on a Les Paul Junior.