Leslie West

Latest about Leslie West

Mountain’s Leslie West performing onstage in the late 1960s
The 70s rock classic inspired by a tragedy at sea which helped tear Mountain apart

By Max Bell Published

Mountain served up a stone cold classic in Nantucket Sleighride

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Tracks & Singles
Leslie West onstage in 1973
The Leslie West and Mountain albums you should listen to... and one to avoid

By Dave Ling Last updated

Buying guide With Mountain, West Bruce & Laing and solo, Leslie West proved he was a class act - and these are his best albums

Buying guide
Mountain singer and guitarist Leslie West posing for a photograph with a guitar in 2009
Leslie West’s wild tales of Ozzy Osbourne, Mick Jagger, Jimi Hendrix and Tom Hanks

By Dave Ling Published

Playing with The Who, jamming with Hendrix, partying with Bowie, Jagger and Lennon - late Mountain man Leslie West did it all and more

Interviews
Leslie West and Eddie Van Halen onstage
Watch unseen footage of late guitar icons Eddie Van Halen and Leslie West backstage and jamming

By Fraser Lewry Published

The extraordinary footage comes from a Los Angeles club show in 2002

Concerts & Shows
Various musicians influenced by Jimi Hendrix
"There were guitar players weeping. They had to mop the floor up": How Jimi Hendrix invented everything we love

By Johnny Black Published

When Jimi Hendrix arrived in London he blew the minds of the British rock elite. Soon they would follow his lead and develop and explosive new form of electric blues

Bands & Artists
Leslie West and Ritchie Blackmore
"A lot of people don't like Ritchie Blackmore. But he feels he has nothing to say apart from what he says with his guitar": the mutual respect between Deep Purple's Ritchie Blackmore and Mountain's Leslie West was sweet and pure

By Paul Brannigan Published

Hearing Mountain for the first time in 1970 rendered Ritchie Blackmore speechless, and Leslie West was equally impressed by Deep Purple's guitar hero

Interviews
Leslie West onstage
We once asked Leslie West who his favourite guitarist was: his answer was not what we expected

By Classic Rock Magazine Published

Mountain's Leslie West on the guitarist who sounded like a "45-year-old blues guy when he was barely in his twenties"

Bands & Artists
Legacy: A Tribute To Leslie West cover art
The stars shine as respect is paid to a late great on Legacy: A Tribute To Leslie West

By Hugh Fielder Published

Stars including Robby Krieger, Steve Morse, Yngwie Malmsteen and Slash make the album the late Leslie West wanted to make

Albums
Leslie West onstage
A tribute to Mountain's Leslie West

By Dave Ling Published

Leslie West made his name in the early 70s with Mountain, Jeff Beck once describing him as “the greatest living guitarist in the world”

Interviews
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A conversation with Leslie West

By Henry Yates Published

From the archive: Leslie West talks about dropping acid at the Fillmore, kicking methadone with Johnny Winter and missing Jack Bruce

Interviews
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