Top 10 Mountain Songs
In some ways, Mountain were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Their influence turned out to be as heavy as their musical output – but they somehow missed out on the appreciation they deserve in rock history.
The band, in principal, was a balancing act between the forces of guitarist and singer Leslie West and bassist, singer and producer Felix Pappalardi, with drummer Corky Laing a strong middle-grounder. The ease with which they offset their skills hid the personality challenges they endured, and the result was a criminally short stay on the big stage.
The majority of their best work was done in the beginning, before the trappings of success got in the way. If fate didn't take a different turn, their early material was strong enough to carry them through to the biggest festivals of the modern era. As it stands, Mountain remain partly obscured by the success of bands they influenced over the years. West alone is cited as a key inspiration by guitarists as different as Red Hot Chili Peppers' John Frusciante and Jethro Tull's Martin Barre.