West, Bruce and Laing
Encyclopedia
West, Bruce and Laing were a blues-rock
power trio
super-group consisting of Leslie West
(guitar and vocals), Jack Bruce
(bass, harp, keyboards and vocals) and Corky Laing
(drums and vocals). In 2009 West and Laing teamed up with Jack Bruce's son, Malcolm, and began touring as West, Bruce Jr. and Laing
in the spring of 1972 following the breakup of Mountain
, West and Laing's previous band. In the 60s Bruce had been a member of British
rock
band Cream
, whose sound had strongly influenced that of Mountain (Mountain's bassist/vocalist Felix Pappalardi
previously had produced all but one of Cream's albums, and also performed with them as a sideman).
The trio toured extensively and released two studio albums, 1972's Why Dontcha
and 1973's Whatever Turns You On
. They disbanded shortly before the release of their live album Live 'n' Kickin'
in 1974.
West and Laing reunited in a reformation of Mountain in 1985 and have continued playing together ever since.
Blues-rock
Blues rock is a hybrid musical genre combining bluesy improvisations over the 12-bar blues and extended boogie jams with rock and roll styles. The core of the blues rock sound is created by the electric guitar, piano, bass guitar and drum kit, with the electric guitar usually amplified through a...
power trio
Power trio
A power trio is a rock and roll band format where the traditional power trio has a lineup of guitar, bass and drums, leaving out the rhythm guitar or keyboard that are used in other rock music to fill out the sound with chords...
super-group consisting of Leslie West
Leslie West
Leslie West is an American rock guitarist, singer and songwriter.-Biography:Originally named Leslie Weinstein, West was born in New York City, grew up in Hackensack, New Jersey, and in East Meadow, Forest Hills and Lawrence. After his parents divorced, he changed his surname to West...
(guitar and vocals), Jack Bruce
Jack Bruce
John Symon Asher "Jack" Bruce is a Scottish musician and songwriter, respected as a founding member of the British psychedelic rock power trio, Cream, for a solo career that spans several decades, and for his participation in several well-known musical ensembles...
(bass, harp, keyboards and vocals) and Corky Laing
Corky Laing
Laurence Gordon "Corky" Laing is a Canadian rock drummer, best known as a longtime member of pioneering American hard rock band Mountain...
(drums and vocals). In 2009 West and Laing teamed up with Jack Bruce's son, Malcolm, and began touring as West, Bruce Jr. and Laing
West, Bruce and Laing
The trio formed in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in the spring of 1972 following the breakup of Mountain
Mountain (band)
Mountain is an American hard rock band that formed in Long Island, New York in 1969. Originally comprising vocalist and guitarist Leslie West, bassist Felix Pappalardi and drummer N. D. Smart, the band broke up in 1972 before reuniting in 1974 and remaining active until today...
, West and Laing's previous band. In the 60s Bruce had been a member of British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Cream
Cream (band)
Cream were a 1960s British rock supergroup consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker...
, whose sound had strongly influenced that of Mountain (Mountain's bassist/vocalist Felix Pappalardi
Felix Pappalardi
Felix A. Pappalardi Jr. was an American music producer, songwriter, vocalist, and bass guitarist.- Early life :Pappalardi was born in the Bronx, New York...
previously had produced all but one of Cream's albums, and also performed with them as a sideman).
The trio toured extensively and released two studio albums, 1972's Why Dontcha
Why Dontcha
Why Dontcha is the first studio album by power trio West, Bruce and Laing.The album features "The Doctor," which received heavy FM radio airplay upon the album's release and became a signature song in live performance for the band...
and 1973's Whatever Turns You On
Whatever Turns You On (album)
Whatever Turns You On is the second and last studio album by blues-rock power trio/supergroup West, Bruce and Laing.The album features a black-and-white comic strip on its front and back covers depicting the alleged "turn-ons" of the band's members - Leslie West's is food, Jack Bruce's alcohol, and...
. They disbanded shortly before the release of their live album Live 'n' Kickin'
Live 'n' Kickin'
Live 'n' Kickin' is a live album by the power trio West, Bruce and Laing, released in 1974. It was the band's final album, as they disbanded shortly before its release....
in 1974.
West and Laing reunited in a reformation of Mountain in 1985 and have continued playing together ever since.
West, Bruce Jr. and Laing
In 2009 West and Laing teamed up with Jack Bruce's son, Malcolm Bruce, and toured as West, Bruce Jr. and Laing. This new group has been considered a reformation of West, Bruce and Laing, as most venues described Malcolm as "filling in" for his father and they have rehearsed several Cream as well as West, Bruce and Laing songs.Discography
- 1972 - Why DontchaWhy DontchaWhy Dontcha is the first studio album by power trio West, Bruce and Laing.The album features "The Doctor," which received heavy FM radio airplay upon the album's release and became a signature song in live performance for the band...
- 1973 - Whatever Turns You OnWhatever Turns You On (album)Whatever Turns You On is the second and last studio album by blues-rock power trio/supergroup West, Bruce and Laing.The album features a black-and-white comic strip on its front and back covers depicting the alleged "turn-ons" of the band's members - Leslie West's is food, Jack Bruce's alcohol, and...
- 1974 - Live 'n' Kickin'Live 'n' Kickin'Live 'n' Kickin' is a live album by the power trio West, Bruce and Laing, released in 1974. It was the band's final album, as they disbanded shortly before its release....