List of Mountain band members

Mountain was an American hard rock band from Long Island, New York. Formed in July 1969, the group originally consisted of guitarist and lead vocalist Leslie West, bassist and second vocalist Felix Pappalardi, drummer Norman "N. D." Smart and keyboardist Steve Knight.[1] Pappalardi and Smart had performed on West's debut album Mountain earlier in the year (which was also produced by the bassist), and subsequently added Knight to complete the initial lineup of the band of the same name.[1] Later in the year, Smart departed and was replaced by Canadian drummer Laurence "Corky" Laing.[1] The group released three commercially successful albums – Climbing! in 1970, and Nantucket Sleighride and Flowers of Evil in 1971 – before breaking up in early 1972 due to increasing tensions between band members.[2]

Two line-ups of Mountain in 1970 and 2016.

By mid-1973, West and Pappalardi had reformed Mountain with new members Allan Schwartzberg (drums) and Bob Mann (rhythm guitar, keyboards), who together released the live album Twin Peaks from their only concert tour.[3] Laing later returned to the group and Mann was replaced by David Perry, with the new lineup's first studio effort Avalanche released the following July.[4] Mountain broke up for a second time after another tour, with its final show taking place on December 31, 1974.[5] West subsequently embarked on a solo career, before reforming Mountain for a third time in 1981 with Laing on drums and Miller Anderson on bass.[6] On April 17, 1983, founding member Pappalardi was killed by his wife and musical collaborator Gail Collins Pappalardi, in what was deemed to be an accidental shooting.[7]

Mountain released Go for Your Life in 1985, which featured new bassist Mark Clarke.[6] Shortly after its release and promotion, the group quietly disbanded again. West and Laing returned as Mountain in 1992, with new bassist Richie Scarlet. After changing personnel again by replacing Scarlet with Randy Coven and later Noel Redding,[8][9] the group released its sixth studio album Man's World in 1996 with a returning Clarke on bass.[10] After another breakup in 1998, Mountain returned in 2001 to record Mystic Fire, which featured session bassist Chuck Hearne alongside West and Laing.[11] For the subsequent touring cycle, Scarlet returned to the band.[12] James "Rev" Jones took over in 2008,[13] until 2010 when the band quietly dispanded.

Corky Laing formed a new project, Corky Laing Plays Mountain, in 2015. This project included bassist/vocalist Joe Venti and guitarist/vocalist Phil Baker in 2015. For their 2016 United States tour, Laing and Venti were joined by Richie Scarlet, now on lead guitar, and Ken Sidotti on keyboards. They performed Mountain music in addition to songs by West, Bruce and Laing and Cream. And in 2017, Mark Mikel was playing bass with Chris Shutters and Richie Scarlet on guitar in the lineup.[14] Mikel continued until touring was ceased in 2020 due to COVID-19.[15]

West died of cardiac arrest on December 23, 2020.[16]

In 2021 Corky Laing's Mountain resumed touring with a lineup of Laing (drums, vocals), Joe Venti (bass, vocals) and Richie Scarlet (guitar, keyboards).[15]

Members

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Mountain

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Image Name Years active Instruments Release contributions
Leslie West
  • 1969–1972
  • 1973–1974
  • 1981–1985
  • 1992–1998
  • 2001–2010 (died 2020)
  • guitar
  • lead vocals
all Mountain releases
Felix Pappalardi
  • 1969–1972
  • 1973–1974 (died 1983)
  • bass
  • keyboards
  • lead vocals
all Mountain releases from Climbing! (1970) to Avalanche (1974)
Steve Knight 1969–1972 (died 2013) keyboards all Mountain releases from Climbing! (1970) to Live: The Road Goes Ever On (1972)
Norman "N. D." Smart 1969 drums Live: The Road Goes Ever On (1972)
Corky Laing
  • 1969–1972
  • 1973–1974
  • 1981–1985
  • 1992–1998
  • 2001–2010
  • drums
  • percussion
  • vocals
all Mountain releases, except Twin Peaks (1974)
Bob Mann 1973
  • rhythm guitar
  • keyboards
Twin Peaks (1974)
Allan Schwartzberg drums
David Perry 1973–1974
  • rhythm guitar
  • backing vocals
Avalanche (1974)
Miller Anderson 1981–1984
  • bass
  • vocals
  • guitar (studio only)
Go for Your Life (1985) – one track only
Mark Clarke
  • 1984–1985
  • 1995–1998
  • bass
  • vocals
  • Go for Your Life (1985)
  • Man's World (1996)
  • Eruption (2004)
Richie Scarlet
  • 1992–1993
  • 2001–2008
Randy Coven 1993–1994 (died 2014) none
Noel Redding 1994–1995 (died 2003) Over the Top (1995) – two tracks only
James "Rev" Jones 2008–2010 none

Corky Laing's Mountain

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Image Name Years active Instruments
Corky Laing 2015–present
  • drums
  • percussion
  • vocals
Joe Venti
  • 2015–2016
  • 2021–2022
  • 2023
  • bass
  • vocals
Phil Baker
  • 2015–2016
  • 2019
  • 2019–2021
  • 2023–present
  • guitar
  • vocals
Richie Scarlet
  • 2016–2018
  • 2019
  • 2019
  • 2021–2023
  • guitar
  • keyboards
Ken Sidotti
  • 2016
  • 2022
keyboards
Mark Mikel 2017–2021
  • vocals
  • bass
  • keyboards
Chris Shutters 2017–2019
  • guitar
  • vocals
Mark Clarke 2022 (guest)
  • bass
  • vocals
Brent Ek
  • 2022
  • 2023–present

Timeline

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Corky Laing's Mountain

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Lineups

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Mountain

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Period Members Studio and live albums
Mid – late 1969
Late 1969 – early 1972
  • Leslie West – guitar, vocals
  • Felix Pappalardi – bass, keyboards, vocals
  • Corky Laing – drums, percussion
  • Steve Knight – keyboards
Band inactive early 1972 – mid 1973
Mid – late 1973
  • Leslie West – guitar, vocals
  • Felix Pappalardi – bass, vocals
  • Bob Mann – guitar, keyboards
  • Allan Schwartzberg – drums
Late 1973 – late 1974
  • Leslie West – guitar, vocals
  • Felix Pappalardi – bass, keyboards, vocals
  • David Perry – guitar, backing vocals
  • Corky Laing – drums, percussion
Band inactive late 1974 – 1981
1981–1984
  • Leslie West – guitar, vocals
  • Miller Anderson – bass, vocals
  • Corky Laing – drums, percussion
none
1984–1985
  • Leslie West – guitar, vocals
  • Mark Clarke – bass, vocals
  • Corky Laing – drums, percussion
Band inactive late 1985 – 1992
1992–1993
  • Leslie West – guitar, vocals
  • Richie Scarlet – bass, vocals
  • Corky Laing – drums, percussion, vocals
none
1993–1994
  • Leslie West – guitar, vocals
  • Randy Coven – bass, vocals
  • Corky Laing – drums, percussion, vocals
1994–1995
  • Leslie West – guitar, vocals
  • Noel Redding – bass, vocals
  • Corky Laing – drums, percussion, vocals
  • Over the Top new tracks (1995)
1995–1998
  • Leslie West – guitar, vocals
  • Mark Clarke – bass, vocals
  • Corky Laing – drums, percussion, vocals
Band inactive late 1998 – 2001
2001–2002
  • Leslie West – guitar, vocals
  • Corky Laing – drums, percussion, vocals
April 2002 – August 2008
  • Leslie West – guitar, vocals
  • Richie Scarlet – bass, vocals
  • Corky Laing – drums, percussion, vocals
August 2008 – December 2010
  • Leslie West – guitar, vocals
  • Rev Jones – bass, vocals
  • Corky Laing – drums, percussion, vocals
none

Corky Laing's Mountain

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[17]

Period Members Studio and live albums
November 2015 – May 2016
  • Phil Baker – guitar, vocals
  • Joe Venti – bass, vocals
  • Corky Laing – drums, vocals
June – December 2016
  • Richie Scarlet – guitar
  • Joe Venti – bass, vocals
  • Corky Laing – drums, vocals
  • Ken Sidotti – keyboards
January 2017 – July 2017
  • Richie Scarlet – guitar
  • Chris Shutters – guitar, vocals
  • Mark Mikel – bass, vocals, keyboards
  • Corky Laing – drums, vocals
December 2017 – November 2018
  • Chris Shutters – guitar, vocals
  • Mark Mikel – bass, vocals, keyboards
  • Corky Laing – drums, vocals
May – June 2019
  • Rickie Scarlet – guitar
  • Mark Mikel – bass, vocals, keyboards
  • Corky Laing – drums, vocals
June 2019
  • Phil Baker – guitar
  • Mark Mikel – bass, vocals, keyboards
  • Corky Laing – drums, vocals
August – October 2019
  • Richie Scarlet – guitar
  • Mark Mikel – bass, vocals, keyboards
  • Corky Laing – drums, vocals
October – November 2019
  • Phil Baker – guitar
  • Mark Mikel – bass, vocals, keyboards
  • Corky Laing – drums, vocals
August 2021
  • Richie Scarlet – guitar
  • Mark Mikel – bass, vocals, keyboards
  • Corky Laing – drums, vocals
October 2021 – October 2022
  • Richie Scarlet – guitar
  • Joe Venti – bass, vocals
  • Corky Laing – drums, vocals
October 2022
  • Richie Scarlet – guitar
  • Mark Clarke – bass, vocals
  • Corky Laing – drums, vocals
  • Ken Sidotti – keyboards
October – November 2022
  • Richie Scarlet – guitar
  • Brent Ek – bass, vocals
  • Corky Laing – drums, vocals
January – February 2023
  • Richie Scarlet – guitar
  • Joe Venti – bass, vocals
  • Corky Laing – drums, vocals
September 2023
  • Phil Baker – guitar
  • Brent Ek – bass, vocals
  • Corky Laing – drums, vocals

References

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  1. ^ a b c Eder, Bruce. "Mountain: Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  2. ^ Ling, Dave (October 15, 2016). "The Story Behind The Song: Mississippi Queen by Mountain". Classic Rock. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  3. ^ Eder, Bruce. "Twin Peaks – Mountain: Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  4. ^ "Top Album Picks" (Scan). Billboard. Vol. 86, no. 30. New York City: Billboard Publications, Inc. July 27, 1974. p. 60. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  5. ^ Strong, Martin C. (May 8, 2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh, Scotland: MOJO Books. pp. 672–673. ISBN 978-1841950174.
  6. ^ a b "Mountain – Go For Your Life". DMME.net. July 5, 2013. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  7. ^ Huey, Steve. "Felix Pappalardi: Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  8. ^ Prato, Greg. "Randy Coven: Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  9. ^ "Over the Top – Mountain: Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  10. ^ "Man's World – Mountain: Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  11. ^ "Mystic Fire – Mountain: Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  12. ^ "Ex-Megadeth Bassist, Guitarist To Join Sebastian Bach's Touring Line-Up". Blabbermouth.net. April 27, 2002. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  13. ^ "Former MSG Bassist Rev Jones To Tour With Mountain". Blabbermouth.net. August 29, 2008. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  14. ^ "Current Projects". Corkylaingworks.com.
  15. ^ a b "CURRENT PROJECTS". Corky Laing. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  16. ^ "Leslie West, Mountain guitarist, dead at 75". Classic Rock. December 23, 2020. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  17. ^ "TOUR". Corky Laing. Retrieved January 25, 2024.