Rob Tognoni - Downtown Blues Club Hamburg (2001)

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http://rapidshare.com/files/126975269/2001_-_Downtown_Blues_Club_Hamburg.part1.rar.html

Download-Link (Part 2):

http://rapidshare.com/files/126975276/2001_-_Downtown_Blues_Club_Hamburg.part2.rar.html

Download-Link (Part 3):

http://rapidshare.com/files/126974607/2001_-_Downtown_Blues_Club_Hamburg.part3.rar.html

Rob Tognoni Band - Noise In Belgie (2000)

14 tracks re-mastered from the European Live At The Twilight release. From searing blues to hard rock crunch - A very powerful live CD!

Download-Link (Part 1):

http://rapidshare.com/files/126974418/2000_-_Noise_In_Belgie__320k_.part1.rar.html

Download-Link (Part 2):

http://rapidshare.com/files/126973151/2000_-_Noise_In_Belgie__320k_.part2.rar.html

Rob Tognoni Band - Gravy Booby (2000)

14 re-mastered kicking tracks taken from 2 European only releases. If you like heavy, riffin' blues rock, this is a great choice.

Download-Link:

http://rapidshare.com/files/126973001/2000_-_Gravy_Booby__320k_.part1.rar.html

Download-Link (Part 2):

http://rapidshare.com/files/126971559/2000_-_Gravy_Booby__320k_.part2.rar.html

Rob Tognoni Band - Live At The Twilight (1999)

Being a bit more advanced in years than some of the EB regulars, I have witnessed nearly the entire evolution of electric blues music. I am also a fan of the guitar driven "classic rock" music of the 70's. Most of my guitar heros have either lost their passion for playing or have died from unnatural causes. In these present days, rarely does a player come along who captures my ear as did some of the founding fathers. However, Rob Tognoni is such a player. His playing is both precise yet powerful. The band is talented and tight. The CD is on the Provogue label, and is therefore well engineered. In this recording, you can hear both the Ghost of Classic Rock Past along with the cutting edge of the future. Quite simply, Rob Tognoni is one of the best kept secrets of blues/rock music. With the release of "Live at the Twilight", he is going to become much better known soon.

Download-Link:

http://rapidshare.com/files/126974849/1999_-_Live_At_The_Twilight__320k_.part1.rar.html

Download-Link (Part 2):

http://rapidshare.com/files/126973891/1999_-_Live_At_The_Twilight__320k_.part2.rar.html

Rob Tognoni Band - Live In Denmark (1998)

A rare mixture of 6 tracks recorded directly from the mixing desks at various Danish Festivals.

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http://rapidshare.com/files/126971109/1998_-_Live_In_Denmark__320k_.rar.html

Rob Tognoni Band - Headstrong (1997)

Download-Link (Part 1):

http://rapidshare.com/files/126918745/1997_-_Headstrong__320k_.part1.rar.html

Download-Link (Part 2):

http://rapidshare.com/files/126913720/1997_-_Headstrong__320k_.part2.rar.html

Rob Tognoni Band - Stones And Colours (1995)

His first album, yes there is so much more. Titles himself Power Blues Rcok and that is an apt description. Rob's vocals are blues/rock gritty and his guitar playing is power intertwined with passion. Crossword Blues written by Dave Hole is a great track and more traditional blues sounding, other notables here are Don't Wake Me, Good Die Young and Itty Bitty Mama. This is not a true blues album, but more of classic rock with a blues influence. Rob is from Australia and frequently tours Europe, we need to bring him overseas to America. This guy would have had radio hits in the seventies, I mean this guy rocks. If you like classic rock or blues/rock seasoned with some white hot guitar playing then you will not be disappointed. This man has become one of my favorite artist's period. Can also recomend Retro Shakin' or for that matter anything by this artist.

Download-Link (Part 1):

http://rapidshare.com/files/126918336/1995_-_Stones_And_Colours__320k_.part1.rar.html

Download-Link (Part 2):

http://rapidshare.com/files/126916345/1995_-_Stones_And_Colours__320k_.part2.rar.html

Rob Tognoni - In San Francisco (1995)

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http://rapidshare.com/files/126918872/1995_-_In_San_Francisco__320k_.part1.rar.html

Download-Link (Part 2):

http://rapidshare.com/files/126917429/1995_-_In_San_Francisco__320k_.part2.rar.html

Rob Tognoni biography

From Australia & introduced to Europe by blues master Dave Hole in 1994, Rob Tognoni delivers a 100% powerfully charged experience with every performance. There is simply no compromise, which is strongly evident in his music. After 30 years his explosive guitar playing and unique songs are now being compared with the greats of his genre and have firmly established him in the European venues & festivals as well as gaining many fans of hard blues rock worldwide.

Born Robert John Tognoni in Ulverstone, on Tasmania's North-West Coast in 1960, Rob's childhood was fairly sheltered from music except for his mother's singing around home and her pantomime performances as "Al Jolson" in local community halls. Tasmania in the 1960's was isolated and blues music was not that well known except for white country gospel music until the early 1970's.

Around 1972, Rob began to listen to his older sister's records and started to discover diversities of music from BB King, Billy Thorpe And The Aztecs, Hendrix, Grand Funk Railroad, Tony Joe White to Elton John & Slade. Rob didn't discriminate between blues, blues rock or pop...it was all great to his ears, it all seemed to have it's place.

In early 1974 Rob suffered a blow that deeply affected him. His Italian immigrant father was struck by a car and subsequently killed. Soon after, Rob became obsessed with the guitar as an escape from his depression regarding his father's death.

The defining musical moment in Rob's life was by chance at the age of 14 going to see a relatively new band on the scene touring from mainland Australia - AC/DC. He could not believe what he heard...this was it, this incredible power with high charged guitars.

Rob started churning out those simple, basic power chords made famous by this influential band. But something else was developing...more than just the power chords. An emotive blues feel was becoming more evident in his playing, and as quoted a few years later by a local newspaper journalist – "Rob could become one of the world's best blues players if he gets the right breaks..."

In 1983, a year after his marriage to Leonnie and birth of their only daughter Anastasia, he decided to start a band with the intention of his own style of song writing and guitar playing.

With the influences of Jimi Hendrix, AC/DC and blues masters of the likes of BB King, Rob and some local musicians started Skidrow Boys. The band enjoyed the chance to gig in clubs around Tasmania, but within 2 years Rob felt the need to move on to improve and gain the much needed experience that has been honed into his style and playing today.

In late 1985 Rob moved to Melbourne and managed to secure a job with a touring covers band playing chart material. Not used to playing this style he decided to quit the band as soon as a replacement was found. The replacement was found in Queensland so Rob and his family settled in the cane growing town of Nambour.

At this stage of his career he had never sang and was forced into the position when the new band that he was putting together could not find a suitable singer - The Outlaws formed.

Within 4 months The Outlaws had gone on to collect 3 categories at the 20th Annual Queensland Rock Awards at the Roxy in Brisbane at the end of 1986. (Best guitarist, best drummer and best band) Tognoni and band had earned themselves a reputation of not tolerating bullshit and refusing to bow to trends within the industry...this built up a huge following for the band.

The Outlaws located to Melbourne in late 1989 and were invited by cult Australian band The Angels (Angel City) who inspired bands such as Guns 'n' Roses, to place a then recent demo song of Rob's, I Got You – You Got Me on The Angels upcoming EP release, The Dogs Are Talking in May 1990 along with The Hurricanes and the then newly formed Baby Animals. The Outlaws changed their name to The Desert Cats just before the release.

Backed by a 4 week national tour the bands played sell-out gigs and achieved #7 on the Australian Mainstream Charts. The release achieved gold status. Previous to this, Rob was approached by management to form the Baby Animals with Suze DeMarchi. Believing in his own music, he turned the offer down.

The Desert Cats disbanded due to poor third party management. Trying to pick up the pieces, Rob re-assembled the Outlaws with a new line up but the band failed to gain sufficient industry attention so it disbanded for the last time in 1992. During their career the band had played with many greats including Lonnie Mack, Joe Walsh & the late Roy Buchanan.

Rob then decided to head back to Queensland where he played acoustic guitar in restaurants for the following years to scratch out a living.

"I was living in Queensland playing in restaurants to make a living after spending years performing around Australia trying to secure a long term record deal from a label that truly believed in what I was about. I received a phone call from an old buddy of mine, Mark McCormack in Melbourne (approx. 2000km south) who had a recording studio. He asked me to come to Melbourne to record a couple of songs for free. He even paid for the bus ticket. “

“I needed two new songs, so in a period of a week, I wrote The Good Die Young (a song about my deceased father) and a fun, meaningless kind of a song called Itty Bitty Mama. I organized by phone a few other buddies from Melbourne to play with me at Marks studio. “

“We recorded the songs over two days and I headed back to Queensland with a cassette copy. I always had a strong belief in what I was doing but hope was beginning to fade as I was becoming increasingly jaded... “

“Two years previous to this, I had seen on TV, an Australian guitarist by the name of Dave Hole get a record deal from Alligator Records in the US. I was so thrilled to see someone from Australia get the break they deserve - and he deserved it. I wrote him a letter c/o the TV station to congratulate him. Dave received the letter and wrote back to me.”

“ Two years later and out of pure frustration, I sent the cassette of “The Good Die Young” & “Itty Bitty Mama” to Dave along with the letter he had sent back to me two years previous...he remembered...and phoned me. He said he was heading to Europe for a tour and was going to present the two songs to his record company there. Two months later...I received a phone call from the label, offering me a deal. I have since released 4 albums with them and have toured Europe annually since... I invited Mark (McCormack) to engineer my first album and co-produce my second...and paid him back for the bus fare!"

Lance Lopez - Scrapyard Funk (2007)

Download-Link:

http://rapidshare.com/files/126919847/2007_-_Scrapyard_Funk__320k_.rar.html

Lance Lopez - Live (2007)

Killer “Live” disc from bad-ass Dallas blues/rock stratmaster Lance Lopez featuring 8 tracks (65 minutes) of brain-damaging, over-the-top, raw, gut-wrenching, Hendrix- inspired, blues/rock heavy guitar power trio fury captured “live without a net”. Recorded “Live in Holland” on his Euro-2000 tour, L.L. goes straight for the jugular and takes no prisoners as he unleashes a torrential downpour of killer riffage and mind-blowing licks from his beat-up Strat. The “LIVE” disc is further proof and a testament to the fact that Lance Lopez reigns supreme in the world of serious bluesy heavy guitar rock. Coming straight out of the gate with a killer, heavy version of "Spanish Castle Magic" by James Marshall Hendrix, Brother Lance Lopez makes his presence known and pays “homage” to our “Main Man” and does the “Father of Heavy Guitar” proud with his raw, hard-assed, unabashed version. LL is “on fire” as he rips his poor axe apart like a “pitbull on steroids” on this track & thru-out the killer “Live” disc, ending the disc on a good bluesy note with a phenomenal 12 minute “slow blues burner” in the form of the classic, self-penned “Everytime I Turn Around”. Complete with an outstanding 5 minute instrumental slow blues guitar intro jam featuring the Dallas stratmaster diggin’ deep in his back pocket for dynamic, fluid blues licks on par with the late, great SRV, ”Everytime I Turn Around” is what the REAL blues are all about and this stellar track is L.L.’s ultimate “musical tribute” to the blues. As an added bonus and as our way of saying thanks, we have included a mind-bending, awesome, over-the-top, extended Live version of “Hear My Train A Comin’” as a “HIDDEN BONUS TRACK” on the “Live” disc where Lance Lopez takes his guitar rite over the edge and into a new heavy guitar dimension. L.L. plays his guitar on this killer Hendrix jam like a man possessed and as if his damn life depended on it. As if the “Live” disc wasn't kool enough, this killer heavy guitar “bonus” jam alone is worth the price of admission. Somewhere in Heavy Guitar Heaven Brother Jimi is smiling down upon us.

Download-Link (Part 1):

http://rapidshare.com/files/126920253/2007_-_Live__320k_.part1.rar.html

Download-Link (Part 2):

http://rapidshare.com/files/126919889/2007_-_Live__320k_.part2.rar.html

Lance Lopez - Higher Ground (2007)

Higher Ground, the amazing fourth studio disc from bad-ass Dallas blues/rock axeripper Lance Lopez, features 11 killer tracks (64 minutes) of brain-damaging, intense, powerful, funky, soul-powered, bluesy, retro-70's Hendrix-inspired heavy guitar power trio rock that will trip your brain hard. An outstanding, bona-fide, supreme heavy guitar monster from start to finish. Fans of his two previous killer Grooveyard discs "Wall Of Soul" and "Simplify Your Vision" will "get off hard" on the phenomenal Higher Ground disc. On Higher Ground, the blues rock "harder", the funk grooves ""deeper", the stripper rock is more "tricktafie"" and there is something for everyone on this amazingly cool new heavy guitar disc. Dig in deep people, it's time to "Simplify Your Vision" and reach for your Higher Ground with brother Lance Lopez and take a "bluesadelic funk rock for the soul" musical ride that will peel the paint from your "Wall Of Soul", trip your brain hard and rock your world into the deep, bluesy outskirts of infinity.

Download-Link (Part 1):

http://rapidshare.com/files/126919969/2007_-_Higher_Ground__320k_.part1.rar.html

Download-Link (Part 2):

http://rapidshare.com/files/126919705/2007_-_Higher_Ground__320k_.part2.rar.html

Lance Lopez - First Things First (2007)

Re-issue of the excellent, long-out-of print, debut studio disc from bad-ass Dallas blues/rock axeripper Lance Lopez featuring 13 tracks (75 minutes) of classic, retro-70’s, bluesy, funky, heavy guitar power trio riffage that will rock your blues away. "First Things First", the excellent, long-out-of print, debut studio disc from bad-ass Dallas blues/rock axeripper Lance Lopez featuring 13 tracks (75 minutes) of classic, retro- 70’s, bluesy, funky, heavy guitar power trio riffage that will rock your blues away. Excellently produced by Jay Newland and Buddy Miles, this is the disc that should have put Lance Lopez on the map. This outstanding Grooveyard Records re-issue disc features 5 “unreleased” Bonus Tracks including 4 extended killer Live jams recorded at “Burgstargard Castle” in Germany (where L.L. takes his guitar rite over the edge), plus there is a way-kool, stripped-down “back @ the shack” solo acoustic blues workout of Junior Kimbrough’s “Sad Days and Lonely Nights” to wind down the “First Things First” disc in fine funky fashion. Get ready to rock the blues hard with L.L., people...”First Things First” has landed. Lance Lopez is a true, legitimate blues/rock heavy guitar hero. The REAL deal. If L.L. had landed in 1975, his name would be right up there with the Top Three: (Hendrix, Trower and Frank Marino). That is a bold statement in the world of Guitar Rock, but it’s the damn truth. One listen and you’ll be a true believer. Armed with his trademark, hard-assed, funky heavy guitar riffage and outstanding soul-powered vox, L.L. makes his point on “First Things First” and is here to stay. The Lance Lopez: "First Things First" is an essential slice of classic, bluesy/funky, heavy guitar rock that is HIGHLY recommended to fans of HENDRIX (long live the musical spirit of JIMI), FRANK MARINO, ROBIN TROWER, ERIC GALES, KING'S X, S.R.V., DOYLE BRAMHALL, EDDIE HAZEL, LENNY KRAVITZ (imagine Lenny Kravitz meets Hendrix!!!), STEVIE SALAS, RICHIE KOTZEN, JOE BONAMASSA, (early vintage) ZZ TOP, INDIGENOUS, CRAIG ERICKSON, BUDDAHEADS, SKY HIGH & CLAS YNGSTROM, WES JEANS, KAMCHATKA and just about any other killer get-down rippin' blues/rock axeslingers you have ever heard. Fans of his four previous killer Grooveyard discs: “Wall of Soul”, “Simplify Your Vision”, “Higher Ground” & “Live” will “get off hard” on the awesome “First Things First” disc. Tune in and discover the awesome, funky, blues/rock power of Lance Lopez.

Download-Link (Part 1):

http://rapidshare.com/files/126723179/2007_-_First_Things_First__Re-Release___320k_.part1.rar.html

Download-Link (Part 2):

http://rapidshare.com/files/126722729/2007_-_First_Things_First__Re-Release___320k_.part2.rar.html

Lance Lopez - Simplify Your Vision (2006)

Killer mind-blowing new disc from this bad-ass, funky, Hendrix-inspired blues/rock heavy guitar power trio axeslinger from Texas. A classic intense powerful modern-day cosmic heavy guitar masterpiece. "Simplify Your Vision", the mega-awesome third studio disc from young, gifted blues/rock axeslinger Lance Lopez of Dallas, Texas, features 9 killer trax (60 minutes) of outstanding, powerful, intense, bad-ass, funky, bluesy, retro-70's Hendrixy heavy guitar power trio riffage of the highest order. “Simplify Your Vision” is an amazing blues/rock/funk explosion with mind-blowing heavy guitar riffage & solos that soar above the stratosphere. There is a new guitar hero in town and his name is Lance Lopez. On "Simplify Your Vision" (his second disc for GROOVEYARD RECORDS, an indie label dedicated to outstanding TOTAL GUITAR music), Lance Lopez digs deep and produces an amazing set of awesome powerful bluesy heavy guitar riffage that is all his own and easily hits classic status. Lance Lopez is a true heavy guitar hero and riffmaster supreme. He also has an amazing powerful soulful voice that is the perfect match for his tough, bad-ass heavy guitar riffage. His style and intensity is definitely something that has been lacking in mainstream blues/rock music since the eighties when S.R.V. showed us what it was all about. The "Simplify Your Vision" disc is by far L.L.’s finest hour and ultimate heavy guitar musical statement to date. “Simplify Your Vision” is a super-sonic way-kool brain-damaging riff monster supreme and excellent follow-up to the killer “Wall Of Soul” disc. Lance Lopez nailed down the “Simply Your Vision” disc during the summer of 2005 and called upon some of the best/heaviest session players from the Dallas/Ft. Worth area in the form of Wes Stephenson on bass guitar and Jamil Byrom on drums to round out the classic power trio groove machine and the results are amazing. Both Wes & Jamil are heavy-weight players in their own rite who kick serious ass as a powerhouse rhythm section for brother L.L. to lay down his killer heavy riffage on, bad-ass old-school retro-70’s power trio style!!! In producing the “Simplify Your Vision” disc, Lance Lopez went for a stripped-down, raw to the bone, live in the studio REAL heavy guitar power trio vibe, hence the apt “title” of the disc. From the thunderous grooves of “Day Of Dreams” to the heavy-duty funk/rock of “Shake Joint” to the beautifully melodic slow-blues heavy guitar magic of “2 Cigarettes” to the tour-de-force title track, this is some of Lance’s most spirited and mature work to date. Another highlight is the remake of the Robert Johnson delta-blues classic “Stones In My Passway” in which brother Lance and his awesome sidemen go on an incredible live in the studio 8 minute blues/rock power trio marathon heavy guitar journey. There is something for everybody on this amazingly impressive stellar heavy guitar disc. "Simplify Your Vision" is a mega-awesome bluesy heavy guitar monster that is HIGHLY recommended to fans of JIMI HENDRIX (long live the musical spirit of JIMI), FRANK MARINO, ROBIN TROWER, ERIC GALES, KING'S X, S.R.V., DOYLE BRAMHALL, EDDIE HAZEL, LENNY KRAVITZ (imagine Lenny Kravitz meets Hendrix!!!), STEVIE SALAS, RICHIE KOTZEN, JOE BONAMASSA, INDIGENOUS, SKY HIGH & CLAS YNGSTROM, KAMCHATKA and just about any other killer get-down rippin' blues/rock axeslingers you have ever heard. Fans of the killer “Wall of Soul” disc will freak out over the mega-awesome “Simplify Your Vision” disc. Lance Lopez is the "real" deal and he's definitely right up there with the best of them. No blues/rock heavy guitar c.d. collection is complete without this phat, phunky power trio riff monster. Combining a kool youthful funky image with musical skills that are unparalleled in the genre, Lance has played guitar with Buddy Miles & Lucky Peterson, gigging regularly in and out of Texas with his trio. He has also done several tours of Europe, opening for such notables as B.B. King and Steve Vai. Lance Lopez has built up a solid reputation as one of the up and coming heavy guitar stars on the scene. The "Simplify Your Vision" disc is the perfect platform for this rising young guitar star to step upon and reach the wider recognition and credit that he truly deserves. Never has there been a better time to take a “bluesadelic funk rock for the soul” musical trip with brother Lance Lopez on the amazing "Simplify Your Vision" disc, a classic intense powerful modern-day cosmic heavy guitar masterpiece.

Download-Link (Part 1):

http://rapidshare.com/files/126722471/2006_-_Simplify_Your_Vision__320k_.part1.rar.html

Download-Link (Part 2):

http://rapidshare.com/files/126720785/2006_-_Simplify_Your_Vision__320k_.part2.rar.html

Lance Lopez - Wall Of Soul (2004)

"Wall Of Soul", the second studio disc from young, gifted blues/rock axeslinger Lance Lopez of Dallas, Texas, features 12 killer trax (62 minutes) of outstanding, powerful, intense, bad-ass, funky, bluesy, retro-70's Hendrixy heavy guitar power trio rock of the highest order. On "Wall Of Soul" (his first disc for GROOVEYARD RECORDS, a new label dedicated to TOTAL GUITAR), Lance Lopez digs deep and produces an amazing set of awesome powerful bluesy heavy guitarriffage that is all his own and easily hits classic status. Lance Lopez is a true heavy guitar hero andriffmaster supreme. He also has an amazing powerful soulful voice that is the perfect match for his tough, bad-ass heavy guitar riffage. The "Wall Of Soul" disc is by far his finest hour and ultimate musical statement to date. In creating the music for the "Wall Of Soul" disc, Lance Lopez has found the ultimate rhythm section to round out his heavy power trio in the form of John Garvin on drums and Daniel Williams on bass. Two awesome players in their own rite who lay down the perfect foundation / groove for brother Lance to trip his awesome heavy guitar riffage upon. And as an added bonus, the "Wall Of Soul" disc features special guests and good musical brothers ERIC GALES and DOUG PINNICK (KING'S X) on several killer trax. Eric Gales co-produced and lends his mega-awesome rippin' Hendrixy heavy guitar riffage on 3 killer trax and Doug Pinnick sings lead vocals on the epic classic last track: "Time", an amazing deep nine minute musical document that features both Eric Gales and Doug Pinnick along with brother Lance. "Time" is the perfect way to wind-down this amazing disc. The "Wall Of Soul" disc also features two killer heavy bad-ass cover trax in the form of "Spanish Castle Magic" by Jimi Hendrix and "Shame The Devil", a way-kool obscure Robin Trower track. Brother Lance gets down hard and does musical justice on both trax.

Download-Link (Part 1):

http://rapidshare.com/files/126722336/2004_-_Wall_Of_Soul__320k_.part1.rar.html

Download-Link (Part 2):

http://rapidshare.com/files/126721372/2004_-_Wall_Of_Soul__320k_.part2.rar.html

Lance Lopez - Blue Cat Blues (Live) (2001)

This was recorded at Blue Cat Blues in Dallas,Tx. 4/25/01.

Download-Link (Part 1):

http://rapidshare.com/files/126722919/2001_-_Blue_Cat_Blues__Live___320k_.part1.rar.html

Download-Link (Part 2):

http://rapidshare.com/files/126722586/2001_-_Blue_Cat_Blues__Live___320k_.part2.rar.html

Lance Lopez - 1st Things First (1999)

"First Things First", the excellent, long-out-of print, debut studio disc from bad-ass Dallas blues/rock axeripper Lance Lopez of classic, retro- 70’s, bluesy, funky, heavy guitar power trio riffage that will rock your blues away. Get ready to rock the blues hard with L.L., people... Lance Lopez is a true, legitimate blues/rock heavy guitar hero. The REAL deal. If L.L. had landed in 1975, his name would be right up there with the Top Three: (Hendrix, Trower and Frank Marino). That is a bold statement in the world of Guitar Rock, but it’s the damn truth. One listen and you’ll be a true believer. Armed with his trademark, hard-assed, funky heavy guitar riffage and outstanding soul-powered vox, L.L. makes his point on “First Things First” and is here to stay.

Download-Link (Part 1):

http://rapidshare.com/files/126718119/1999_-_1st_Things_First__320k_.part1.rar.html

Download-Link (Part 2):

http://rapidshare.com/files/126717608/1999_-_1st_Things_First__320k_.part2.rar.html

Lance Lopez biography:

Born in Shreveport, Louisiana in 1977, music has always been in Lance Lopez's blood. As early as being in the womb. When the family would have parties at their home, in rural Shreveport, Lance would bounce and roll in his mother's womb the louder the music got. They would play the records of JOE TEX, KC. AND THE SUNSHINE BAND and many other old school artist. Lance's father was stationed in the Army in Germany with ELVIS PRESLEY in the late 1950's and had a friendship with the legendary Entertainer which had a profound influence on young LL. Although ELVIS died 1 month and 2 weeks before LL was born, he never got to meet the King, although as early as age 3 his father showed him footage of ELVIS throughout his career which inspired LL in what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. He began playing guitar at age 8 after his Father bought him an acoustic guitar for Christmas, he soon graduated on to a Japanese Squier Stratocaster and began emulating everything he heard on the radio or saw on television. In the summer of 1987 one of 2 monumental experience's would happen to LL that would solidify his journey with the guitar. That summer Lance heard "Are you Experienced" by JIMI HENDRIX for the very first time. "I remember my brother putting this record on , it was vinyl ya know, and the first track they played for me was 'Are you Experienced', Lance remembers. "I thought Hendrix was a brand new artist, and as those backwards solos swirled around and seem to engulf my entire bedroom, I picked up the Album sleeve and saw Jimi, and being a product of the 80's I immediatly thought of PRINCE and Purple Rain and I think Sign 'o the Times had just come out and I said 'Prince is over this guy is gonna ruin him, he's over.' Naturally my brother and all his friends pointed and laughed at me for a good 15 minutes before telling me Hendrix had been dead for nearly 20 years." The second monumental event came in 1990 when Lance moved to Dallas with his Mother. After having been in Dallas for 2 weeks he attended the Benson and Hedges Blues Festival. The headliners at that Festival were none other than STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN and B.B. KING."I knew right away what I had been searching for in guitar playing" recalls LL, "I wanted to play the Blues more than anything else in the world and I started from the beginning and went out and got ROBERT JOHNSON, SON HOUSE, MUDDY WATERS, BUKAA WHITE, all that delta music and started back over on my acoustic." Lance had a variety of bands in Dallas with friends from school, and they began to play at house parties all over the North Dallas area, after living in Dallas for 2 years LL moved with his father to New Orleans where he began playing professionally with much more older and seasoned musicians, and began understanding the elements of funk and R&B. After a time of honing his chops playing out live in New Orleans, Lance moved with his father to the Southwest Coast of Florida where he continued playing out live and playing in a variety of Blues and cover bands. Many hours of practicing and playing live had garnered Lance much deserved recognition. After moving back to Dallas, at 17, he was hired by the late-great soul singer JOHNNIE TAYLOR and toured the famed "Chitlin Circuit" with the soul legend, where he met and backed many more greats of that genre. A year later Lance was approached by the modern blues great LUCKY PETERSON, who took him into his band as the rhythm guitarist. Lance toured with the LUCKY PETERSON ORGANIZATION throughout North America and Europe for three years. During that time he developed his energetic and original stage presence and continued to strengthen his musical skills. He was ultimately given the position of band leader before later embarking on his solo career. In 1998, after forming a short-lived trio with legendary HENDRIX and SANTANA drummer BUDDY MILES and former STEELY DAN and session bassist CHUCK RAINEY, Lance wrote, recorded and released his debut CD 1st THINGS FIRST in 1999 on his own label - LaRoux Records. The cd was co-produced by JAY NEWLAND (who later went on to produce and engineer NORAH JONES). In August of 1999 Lance entered and won the Southeast Regional Jimi Hendrix Electric Guitar competition at Tipitina's in New Orleans. He was awarded a Fender Stratocaster from Fender and the Jimi Hendrix family foundation. In 2001 Lance won the Blues Band Of The Year award presented by DallasMusic.com. He was also awarded a citation of appreciation from Venlo, the Netherlands in 2001 during his European tour for 1st Things First. Lance Lopez has been playing to enthusiastic audiences around the region, opening shows for legends like B.B. KING. And in Europe opening for such notables as JEFF BECK and STEVE VAI. In 2003 Lance wrote, recorded and produced "WALL OF SOUL" along with fellow guitarist and long-time friend ERIC GALES, who lends his unique guitar and vocals to several tracks along with his production skills. This was Lance's second studio release and first release for "GROOVEYARD RECORDS". Wall of Soul also featured DUG PINNICK of the legendary trio KING'S X as guest vocalist on the closing track "Time". "Soul" was a pure exhibition of Lance's power trio skills and guitar pyrotechnics reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix, Robin Trower, and SRV. It also shows the more original Epic-Rock aspect of Lance's songwriting. Most of 2004 saw LL with his band COLD DISTANCE. Cold Distance was a short-lived Hard Rock band formed by Dallas and Austin, Tx.-based Blues and Rock musicians LANCE LOPEZ, PHILLIP BROWN, TONY VALDEZ and SEAN "Wakey" WAKEFIELD. The brainchild of guitarist Lance Lopez, who basically spearheaded the entire project, due to the fact of a possible major label recording deal. Cold Distance was born in Dallas, Tx. in the Spring of 2004 shortly after the release of Lance Lopez's "WALL OF SOUL" cd. Unfortunetly, due to the stresses of the road and the pressures from major label antics, Cold Distance disbanded in Febuary 2005 almost a year after forming. Although Lopez, Brown and Valdez have worked together in several projects together since... for more details please see... myspace.com/colddistance1. In early 2005, Lance reunited with BUDDY MILES to form a side project unofficially dubbed BAND OF TROUBLE, with Ex-JOHNNY WINTER, STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN and ARC ANGELS bassist TOMMY SHANNON. This unit combined members of Hendrix's Band of Gypsys with Stevie Ray Vaughan's Double Trouble to equal the ultimate foundation for Lance's guitar work. They shared the stage on concerts with artist such as Rick Derringer, Joe Bonamassa, Chris Duarte, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. The Summer of 2005 saw Lance hammer out the follow up to Wall of Soul. "SIMPLIFY YOUR VISION", his second release on the Upstate-New York based "GROOVEYARD RECORDS". In this powerful, yet raw production, LL called upon some of the heaviest session musicians of Funk, Jazz and R&B in Dallas/Fort Worth and put them into a Power Trio setting, the results are amazing. From the thunderous power grooves of "Day Of Dreams" to the clean James Brown-inspired funk of "Shake Joint" to the Tour-De-Force title track, this is some of Lance's most spirited work to date. Another highlight of "Vision" is the remake of the Robert Johnson Delta-Blues classic "Stones In My Passway" in which LL and his sidemen go on an 8 minute Blues/Funk marathon guitar workout. "SIMPLIFY YOUR VISION" is sure to make any listener believe LL is not far from legendary status.

Leslie West – Collection (2007)

The blues has informed Leslie West's work since the earliest days of Mountain, but Collection, which cherry-picks from his output for the Blues Bureau label (1993-2006), is the most concentrated assemblage yet of the guitarist's covers within the blues idiom. It's easy to imagine West putting plenty of muscle into classics like John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom," Robert Johnson's "Crossroads," and Muddy Waters' "Baby Please Don't Go," and he does. The latter especially burns, with West unreeling a screaming solo and strangled vocals, ably abetted by drummer Aynsley Dunbar, bassist Tim Bogert, and rhythm guitarist Kevin Curry. But some of the most surprising moments occur where you'd least expect them. The album ends with two songs that couldn't be more opposite in tempo: a rowdy take on Procol Harum's "Whisky Train" and a "Summertime" that puts more soul into the George and Ira Gershwin standard than anyone has since Janis Joplin. And Ray Charles' "Hit the Road Jack," stripped down to a core of West's guitar and Brian Mitchell's piano, and devoid of its familiar jumping rhythm, recasts the song in a mournful mode befitting of its finality.

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Leslie West - Blue Me (2006)

Leslie West isn't a particularly innovative guitarist, and his style and approach have barely moved an eyelash since he first broke into the public consciousness with Mountain back in the early '70s, but boy can this guy get tone! West still sings with a gear-shredding roar and his guitar lines sound heavier than plutonium on this set of blues-rockers, and if he doesn't exactly do anything that he hasn't done before, his laser-on-steroids precision as a guitar player is still undeniable and when he gets cranking, it's guaranteed to blow the dust out of the eaves. That said, the most striking tracks here are the ones where he throttles things down just a hair. The opener, a version of Leroy Carr's classic "Blues Before Sunrise," is huge sounding without letting that overwhelm the song, while West's take on Percy Mayfield's "Hit the Road Jack" (best known in the Ray Charles version) is relatively sleek and elegant. The rendition of the Gershwins' "Summertime" that closes the set is plenty moody, with West's guitar weeping like the proverbial willow tree. He works the distinctive riff of John Fogerty's "Green River" for all it will give, turning this slice of faux swamp rock into a muscular monster ready to eat the whole bayou. These are the high points. Elsewhere, when the thunder and lightning of West's guitar lines die down, you're left with fairly rote arrangements of songs that seem essentially interchangeable. West's fans will get exactly what they expect with Blue Me, which means that West is doing his job, but there really isn't anything here that wasn't already in the first 20 seconds of "Mississippi Queen" when it hit the airwaves some 30-plus years ago.

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Leslie West - Got Blooze (2005)

Guitar hero Leslie West has issued countless albums over the years, mostly either as a member of Mountain or as a solo artist. But he has never set out to record an album comprised entirely of classic blues rockers. Then 2005's Got Blooze came along. While this sort of thing has been done by countless fellow veteran classic rock acts of late (the best-known of the bunch being Aerosmith's Honkin' on Bobo), it turns out to be custom-made for a player like West. Throughout the 12-track set, West keeps things raw and gritty, as evidenced by such standouts as the extraordinary "Third Degree" and a cover of the oft-overlooked Cream gem, "Politician." West also surrounds himself with a fantastic rhythm section, comprised of Vanilla Fudge's Tim Bogert on bass and session ace Aynsley Dunbar on drums (turns out the pair pulled double duty, as they also backed ex-Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Jake E. Lee on an additional album full of covers, Retraced). While we probably could have done without the umpteenth cover of "Baby Please Don't Go" (AC/DC, Aerosmith, Ted Nugent, and countless others have played it over the years), overall, Got Blooze is a welcome return for West, and easily his strongest, most focused work in quite some time.

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Leslie West – Guitarded (2004)

Releasing "all covers" albums can amount to either one of two things. Either the artist doing the covering is buying time between real albums or the artist doing the covering really wants to give some attention back to his musical heroes, who helped shape his playing early on. Over the years, former Mountain singer/guitarist Leslie West has recorded quite a few covers, quite a few of which are featured on a 2005 release (that sported an un-PC title), Guitarded. Focusing on old blues numbers and rock tracks from the late '60s, West proves that he can still let his fingers fly all these years later. Standouts here include a fine, bluesy take of the Beatles' obscure "Old Brown Shoe," as well as West covering an old Mountain tune (which late singer/bassist Felix Pappalardi sang originally), "Theme for an Imaginary Western." But now for the bad: how many more times can you hear a cover version of the Stones' "Honey Tonk Women" (hasn't every single bar band since the early '70s played this?), while an overhaul of Steppenwolf's "Born to Be Wild" (another classic rock tune that certainly doesn't need to be covered for the 50 zillionth time) falls flat. It has its moments, but overall, Guitarded will be of interest only to Leslie West fanatics.

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Leslie West - Blues To Die For (2003)

What a novel idea here. The great Leslie West knocking off 11 blues standards like only he can. I first listened to this CD on the drive home from work and I didn't want to get out of the car when I got there. At last LW is not put upon to create new music and lyrics for a new release, it's already been done for him with these titles and he's free to let it rip. No wories here about ending up with another cheesey offering such as his last effort "Sea Of Fire." The concept behind this CD is simple and satisfying and I've enjoyed this more than any Mountain or solo effort since the end of the Pappalardi era. Leslie shines with crunching, biting tone enveloping his tasteful riffs. His band on this is smooth and unubtrusive and a real enjojment to listen to as they grind out the backing melodies. I wish he would take this group on the road and hang up the tired Mountain nostalgia act for awhile.

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Laing, Hunter, Ronson, Pappalardi - The Secret Sessions (1999)

THE SECRET SESSIONS is an Enhanced CD containing a full audio program as well as multimedia computer files. Recorded at The Power Station, New York, New York; Capricorn Studios, Macon, Georgia; Levon Helm's Studio, Woodstock, New York; Bearsville Studio, Bearsville, New York. Includes liner notes by Corky Laing.

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Leslie West - As Phat As It Gets (1999)

He's half the man he used to be in terms of mass, but when it comes to rock & roll, just stand back and listen as the master holds court. The man who once recorded an album called The Great Fatsby is back, slimmed down and kicking as hard as ever on tracks like "Palace of the King" and "Allergic." West comes out jamming, backed by some pretty familiar names from the lexicon of classic rock, including Joe Lynn Turner, Kim Simmonds of Savoy Brown, Popa Chubby, and a little band called the Destroyers, who take time away from their day job playing with a fella named George Thorogood. When West rips into the old blues standard "Stormy Monday," it's take-no-prisoners electric blues, and his covers of "Tequila" and Otis Redding's "Respect" are Mountain-ized. (Speaking of "Respect," it's a little-known fact that West's first group, the Vagrants, had a version of that very same song out on a single in 1969 that was meant to be their key to the big time, but when Atco issued Aretha Franklin's now-legendary version, the Vagrants' record was blasted into obscurity.) "Raw Nerve" rocks with a real Billy Gibbons influence, and "The Cell" is an infectious life-in-prison tune that's meant to be played loud. Actually, the whole album sounds best with the volume knob set at 11. Oh, and if you're looking for blues, there's a ripsnorter penned by Leon Russell called "Me and My Guitar." "As Phat as It Gets" mixes the best elements of Frank Zappa, Black Sabbath, and Mountain into one smoldering tune about weight loss. If you like your rock & roll heavy, this one's for you.

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http://rapidshare.com/files/126183913/1999_-_As_Phat_As_It_Gets__320k_.part1.rar.html

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Leslie West - Blood Of The Sun (1969-1975) (1996)

Although his most famous band, Mountain, has been anthologized more than once, Leslie West had never been given a proper retrospective of his own. Classic rock fans will be thankful that this has been rectified on Blood of the Sun: 1969-75, an Australian compilation that covers West's most prolific period, an era that found him dividing his time between supergroups like Mountain and solo work. His key strengths were his furious electric guitar work and his bluesy vocal rasp, so its no surprises that Blood of the Sun: 1969-75 rocks from start to finish in an old-fashioned style. Accordingly, much of the running time is devoted to West's most successful group, Mountain: "Mississippi Queen" is still as bracing a rocker as it was in 1970, and tracks like "Theme From an Imaginary Western" show off the lyrical (yet still very heavy) side of West's guitar work. Fans will also be pleased to discover that this compilation includes tracks from the artist's hard-to-find records with West Bruce & Laing, including a rare Mick Jagger/Keith Richards rocker entitled "High Roller." The one real problem with this album is that it forgets to include a few crucial tracks: Long Red," West's finest solo track, and "the Great Train Robbery," one of the Mountain's most thrilling rockers, are the most notable omissions. Despite these problems, Blood of the Sun: 1969-75 is a still a fine introduction to Leslie West's career, and is a compilation guaranteed to please old-school hard rock enthusiasts.

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http://rapidshare.com/files/126186622/1996_-_Blood_Of_The_Sun__1969-1975___320k_.part1.rar.html

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Leslie West - Dodgin' The Dirt (1994)

Released in 1993, this set has a bit of everything from "uncle Leslie". From Billy Joel's "New York State of Mind" to a live version of Hendrix's "Red House", the listener will not be bored. Leslie's trademark sound is on every tune. Highlights abound, but some more interesting tunes include the acoustic "Thunderbird", "Crosscut Saw" and aforementioned "Red House". Hey this isn't Leslie's best work but it's pretty Dam Good! It would be great if THEME could be rereleased as it had the best version of Imaginary Western ever recorded.

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Leslie West - Live! (1993)

One of the most indulgent live rock albums ever released was undoubtedly Mountain's Twin Peaks from 1974, which included a never-ending, over half-an-hour (!) long version of "Nantucket Sleighride." Luckily, the 1993 live album from Mountain guitarist Leslie West, Live, does not commit any similar flubs. Once considered to be one of rock's top guitarists -- with a style that was a more heavy metal-esque take on Eric Clapton's playing circa Cream -- West by the '80s committed the same blunder that a lot of other veteran guitar players did around this time. Instead of sticking to the style that garnered him recognition in the first place, he attempted to keep pace with the young bucks (namely Eddie Van Halen) by attempting to incorporate modern techniques into his playing, resulting in a muddled and unoriginal style. While some of Live shows that West was still coming out of the wilderness, for the most part, you're treated to solid readings of such Mountain classics as "Never in My Life," "Theme for an Imaginary Western," and of course, an album-closing reading of "Mississippi Queen."

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http://rapidshare.com/files/126045963/1993_-_Live___320k_.part1.rar.html

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Leslie West – Alligator (1989)

Originally released in 1989 on IRS' Illegal Records imprint, Leslie West's Alligator seemed then and still seems now, as evidenced by this straight reissue from Voiceprint Records, to be mostly West treading water. He plays some hot guitar here, of course, but then not as much as one might like, and he sings a lot here, too, perhaps more than one might like. It all adds up to a rather ho hum album without a single track that really takes your head off, although the flashy "Hall of the Mountain King/Theme from Exodus" mini-suite sure aims for sonic decapitation, as does the screeching "Whiskey" (featuring bass by Stanley Clarke), and West's cover of Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "I Put a Spell on You" is certainly atmospheric enough, but in the end it all seems more like cage rattling than a substantial musical statement. Stick to the early Mountain records for West at his best.

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http://rapidshare.com/files/126048865/1989_-_Alligator__320k_.rar.html

Leslie West - Leslie, Jack & Joe Theme (1988)

Theme came out in the 80s with Leslie working with Jack Bruce again. This is a great sounding CD with Jack doing the honors on vocal for the Title Tune (Excellent) Other highlights include a great version of Hendrix's "RedHouse" and Cream's Version of "Spoonful" segueing into "Love me tender" Leslie is in fine form throughout the offering.

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Leslie West - The Leslie West Band (1976)

Where Leslie West's The Great Fatsby touched upon different themes and showed the guitar hero able to handle Free-style blues-pop, Foreigner guitarist Mick Jones comes to the party to bring a different focus. Outside of a couple of covers and Mick Jones' composition "Singapore Sling," all the material is by West, Jones, and Laing -- a progression from West, Bruce & Laing, which was a progression from Cream producer Felix Pappalardi's work with the guitarist/drummer combo in the original Mountain. Not as heavy as those other two groups, The Leslie West Band on record has more bite than The Great Fatsby, and as with the previous project, some big name players. John Lennon/Buzzy Linhart/Jim Croce keyboardist Ken Ascher is onboard, as is bassist Don Kretmer from the Blues Project. Lesley is in good company, and makes the most of it. Where he performed Rolling Stones material on Fatsby, here we have a dark and lovely rendition of the Beatles' "Dear Prudence" -- Ascher getting a chance to work on Lennon material again as he did on Mind Games. And as Fatsby had "The House of the Rising Sun," Mann and Weil's "We Gotta Get Out of this Place" gets revised by the Leslie West Band. It's a methodical version, Led Zeppelin lite, and is a decent album track, though the music without vocals seems to be the key to this album's real magic. "Singapore Sling" has beautiful Leslie West guitarwork on the Mick Jones set of riffs, while "Sea of Heartache" is a real gem that just stuns. It's a three-minute-33-second sort of ode to Black Sabbath where the musicians bring it up another notch. "By the River" and "Get It Up" aren't bad; it's just that they don't offer much new to the Lesley West repertoire. "By the River" ends much too fast as well, like someone just decided to turn down the sound as the side concludes prematurely. The Leslie West Band has our hero slugging it out in the trenches, and he gets a "B" for effort, which isn't a bad thing. One just would've hoped he kept from sliding back to the tried and true. It's the experimenting here that really shows what could have been, and this was the perfect time for the artist to reinvent himself.

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Leslie West Band - Leslie West Live In Toronto 1976

This recording captures the Leslie West Band live during a club date in Toronto Canada in the late summer of 1976. Leslie was still promoting the previous years album "The Great Fatsby " album at this point and the tracks "Honky Tonk Women " and "House Of The Rising Sun " featured in this live set are drawn from that album. Elsewhere Leslie includes two Mountain classics with "Mississippi Queen " and "Never In My life " alongside the obligatory guitar solo and "Roll Over Beethoven " which had been Leslie's showcase during his time with Mountain.Leslie also performs the blues standard Stormy Monday. This line up of the Leslie West band also featured future Foreigner guitarist Mick Jones and special guest drummer Carmine Appice who at this time was playing drums for Rod Stewart.

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http://rapidshare.com/files/126049588/1976_-_Leslie_West_Live_In_Toronto_1976__320k_.part1.rar.html

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Leslie West - The Great Fatsby (1975)

Released on Foreigner manager Bud Prager's RCA imprint -- Phantom records, it is one of two albums released by Leslie West on that label in 1975, the other being titled simply The Leslie West Band. The Great Fatsby's album cover has the rock & roll guitarist in front of a mansion surrounded by babes à la the F. Scott Fitzgerald character. It opens with a nice and bluesy Paul Kelly tune, "Don't Burn Me," and for the post-Mountain work here, that direction works best. "The House of the Rising Sun" features a duet with Dana Valery and is an interesting read on the traditional tune made famous by the Animals. Mick Jagger plays some guitar on a tune credited to himself, Keith Richards, West, Corky Laing, and Sandra Palmer. "High Roller" is a second cousin to "Brown Sugar," and for Rolling Stones fans, it's a must have, a rare '70s co-write and collaboration with another artist. For Leslie West fans, the album is a departure from the Mountain onslaught and a treat. "I'm Gonna Love You Thru the Night" has an elegant guitar riff and brings West back to the blues. Though it's an original from Corky Laing and his guitarist, the influence of the band Free is obvious. West does an admirable job on Andy Fraser's "Doctor Love" on side two, as well as the Free song "Little Bit of Love." Tim Hardin's "If I Were a Carpenter" is a total diversion for the hard rock guitar slinger, and it comes off very nicely. At five minutes and 20 seconds, "Carpenter" is the album's longest track. The instrumental "E.S.P." might be the strongest statement here (isn't that the name of label owner Bud Prager's management firm, E.S.P.?). With 12-string guitars and superb musicianship, it's the best of West on display. Gary Wright makes an appearance on this album on piano, and The Great Fatsby emerges as a unique look at an important rock & roll artist with some surprises tucked inside.

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West, Bruce & Laing - Why Dontcha (1973)

Three years after Blind Faith, and two years after the zoo that was Ginger Baker's Air Force -- Denny Laine essentially replacing Eric Clapton in Blind Faith with six more musicians added for good measure -- Jack Bruce mixes the blues of Cream with the hard rock of Mountain while the label gave them maybe a third of the Blind Faith hype. The verdict? West, Bruce & Laing's Why Dontcha has aged gracefully as an authentic signature of what these artists were doing, but it lacks the staying power of Blind Faith, the fault being the choice of material. There is no "Theme from an Imaginary Western" here, there is no "Sea of Joy," just a relentless hard rock assault best exemplified by the track "Shake Ma Thing (Rollin Jack)." Here Leslie West and Jack Bruce share vocals, so you get Mountain-meets-Cream, but where they played "Sunshine of Your Love" in concert, there is no riff that awesome here. And that's all it would have taken, a great riff and tune to carry this project from point A to point B. "While You Sleep" shows this wild bunch as creative and having fun, and it's a great album track, but not the thing to find them a new audience. The title tune, "Why Dontcha," is pure Leslie West, but it doesn't reinvent Mississippi Queen, and these gentlemen had to pull a rabbit or two out of their hats. If anyone doubts Jimmy Miller's ability to make a record album rock, just listen to his protégé Andy Johns fail to follow in his mentor's footsteps. Miller had three days to put Blind Faith together after months of Steve Winwood and Clapton trying not to step on each other's toes, and he came back for part two, the Royal Albert Hall concert that became Ginger Baker's Air Force. Why Dontcha, on the other hand, despite the pluses, falls short because it tries too hard, while not putting the effort where it belonged -- in the songwriting and production. Bet these great talents wish they had this moment in time back. If these were ex-Grand Funk Railroad members Flint, this would be a great record. It falls far short of what Jack Bruce, Corky Laing, and Leslie West were capable of. In an interview with Corky Laing, that legendary quote from Flo & Eddie was brought to his attention -- their opinion that Mountain keyboard player Steve Knight was "the most useless man in rock & roll." Laing quickly came to Knight's defense and said that he played rhythms that were essential to Mountain. A Steve Knight on keyboards, or even better, a Steve Winwood, was what was needed to bring West, Bruce & Laing to another level, maybe even to superstar status. Cream's vocalist brought that hit potential to the table. The sleeper track on the album is "Love Is Worth the Blues," with Leslie West on violin, guitar, and a suitably painful downtrodden vocal, while "Pollution Woman" is, finally, what everyone was waiting for: Cream-meet- Mountain, with Jack Bruce on synthesizer and vocals, Leslie West and Jack Bruce on acoustic guitars, and a brilliantly solid Corky Laing. This was the direction they should have taken, and there just isn't enough of it -- a wildly charging modern sound that elevates the whole, proving it could be greater than the sum of its parts.

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Leslie West – Mountain (1969)

Frequently classified as the first album by the group Mountain, which was named after it, Leslie West's initial solo album featured bass/keyboard player Felix Pappalardi, who also produced it and co-wrote eight of its 11 songs, and drummer N.D. Smart II. (This trio did, indeed, tour under the name Mountain shortly after the album's release, even performing at Woodstock, though Smart was replaced by Corky Laing and Steve Knight was added as keyboard player for the formal recording debut of the group, Mountain Climbing!, released in February 1970.) Pappalardi had been Cream's producer, and that power trio, as well as the Jimi Hendrix Experience, were the models for this rock set, which was dominated by West's throaty roar of a voice and inventive blues-rock guitar playing. Though West had led the Vagrants for years and cut a handful of singles with them, this was his first album release, and it made for an auspicious debut, instantly establishing him as a guitar hero and setting the style of Mountain's subsequent recordings. [Originally released in July 1969 as Windfall 4500, Mountain was reissued on CD on April 16, 1996, as Columbia/Legacy 66439.]

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Leslie West biography

Leslie West first gained recognition as the lead guitarist for the Vagrants, a locally popular 1960s Long Island group. One of that group's singles was produced by Felix Pappalardi, a bass player who also produced Cream. After the Vagrants and Cream split up, Pappalardi played bass on and produced West's debut solo album, Mountain (July 1969). Following its release, the two teamed up with drummer Norman Smart (soon replaced by Corky Laing) and keyboard player Steve Knight to form the band Mountain, which cut the albums Climbing! (February 1970) (a gold-selling LP featuring the Top 40 single "Mississippi Queen"), Nantucket Sleighride (January 1971) (which also went gold), and Flowers of Evil (November 1971). In 1972, Pappalardi left Mountain to return to being a producer. (Posthumous record releases included Mountain Live (The Road Goes on Forever) [April 1972] and The Best of Mountain [February 1973].) West and Laing joined with former Cream bassist Jack Bruce to form West, Bruce & Laing. The trio recorded two studio albums, Why Dontcha (October 1972) and Whatever Turns You On (July 1973). (A live album, Live 'N' Kickin', was released in April 1974.) Bruce quit in the summer of 1973, and West and Laing briefly formed Leslie West's Wild West Show. Then West, Pappalardi, Alan Schwartherg (drums), and Bob Mann (keyboards) re-formed Mountain, recording a double live album, Twin Peaks (February 1974), in Osaka, Japan, in August 1973. This was followed by a Mountain studio album, Avalanche (July 1974), made by West, Pappalardi, Laing, and Knight. Then Mountain split again, and West formed the Leslie West Band, releasing The Great Fatsby (April 1975) (which featured Mick Jagger) and The Leslie West Band (1976) (which featured Mick Jones, later of Foreigner). Bedeviled by substance abuse problems, West retired from music for a time, then cleared up and again re-formed Mountain with Laing and bassist Mark Clarke (Pappalardi had died in 1983) for Go for Your Life (March 1985). The group broke up again, and West made Theme (1988), again teaming with Jack Bruce. West then participated in the Guitar Speaks (1988) and Night of the Guitar (1989) recordings of legendary rock guitarists for IRS Records' Illegal subsidiary. His next solo album was Alligator (August 1989), followed by Dodgin' the Dirt (1994). In 1994, West and Laing teamed with ex-Jimi Hendrix Experience bassist Noel Redding in another edition of Mountain, recording two tracks for the compilation Over the Top (1995). The solo As Phat as It Gets followed in 1999. After an album for Voiceprint, Guitarded, in 2004, West released two blues-inflected albums for Blues Bureau International, 2005's Got Blooze and 2006's Blue Me.

Paul Kossoff - Blue Soul (2002)

Kossoff's death in 1976 left us with but a handful of tracks featuring this tragic, gifted young musician. This CD contains many tracks from Free and Kossoff's session work. Some of his best and overlooked work is on studio sessions where he was free to simply play without the hassles of writing music himself. On these tracks, he truly shines with the heartfelt playing that defined his style. Koss could say more with one note than most guitarists could with a dozen, he made each note cry or sing. His understated solos had a voice all their own, unique and entirely his own. His only track from his solo work included is "I'm Ready", which has a live, club atmosphere-feel to it. All in all, a very good cd from a very unique guitarist who always let his guitar do the talking.

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http://rapidshare.com/files/125908826/2002_-_Blue_Soul__320k_.part1.rar.html

Download-Link (Part 2):

http://rapidshare.com/files/125908380/2002_-_Blue_Soul__320k_.part2.rar.html

Paul Kossoff - Live At Croydon Fairfield Halls 1975 (1998)

11 live tracks recorded at Croydon's Fairfield Hall in June,1975, the concert that turned out to be the last for formerFree member Kossoff & his band Back Street Crawler as hedied the next spring of a drug overdose on a flight to NewYork. Includes 'The Band Played On', 'Sidekick To The Stars'and 'Long Way To The Top'. The full title is 'Live AtCroydon Fairfield Halls'.

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http://rapidshare.com/files/125907949/1998_-_Live_At_Croydon_Fairfield_Halls__June_15th..1975___320k_.part1.rar.html

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http://rapidshare.com/files/125908077/1998_-_Live_At_Croydon_Fairfield_Halls__June_15th..1975___320k_.part2.rar.html

Download-Link (Part 3):

http://rapidshare.com/files/125904264/1998_-_Live_At_Croydon_Fairfield_Halls__June_15th..1975___320k_.part3.rar.html

Paul Kossoff - Stone Free (1997)

As a budget-line collection, it's reasonable to expect Stone Free to be rather inconsequential. Instead, it's a relatively thorough overview of Paul Kossoff's spotty solo career, collecting highlights from his solo albums, plus three cuts from Free. It's not perfect, but it's a good retrospective nonetheless.

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http://rapidshare.com/files/125906430/1997_-_Stone_Free__320k_.part1.rar.html

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http://rapidshare.com/files/125906419/1997_-_Stone_Free__320k_.part2.rar.html

Download-Link (Part 3):

http://rapidshare.com/files/125902990/1997_-_Stone_Free__320k_.part3.rar.html

Paul Kossoff - Paul Kossoff (1969-76) (1988)

Original rare spanish Double LP (1988 Edition). If you like Free and would like to listen to some of their less kown work, here is one for you. This album contains some pure and raw guitar work by one of the greatest guitarists , Paul Kossof. More guitar and more Blues than in any of Free's albums. A pure guitar pleasure to the ear.

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http://rapidshare.com/files/125905399/1988_-_Paul_Kossoff__1969-76___320k_.part1.rar.html

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http://rapidshare.com/files/125905903/1988_-_Paul_Kossoff__1969-76___320k_.part2.rar.html

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http://rapidshare.com/files/125903749/1988_-_Paul_Kossoff__1969-76___320k_.part3.rar.html

Paul Kossoff - Leaves In The Wind (1982)

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http://rapidshare.com/files/125820887/1982_-_Leaves_In_The_Wind__320k_.part1.rar.html

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http://rapidshare.com/files/125819298/1982_-_Leaves_In_The_Wind__320k_.part2.rar.html

Paul Kossoff – Koss (1977)

A career retrospective, Koss, was issued in 1977.

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http://rapidshare.com/files/125824072/1977_-_Koss__320k_.part1.rar.html

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http://rapidshare.com/files/125823677/1977_-_Koss__320k_.part2.rar.html

Back Street Crawler - Second Street (1976)

This album was one of Paul Kossoff's best. This is a must listen to those of us who remember bands like Crawler (what this band became) and Charlie (a band that later infused some members of Crawler). Yes, it is the rougher edge of the 70's harmony and fusion type of bands, but lets face it...no matter if it was the rowdier or poppier side - we bought this stuff and loved it!

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http://rapidshare.com/files/125824228/1976_-_Second_Street__320k_.rar.html

Back Street Crawler - The Band Plays On (1975)

While Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke left Free for Swan Song/Atlantic's Bad Company, their ex-bandmate, the late Paul Kossoff, put together another group on Atlantic which sounded like...you guessed it...Bad Company. Terry Wilson-Slesser could easily be mistaken for Rodgers on so much of this album, be it the song "Jason Blue" or "It's a Long Way to the Top." This material is terrific sleeper stuff for the '70s hard rock genre, before Foreigner made that whole world much slicker. Where Lou Gramm could sometimes annoy, Back Street Crawler creates real hard rock art, taking this oh so seriously. The song "Jason Blue" is a powerful potion, one that would fit perfectly on a classic hits station, arguably one of the best tracks here. It is one of six compositions by Mike Montgomery, the major force on this album. Montgomery co-writes two additional tunes and sings lead on "All the Girls Are Crazy" and "Survivor," dueting with Terry Wilson-Slesser on "New York, New York" (a Mike Montgomery original, not the tune made famous by Liza Minelli and Frank Sinatra). And by the way, how many groups would have two guys named Terry Wilson in their band at the same time anyway? The more you play The Band Plays On, the more it grows on you. It is one of those albums that has enormous depth that can't be heard on the first spin or two. Sounding so much like Bad Company on the same label was no doubt a drawback -- the records showing up in the same section alphabetically at retail bins, their names so closely aligned, the unfortunate big difference for Back Street Crawler was no hit single emerging from this set. Mike Montgomery's vocal style on the excellent song "Survivor" isn't as gritty as Terry Slesser, nor as commercial. Slesser would leave after this project to be replaced by John "Rabbit" Bundrick on vocal, who similarly joined Free when they needed his talents to replace members moving on. "It's a Long Way Down to the Top" could be Bad Company performing "Ready for Love," down to the riff and the mood, but so many references to that band don't take away from the fact that this is a solid '70s blues-rock disc with hooks, top-notch production, and lots to offer. Wouldn't be surprised if somewhere down the road people started picking up on The Band Plays On, songs like "New York, New York," "It's a Long Way Down to the Top," and "Jason Blue" are ripe for being covered.

Download-Link (Part 1):

http://rapidshare.com/files/125820540/1975_-_The_Band_Plays_On__320k_.part1.rar.html

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http://rapidshare.com/files/125818919/1975_-_The_Band_Plays_On__320k_.part2.rar.html

Paul Kossoff - Back Street Crawler (1973)

Back Street Crawler, despite being Paul Kossoff's first post-Free album, contains contributions from all members of that band. "Molten Gold," the most accessible song on the album, features the talent of Free vocalist Paul Rodgers, and is an overlooked shoulda-been hit. Otherwise, the album is highlighted by Kossoff's blues- and rock-based guitar. "Time Away" is a haunting, atmospheric instrumental duet with avant folk-jazz guitarist/singer John Martyn that originally registered 18 minutes in length. The full version was eventually released on the Free box set Songs of Yesterday, but here is edited down significantly in favor of the 17-minute A-side track "Tuesday Morning," a more upbeat but less interesting choice. Regardless of this fault, this is one of those albums that deserves a place in the pantheon of classic rock.

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http://rapidshare.com/files/125823946/1973_-_Back_Street_Crawler__320k_.rar.html

Kossoff, Kirke, Tetsu & Rabbit - Kossoff, Kirke, Tetsu & Rabbit (1971)

Unsurprisingly, this quartet sounds uncannily like Free and its English descendant Bad Company. Drummer Simon Kirke was in both bands. Guitarist Paul Kossoff, bassist Tetsu Yamauchi, and keyboardist John "Rabbit" Bundrick were in Free, although the latter two appeared only in the band's ragged, final days. The problem with this side project, besides the unexceptional music, is that Paul Rodgers was a vastly better singer than Kirke or Bundrick. This album would be a fine addition for Free and Bad Company completists, but few others.

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http://rapidshare.com/files/125819993/1971_-_Kossoff__Kirke__Tetsu___Rabbit__320k_.part1.rar.html

Download-Link (Part 2):

http://rapidshare.com/files/125818915/1971_-_Kossoff__Kirke__Tetsu___Rabbit__320k_.part2.rar.html

Paul Kossoff biography

Throughout the years, rock music has been littered with talented musicians whose lives were cut short due to drug-related deaths. Free/Back Street Crawler guitarist Paul Kossoff was one such casualty. Kossoff was born in London, England, on September 14, 1950, and early on studied classical guitar (before giving up on the instrument by his teenaged years). But upon discovering the British blues-rock movement of the '60s, Kossoff's interest in guitar perked up once again, especially after catching a John Mayall's Bluesbreakers live show with Eric Clapton. Kossoff soon purchased an electric guitar (a vintage Gibson Les Paul, which eventually become his trademark guitar) and began playing in local bands. Through one such band, Black Cat Bones, Kossoff became good friends with their drummer, Simon Kirke, who would serve a prominent part in Kossoff's musical future. Eventually feeling that the band had reached its zenith, the band broke up after the Black Cat Bones backed bluesman Champion Jack Dupree on a song called "When You Feel the Feeling."

Kossoff and Kirke set out to form another group, hooking up with vocalist Paul Rodgers and bassist Andy Fraser, the quartet decided to go by the name Free (which was supposedly christened by British blues icon Alexis Korner). Just as the new band signed a deal with Island/A&M Records, Kossoff had fully blossomed into an outstanding guitarist, renowned for his fluid, slow, and melodic leads and bluesy riffs. Free issued a pair of albums in the late '60s that went largely unnoticed -- 1968's Tons of Sobs and 1969's self-titled release -- as Kossoffthe Rolling Stones and Jethro Tull. But big-time success would prove to be just around the corner for Free as their 1970 release Fire and Water spawned the massive hit single (and eventual classic rock standard) "All Right Now" and helped secure the group a spot at the esteemed 1970 Isle of Wight Festival (which also included performances by the Who and Sly & the Family Stone, as well as one of the final performances ever by both Jimi Hendrix and the Doors). grew slightly disillusioned by the group's lack of commercial progress and tried out for guitar openings in such groups as

But, this would prove to be Free's commercial apex as after one more release, 1971's underappreciated Highway, the group brokeup. In the wake of their split, Free's record label issued the concert set Free Live, while its members indulged in other projects. Both Kirke and Kossoff decided to stay together, forming the short-lived Kossoff, Kirke, Tetsu & Rabbit, along with bassist Tetsu Yamauchi and keyboardist John "Rabbit" Bundrick, issuing a lone self-titled release the same year. To the delight of fans, Free's split was short-lived as the quartet reunited in 1972, offering a strong "comeback" album, Free at Last. But behind the scenes, things were in disarray: Kossoff, by this time, had developed a dangerous drug dependency, which led to Fraser's exit from the band. With Yamauchi taking Fraser's place in the lineup (and Bundrick on board for good measure), the new lineup of Free attempted to record a sixth studio album, but due to his problems, Kossoff's input was minimal (with Rodgers and another guitarist subbing in for Kossoff). When Free supported the resulting album, 1973's Heartbreaker, with a tour, Kossoff was replaced with Wendell RichardsonFree split up once more, but this time for good (as both Rodgers and Kirke would go on to form Bad Company). and upon the tour's completion,

The same year as Free's swan song, Kossoff was able to pull himself together long enough to record a solo album, Back Street Crawler, which surprisingly featured contributions from his former Free bandmates (as well as Yes drummer Alan White). Happy with the results, Kossoff decided to form a full-time solo outfit, named after the title of his solo debut. In addition to Kossoff, Back Street Crawler featured singer Terry Wilson-Slesser, keyboard player Mike Montgomery, bassist Terry Wilson, and drummer Tony Braunagel and the lineup signed on with Atlantic Records to issue a total of two releases -- 1975's The Band Plays On and 1976's Second Street. But Kossoff's health kept worsening; while in a London drug rehab in 1975, Kossoff narrowly escaped death when his heart stopped beating and he had to be revived. Undeterred, Kossoff continued on his destructive path and on March 19, 1976, Kossoff died from a drug-induced heart attack while on a plane flight from Los Angeles to New York at the age of 25.

In the wake of his tragic death, a 16-track career retrospective of Kossoff's, titled Koss (after his nickname), was issued in 1977. Subsequently, several British Kossoff releases were issued in the '80s on the Street Tunes label: 1981's The Hunter, 1982's Leaves in the Wind, 1983's Mr. Big, and 1984's Croydon June 15th, 1975. The late '90s saw a renewed interest in Kossoff and another career retrospective was issued, 1997's 14-track Blue Blue Soul, as well as five-disc Free box set Songs of Yesterday, and a Free biography entitled Heavy Load -- The Story of Free.