West, Bruce & Laing @ Cleveland, OH 1972-04-21

LIMITED TIME / LAST TIME

This one is bass heavy even louder than guitar but it's not overloaded and it's okay to play louder than Leslie West when you are Jack Bruce on bass.

WEST, BRUCE & LAING
Cleveland Public Hall
April 21, 1972
(47 years ago today!)

- *Uncirculated* & ecelllent Joe Ray master recording-

>>Preliminary acknowledgements:
A crappy sounding umpteenth analog generation copy and version of this shows has been in Moutainatic circulation for ages, but this here is an entirely different, bordering on excellent sounding and complete beast. Thanks a kazillion to the orginal taper and fellow Dimer Joe Ray for this show, and to Co-Dimer LesMountain for giving me the opportunity to iron out Joe's raw transfer recording with Audacity and to torrent it here.<<

Sound quality: vg++/5 out of 6 (no kidding!).
Check "Play With Fire" mp3 audio sample in comments for proof.
Full colour CD back and front cover artwork in torrent (pdf files), designed with original posters and newspaper ad for the show. Comments always welcome.

Lineage: Joe Ray's mono AUD recording (w/unknown equipment) > wav > Audacity (for auto-boosting levels, ever-so-slight editing and track marks) > wav > FLAC (level 8) > Dimeadozen > youhoo!
(The original recording came with support act Procol Harum's number as the first track which I took the liberty to tack on the end of CD 2).

CD 1:
1. Don't Look Around
2. Politician
3. The Doctor
4. Third Degree
5. Leslie West Guitar Solo -
6. Roll Over Beethoven -
7. Mississippi Queen
8. Powerhouse Sod
Total: 59:55 min.

CD 2:
1. Play with Fire I-
2. Drum Solo -
3. Play with Fire I-
4. Sunshine Of Your Love
Bonus track:
5. Procol Harum (support act): Shine on Brightly
Total: 62:28 min.

Line-Up:
Leslie West - guitar, vocals
Jack Bruce - bass, vocals
Corky Laing - drums

West, Bruce & Laing officially formed in February 1972, straight after Mountain's last tour of the UK. However, even before that tour, there had already been rumours of that band's forthcoming split and obvious thoughts that Jack Bruce might be a fitting replacement for Felix Pappalardi in a succeeding format. These rumours - of course - made it to the music papers and as it happens, Felix did read a respective Melody Maker article titled "Jack Bruce to join Mountain?" on his flight to the Uk for their tour - and is said to have gone through the (plane's?) ceiling as he obviously had not been involved in Lez' and Corky's musings and plans.

Actually, both had already jammed along with Paul Rodgers, Simon Kirke, Overend Watts and Boz Burrell in November 1971 at London's Basing Street Studios during Mountain's stint in the UK for a two-night show at The Rainbow. At that point, the two had already been looking for a singer and bass player and were hoping to win over at least Rodgers who's band Free had split in May 1971 and who at that point was trying to get his own outfit Peace off the ground. Nothing has become of Lez's & Cork's intention though, probably as by February 1972, when the two were finally free for a new project, Free had just reformed (in hopes to save their guitarist Koss' fragile life).

West, Bruce & Laing's advance reputation was obviously so strong that they were able to tour the US through major venues without having an album out to promote, something that usually is de rigeur for such a financial venture. They actually were even still without a record contract at that point!

This show here was recorded very early into the band's very first tour and only six days before their April 24 show at the Carnegie Hall of which bits and pieces were released on "Alive & Kicking". However, if one feels inclined to compare the two versions of the band's "crown jewel" (IMHO) "Play With Fire", it is blantently obvious how the official version starts of nicely but then suddenly seems to somehow lose energy and just somehow drags on (IMHO), while this here runs some 21+ minutes and displays the band literally PLAYING WITH FIRE from start to finish!  

For more info on Mountain/West, Bruce & Laing (and Ten Years After's and Humble Pie's) touring histories, check Greg Vick's most highly recommended Tour Archive site: http://tourarchive.weebly.com/
If you have any more info for Greg, addenda or corrections please don't hesitate to contribute whatever you can, OK?

Please do NOT even think of selling this show or spreading it in lossy formats - otherwise: trade, share, collect – and enjoy! Always looking forward to your comments and possibly even further info...

Uploaded to Dimeadozen with BIG TIME thanks again to Jo Ray and to LesMountain on April 21, 2019 by DocDondy for all fellow-Dimers to enjoy - exactly 47 years after the event!

Lez ahoy!
Th:)mas


https://pixeldrain.com/u/L4E8hTzm