Review: Legacy A Tribute To Leslie West

By Mike O’Cull

Guitarist/vocalist Leslie West of Mountain was one of the mightiest players of rock’s Golden Age and the depth of his immense influence is on full display on the new Provogue Records/Mascot Label Group release Legacy: A Tribute To Leslie West.

The set drops March 25th, 2022 and is jam-packed with an all-star lineup of musicians giving their all in honor of West, who sadly left this world in December of 2020. It contains epic performances from the likes of Dee Snider and his Twisted Sister bandmate Eddie Ojeda, Robby Krieger, Slash, Zakk Wylde, Yngwie Malmsteen, Randy and Tal Bachman, Jethro Tull’s Martin Barre, Joe Lynn Turner, Blackberry Smoke’s Charlie Starr, The Cars’ Elliot Easton, George Lynch, Marty Friedman, Steve Morse, Dirty Honey’s Mark Labelle, Mike Portnoy, and West’s own band members Bobby Rondinelli and Rev Jones. As you might expect, hearing all of these heavies getting down on West’s material is a mesmerizing classic rock experience that will keep you coming back to this record again and again.

Collectors will be chuffed to learn that the tribute release will be available as a limited-edition box set, on LP and CD, digitally, and as a web shop exclusive limited LP variation manufactured with digital. West left behind a legacy worth much more than a mere playlist and it’s only proper to recognize it in hard copy. His widow, Jenni West, executive produced the project along with West’s manager Bob Ringe and John Lappen so you know it was done with the love and respect the Mountain frontman deserves.

Ozzy/Black Label Society guitar hero Zakk Wylde opens the record with a hard rocking version of “Blood Of The Sun” from the first Mountain album. Wylde turns in one of his typical blistering performances on guitar and vocals backed by West’s rhythm section of Bobby Rondinelli and Rev Jones. It’s a big blast of vintage blues/rock that gets the party started in a loud-and-proud manner of which West would absolutely approve.

Vocalist Joe Lynn Turner of Deep Purple and Rainbow teams up with world-renowned guitar monster Marty Friedman for a powerful reading of the blues-prog masterpiece “Nantucket Sleighride” from Mountain’s sophomore release of the same name. Turner’s voice still sounds amazing and Friedman’s high-velocity guitar style is as good as true rock gets in the modern scene. Together, the two are a formidable pair.

Mountain’s famous “Theme for an Imaginary Western” gets done up right by Twisted Sister singer Dee Snider and guitarist Eddie Ojeda, Quiet Riot /Ozzy bassist Rudy Sarzo, and founding Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy. The sprawling track lets each musician flex their respect for West in a compelling way that you’ll quickly bond with. Snider still has big-time pipes and he fits this track perfectly.

“Mississippi Queen” is, of course, the song everyone wants to hear and it gets fully smoke-housed by none other than Guns N’ Roses’ lead guitarist and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Slash and Dirty Honey frontman Marc LeBelle, who is one of the breakout talents of the last few years. This song is the centerpiece of West’s body of work and his most famous tune. Slash tears it up with the fire of a true fan and LeBelle hits it so hard you’d think he wrote it himself. It’s a fitting way to end the record and will make you want to get your air guitar out of its case and add to its spectacle.

Legacy: A Tribute To Leslie West is an outstanding remembrance of one of our all-time great guitarists and will do much to get the word of West’s contributions out to upcoming generations of players. He was a singularly important and impressive part of American music history and to have so many incredible musicians record his songs is the highest honor he could be given. Spin this one and be reminded of what top-level rock actually sounds like. Highly recommended.

Pre-order Stream Legacy A Tribute To Leslie West

“Blood Of The Sun” Zakk Wylde