New York City born West, here with Felix Pappalardi and Corky Laing performing on Randell's Island on July 19, 1970.
By the late 1960's power trios began to appear more frequently as the emphasis of groups looked towards the full on guitar hero and Mountain (formed in 1970) were one of the bands to turn to in the post Hendrix era. Rolling Stone at the time identified Mountain as a 'louder version of Cream'. They were also considered to be forerunners of heavy metal.
West was affectionately nicknamed "The King of Tone" by his legions of fans, referring to his influential and world renowned guitar tone. West was also nicknamed "The Fattest Fingers in Rock N' Roll", due to his large build.
In 2011 West underwent emergency surgery after being admitted to a hospital in Biloxi, Mississippi. The decision to amputate his leg was one that was necessary to save his life. Leslie is expected to recover but faces extensive rehabilitation.
Get well Leslie.
