Live: The Road Goes Ever On

Last updated
Live: The Road Goes Ever On
Mountainroad72.jpg
Live album by
Mountain
ReleasedApril 24, 1972 (1972-04-24)
Recorded
  • August 16, 1969
  • December 14, 1971
  • January 29, 1972
Venue
Genre Hard rock
Length34:28
Label Windfall
Producer Felix Pappalardi
Mountain chronology
Flowers of Evil
(1971)		Live: The Road Goes Ever On
(1972)		 The Best of Mountain
(1973)
Singles from Live: The Road Goes Ever On
  1. "Waiting to Take You Away"
    Released: July 1972

Live: The Road Goes Ever On is the second live album by American hard rock band Mountain, released on 24 April 1972 by Windfall Records. It contains four songs recorded at three shows in August 1969, December 1971, and January 1972. The album was produced by the band's bassist and second vocalist Felix Pappalardi, while the artwork was created by his wife and collaborator Gail Collins. The Road Goes Ever On takes its name from J. R. R. Tolkien's 1937 novel The Hobbit .

Contents

Following Mountain's breakup in early 1972, Windfall compiled a number of recordings from various shows to issue as the band's first live release. Mountain Live: The Road Goes Ever On was a minor commercial success, reaching number 63 on the US Billboard 200 and number 21 on the UK Albums Chart (the latter of which was the highest position the band achieved on the chart). The album spawned one single, "Waiting to Take You Away", which was released in July 1972.

Background

After the completion of a European tour in February 1972, Mountain went on hiatus. Guitarist and vocalist Leslie West and drummer Corky Laing continued working together in the new band West, Bruce and Laing, which also featured former Cream member Jack Bruce, while bassist and vocalist Felix Pappalardi returned to focusing on production work. [1] By the summer, the band had officially broken up after Pappalardi began to suffer hearing loss due to years of touring and studio work (which eventually led to his retirement). [2] [3] The group would eventually reunite in 1973, releasing live album Twin Peaks and studio album Avalanche the following year. [4]

The group's label Windfall Records compiled a number of recordings for a live release –"Long Red" and "Waiting to Take You Away" from the August 16, 1969, performance at Woodstock, "Nantucket Sleighride" from the December 14, 1971, show at the Academy of Music in New York City, and "Crossroader" from the January 29, 1972, appearance at the Rainbow Theatre in London. [5] The album was released on April 24, 1972, by Windfall and Bell Records. [6] "Waiting to Take You Away" was released as the only single from the album. [7] Live: The Road Goes Ever On has been reissued since its initial release; on July 13, 2018, Iconoclassic Records released a copy of the album with a bonus live recording of T-Bone Walker's "Stormy Monday" from the Atlanta International Pop Festival in 1970. [8]

The recordings from the Woodstock Festival were made just prior to Corky Laing joining Mountain. Mountain's drummer at the time was N. D. Smart who was uncredited on the album. Ironically, the drum-only opening bars of Long Red made it one of the most sampled in the history of hip hop music [9] meaning he's been widely heard but virtually unrecognized for it.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [10]

Upon its release, Live: The Road Goes Ever On debuted at number 190 on the US Billboard 200 albums chart in the week of May 13, 1972. [11] The album spent a total of 18 weeks on the chart, peaking at number 63 in the week of July 22, 1972. [12] The release also registered on the UK Albums Chart, spending three weeks on the chart in July and peaking at number 23, the highest position achieved by the band in the UK. [13] Aside from the Billboard chart, Live: The Road Goes Ever On also peaked at number 37 on the US Cash Box magazine albums chart and number 47 on the US Record World magazine albums chart, both in June 1972. [14] [15]

Live: The Road Goes Ever On received mixed reviews. Upon its release, Billboard magazine published a review outlining that "Mountain rocks on and on with seventeen minutes and thirty-eight seconds of a "Nantucket Sleighride" plus three others that will pull every emotion from you and turn into knockout enthusiasm previously undiscovered." [16] The writer went on to praise drummer Corky Laing's "thrump-ing pace", guitarist Leslie West and bassist Felix Pappalardi's "superb guitar work", and keyboardist Steve Knight's "tantalizing organ". [16] James Chrispell of the website AllMusic described The Road Goes Ever On as "a fair example of Mountain live," but criticized "Nantucket Sleighride" for "show[ing] signs of the excess that would plague the band for the rest of its career". [10] Fellow AllMusic contributor Bruce Eder claimed that "Hardcore fans appreciated the record as an extension of [the band's] recordings, but many listeners and most critics found it lacking musical cohesion." [17]

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Long Red"
5:50
2."Waiting to Take You Away"West4:40
3."Crossroader"
6:20
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Nantucket Sleighride"
  • Pappalardi
  • Collins
17:38
Total length:34:28
2018 reissue bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
5."Stormy Monday" T-Bone Walker 19:27
Total length:53:55

Personnel


Additional personnel

Charts

Chart (1972)Peak
position
UK Albums (OCC) [18] 21
US Billboard 200 [19] 63

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Felix Pappalardi</span> American music producer and musician (1939–1983)

Felix A. Pappalardi Jr. was an American music producer, songwriter, vocalist, and bassist. He is best known as the bassist and co-lead vocalist of the band Mountain, whose song "Mississippi Queen" peaked at number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has become a classic rock radio staple. Originating in the eclectic music scene in New York's Greenwich Village, he became closely attached to the British power trio Cream, writing, arranging, and producing for their second album Disraeli Gears. As a producer for Atlantic Records, he worked on several projects with guitarist Leslie West; in 1969 their partnership evolved into the band Mountain. The band lasted less than five years, but their work influenced the first generation of heavy metal and hard rock music. Pappalardi continued to work as a producer, session musician, and songwriter until he was shot and killed by his wife Gail Collins in 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountain (band)</span> American rock band

Mountain was an American hard rock band formed in Long Island, New York, in 1969. Originally consisting of vocalist-guitarist Leslie West, bassist-vocalist Felix Pappalardi, keyboardist Steve Knight, and drummer N. D. Smart, the group disbanded in 1972, but reunited on several occasions prior to West's death in 2020. They are best-known for their 1970 smash hit song "Mississippi Queen", which remains a staple of classic rock radio, as well as the heavily sampled song "Long Red", and their performance at Woodstock Festival in 1969. Mountain is one of many bands commonly credited with influencing the development of heavy metal music during the 1970s. The group's musical style primarily consisted of hard rock, blues rock, and heavy metal.

Windfall Records was a record label founded in 1969 by Bud Prager and Felix Pappalardi to distribute records of acts they managed and/or produced. Singer-guitarist Leslie West recorded for Windfall throughout the label's existence, initially as a solo artist (1969) and subsequently with the bands Mountain and West, Bruce and Laing (1972–73).

Gail Collins was an American songwriter, record producer and visual artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West, Bruce and Laing</span>

West, Bruce and Laing were a Scottish–American blues rock power trio super-group formed in 1972 by Leslie West, Jack Bruce, and Corky Laing. The band released two studio albums, Why Dontcha (1972) and Whatever Turns You On (1973), during their active tenure. Their disbanding was officially announced in early 1974 prior to the release of their third and last album, Live 'n' Kickin'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leslie West</span> American rock musician (1945–2020)

Leslie Abel West was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was the co-founder, guitarist and co-lead vocalist of the rock band Mountain. West was named the 245th greatest guitarist of all time by Rolling Stone in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corky Laing</span> Canadian rock drummer

Laurence Gordon "Corky" Laing is a Canadian rock drummer, best known as a longtime member of the pioneering American hard rock band Mountain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mississippi Queen</span> 1970 single by Mountain

"Mississippi Queen" is a song by the American rock band Mountain. Considered a rock classic, it was their most successful single, reaching number 21 in the Billboard Hot 100 in 1970. The song is included on the group's debut album and several live recordings have been issued.

<i>Climbing!</i> 1970 studio album by Mountain

Climbing! is the debut studio album by American hard rock band Mountain. It was released on March 7, 1970, by Windfall Records.

<i>Nantucket Sleighride</i> (album) 1971 studio album by Mountain

Nantucket Sleighride is the second studio album by American hard rock band Mountain, released in January 1971 by Windfall Records in the US and by Island in the UK.

<i>Flowers of Evil</i> (Mountain album) 1971 studio album / live album by Mountain

Flowers of Evil is the third studio album and first live album by American hard rock band Mountain. The title track concerns drug abuse in Vietnam. The first side of the album includes new studio material, while the second consists of live material recorded on 27 June 1971 at the Fillmore East in New York City. It was released in November 1971 by Windfall.

<i>Twin Peaks</i> (album) 1974 live album by Mountain

Twin Peaks is the third live album by American hard rock band Mountain, released in February 1974 by Columbia and Windfall Records. It contains recordings from the band's performance at Koseinenkin Hall in Osaka, Japan on August 30, 1973. The album was produced by the band's bassist and second vocalist Felix Pappalardi, while the artwork was created by his wife and collaborator Gail Collins. It was Mountain's first release since returning after a year-long hiatus.

<i>The Best of Mountain</i> 1973 greatest hits album by Mountain

The Best of Mountain is the only compilation album by American hard rock band Mountain. It consists of material recorded throughout 1970-1971, culled from their first three LPs. On 15 April 2003, the album was remastered and reissued in an expanded edition with new liner notes and four bonus tracks, two of which are taken from Leslie West's first solo album, 1969's Felix Pappalardi-produced Mountain, the project which eventually led to the formation of the band.

Stephen Sanders "Steve" Knight was an American musician best known as the keyboardist for the rock band Mountain from 1969 until his departure in 1972.

<i>Best of Cream</i> 1969 greatest hits album by Cream

Best of Cream is a compilation album of material recorded from 1966 to 1968 by the rock band Cream, and released shortly after their disbanding. The album was originally released by Cream's U.S. label Atco (Atlantic) Records, and was available on that label during the years 1969–1972. The album was briefly reissued in the U.S. in 1977 by RSO/Polydor Records, to whom U.S. distribution rights for Cream's recordings had reverted by that time. A re-release was pressed in 2014 by Polydor on 180g vinyl.

<i>Mountain</i> (Leslie West album) 1969 studio album by Leslie West

Mountain is the debut album by American rock guitarist and vocalist Leslie West, released in July 1969 by Windfall Records.

<i>Go for Your Life</i> (album) 1985 studio album by Mountain

Go for Your Life is the fifth studio album by American hard rock band Mountain, released on March 9, 1985. It was their first studio album since 1974's Avalanche.

<i>Avalanche</i> (Mountain album) 1974 studio album by Mountain

Avalanche is the fourth studio album by American hard rock band Mountain, released in July 1974. It featured the return of drummer Corky Laing and was the band's only recording with second guitarist David Perry. It was their final album of the 1970s and the last to feature bassist/producer Felix Pappalardi.

<i>Mystic Fire</i> 2002 studio album by Mountain

Mystic Fire is the seventh studio album by American hard rock band Mountain, released in 2002. It is their final album of original material, as their following album, Masters of War, would consist solely of covers.

References

  1. ↑ "West, Bruce & Laing Group" (PDF). Cash Box . Vol. 33, no. 38. New York City. March 11, 1972. p. 12. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  2. ↑ Chatterton, Mark (1997). Live: The Road Goes Ever On (Media notes). Mountain. BGO Records . Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  3. ↑ Huey, Steve. "Felix Pappalardi: Biography & History". AllMusic . Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  4. ↑ Ruhlmann, William. "Leslie West: Biography & History". AllMusic . Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  5. ↑ Banks, Brian R. (October 1, 2018). "Mountain: Flowers of Evil / The Road Goes Ever On (2018) review". It's Psychedelic Baby! Magazine . Archived from the original on October 3, 2018. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  6. ↑ "New from Bell" (PDF). Record World . Vol. 26, no. 1300. New York City. May 20, 1972. p. 20. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Cashbox Singles Reviews: Choice Programming" (PDF). Cash Box . Vol. 33, no. 45. New York City. April 29, 1972. p. 18. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Mountain: Live: The Road Goes Ever On (Expanded Edition) – ICON 1048". Iconoclassic Records. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  9. ↑ Slavik, Nathan (September 20, 2018). "Yeah! Louder! From Kanye to Vanilla Ice, the History of the 'Long Red' Sample". DJBooth.net. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  10. 1 2 Chrispell, James. "Live (The Road Goes Ever On) - Mountain: Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic . Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Top 200 Albums: The Week of May 13, 1972". Billboard . Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Mountain: Live (The Road Goes Ever On) Chart History". Billboard . Retrieved December 2, 2018.[ dead link ]
  13. ↑ "Mountain Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company . Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Cash Box . Vol. 33, no. 52. New York City, New York: The Cash Box Publishing Co., Inc. June 17, 1972. p. 21. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  15. ↑ "The Album Chart" (PDF). Record World . Vol. 27, no. 1305. New York City, New York: Record World Publishing Co., Inc. June 24, 1972. p. 30. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  16. 1 2 "Album Reviews" (PDF). Billboard . Vol. 84, no. 20. New York City. May 13, 1972. p. 51. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  17. ↑ Eder, Bruce. "Mountain: Biography & History". AllMusic . Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  19. ↑ "Mountain Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.