West Bruce & Laing -

West Bruce & Laing were an English–American super-trio comprised of ex-Cream bassist-singer Jack Bruce and two former Mountain members, guitarist Leslie West and drummer Corky Laing. They released the 1972–73 rock albums Why Dontcha and Whatever Turns You On and the 1974 concert disc Live ‘n’ Kickin’ on Columbia/Windfall.

Members: Leslie West (guitar, vocals, dobro), Jack Bruce (bass, organ, synthesizer, guitar, piano, harmonica, harmonium, harp, vocals), Corky Laing (drums, guitar, vocals)

Background

The trio formed in February 1972 when American hard-rockers Mountain disbanded at the close of a UK tour after the departure of their bassist, Felix Pappalardi. Bruce knew the band due to his long involvement with Pappalardi, who produced the 1967–69 Cream albums Disraeli Gears, Wheels of Fire, and Goodbye.

Why Dontcha

West Bruce & Laing released their debut album, Why Dontcha, in October 1972 on CBS (UK), Polydor (Europe), and Columbia (US).

The album contains nine originals group-written by the trio, including three songs (“Out Into the Fields,” “Pleasure,” “Pollution Woman”) worded by Pete Brown, Jack Bruce’s longtime lyrical partner. “The Doctor” fourth-credits Sandra Palmer, an occasional Mountain lyricist. “Love Is Worth the Blues” lifts its theme from the 1965 Rolling Stones ballad “Play With Fire.”

Why Dontcha features Bruce on bass, harmonica, and multiple keyboards (piano, organ, harmonium, ARP synthesizer) and string instruments (acoustic guitar, harp). Leslie West handles lead vocals, acoustic/electric guitar, and dobro; doubled on rhythm by drummer Corky Laing.

On the album’s titular opening track, West delivers an aggressive vocal over heavy riffs punctuated by triplet linkages between verses. “Out Into the Fields” follows as a slow ballad, with Bruce’s piano and harmonium framing contoured vocal lines that echo his solo work. “The Doctor” returns to West’s lead with riff-driven power and slide guitar accents, while “Turn Me Over” features Laing on vocals. Side A closes with a blues rendition of Eddie Boyd’s “Third Degree.”

Side B alternates between ballads like West’s “While You Sleep” and up-tempo numbers such as Bruce’s stomping “Pleasure” and the riff-centric “Love Is Worth the Blues,” before concluding with the synth-laden, progressive textures of “Pollution Woman.” Throughout, the trio blends heavy rock, blues, and subtle soul influences, with each musician’s performance interlocking tightly across guitar, bass, and drums.

A1. “Why Dontcha” (3:02)
A2. “Out Into the Fields” (4:40)
A3. “The Doctor” (4:30)
A4. “Turn Me Over” (2:43)
A5. “Third Degree” (5:15)

B1. “Shake Ma Thing (Rollin Jack)” (3:14)
B2. “While You Sleep” (3:24)
B3. “Pleasure” (4:02)
B4. “Love Is Worth the Blues” (4:11)
B5. “Pollution Woman” (4:26)

West, Bruce, and Laing co-produced the album with engineer Andy Johns, a soundman on 1971/72 albums by Free, Led Zeppelin, Mott the Hoople, and Exile On Main St. by the Rolling Stones.

Why Dontcha appeared in a blue-scale cover designed by Ed Lee, whose sky/sea visuals grace contemporary covers for Albert Dailey, Mother Night, Ornette Coleman, and Weather Report.

“The Doctor” gained FM airplay as a Columbia/RSO single (b/w “Shake Ma Thing (Rollin Jack)”). The album reached No. 26 on the US Billboard 200.

Whatever Turns You On

West Bruce & Laing released their second album, Whatever Turns You On, in July 1973 on RSO (UK, Europe), and Columbia/Windfall (US).

The album contains nine originals by the trio. Pete Brown added lyrics to “Backfire,” “November Song,” “Scotch Crotch,” and “Like a Plate” Leslie West splits lead vocals throughout with Jack Bruce, who juggles bass, piano, harmonium, and organ.

Whatever Turns You On opens with the driving riffs of “Backfire” before moving into “Token,” where Bruce’s bass and piano intertwine with West’s guitar in a Cream-like interplay. “Sifting Sand” and “November Song” slow the pace with balletic, soul-tinged lines, alternating between West and Bruce on vocals.

“Rock ’n’ Roll Machine” delivers weighty, high-energy riffs, while “Scotch Crotch” revisits 1950s rock forms through the trio’s contemporary lens. “Slow Blues” centers on Bruce’s piano and contoured vocal lines, and the album closes with the punchy “Dirty Shoes” and the acoustic-tinged “Like a Plate,” highlighting Bruce’s multifaceted instrumentation across bass, keyboards, and harmonium. The record balances heavy rock intensity with introspective, piano-driven moments, each track showcasing tight interplay between the trio.

A1. “Backfire” (2:48)
A2. “Token” (5:20)
A3. “Sifting Sand” (3:08)
A4. “November Song” (5:50)

B1. “Rock ‘n’ Roll Machine” (3:50)
B2. “Scotch Crotch” (3:16)
B3. “Slow Blues” (5:09)
B4. “Dirty Shoes” (2:20)
B5. “Like a Plate” (4:35)

Andy Johns co-produced and engineered the album in sequence with 1973 efforts by Fanny, Kracker, Sharks, and Goats Head Soup by the Rolling Stones.

New England artist Joe Petagno illustrated the cover to Whatever Turns You On. It shows b&w panels of each member (front and back) above a color illustration of the three, each with their own vice: food (West), alcohol (Bruce), and groupies (Laing). Petagno’s bold character depictions also appear on 1973–75 covers for Baker Gurvitz Army, Captain Beyond, Graeme Edge Band, The Kinks, Nazareth, Renaissance, Roy Harper, and Three Man Army.

Live ‘n’ Kickin’

In May 1974, West Bruce & Laing released Live ‘n’ Kickin’, a collection of 1972/73 live numbers, including an elongated Rollings Stones cover (“Play With Fire”) and the Cream chestnut “Politician.”

“Powerhouse SOD” is a non-studio number credited to the trio but performed live by Bruce during the Harmony Row era. They fuse “Play With Fire” with their earlier tribute composition, “Love Is Worth the Blues.”

A1. “Play With Fire” (12:36)
A2. “The Doctor” (7:56)

B1. “Politician” (5:36)
B2. “Powerhouse SOD” (10:17)

Live ‘n’ Kickin’ appeared in a cover with kicking-foot letters and spinning-wheel live pics by Carl Ramsey, whose colorful details also appear on covers for Foghat, Michael White, and Wet Willie.

West Bruce & Laing disbanded months before Live ‘n’ Kickin’ due to member drug problems. Jack Bruce resumed his solo career with the 1974 album Out of the Storm. West cut an album with the Leslie West Band. Laing joined a reformed Mountain for their 1974 release Avalanche.

Discography: