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Leslie West


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A little birdie told me there may be trouble coming.

Though he's made remarkable gains---or losses--- in the weight department (compare to BB King's dilemma), I'd suspect he has lingering effects from his size when younger.

 

Sad news as our heroes age, eh ?

"First there was a mountain, then there was no mountain, then there was...."

 

I recall hearing the cowbell clang and the absolutely roaring gtr tone of "Mississippi Q"

as well today as when it first occured. As they say,"I can name that tune in 2 beats, Alex!"

(It differs from, say, "Honky T Womens" by the tenacity of it's 4/4-ness).

Story is that Hendrix stopped his session next door to investigate that powerful tone slamming the studio wall.

 

"Nantucket Sleighride",

as some may recall from a poll I initiated that got picked up in GPlayer, is not only by turns, stirring, melancholically affecting but hilarious when he whips up that rock&roll seaman's jig !

 

His 1st solo album also has some tasty work.

Here's something from the other side of the Mountain.

"B/c You R my Friend"

(dig the tune that folllows, too)

 

Let's hope for the best & remember what he did for us, even though "we" were invisible to him

 

 

Aw, heck, here's another,one of my faves...

My Lady

I know, everything abt it (except the refrain's harmonies & the guitar) is lame but man, that gtr tone & the structure of the overdubs...!

If ya think abt it, it's actually a lot like what D Allman might've played...catch that beautiful lick at 2:36

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Yes,Sasquatc got it, it was only (only! :rolleyes:) an amputation...when I 1st was told, I expected the story was worse.

 

Still, let's consider the cat's work before we get another RIP thread.

I do so love the living magic of music more than the tragic after loss.

 

FWIW, courtesy of "Dr Rock" at a nearby forum...

 

Here's the press release directly from Leslie's facebook page, which he and his wife run;

 

"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 20, 2011

LESLIE WEST RECUPERATING FOLLOWING AMPUTATION OF LEG

Legendary Mountain Guitarist Expected to Fully Recover

 

Biloxi, MS --- Legendary guitarist Leslie West has undergone surgery in Biloxi, MS. West had flown in to Mississippi to perform at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino with his band Mountain. On Saturday, his leg began to swell, and as a diabetic he was rushed to the emergency room. He was diagnosed with the decision to go through an amputation in order to save his life. Surgery was a success, and the procedure removed his limb up to the knee.

 

Leslie West is expected to fully recover, and faces extensive rehabilitation. The family has requested that the public and media respect his privacy while he comes to terms with this life changing transition."

 

_________________

Don

 

 

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oh, man, that sucks!!!

 

i just wished him a speedy recovery on facebook. he's a hell of a dude.

 

i wonder if it's type 2...you CAN reverse that with the proper diet.

 

i did. i was "pre-diabetic"...did the atkins thing, dropped over a hundred lbs in a couple months, and my sugar went completely back to normal.

 

i gotta get back on it....damn...

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dude, atkins.com. you don't even need to buy the lousy book.

 

here's the deets. first, see your doctor, make sure you're ok with this diet...it puts you in a state of ketosis, which makes your pee and breath smell a little nail polish remover-ish.

 

you start with what they call induction...no carbs, or as little as possible (under 20 grams, i kept it to under 5) a day for two weeks. if there's more dietary fiber than carb, you can subtract that.

 

this two-week period changes your metabolism from burning carbs (sugar) to burning fat (stored sugar).

 

i stayed on induction from april til june, and went from about 560 lbs (estimated) to my now svelte 370...tho i was down to 320 when i was still on the diet.

 

i can't find the pic of me REALLY huge, but here's an idea:

 

http://cpop.org/1196776907_jimi_roysmall2.jpg

 

ok, found it...

 

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt137/pinkjimiphoton/fat.jpg

 

this was me in june, wearing jeans for the first time in almost a decade:

 

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/5614_1150237729030_1620235552_366220_6959356_n.jpg

 

so anyways, with the doc's blessing, i dropped a shit load of lard really quickly...and my sugar went from becoming insulin resistant to normal again.

 

now, i look like this:

 

http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/41280_1484032033679_1620235552_1133733_5214726_n.jpg

 

the induction phase was basically like this for me...

 

no more than 4 one ounce slices of cheese a day..

all the steak, bacon, sausage, eggs, meat in general i could eat...along with lottsa green beans, and salads with green leafy vegetables.

 

snacks were either cashews, or sugar-free jello.

 

i drank an ass load of coffee with splenda and cream. milk has too much sugar in it. cream doesn't.

 

no margarine or "spread"...butter. no corn products either.

 

maybe a tomatoe or three on my salads. mayo for dressing.

 

for breakfast, i'd eat a couple eggs, scrambled, with cheese and meat in 'em.

 

for lunch, a salad..with meat cheese and mayo.

 

for supper...fish, steak, whatever.

 

i LIVED on diet coke. you're not supposed to i found out later, but i did.

 

and i was losing 20-30 lbs a WEEK, dude. it was incredible.

 

yes, i've gained some back since getting a girlfriend that's a gourmet chef.

 

but thinking about going back on it again, and soon.

 

a brother of mine, mike kemp, told me i could "cure" my early pre-diabetic state.

 

i didn't believe him. but when my legs were swelling up, and i had to be on antibiotics for the cellulitis, i gave it a shot.

 

he's type 1 diabetic, his whole life..and in real good shape for being 60+ years old.

 

anyways...it did indeed change my life, dude. for real. not trying to spam atkin's dead ass or anything, just sharing a does of reality as it applied to my own life.

 

anyways, in the end, once induction starts, and you start losing weight, you're no longer hungry all the time...protein burns a lot slower than carbs do. no sugar crashes.

 

you begin to slowly re-integrate carbs into your diet. watch your weight. when the weight loss slows, you've reached your limit for carbs...back off a little, and you keep losing weight, at a more reasonable amount. if you stay there, and are faithful to it, it will get you thin in the long run, you'll feel great, have energy, and can reverse the onset of type II diabetes.

 

but the big caveat...NO ALCOHOL.

 

but ya can smoke or vape all ya want. ;)

 

anyways...that's my story.

 

i went from a mountain to a molehill. and one day, i hope to make it to anthill instead.

 

peace.

 

ye aulde disclaimer: talk to your doctor FIRST before starting atkins...as it's a high fat diet, you may need some cholesterol management drugs like crestor or whatever to protect your heart.

 

 

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Good for you!

 

I dont want to come across as a health Nazi but avoiding artificial ingredients and highly processed food is a good idea. High-fructose corn syrup is really bad and messes with your insulin levels. Aspartame has been linked to cancer (when you heat it up it breaks down into formaldehyde) and Sucralose (Splenda) is sugar bound with chlorine. Foods that come in boxes and have 8 million ingredients generally have no nutritional value whatsoever.

"You never can vouch for your own consciousness." - Norman Mailer
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That's an impressive turnaround, PJP (& it could be the basis of a blues tune: "I Turned My Turnaround Into This Turnaround" or something...)...

 

I too suffered from a diabetic diagnosis & have found away to alleviate the symtoms & meds that they try to set ya up with as a life-long subscription.

For me (& granted I was far less overweight) the basis of health is good food, based on what I consider most natural & a degree of indulgence; if ya make yerself starved for what you desire, you'll always be hungry & sooner or later will crack & overindulge.

 

Anywhat, I for one, plan to let LW know just how significant & inspirational he's been to the gtr & musical communities (as if he doesn't already have some idea !).

I can't help noticing, and pointing out that Felix Pappalardi, also in Mountain, was the engineer on some of Cream's best known records before he produced Mountain...yet somehow Clapton's tone was never as rich & well-recorded as West's.

Magic Fingers !

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Good for you!

 

I dont want to come across as a health Nazi but avoiding artificial ingredients and highly processed food is a good idea. High-fructose corn syrup is really bad and messes with your insulin levels. Aspartame has been linked to cancer (when you heat it up it breaks down into formaldehyde) and Sucralose (Splenda) is sugar bound with chlorine. Foods that come in boxes and have 8 million ingredients generally have no nutritional value whatsoever.

 

amen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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That's an impressive turnaround, PJP (& it could be the basis of a blues tune: "I Turned My Turnaround Into This Turnaround" or something...)...

 

I too suffered from a diabetic diagnosis & have found away to alleviate the symtoms & meds that they try to set ya up with as a life-long subscription.

For me (& granted I was far less overweight) the basis of health is good food, based on what I consider most natural & a degree of indulgence; if ya make yerself starved for what you desire, you'll always be hungry & sooner or later will crack & overindulge.

 

Anywhat, I for one, plan to let LW know just how significant & inspirational he's been to the gtr & musical communities (as if he doesn't already have some idea !).

I can't help noticing, and pointing out that Felix Pappalardi, also in Mountain, was the engineer on some of Cream's best known records before he produced Mountain...yet somehow Clapton's tone was never as rich & well-recorded as West's.

Magic Fingers !

 

amen...i always thought les had a better tone than eric...other than eric's wah work, which to me, has always been sublime unobtanium.

 

are you on facebook, d? if so, hit me up...

facebook.com/pinkjimiphoton

 

les is a friend of mine there, i can put you in touch with him if you want.

 

i think he needs all the love and respect and awe we can throw at him right now, and the love and support will get him back on stage soon.

 

he's a hell of a guy, a fu**ing true FORCE OF NATURE, and he got chutzpah...enough attitude for 10 men thrice his size.

 

i'm hoping he pulls thru this ok...i know it's gonna be hard, i can't even imagine what he's going thru.

 

peace

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I saw Mountain Live at a place called the Ark in Boston. I had a buddy who worked there and he got us in the stage door, great show. I still listen to Mountain Climbing frequently. I hope his health holds out (Mine too)......
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Good for you!

 

I dont want to come across as a health Nazi but avoiding artificial ingredients and highly processed food is a good idea. High-fructose corn syrup is really bad and messes with your insulin levels. Aspartame has been linked to cancer (when you heat it up it breaks down into formaldehyde) and Sucralose (Splenda) is sugar bound with chlorine. Foods that come in boxes and have 8 million ingredients generally have no nutritional value whatsoever.

 

Amen.

 

I'm finally starting to develop a taste for water after winding up in the ER on Friday night with abdominal pain resembling that of having a stiletto lodged in the sternum. Come to find out, it's acute gastritis - no big deal from a medical standpoint, other than the potential for ulcers, but it all stemmed from my 6-pack a night habit and regular usage of Excedrin for migraines.

 

It's only been 4 days, but I can say I've had all of 5 beers in that 4 days, and maybe 1 regular Mountain Dew and 2 diet (Splenda) ginger ales. I already feel a hell of a lot better.

 

Sometimes you just gotta cut crap out.

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griff, were you drinking budweisers?

them puppys are artificially carbonated and will cause those kinda problems. be careful with ginger ale, too!! it can cause the same kinda problems...

 

don't drink fizzy stuff, or eat, within a couple hours of lieing down, either...

 

the water will help. otc zantac can help too.

 

if ya gotta drink beer *like me* ;)

then stick to non-overkill carbonated suds...miller, rolling rock, etc.. it really makes a humongous diff bro.

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Congrats on your weight loss! I know you'll keep truckin' on until you're wearing a Speedo on the beach. :D

 

griff, were you drinking budweisers?

them puppys are artificially carbonated and will cause those kinda problems.

 

The ONE time I had A Budweiser in life, I went home and hurled....had the dry heaves. :freak:

 

I think I have 6 beers in one year. Never could deal with alcohol. Food, that's another matter!

A Jazz/Chord Melody Master-my former instructor www.robertconti.com

 

(FKA GuitarPlayerSoCal)

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The ONE time I had A Budweiser in life, I went home and hurled....had the dry heaves.

 

I politely decline when Budweiser or any of the corporate pisswater that passes for beer in America is offered. I'm totally spoiled by touring in Europe frequently, where they seriously know how to brew good beer. In America I keep it to imports or microbrews only. One area where I can try to maintain high standards.

Scott Fraser
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griff, were you drinking budweisers?

them puppys are artificially carbonated and will cause those kinda problems. be careful with ginger ale, too!! it can cause the same kinda problems...

 

don't drink fizzy stuff, or eat, within a couple hours of lieing down, either...

 

the water will help. otc zantac can help too.

 

if ya gotta drink beer *like me* ;)

then stick to non-overkill carbonated suds...miller, rolling rock, etc.. it really makes a humongous diff bro.

 

No, it was High Life, dude. I don't mess with A-B products - they all give me killer hangovers, whether I get drunk or not - and they all have that dirty water aftertaste (except Michelob, which I like, full-flavored only, thank you)

 

Oddly, I'm taking OTC Zantac. Doc wrote me a scrip for something or other but it wasn't covered by my insurance. He told me in advance he expected that, and to get Zantac if it wasn't.

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The ONE time I had A Budweiser in life, I went home and hurled....had the dry heaves.

 

I politely decline when Budweiser or any of the corporate pisswater that passes for beer in America is offered. I'm totally spoiled by touring in Europe frequently, where they seriously know how to brew good beer. In America I keep it to imports or microbrews only. One area where I can try to maintain high standards.

 

I'd be bankrupt if I maintained the same habits with my favorite micros and imports as I do with the "Champagne"... ;)

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I'd be bankrupt if I maintained the same habits with my favorite micros and imports as I do with the "Champagne"... ;)

 

I view the high cost as a built in behavioral regulator. More an issue in my case with single malt Scottish whiskies, than with beer.

Scott Fraser
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I'd be bankrupt if I maintained the same habits with my favorite micros and imports as I do with the "Champagne"... ;)

 

I view the high cost as a built in behavioral regulator. More an issue in my case with single malt Scottish whiskies, than with beer.

+1
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I heard Leslie on Howard Stern this morning. He was in good spirits for a guy who just lost most of his leg.

 

Every time I hear him talk and crack jokes, I fantasize that he's a long-lost relative. I love the way he plays and sings.

\m/

Erik

"To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting."

--Sun Tzu

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I'd be bankrupt if I maintained the same habits with my favorite micros and imports as I do with the "Champagne"... ;)

 

I view the high cost as a built in behavioral regulator. More an issue in my case with single malt Scottish whiskies, than with beer.

 

See, my problem is just compulsive consumption. If I buy a six pack of beer today, it's going down tonight. Not because I want to get drunk, but because when I start drinking anything (could be beer, soda, water, whatever) in the evening, I tend to keep drinking it until either it's gone or it's time to hit the sack. Limiting the quantities I purchase is what limits how much I consume...

 

Come to think of it, there is a specialty shop nearby that will sell by the bottle for off-premises - maybe I could just pick up one or two every so often... :thu:

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Congrats on your weight loss! I know you'll keep truckin' on until you're wearing a Speedo on the beach. :D

 

griff, were you drinking budweisers?

them puppys are artificially carbonated and will cause those kinda problems.

 

The ONE time I had A Budweiser in life, I went home and hurled....had the dry heaves. :freak:

 

I think I have 6 beers in one year. Never could deal with alcohol. Food, that's another matter!

 

thanks bro, but the visual of me in a speedo makes me wanna poke my eyes out with a jackson rhodes guitar... :freak::idea::facepalm::D

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Get off the beer, PJ, alcohol is metabolized the same way sugar is.

 

i know. that's why i generally DON'T drink...

 

but when i DO, i prefer to do it to EXCESS.

 

 

then, once properly and RIGHTEOUSLY hungover, i quit drinking...and cigs...

 

usually for like, years!!! ;)

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