Leigh Stephens

Leigh Stephens
Genres Heavy metal, acid rock, garage rock, hard rock, blues rock, psychedelic rock
Occupation(s) Musician, songwriter, guitarist
Instruments Guitar
Years active 1968–present
Associated acts Blue Cheer
Silver Metre
Pilot

Leigh Stephens is an American guitarist and songwriter best known for being former lead guitarist of the San Francisco psychedelic rock group Blue Cheer.

Blue Cheer

Leigh Stephens has recorded two albums with the band, Vincebus Eruptum and Outsideinside. He has claimed to have been the only member of the band who did not use drugs.[1] His replacement as Blue Cheer's lead guitarist was Randy Holden.

After Blue Cheer

Leigh Stephens went on to form Silver Metre in 1969, with Pete Sears, Micky Waller (drummer), and Jack Reynolds (singer), recorded one album at Trident Studios in London, England, released on the National General Records,[2] produced by their manager, FM rock radio pioneer Tom Donahue.

Leigh Stephens also went and form another band in 1971 called Pilot. Pilot only went and did one album in 1972 that is self-titled. The members were Bruce Stephens (vocals, keyboards and guitar), Leigh Stephens (electric guitar), Martin Quittenton (acoustic guitar), Neville Whitehead (bass) and Mick Waller (drums).

His 1971 album, And a Cast of Thousands featured among other musicians, his fellow bandmembers from the above-mentioned band, together with the power trio Ashton, Gardner & Dyke, together with the two sax players from If, Dave Quincey, Dick Morrissey, and Jethro Tull bassist, Glenn Cornick.[3]

While still involved in the music scene in the early 1990s, Stephens also worked as a graphic artist and studio photographer. He 'quietly' turned out beautiful automotive illustrations for advertising and catalog production for a mail order catalog company ASAP in Carson City, Nevada. A co-worker there remembers the day he brought his own guitar in to join some other graphic artists who jammed together on Thursday evenings after work. While Stephens never joined them in their sessions, he did ask the artist if he could play his acoustic guitar in the production department. The co-worker's introduction to Stephens he says; "Was a strange and awesome way to meet the best guitarist I've ever heard in person. Who knew I was working with him everyday?" and as this is written, the co-worker still has that old Takamine acoustic guitar in his possession.

Recognition

He was ranked number 98 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.[4]

Discography

With Blue Cheer

Albums

Singles

  • "Summertime Blues" b/w "Out Of Focus" (From the album Vincebus Eruptum)
  • "Just a Little Bit" b/w "Gypsy Ball" (From the album Vincebus Eruptum)
  • "Feathers From Your Tree" b/w "Sun Cycle" (From the album Outsideinside)
  • "The Hunter" b/w "Come And Get It" (From the album Outsideinside)

With Silver Metre

Albums

  • Silver Metre (1968)

Singles

  • "Superstar" b/w "Now They've Found Me"

With Pilot

Albums

  • Pilot (1972)

Singles

  • "Rider" (Promo, Stereo/Mono)

Solo

Albums

  • Red Weather (1969, Philips)
  • ...and a Cast of Thousands (1971, Charisma)
  • Chronic With a K - Ride The Thunder (1999, Chronicorp)
  • High Strung Low Key (2004, Self-Released)
  • A Rocket Down Falcon Street (2013, Self-Released)

Singles

  • "Saki Zwadoo" b/w "Red Weather"

References

  1. ↑ From allmusic profile
  2. ↑ Eyries, Patrice, David Edwards and Mike Callahan. (October 21, 2005). National General Album Discography. Both Sides Now Publications. Accessed on May 1, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Credits" allmusic. Retrieved 14th April 2013.
  4. ↑ Rolling Stone 's 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time
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