Laurence Gordon "Corky" Laing (born January 26, 1948)[1] is a Canadianrockdrummer, best known as a longtime member of the pioneering American hard rockbandMountain.[1] He and guitarist/vocalist Leslie West were the only members to appear on every album.
20th century
A native of Montreal, Quebec,[1] Laing was the youngest in a family of five children. His eldest sister Carol was followed by triplet brothers, Jeffrey, Leslie, and Stephen, and then by Corky. According to Corky, his brothers called him "Gorky" because they could not pronounce his given name "Gordon". "Gorky" eventually morphed into Corky, a moniker which has remained with him throughout his career.
Getting his break playing drums for the vocal groupThe Ink Spots in 1961, he later played in a group called Energy, which was produced by Cream collaborator and Laing's future bandmate Felix Pappalardi. Laing left Energy in 1969 to replace drummer N.D. Smart in a hard rock outfit and heavy metal forerunner Mountain, who, with Laing at the drum kit, released three albums and the classic song "Mississippi Queen" between 1970 and 1971.
After the band's first breakup the following year, Laing and Mountain bandmate Leslie West went on to form the blues-rockpower trioWest, Bruce and Laing with former Cream bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce. West, Bruce and Laing produced two studio albums and a live release before Mountain reformed without Laing in 1973 for a Japanese tour releasing the liveTwin Peaks. Laing rejoined in 1974 recording Avalanche only for Mountain to break up again shortly after. The band would once again reconvene with guitarist Leslie West and Laing in 1985 for the release of Go For Your Life, and Laing has continued with them, most recently working on the band's 2007 Bob Dylancover albumMasters of War.
In late 1977, he recorded an album with Felix Pappalardi (former Mountain bass player), Ian Hunter (from Mott the Hoople) and Mick Ronson.[2] This album was not released at the time but was subsequently released in the UK in 1999 as "The Secret Sessions".[why?]
In 2003, Laing and Leslie West authored Nantucket Sleighride and Other Mountain on-the-Road Stories, a chronicle of their time with Mountain in its heyday and their careers in the years following.
Laing lives in Toronto's historic Liberty Village and was interviewed for the 2006 documentary film, Liberty Village - Somewhere in Heaven. He contributed the music for the film from recordings of his band Cork.
In 2007, Laing recorded Stick It!, the audio version of his memoirs with Cory Bruyea in Oakville, Ontario. Laing's interest in education led him to attend the KoSA Music Camp in Vermont for the summer of 2012.
In 2019, he released his autobiography, Letters to Sarah.[3]
Following the death of Leslie West in December 2020, Laing became the last surviving member of Mountain's classic lineup. In 2016, he formed Corky Laing's Mountain, with former Mountain bassist Richie Scarlet, now on lead guitar, and the bass slot was filled in by Mark Mikel, Joe Venti, or Bernt Ek.[4]
