The Thunderous Majesty of Seventy: How Mountain Unleashed a Primal Wave of Hard Rock Preservation on PBS
Certain pivotal moments in the evolution of heavy music carry an aura so potent that they seem to warp the very fabric of time itself. On February 4, 1970, inside the studios of WITF TV in Hershey, Pennsylvania, a volcanic four piece collective known as Mountain stood before the cameras to tape an appearance for the public broadcasting series titled The Show. Hosted by Bob Walsh and transmitted to eager audiences on March 29 of that same year, this breathtaking television artifact stands today as an indispensable holy grail for global music preservationists, capturing the precise exact second that heavy blues rock crystallized into a terrifying, beautiful monster.
To immerse oneself in this rare public television archive is a profoundly emotional journey that triggers an immediate, overwhelming wave of pure warmth and bittersweet nostalgia. The group delivers a blistering, definitive two song set consisting of their immortal anthem “Mississippi Queen” alongside the majestic “Theme for an Imaginary Western.” For classic rock seekers who lived through that magical golden epoch spanning from nineteen sixty seven to nineteen seventy three, this footage evokes a powerful longing for a time when music felt incredibly alive. One can easily imagine the glorious, ear shattering volume experienced by the studio audience as the band constructed a towering fortress of pure sound entirely free from modern digital tracking or artificial filters.
The true historical brilliance of this resurrected archive lies in its honest, unfiltered display of collective human stamina and individual virtuosity. At the center of the sonic storm stands the late, great guitar titan Leslie West, whose tragic passing in twenty twenty left a permanent void in the rock community. West commands the stage with an absolute charisma, his unique voice possessing an astonishing, gravelly power that sends chills down the spine. Unleashing what is universally celebrated as an absolute masterpiece of a guitar hook, West places his driving riff forever into the pantheon of all time greats, heavily supported by the melodic bass playing of Felix Pappalardi, the steady textures of keyboardist Steve Knight, and the propulsive percussion of Corky Laing.
Fifty three summers ago, this definitive single completely dominated the airwaves, blaring from every car radio as daytime disc jockeys played it on constant rotation. For generations of lifetime followers, discovering this pristine nineteen seventy television broadcast provides a profound sense of comfort, deep reverence, and lasting historical pride. Ultimately, this magnificent PBS document remains an indispensable triumph of rock preservation, ensuring that the brilliant, heavy legacy of Leslie West and Mountain will continue to provide profound inspiration for music lovers across the globe until time itself stands still.