Leigh Stephens is an American guitarist and songwriter best known for being former lead guitarist of the San Francisco

psychedelic rock Psychedelic rock is a rock music Music genre, genre that is inspired, influenced, or representative of psychedelia, psychedelic culture, which is centered on perception-altering hallucinogenic drugs. The music incorporated new electronic sound ...

group

Blue Cheer Blue Cheer was an American rock band that initially performed and recorded in the late 1960s and early 1970s and was sporadically active until 2009. Based in San Francisco, Blue Cheer played in a psychedelic blues rock or acid rock style, and ...

Blue Cheer

Leigh Stephens has recorded two albums with the band, ''

Vincebus Eruptum ''Vincebus Eruptum'' (; pseudo-Latin) is the debut album of American rock band Blue Cheer. Released on January 16, 1968, the album features a heavy-thunderous blues sound, which would later be known as heavy metal. A commercial and critical su ...

'' and ''

Outsideinside ''Outsideinside'' is the second album by American power trio Blue Cheer. Philips Records released the album in August 1968, only seven months after their debut LP, ''Vincebus Eruptum''. The album was recorded both outdoors and indoors—hence the ...

''. He has claimed to have been the only member of the band who did not use drugs. His replacement as Blue Cheer's lead guitarist was

Randy Holden Randy is a given name, popular in the United States and Canada. It is primarily a masculine name. It was originally derived from the names Randall, Randolf, Randolph, as well as Bertrand and Andrew, and may be a short form (hypocorism) of the ...

After Blue Cheer

''Red Weather'', Stephens' debut solo album, was recorded in February 1969, the artwork was based on a

Sutro Baths The Sutro Baths was a large, privately owned public saltwater swimming pool complex in the Lands End area of the Outer Richmond District in western San Francisco, California. Built in 1894, the Sutro Baths was located north of Ocean Beach, ...

photo.

Silver Metre

"''Silver Metre'' formed in Venice Beach and Santa Monica, California after my first trip to the United States at age 21...We recorded our first of a two-album deal with National General Records at Trident Studios, Wardour St, London. Our managers were Charlie Osborne, and later Tom Donahue who got us the deal...The money for our second album mysteriously disappeared...but I won’t go into that, other than to say it wasn’t the record companies fault."
—
Pete Sears Peter Roy Sears (born 27 May 1948) is an English rock musician. In a career spanning more than six decades, he has been a member of many bands and has moved through a variety of musical genres, from early R&B, psychedelic improvisational rock o ...

''Silver Metre'', named after Ben Dixon's "The Silver Meter" from

Along Came John ''Along Came John'' is the debut album by American organist John Patton (musician), John Patton, recorded in 1963 and released on the Blue Note Records, Blue Note label.

, formed in 1969, evolving out of the ''Red Weather'' recording sessions, with

Micky Waller Michael Waller (6 September 1941 – 29 April 2008) was an English drummer, who played with many of the biggest names on the UK rock and blues scene, after he became a professional musician in 1960. In addition to being a member, albeit sometim ...

(drummer), just fired from the Jeff Beck Group, Stephens,

Pete Sears Peter Roy Sears (born 27 May 1948) is an English rock musician. In a career spanning more than six decades, he has been a member of many bands and has moved through a variety of musical genres, from early R&B, psychedelic improvisational rock o ...

, and Jack Reynolds (singer). They recorded one album at

Trident Studios Trident Studios was a British recording facility, located at 17 St Anne's Court in London's Soho district between 1968 and 1981. It was constructed in 1967 by Norman Sheffield, drummer of the 1960s group the Hunters, and his brother Barry. ...

in London, England, released on National General Records, produced by their manager, FM rock radio pioneer

Tom Donahue Thomas or Tom Donahue may refer to: * Thomas R. Donahue (born 1928), American trade union leader * Thomas Michael Donahue (1921–2004), American physicist, astronomer, and space and planetary scientist * Tom Donahue (DJ) (1928–1975), pioneerin ...

. Contributing music and lyrics included

Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948), is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 21 musicals, ...

Tim Rice Sir Timothy Miles Bindon Rice (born 10 November 1944) is an English lyricist and author. He is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote, among other shows, ''Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'', ' ...

Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...

Bernie Taupin Bernard John Taupin (born 22 May 1950) is an English songwriter, singer and visual artist. He is best known for his long-term collaboration with musician Elton John, a songwriting partnership that is one of the most successful in history. Tau ...

, Leigh Stephens,

, and Tom Coman.

Pilot

''Pilot'' was formed in 1971, with Mick Waller (drums), Leigh Stephens (electric guitar), Bruce Stephens (vocals, keyboards and guitar), Martin Quittenton (acoustic guitar), and Neville Whitehead (bass). Pilot only produced one, self-titled, album in 1972. Stephens' 1971 album, ''And a Cast of Thousands'' featured his fellow band members from ''Pilot'', the power trio Ashton, Gardner and Dyke, the two sax players from If, Dave Quincey,

Dick Morrissey Richard Edwin Morrissey (9 May 1940 – 8 November 2000) was a British jazz musician and composer. He played the tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone and flute. Biography Background He was born in Horley, Surrey, England. Dick Morrissey emerg ...

, and Jethro Tull bassist,

Glenn Cornick Glenn Douglas Barnard Cornick (23 April 1947 – 28 August 2014) was an English bass guitarist, best known as the original bassist for the British rock band Jethro Tull from 1967 to 1970. ''Rolling Stone'' has called his playing with Tull as " ...

. ''Foxtrot'', Stephens' next band, in 1974, with George Michalski (keyboards), Gary Richwine (bass, vocals), and David Beebe (drummer), signed and recorded an album for Motown Records, but was never released. ''Chronic with a "K"'', Stephens' next band, in 1998, with Melissa Olsen (keyboards, vocals), Ron Stone (bass), and Ryan Goodpastor (drummer), released ''Ride the Thunder'' on ''ChroniCorp Records''. In 2004, ''High Strung/Low Key'', Stephens' third solo album was self-released.

Graphic artist, 1990s

While still involved in the music scene in the early 1990s, Stephens also worked as a graphic artist and studio photographer. He designed automotive illustrations for the advertising and production of a mail order catalog company, ASAP, in

Carson City, Nevada Carson City is an independent city and the capital of the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2020 census, the population was 58,639, making it the sixth largest city in Nevada. The majority of the city's population lives in Eagle Valley, on the ...

Recognition

He was ranked number 98 on ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

'' magazine's list of the Top 100 Guitarists.

Discography

With Blue Cheer

Albums * ''

'' (1968) * ''

'' (1968) * ''The '67 Demos'' (Demo, 2018; BeatRocket) Live *''Live & Unreleased, Vol. 1: '68/'74'' (1996;

Captain Trip Records Captain Trip Records is a Japanese music label founded and run by musician Ken Matsutani. The label specializes in experimental music and various subgenres of rock, particularly psychedelic rock and progressive rock. In addition to the publication ...

) *''Live & Unreleased, Vol. 2: Live at San Jose Civic Centre, 1968 & More'' (1998; Captain Trip Records) Singles *"

Summertime Blues "Summertime Blues" is a song co-written and recorded by American rock artist Eddie Cochran. It was written by Cochran and his manager Jerry Capehart. Originally a single B-side, it was released in August 1958 and peaked at number 8 on the ''B ...

" b/w "Out Of Focus" (From the album ''Vincebus Eruptum'') *"Just a Little Bit" b/w "Gypsy Ball" *"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'' (1969) 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

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stephens, Leigh Year of birth missing (living people) Living people American rock guitarists American male guitarists Lead guitarists Blue Cheer members