Lesley west, The Vagrants.

Discussing 60s and 70s Garage Band Music
rictified
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Lesley west, The Vagrants.

Post by rictified »

Here's Lesley West's first band The vagrants, they were pretty popular on Long Island from 1965-1968, this is the only clip I can find although I didn't look very hard. Lesley is playing some kind of wierd Hofner shaped guitar with lipstick pickups like Dan Electros used.

242_foxtrot
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Re: Lesley west, The Vagrants.

Post by 242_foxtrot »

Lesley West is playing a Danelectro Bellzouki.
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elreydlp
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Re: Lesley west, The Vagrants.

Post by elreydlp »

242_foxtrot wrote:Lesley West is playing a Danelectro Bellzouki.
Correct-o-mundo! The later version.
I had an earlier teardrop-shaped, one pickup model.

http://www.google.com/images?q=danelect ... 24&bih=546
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drumbob
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Re: Lesley west, The Vagrants.

Post by drumbob »

When I interviewed Leslie a couple years ago, we were talking about The Vagrants. I said, "The Vagrants were a really great band," and his reply was, "Do you think so? Yeah, I guess we were good, but we couldn't get arrested ouitside New York." That was true. They were a huge draw on Long Island and the five boroughs, but that's about as far as it went.
valco
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Re: Lesley west, The Vagrants.

Post by valco »

Hey that looks like a gibson Les Paul Special that the other guy is playing ! Coinsidence ? I think NOT !!! :shock:
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kenposurf
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Re: Lesley west, The Vagrants.

Post by kenposurf »

Classic..Thanks Bob!
FrankieC
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Re: Lesley west, The Vagrants.

Post by FrankieC »

Growing up in New Jersey, I remember seeing the Vagrants play many times in the N.Y. area. One time was at Palisades Park. I believe it was around 1967. I was about 17 years old, and was with my new girl friend.
The Vagrants, Mountain, West Bruce and Lang have come and gone, my new girl friend then, is still with me now. Our 40th wedding anniversary is pending this January.
Thanks for the wonderful memory. :mrgreen:
A swell guy from Warren Harding High.
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drumbob
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Re: Lesley west, The Vagrants.

Post by drumbob »

I saw The Vagrants at the Village Theatre in '67, opening for The Who. The Village Theatre became The Fillmore East. I loved The Vagrants. Leslie had a backline of Gibson guitars, including a couple of Les Pauls and a white SG Custom. I have never forgotten that.
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Happyface
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Re: Lesley west, The Vagrants.

Post by Happyface »

I recall that the girls in my high school sported "Rascals" and/or "Vagrants" lovingly inscribed on their notebooks and paper book covers. Quite a rivalry!
Currently: Tuxedo, 1972 4000

Past holdings: 1968 4005, Blackstar, 3000, CS, Alembric, Tuxedo, 360-12, Blackstar, 360-12, 1982 4003, Shadow, 4003 SnowGlow, CS in that order.
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squirebass
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Re: Lesley west, The Vagrants.

Post by squirebass »

Wow, didn't expect to see this one to come up on RRF, but that's just what makes it such a great place! I was a huge Mountain fan, but unfortunately I didn't get into them until AFTER they'd broken up, although I loved "Mississippi Queen" when it came out. Corky Laing, and Felix Pappalardi were two big influences on me, as I was playing first drums before I switched to bass in high school. And of course, Jack Bruce was a big influence, not only with Cream, but also with West, Bruce, and Laing. I have everything they released on vinyl... Then, when I was going to see Ten Years After in 1975, riding with a friend to the concert, he got lost driving to the arena, and we missed Leslie and Corky, who opened for TYA. We arrived just in time to see their roadies cleaning up after their show, getting ready for TYA. So, I've NEVER seen him play live! :( I read tons of interviews with Mountain, West Bruce and Laing back in those days, and HEARD a whole lot about the Vagrants, but didn't know too much about them since they were mainly a NYC band, and I was in Texas.
Apparently they played with Billy Joel at some events as well, Leslie has always said they were playing the same venues way back... This thread is a little dated, but I would love to hear more about this group....I believe Leslie's brother played with them....IIRC...
ric480
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Re: Lesley west, The Vagrants.

Post by ric480 »

Might that be a Ricky that Leslie has in this "video" ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qr8b5ksAyL4
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squirebass
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Re: Lesley west, The Vagrants.

Post by squirebass »

ric480 wrote:Might that be a Ricky that Leslie has in this "video" ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qr8b5ksAyL4
Man, that one is so obvious there in the pic that at first I thought it must be photoshopped!!!

Cool pic, and Leslie looks almost Beatle-y! :lol:
Tube_Fan
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Re: Lesley west, The Vagrants.

Post by Tube_Fan »

rictified wrote:Here's Lesley West's first band The vagrants, they were pretty popular on Long Island from 1965-1968, this is the only clip I can find although I didn't look very hard. Lesley is playing some kind of wierd Hofner shaped guitar with lipstick pickups like Dan Electros used.


Dominick plays that song now and then on his show The Electric Candle on WMUC FM 3-6 on Saturdays.
http://wmuc.umd.edu/stream_ripper/sat/

http://www.wmuc.umd.edu/
Tube_Fan
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Re: Lesley west, The Vagrants.

Post by Tube_Fan »

What is this? It looks like a 12 string guitar.
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Vagrants12.JPG
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