Corky Laing has had one hell of a career. He was the drummer in Mountain, one of America’s great hard rock bands from the early 1970s, and then went on to become part of West, Bruce & Laing, which featured ex-Cream bassist Jack Bruce. Along the way he played with former Jimi Hendrix Experience bassist Noel Redding while also maintaining a solo career of his own.

Here in his autobiography, Laing writes about those various projects as well as what it was like dealing with an ongoing drug problem.

The book is interspersed with letters the drummer wrote to his mother – Sarah – while on the road and in the studio.

It is an engaging book, though the subject matter would have been more professionally presented by a bona fide journalist. Still, Corky’s tales about working with guitarist Leslie West and Felix Papalardi and hanging out with The Who’s Keith Moon will thrill any devotee.