Peter,Steve and Humble Pie

[Jennifer K]

and finally, for a song of the week ..................................a band that wasn't exactly a supergroup (its members weren't all-star names previously) yet who reached the sky before crash-landing like a supergroup was the blues-rock band Humble Pie - best-known for a release that makes the "greatest live albums" lists in rock. Yet their influence is strong, and its bandmembers certainly are in the annals of British rock'n'roll (playing largely American R&B that endeared them to the US market).

Guitarist/vocalist Steve Marriott was tiring of the Small Faces by late 1968. He wanted to bring in The Herd guitarist Peter Frampton but was turned down, and he famously walked off-stage at a New Year's 1968/69 performance. Also on the bill that night was the band Spooky Tooth, whose bassist Greg Ridley was also souring on his band's fortunes. Marriott approached Ridley with the idea of forming a quartet with Frampton and the 17 year-old Jerry Shirley on drums. Ridley agreed, and in the photo left you see Marriott, Ridley, Shirley and Frampton from L-to-R.

They went into seclusion (for some intense practice before) they were ready to emerge - doing so on former Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham's Immediate label. Their first two albums As Safe as Yesterday Is and Town and Country were well-received in Britain, with a mix of blues-rock-R&B ("Natural Born Boogie") as well as acoustic numbers ("As Safe as Yesterday Is"). But after a late 1969 US tour, Immediate Records went bankrupt, and they signed to A&M with Dee Anthony.

Anthony prevailed upon Marriott to emphasize the blues-rock sound, rather than Frampton's more acoustic sounds, and after the band's first two A&M albums Humble Pie and Rock On (from 1970-71) saw the band develop into a boogie band: Frampton decided to strike out on his own - which you may remember was a lucrative move (bringing with him "Shine On" from the "Rock On" album). But first, the band released Performance: Rocking the Fillmore which was recorded during Frampton's last tour (and by the time it reached #21 on the US album charts, he had began his solo career). The album made them into stars, and began touring the US earnestly.

Replacing Frampton was guitarist Dave (Clem) Clempson - formerly of Colosseum (and back with them again nowadays). The 1972 album Smokin' solidified the band into the blues/boogie camp, and with songs like 30 Days in the Hole and a cover of Eddie Cochran's C'mon Everybody the album reached #6 on the album charts.

Then the band expanded in 1973 to include three backup singers to Tina Turner as well as tenor saxophonist Sidney George. The resulting album Eat It reached #13 in the album charts, but 1974-75 releases such as Thunderbox and Street Rats sold much less well. Add to that some creative differences emerging, and the excesses of the road taking its toll: and Humble Pie disbanded by late 1975.

The group came back (with some personnel changes) thrice more - Marriott and Shirley were joined by former Jeff Beck vocalist Bobby Tench from 1979-1982, releasing two albums (with modest success; Fool for a Pretty Face reaching #52 in the US singles charts) before disbanding when Marriott developed an ulcer. In 1989, drummer Jerry Shirley formed a new version of the band which had some success touring, yet never were able to release a studio album and they split in 1999. Shirley put together a final version of the band in 2001 (along with Greg Ridley) which did release 2002's Back on Track before the band ended for good in 2003.

Back in 1991, Peter Frampton and Steve Marriott had made some demo tapes together, discussing a possible original members reunion: but Steve Marriott died in a home fire in April at only age 44. Ten years later in April, 2001 the three surviving original bandmembers (plus later member Clem Clempson) reunited for a Steve Marriott memorial concert later released on DVD - and the second photo shows Frampton, Shirley, Ridley and Clempson (L-to-R) at that London show.

Greg Ridley died of pneumonia in November, 2003 at age 56 (leading to the final dissolution of the band) but several compilation albums carry on the band's heritage. Peter Frampton continues as a solo artist and drummer Jerry Shirley works with singer Deborah Bonham - the late Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham's sister.

Of all of their songs, it's their live version of the 1956 Ray Charles tune Hallelujah I Love Her So (fair-use extract below) that is my favorite. Many others have recorded it, including Peggy Lee, The Beatles, Frank Sinatra and Eddie Cochran. At this link you can hear their 1971 Fillmore East version and at this link is the 2001 Steve Marriott memorial reunion concert version (this one with video).