Humble Pie was a rock band from England, finding success both in the UK and the US. The original band was formed in 1968 with a lineup featuring Steve Marriott from Small Faces, vocalist and guitarist Peter Frampton from The Herd, Greg Ridley former bassist from Spooky Tooth and seventeen-year-old drummer Jerry Shirley who had been the drummer for the mod band Apostolic Intervention.
Their debut single "Natural Born Bugie" was released in July 1969 becoming a #4 hit in the UK Singles Chart and was quickly followed by the album As Safe As Yesterday Is, which peaked at #16 in the UK album charts. As Safe As Yesterday Is was one of the first albums to be described by the term "heavy metal" in a 1970 review in Rolling Stone magazine.
As Safe As Yesterday Is (1969)
As Safe as Yesterday Is was the debut album for rock band Humble Pie, released in the UK in August, 1969. The album peaked at number 16 in the UK album chart.
Featuring frontmen Steve Marriott (ex-Small Faces) and Peter Frampton (ex-The Herd). Humble Pie were saddled with the then popular tag of supergroup before they had even played a note.
Mike Saunders is credited for one of the first coinings of the term heavy metal as a sub-genre in a 1970 review of As Safe As Yesterday Is for Rolling Stone Magazine. In 2006, the VH1 Classic documentary Heavy: The Story of Metal, the original text is shown in a close-up from the November 12, 1970 issue, in which he wrote: "Here Humble Pie were a noisy, unmelodic, heavy metal-leaden shit-rock band, with the loud and noisy parts beyond doubt."
Tracklist:
1. "Desperation" (John Kay) – 6:28
2. "Stick Shift" (Frampton) – 2:22
3. "Buttermilk Boy" (Marriott) – 4:22
4. "Growing Closer" (Ian McLagan) – 3:13
5. "As Safe as Yesterday Is" (Frampton/Marriott) – 6:05
6. "Bang!" (Marriott) – 3:24
7. "Alabama '69" (Marriott) – 4:37
8. "I'll Go Alone" (Frampton) – 6:17
9. "A Nifty Little Number Like You" (Marriott) – 6:11
10. "What You Will" (Marriott) – 4:20
Personnel:
• Steve Marriott - vocals, guitar, slide guitar, acoustic guitar, harmonica, organ, goofs, tablas, piano
• Peter Frampton - vocals, guitar, slide guitar, organ, tabla, bass tablas, piano
• Greg Ridley - bass, vocals, happy noise, percussion, skins
• Jerry Shirley - drums, grins and explosions, percussion, tablas, harpsichord, big ones, piano , lead thumbs
• Lyn Dobson - flute, sitar
Town & Country (1969)
Town and Country is Humble Pie's second studio album, released in November 1969
An interesting anomaly in the Humble Pie oeuvre, Town And Country finds the band in a gentler mood than their first album. Immediate Records rushed it into UK shops in the fall of 1969 to try to get up the charts before the company went bankrupt, but with no promotional money to back it, it quickly sank without a trace. The record didn't even make it into the US at the time, even though the band was on its first American tour when the album was released. All four members contributed songs, with Peter Frampton featured on acoustic guitar and Steve Marriott featured on keyboards.
Like the band's early live shows, "Town And Country" was an eclectic mix of acoustic ballads, country-rock, folk and blues; concerts at this time typically featured a long (and sometimes laborious) 'unplugged' set, followed by more conventional electric set. It was after this album that Humble Pie forged their trademark "heavy" sound and would continue in that vein until disbanding in 1975.
Tracklist:
1. "Take Me Back" - (Frampton) – 4:52
2. "The Sad Bag of Shaky Jake" - (Marriott) – 2:59
3. "The Light of Love" - (Ridley) – 3:00
4. "Cold Lady" - (Shirley) – 3:22
5. "Down Home Again" - (Marriott) – 2:56
6. "Ollie Ollie" - (Frampton/Marriott/Ridley/Shirley) – 0:50
7. "Every Mother's Son" - (Marriott) – 5:43
8. "Heartbeat" - (Montgomery/Petty) – 2:33
9. "Only You Can See" - (Frampton) – 3:38
10. "Silver Tongue" - (Marriott) – 3:20
11. "Home and Away" - (Frampton/Ridley) – 5:55
12. "79th Street Blues" (Humble Pie) - 3:00 (bonus tracks for CD release)
13. "Greg's Song" (Ridley) - 4:29 (bonus tracks for CD release)
Personnel:
• Greg Ridley : bass, vocals, guitar, tambourine
• Peter Frampton :vocals, guitar, lead guitar, bass, Spanish guitar, drums, Wurlitzer piano, plastic-cup
• Steve Marriott : guitar, Leslie guitar, sitar, vocals, percussion, hammer and nail brandy bottle, Wurlitzer piano, maracas, drums
• Jerry Shirley : drums, percussion saw, tambourine, tablas, maracas, Wurlitzer piano
Humble Pie – (1970)
Humble Pie was a transitional album and a harbinger of the band's new, heavier direction. The material was darker than their previous two efforts, with striking contrasts in volume and style. Drummer Jerry Shirley contributed a rare lead vocal on his song "Only a Roach," a country-twinged ode to cannabis that also appeared as the B-side of the summer 1970 single "Big Black Dog".
This was their first release under the auspices of their new American manager who'd pushed for a louder, tighter sound both live and in the studio. At the end of 1969, the Pie's old label, Immediate, went bankrupt — a saga chronicled by Marriott on the satirical ballad "Theme from Skint (See You Later Liquidator)".
Tracklist:
1. "Live With Me" - (Marriott/Frampton/Ridley/Shirley) - 7:55
2. "Only a Roach" - (Shirley) - 2:49
3. "One Eyed Trouser Snake Rumba" - (Marriott/Frampton/Ridley/Shirley) - 2:51
4. "Earth and Water Song" - (Frampton) - 6:18
5. "I'm Ready" - (Dixon) - 4:59
6. "Theme from Skint (See You Later Liquidator)" - (Marriott) - 5:43
7. "Red Light Mama, Red Hot!" - (Humble Pie, Lyrics-Marriott) - 6:16
8. "Sucking on the Sweet Vine" (Ridley) - 5:46
Album cover art
"Humble Pie" is often referred to by fans as "The Beardsley Album," because of the distinct cover artwork by artist Aubrey Beardsley, an influential English illustrator and author best known for his erotic illustrations.
Personnel:
• Steve Marriott - guitar, keyboards, vocals
• Greg Ridley - bass, guitar, vocals
• Jerry Shirley - drums, guitar, vocals
• Peter Frampton - guitar, keyboards, vocals
• John Wilson - drums on "Only a Roach"
• B.J. Cole - steel guitar
Rock On – (1971)
Rock On is the fourth studio album by the English rock group Humble Pie, released in 1971. It reached #118 on the Billboard 200.
The final studio album to feature guitarist and vocalist Peter Frampton, Rock On saw Humble Pie establishing the heavy blues/rock sound they became famous for. But this was not where Frampton wanted to be and within a year he had quit the group to pursue his solo career and take his music in a more acoustic direction.
Most of the songs on Rock On were performed live on tour before being recorded for the album. Marriott turned the production into a studio party of sorts, featuring numerous guest performers from the world of blues and soul. Distinguished performers such as PP Arnold, who Marriott knew very well from his Small Faces days, Doris Troy who had a U.S. hit in the early 1960s with her own self-composed song "Just One Look" (later covered by The Hollies), and Claudia Lennear (who had sung backing for artists such as Joe Cocker, Freddie King and Gene Clark), were featured on this album.
The vocals have a delayed echo, sounding grounded yet "out there"; and Frampton's guitar solos weave throughout.
Tracklist:
1. "Shine On" - (Frampton) – 3:00
2. "Sour Grain" - (Frampton/Marriott) – 2:40
3. "79th and Sunset" - (Marriott) – 3:01
4. "Stone Cold Fever" - (Ridley- Marriott-Shirley- Frampton) – 4:09
5. "Rollin' Stone" - (Muddy Waters) – 5:59
6. "A Song for Jenny" - (Marriott) – 2:35
7. "The Light" - (Frampton) – 3:15
8. "Big George" - (Ridley) – 4:08
9. "Strange Days" - (Humble Pie), (words-Marriott) – 6:36
10. "Red Neck Jump" - (Marriott) – 3:06
Personnel:
• Steve Marriott - guitar, vocals, keyboards, harmonica
• Peter Frampton - guitar, vocals, keyboards
• Greg Ridley - bass, guitar, vocals
• Jerry Shirley - drums, keyboards
• Alexis Korner - vocals
• Bobby Keyes - saxophone
• B.J. Cole - pedal steel guitar
• Soul Sisters :
o P.P. Arnold - backing vocals
o Claudia Lennear - backing vocals
o Doris Troy - backing vocals
Performance Rockin’ the Fillmore (1971)
Performance Rockin' the Fillmore is the 1971 live double-album/one-cd by English blues-rock group Humble Pie. It reached #21 on the Billboard 200, and hit the UK Top 40.
This hour-long set boasted only one original song and a handful of cover tunes, beefed up and presented Humble Pie-style. Peter Frampton's guitar playing was at its most melodic and Steve Marriott's vocals are captured here in essence and preserved.
"I Don't Need No Doctor" was the biggest airplay hit from the album (having been issued as a single in edited version, and reaching #73 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1971). But some consider the biggest highlight to be the Doctor John cover "I Walk On Gilded Splinters". It stretches out over almost 25 minutes; one can even hear a bottle drop in the menacing intro.
Shortly before the album's release, guitarist Peter Frampton left due to growing friction between Marriott and him. His departure hurt Marriott greatly, though he would never admit it to the other band members.
The album's steady sales helped Performance: Rockin' the Fillmore to become the band's first gold record, and its popularity helped the band's previous album, Rock On, to reach gold album status as well.
Tracklist:
1. "Four Day Creep" (Ida Cox) – 3:46
2. "I'm Ready" (Humble Pie, words by Willie Dixon) – 8:31
3. "Stone Cold Fever" (Humble Pie) – 6:18
4. "I Walk on Gilded Splinters" (Dr John Creaux) – 23:25
5. "Rollin' Stone" (Muddy Waters arranged by Humble Pie) – 16:07
6. "Hallelujah I Love Her So" (Ray Charles) – 5:10
7. "I Don't Need No Doctor" (Nick Ashford, Valerie Simpson, Jo Armstead) – 9:15
Personnel:
• Steve Marriott : guitar, vocals, keyboards, harmonica
• Peter Frampton : guitar, vocals
• Greg Ridley : bass, vocals
• Jerry Shirley : drums
Smokin’ (1972)
Smokin' is the fifth studio album by the English group Humble Pie, released in 1972. The album peaked at #6 on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart, and hit the UK Top 30.
This was Humble Pie's first album after the departure of Peter Frampton, which put singer and co-founder Steve Marriott at its artistic centre. Smokin' is the band's best-selling album.
Stephen Stills of Crosby, Stills & Nash guests on "Road Runner 'G' Jam" (the title is a nod to the band's habit of developing songs out of jam sessions), playing Hammond organ, and his backing vocals were over-dubbed on "Hot 'n' Nasty" a slow-burning and then dynamic R&B song, after he strolled in after recording his own sessions next door.
Marriott insisted on producing the album himself for the challenge of creating a compact R&B sound with a high-tech 24-track mixing board. With this album the group were seen as leaders of the boogie movement in the early 1970s.
Tracklist:
1. "Hot 'n' Nasty" (Humble Pie/Marriott) – 3:20
2. "The Fixer" (Clem Clempson/Steve Marriott/Jerry Shirley/Greg Ridley) – 5:02
3. "You're So Good for Me" (Marriott/Ridley) – 3:49
4. "C'mon Everybody" (Capehart/Cochran) – 5:12
5. "Old Time Feelin'" (Traditional) – 3:59
6. "30 Days in the Hole" (Marriott) – 3:57
7. "(I'm A) Road Runner" (Holland-Dozier-Holland) B) "Road Runner's 'G' Jam" (Clem Clempson/Steve Marriott/Jerry Shirley/Greg Ridley) – 3:41
8. "I Wonder" (Cecil Gant/Raymond Leveen) – 8:53
9. "Sweet Peace and Time" (Marriott/Ridley/Shirley) – 5:49
Personnel
• Steve Marriott - vocals, guitar, harp, keyboards
• Clem Clempson - guitar, keyboards, vocals
• Greg Ridley - bass, vocals
• Jerry Shirley - drums, keyboards
• Alexis Korner - vocals, mandolin-type Martin Tipple guitar "Old Time Feeling"
• Stephen Stills - organ, backing vocals on "Hot 'n' Nasty"
• Doris Troy - backing vocals "You're So Good for Me"
• Madeline Bell - backing vocals "You're So Good for Me"
Eat It (1973)
Eat It was the seventh album by English rock group Humble Pie, released in 1973. A double album, it reached #13 on the Billboard 200, and #34 in the UK.
The album title Eat It means "dig it", although there is also an innuendo of cunnilingus, as with the group's name, which refers to a woman's crotch. Another meaning, common at the time "Man, did he eat it!" for having a serious accident or failure. "Oh man, he ate it!" though in this case, the album title is more likely based on the saying "Eat Humble Pie"
This album showcases the dynamic diversity and talent of Steve Marriott's gritty bluesy vocals with some funky soul mixed in throughout along with straight ahead blistering rockers. The band is right on and they deliver an extremely energetic powerhouse combination on this double album that overall ranks with their best.
Steve Marriott produced this album and it was the first album recorded in Marriott's newly-built home recording studio he titled Clear Sounds, in a converted barn at Beehive Cottage, Moreton, Essex.
"Get Down to It" was featured in the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
Tracklist:
1. "Get Down to It" (Marriott) – 3:27
2. "Good Booze and Bad Women" (Marriott) – 3:18
3. "Is It for Love?" (Marriott) – 4:41
4. "Drugstore Cowboy" (Marriott) – 5:40
5. "Black Coffee" (Ike Turner, Tina Turner) – 3:11
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