Humble Pie: Discography 1969 - 1973

 

A showcase for former Small Faces' frontman Steve Marriott and one-time Herd guitar virtuoso Peter Frampton, the hard rock outfit Humble Pie formed in Essex, England in 1969. Often regarded as one of

the first supergroups in music, Humble Pie experienced moderate popularity and commercial success during the 1970s. The original line-up of members featured lead singer/frontman and guitarist Steve Marriott of Small Faces, singer-guitarist Peter Frampton of the Herd, former Spooky Tooth bassist Greg Ridley and drummer Jerry Shirley from the Apostolic Intervention.
                 

                                       
Having been instantly labelled by the UK music press as a supergroup, the band chose the name Humble Pie in order to downplay such expectations and signed with Andrew Loog Oldham's record

label Immediate Records. Their debut album, As Safe as Yesterday Is, was released in August 1969, along with the single, "Natural Born Bugie"/"Wrist Job", which reached No. 4 hit in the UK Singles Chart; the album peaked at No. 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.
                   

After touring the U.S. in support of 1969's Town and Country, Humble Pie returned home only to discover that Immediate had declared bankruptcy. The band recruited a new manager, Dee Anthony, who helped land them a new deal with A&M; behind closed doors, Anthony encouraged Marriott to

direct the group towards a harder-edged, grittier sound far removed from the acoustic melodies favored by Frampton. As Marriott's raw blues shouting began to dominate subsequent LPs like 1970's eponymous effort and 1971's Rock On, Frampton's role in the band he co-founded gradually diminished; finally, after a highly charged U.S. tour which yielded 1971's commercial breakthrough Performance: Rockin' the Fillmore, Frampton exited Humble Pie to embark on a solo career.
             

Frampton was replaced by Clem Clempson ( former  and guitarist of Colosseum) and Humble Pie moved toward a harder sound emphasising Marriott's blues and soul roots. Their first record with Clempson, Smokin', was released in March 1972, along with two singles "Hot 'n' Nasty" and "30 Days

in the Hole" (the latter of which became one of their best-known efforts). It was the band's most commercially successful record and reached No. 6 on the US charts, helped by a busy touring schedule. After the success of Smokin', the band's record label A&M released Humble Pie's first two Immediate albums as one double album titled Lost and Found. The marketing ploy was a success and the album charted at No. 37 on the Billboard 200.
               

However, while 1973's ambitious double studio/live set Eat It fell just shy of the Top Ten, its 1974

follow-up Thunderbox failed to crack the Top 40. After 1975's Street Rats reached only number 100 before disappearing from the charts, Humble Pie disbanded; while Shirley formed Natural Gas with Badfinger alum Joey Molland, and Clempson and Ridley teamed with Cozy Powell in Strange Brew, Marriott led Steve Marriott's All-Stars before joining a reunited Small Faces in 1977.
               

In late 1979, Marriott and Shirley, now managed by Leber-Krebs, revived Humble Pie, adding Bobby Tench, former vocalist and guitarist from The Jeff Beck Group, along with bassist Anthony "Sooty" Jones from New York. After a pair of LPs, 1980's On to Victory and the following year's Go for the

Throat, the group mounted a troubled tour of America: after one injury-related interruption brought on when Marriott mangled his hand in a hotel door, the schedule was again derailed when the frontman fell victim to an ulcer. Soon, Humble Pie again dissolved; while Shirley joined Fastway, Marriott went into seclusion. At the dawn of the 1990s, he and Frampton made tentative plans to begin working together once more, but on April 20, 1991, Marriott died in the fire which destroyed his 16th century Arkesden cottage. He was 44 years old.
                      

ORIGINAL MEMBERS

               

Steve Marriott – guitar, vocals, keyboards, harmonica (1969–1975, 1979–1983; died 1991)
Jerry Shirley – drums, keyboards (1969–1975, 1979–1981, 1988–1999, 2001–2002, 2018–present)
Greg Ridley – bass, vocals, guitar (1969–1975, 2001–2002; died 2003)
Peter Frampton – guitar, vocals, keyboards (1969–1971)

1. HUMBLE PIE -  AS SAFE AS YESTERDAY IS 1969

                

Humble Pie, known as boogie hammerheads, at least once achieved American popularity in the mid-'70s. Its origins were quite different, however, and its debut album, As Safe as Yesterday Is, is a

visionary blend of hard blues, crushing rock, pastoral folk, and post-mod pop. Still, there's no denying that the sound of the band isn't just good, it's quite engaging, as the band bring disparate elements together, letting them bump up against each other, forming a wildly rich blend of hippie folk and deeply sexy blues.
             

Humble Pie – As Safe As Yesterday Is
Label: Repertoire Records – REP 4237-WY
Format: CD, Album
Country: Germany
Released: 1992
Genre: Rock
Style: Psychedelic Rock, Pop Rock, Classic Rock

TRACKS

               

01. Desperation   6:25
Written-By – Kay
02. Stick Shift   2:24
Written-By – Frampton
03. Butter Milk Boy   4:20
Written-By – Marriott
04. Growing Closer   3:12
Written-By – McLagan
05. As Safe As Yesterday Is   6:06
Written-By – Frampton, Marriott
06. Bang!   3:30
Written-By – Marriott
07. Alabama '69   4:33
Written-By – Marriott
08. I'll Go Alone   3:51
Written-By – Frampton
09. A Nifty Little Number Like You   6:14
Written-By – Marriott
10. What You Will   4:19
Written-By – Marriott

BONUS TRACKS        

    
11. Natural Born Boogie   4:14
Written-By – Marriott
12. Wrist Job   4:15
Written-By – Marriott

Flac Size: 421 MB

2. HUMBLE PIE - TOWN AND COUNTRY 1969

                 

Anyone who thinks of Humble Pie solely in terms of their latter-day boogie rock will be greatly surprised with this, the band's second release, for it is almost entirely acoustic. There is a gently rocking cover of Buddy Holly's "Heartbeat," and a couple of electrified Steve Marriott numbers, but the overall

feel is definitely more of the country than the town or city. "The Sad Bag of Shaky Jake" is a typical Marriott country ditty, similar to those he would include almost as a token on each of the subsequent studio albums, and "Every Mother's Son" is structured as a folk tale. On "The Light of Love," Marriott even plays sitar. Peter Frampton's contributions here foreshadow the acoustic-based music he would make as a solo artist a few years later. As a whole, this is a crisp, cleanly recorded, attractive-sounding album, totally atypical of the Humble Pie catalog, but well worth a listen.
                

Humble Pie – Town And Country
Label: Charly Records – SNAP 290 CD
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered
Country: UK
Released: 2007
Genre: Rock, Blues
Style: Blues Rock, Hard Rock, Folk Rock

TRACKS

                    

01. Take Me Back    4:56
02. The Sad Bag Of Shaky Jake    3:00
03. The Light Of Love    3:03
04. Cold Lady    3:23
05. Down Home Again    3:00
06. Ollie Ollie    0:53
07. Every Mother's Son    5:42
08. Heartbeat    2:33
09. Only You Can See    3:37
10. Silver Tongue    3:20
11. Home And Away    6:00

BONUS TRACKS        

    
12. Desperation    6:22
13. Stick Shift    2:26
14. Buttermilk Boy    4:20
15. As Safe As Yesterday Is    6:10
16. Bang!    3:30
17. Alabama '69    4:37
18. Wrist Job    4:01
19. Natural Born Bugie    4:15

Flac Size: 545 MB

3. HUMBLE PIE - HUMBLE PIE 1970

              

Alternating hard-driving blues-rockers with country-folk numbers, Humble Pie neatly showcases the two sides of this band's personality on their first release for a major American label and third album

overall. All of the elements are in place for the sound that would reach its studio peak with the next release, Rock On, and culminate with the classic Live at the Fillmore album. "Earth and Water Song" provides a blueprint for the acoustic guitar-based sound Peter Frampton would ride to multi-platinum success as a solo artist later in the decade. "One Eyed Trouser-Snake Rumba" and "Red Light Mama, Red Hot!" show the hard-rocking direction in which Steve Marriott would move the band after Frampton's departure the following year.
              

Humble Pie – Humble Pie
Label: Lemon Recordings – CDLEM 203
Format:    CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered
Country: UK
Released: 2012
Genre: Rock
Style: Hard Rock, Classic Rock

TRACKS

                  

01. Live With Me
Written-By – Ridley, Shirley, Frampton, Marriott
02. Only A Roach
Drums – Willie
Written-By – Shirley
03. One Eyed Trouser Snake Rumba
Written-By – Ridley, Shirley, Frampton, Marriott
04. Earth And Water Song
Written-By – Frampton
05. I'm Ready
Written-By – Dixon
06. Theme From Skint - See You Later Liquidator
Written-By – Marriott
07. Red Light Mama, Red Hot!
Lyrics By – Marriott
Written-By – Humble Pie
08. Sucking On The Sweet Vine
Written-By – Ridley

Flac Size: 308 MB

4. HUMBLE PIE - ROCK ON 1971

                 

On this, their second album for A&M, Humble Pie proved that they were not the "minor league Rolling Stones" as people often described them. Led by the soulful Steve Marriot, the Pie was a great band in

every sense of the word. Although Peter Frampton elevated himself to superstar status in just a few years, this album proves what an excellent lead guitarist he was. The record has an undeniable live feel to it, due in part to Glyn Johns' humble yet precise recording, framing the group as if they were a boogie version of the Band. When all of these elements come together on songs such as "Sour Grain" and "Stone Cold Fever," it's an unbeatable combination.
              

Humble Pie – Rock On
Label: Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab – MFCD 847, A&M Records – MFCD 847
Series: Original Master Recording
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo
Country: US
Released: 1986
Genre: Rock
Style: Blues Rock, Hard Rock

TRACKS

               

01. Shine On   3:00
Written-By – Frampton
02. Sour Grain   2:40
Written-By – Frampton, Marriott
03. 79th And Sunset   2:59
Written-By – Marriott
04. Stone Cold Fever   4:08
Written-By – Humble Pie
05. Rolling Stone   5:57
Arranged By – Humble Pie
Written-By – Waters
06. A Song For Jenny   2:34
Written-By – Marriott
07. The Light   3:16
Written-By – Frampton
08. Big George   4:07
Written-By – Ridley
09. Strange Days   6:33
Words By – Marriott
Written-By – Humble Pie
10. Red Neck Jump   3:05
Written-By – Marriott

Flac Size: 271 MB

5. HUMBLE PIE - PERFORMANCE ROCKIN' THE FILLMORE 1971

                

Recorded while Peter Frampton was still in the band, Performance: Rockin' the Fillmore captures an

early performance by Humble Pie where Steve Marriot's lyricism and ideas where balanced by Frampton's searing lead guitar.  This is  a document of a band at a pivotal point in their existence, this is valuable and at times insightful.
          

Humble Pie – Performance - Rockin' The Fillmore
Label: A&M Records – CD 6008
Format: CD, Album, Reissue
Country: US
Released: 1988
Genre: Rock
Style: Blues Rock, Hard Rock

TRACKS

                 

01. Four Day Creep   3:46
Written-By – Ida Cox
02. I'm Ready   8:31
Words By – Willie Dixon
Written-By – Humble Pie
03. Stone Cold Fever   6:18
Written-By – Humble Pie
04. I Walk On Gilded Splinters   23:25
Written-By – Dr. John Creaux
05. Rolling Stone   16:07
Arranged By – Humble Pie/Written-By – Waters
06. Hallelujah (I Love Her So)   5:10
Written-By – Ray Charles
07. I Don't Need No Doctor   9:15
Written-By – J. Armstead, N. Ashford, V. Simpson

Flac Size: 481 MB

6. HUMBLE PIE - EAT IT 1973

               

Eat It is the sixth album by English rock band Humble Pie, released in April 1973 through A&M

Records. Released as a double album, it peaked at number 13 on the US Billboard 200, number 34 in the UK Albums Chart, and number 9 in Australia. Although the quality of the material is decidedly uneven, the double album Eat It is the last Humble Pie record to capture the rough and tumble spirit of their heyday. Nevertheless, all of side four -- which was recorded live in Glasgow -- is worthless.
               

Humble Pie – Eat It
Label:Lemon Recordings – CDLEM 204
Format:    CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered
Country:UK
Released:2012
Genre:Rock, Funk / Soul
Style:Blues Rock, Rhythm & Blues

TRACKS

              

01. Get Down To It    3:24
02. Good Booze And Bad Women    3:15
03. Is It For Love?    4:37
04. Drugstore Cowboy    5:39
05. Black Coffee   3:09
Written-By – Ike & Tina Turner
06. I Believe To My Soul   3:59
Written-By – Ray Charles
07. Shut Up And Don't Interrupt Me   3:03
Written-By – Edwin Starr, Johnny Bristol
08. That's How Strong My Love Is   3:45
Written-By – Jamison
09. Say No More    1:58
10. Oh, Bella (All That's Hers)      3:28
11. Summer Song      2:42
12. Beckton Dumps    3:12
13. Up Our Sleeve   4:55
Lyrics By – Steve Marriott/Music By – The Pie
14. Honky Tonk Women   3:56
Written-By – Jagger/Richards
15. Road Runner   12:27
Written-By – Holland/Dozier/Holland

Flac Size: 452 MB

Humble Pie: Smokin 1972 on Urban Aspirines HERE