Lost Classics! “Rock On,” Humble Pie
Humble Pie was a British boogie-rock band that reached monstrous success in the early 1970s. The band was formed in 1968 by former Small Faces guitarist/singer Steve Marriott, and Peter Frampton, a guitar player from the Herd, a moderately successful U.K. pop band. Because they signed a recording deal with Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham, it was thought that Humble Pie would be a sort of Stones-ish blues rock band – but it took a while for them to get there.
The band’s first two albums (As Safe As Yesterday Is and Town and Country) sounded more like the Band, with its acoustic underpinnings. It wasn’t until the fourth album, Rock On (1971), that Humble Pie hit its stride. The band recorded many of the songs on tour before they went into the studio and Rock On is a balance, a tug-of-war maybe, of Frampton’s more sedate, acoustic pop sensibility vs. Marriott’s boogie-till-you-puke approach.
Even though the album was a moderate 
success, it wasn’t where Frampton wanted to be so he left Humble Pie and after the release of Rock On he left to form Frampton’s Camel. Of course, Frampton went on to superstardom in the late 1970s with his Frampton Comes Alive opus. He covers “Shine On,” from Rock On, on that multi-platinum smash. Frampton is now a journeyman rocker and continues to play live and record today.
Marriott continued to lead Humble Pie into gigantic worldwide success, particularly with the albums Performance: Rockin’ The Fillmore (1971) and Smokin’ (1972). Without Frampton’s presence Humble Pie was a fill-tilt boogie band that filled stadiums worldwide. In 1990, Marriott died in a house fire after taking a cocktail of cocaine, valium and alcohol. Former Humble Pie members Greg Ridley and Jerry Shirley resurrected Humble Pie in 2000 but Ridley died of pneumonia in 2003.
30 Days Out 
May 26, 2009 at 2:05 am
Занимательная интересная статья Да и в отличие от большинства других подобных советов воду в уши не льешь
May 26, 2009 at 11:11 pm
Great album. Small nit – Marriott did not lead Pie to “Rockin The Fillmore” success after Frampton’s departure – Frampton *was* the guitar player on that album. Clempson’s first shining moments (and Marriott’s hard rock direction) solidified with “Smokin”.
Marriott and Frampton were collaborating on music at the time of Steve’s death; sad that only three tracks ever surfaced. Big loss; he was an amazing talent.
May 27, 2009 at 5:55 am
Yes, that’s right – we stand corrected. Also, “I Don’t Need No Doctor” got a lot of airplay in the United States, helping to gain gold record status for “Rockin’ The Fillmore” and, eventually, “Rock On.”
May 30, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Don’t Need No Doctor was great, but Humble Pie never matched the Small Faces. W.
June 2, 2009 at 5:58 am
Its a major tragedy that there is hardly any footage of the PIE and or recordings live from the Frampton era. Having seen them many times from 1970 to 74, im glad i witnessed the number 1 singer and one of the best guitarists in their prime. They blew Grand Funk Railroad off the stage in Hyde Park in 71, yet while Funk have a recording of this gig, theres nothing surfaced from the Pie. Someone somewhere has access to this gig, wether that be Eddie Kramer, Dee Anthony or A and M records. Even WOLFGANGS VAULT should have many recorded and filmed gigs by this forgotten superb band. Its about time someone with clout sorted this out before we all die off.. SUPERB BAND RIGHTLY QUOTED AT THE TIME AS THE BEST ROCK AND ROLL BAND IN THE WORLD. STEVE MARRIOTT RIP A GREAT LOSS INDEED. ROCK ON!!!!!!!!
October 20, 2009 at 6:28 pm
I saw Humble Pie at Hyde Park in ’71.
“FREE PIE IN THE PARK” reads the poster I have.
This was the first I’d heard of PIE. They blew me away.
I was staying at a hotel right across from the gates to Hyde Park, and walked over to see what was happening. Pulled up a spot on the grass and stayed the whole afternoon.
I still have some newspaper clippings of the concert review…
re: ROCK ON album search
I couldn’t get the ROCK ON album in London… made my way to Paris and couldn’t get it there… made it to Roma a week later and found a copy. Still have the album somewhere in the house.
thanks for the memories…
be well, happy, and peaceful
bela ray
May 19, 2012 at 3:03 pm
The Pie’s last studio LP with Peter.
After Peter left the Pie was never the same yes Smokin was good but even that LP missed Peter’s signature guitar sound and song writing.
Humble Pie was all downhill after Smokin and went down fast while Frampton’s career was rising.
Shame Steve and Peter had to part ways but at least we have 4 studio LP’s and 1 great live LP from them.