Performance - Rockin' The Fillmore

"Originally released as a double album, 'Performance - Rockin' The Fillmore' is a fantastic live recording from 1971, featuring Steve Marriott, Peter Frampton, Greg Ridley and Jerry Shirley.

Formed in April 1969, Humble Pie was one of the most successful "supergroups" of the late Sixties, ranking in popularity and influence with Cream and Blind Faith. At the core of the group was Steve Marriott - front man of the Small Faces - and Peter Frampton. Both highly-accomplished singers and guitarists, their contrasting styles gave a unique sound to Humble Pie, which was to influence the likes of Led Zeppelin, Paul Weller and Joe Bonamassa in years to come. Whilst Marriott took a rock approach, Frampton favoured a more pastoral, acoustic style, resulting in a hybrid of sexy blues and hippie folk.

Signed to Immediate Records, their well-received first album, 'As Safe As Safe Is' was released in July 1969, at the same time as their debut single "Natural Born Bugie", which shot to number 4 in the U.K chart. 'Town and Country', their second album, was released at the end of 1969. In contrast to the rock approach of the debut album and single, 'Town And Country' was lighter in feel and almost entirely acoustic. The two following albums ('Humble Pie' and the must-have 'Rock On') added soul and a harder edge into the mix, paving the way for their all-encompassing masterpiece, 'Performance - Rockin' The Fillmore'.

While this legendary live album only contains seven songs, they are all pure, unadulterated, uncompromising rock 'n' roll with a whole lot of soul and capture the essence of the Pie. The cover version of Dr. John's "I Walk On Gilded Splinters" alone is 25 minutes long, building from a slow, menacing groove to a great jam with fine lead break from Frampton, which transforms into a blues shuffle. "I Don't Need No Doctor" on the other hand is an explosive hard rocking belter, which finishes the live set with a bang. The urgency and passion in the singing and playing is quite astonishing - novice musicians could learn a lot by listening to this track on high rotate! Elsewhere there is the searing "Stone Cold Fever", a heavy blues rendition of the Willie Dixon number "I'm Ready", and a very uplifting version of Ray Charles' "Hallelujah (I Love Her So)".

When Frampton quit to pursue his massively successful solo career, the writing was on the wall for Humble Pie. One great album followed ('Smokin'', featuring replacement guitarist Clem Clempson) but within a few years the group had petered out (without Frampton - geddit?). Sadly, Marriott died in 1991, due to his smoking habit - he fell asleep in bed with a lit cigarette and his house burnt down. Thankfully Steve's legacy is preserved in the scorching grooves of the indispensable 'Performance - Rockin' The Fillmore' album."
- GEOFF (8th July, 2010)