It’s hearing these differences that makes this set so revelatory. Although the track listing remained mostly the same for all the concerts, the band never played the same song twice. The band’s ferocious, go-for-broke approach wasn’t limited to the performances that got released – they were on fire for all four shows. Here, it’s been set free.īut, the sonic upgrade is just the beginning with this fantastic box set. This new set, remixed with help from both Frampton and drummer Jerry Shirley, blows the original CD version away the old CD’s were blanketed with crappy noise reduction, which squished the live energy of this record. And, even though several songs are extremely long, it never borders on wanking – every note has a purpose. What sets it apart is the fury the band plays with – it’s as if they’ve got nothing to lose, so they just leave it all out on stage. This is one of the few live albums that still sounds as fresh today as it did over 40 years ago. Marriott provided the crunch, while Frampton, even back then, was honing his deeply melodic soloing, which would later propel him to dizzying heights with his Frampton Comes Alive. Humble Pie sported the double threat of Steve Marriott (vocals, rhythm guitar) with a young Peter Frampton (vocals, lead guitar). Support act or not, most people came to see Humble Pie, who had gained a solid reputation as a smokin’ live band. Humble Pie was second on a bill that also included the all-girl hard-rockin’ Fanny, and the head-scratching headliner, Lee Michaels (who was a lot bigger back then, apparently). Now, Omnivore Recordings has just issued The Complete Concerts, a four-disc set featuring all four concerts in their entirety recorded at the legendary concert hall.īill Graham’s famous New York night club was getting ready to close its doors for good and many of the bands that had made it their home were asked to return for a series of shows to bid it farewell. Originally a two-record set, it was cobbled together from a series of four shows over two nights the band played in May of 1971. Humble Pie gave us one of the truly great live albums in Performance: Rockin’ the Fillmore. The new remastering job makes you feel like your in the audience at the fabled venue But the success was short-lived: Frampton left not long afterward, and repeated the formula a few years later by releasing a string of modestly successful solo albums before hitting the mother lode with the 1976 blockbuster 'Frampton Comes Alive.' Humble Pie scored a few more hits with replacement guitarist Clem Clempson on the albums 'Smokin'' and 'Eat It,' before finally petering out for good.Humble Pie – Performance: Rockin’ the Fillmore – The Complete Recordings (Omnivore) review 'Performance: Rockin' the Fillmore' became Humble Pie's breakthrough hit, cracking the Top 25 and going gold. The rhythm section of Ridley and Shirley held the foundation up from the bottom, driving it home with all the nuance of a Molotov cocktail. Marriott is a pint-sized powerhouse of a blues-rock singer, and his thunderous riffs perfectly complemented Frampton's more fluid, precise approach. Recorded over a four-show, two-night stand at the legendary Fillmore East - home to some of the most storied concert recordings ever made, from Aretha to the Allmans - the live double album showcased the band blowing the roof off the grand old joint. On 1971's 'Performance: Rockin' the Fillmore,' Humble Pie finally captured lightning in a bottle. Their four studio albums aren't bad, but they sold only moderately well. Still, in spite of their lineup and reputation for explosive live shows, Humble Pie weren't able to duplicate their onstage energy in the studio. At a mere 17, Jerry Shirley was less well known but was gaining a reputation as a formidable power drummer in the John Bonham mold. Three of the band's four members - guitarist Peter Frampton, singer-guitarist Steve Marriott and bassist Greg Ridley - had already tasted success with the Herd, Small Faces and Spooky Tooth, respectively. In a way, they were one of the era's supergroups. But the experience had to be a particularly satisfying one for Humble Pie. In 1971, the concept of a hard-rock band achieving its big commercial breakthrough with a double live album was nothing new.
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