1. 1969–1970: Formation and chart success

2. 1970–1971: Early success

3. 1971–1975: Clem Clempson, The Blackberries and further success

4. 1979–1981: Steve Marriott's Humble Pie without Frampton and Ridley

5. 1982: Steve Marriott forms a new band billed as Humble Pie

6. 1988–2000: Jerry Shirley's Humble Pie, new Marriott and Frampton songs

7. 2000–2003: Former members reform, Back on Track album and Steve Marriot Memorial concert

8. 2018: Tour without Jerry Shirley

9. Personnel

10. Discography
     Singles 

11. Video games and DVDs

12. References

13. External links

Humble Pie was an English rock band formed by Steve Marriott in Essex during 1969. They are known as one of the late 1960s' first supergroups and found success on both sides of the Atlantic with such songs as "Black Coffee", "30 Days in the Hole", "I Don't Need No Doctor" and "Natural Born Bugie". The original band line-up featured lead vocalist and guitarist Steve Marriott from Small Faces, vocalist and guitarist Peter Frampton from The Herd, former Spooky Tooth bassist Greg Ridley and a 17-year-old drummer, Jerry Shirley, from The Apostolic Intervention.

1969–1970: Formation and chart success

In January 1969 Steve Marriott, having just left Small Faces, got together with Greg Ridley, Peter Frampton and Jerry Shirley. Originally, Marriott had brought together Shirley and Ridley as a possible band for Frampton, but ended up joining them himself. They eventually chose the name Humble Pie and were signed to Andrew Loog Oldham's record label Immediate Records. Their debut single, "Natural Born Bugie", was released on August 8, 1969, becoming a No. 4 hit in the UK Singles Chart and was quickly followed by the album As Safe As Yesterday Is, which 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.^[1][2] Their second album, Town and Country released in the UK during 1969 while the band was away on its first tour of the US. This album featured a more acoustic sound and songs written by all four members. Humble Pie concerts at this time featured an acoustic set, with a radical re-working of Graham Gouldman's "For Your Love" as its centrepiece followed by an electric set. Recent tape archives show that the band recorded around 30 songs in its first nine months of existence, many of which remained unreleased for decades, including an interpretation of Henry Glover's "Drown in My Own Tears".

1970–1971: Early success

During 1970, Humble Pie switched to A&M Records and Dee Anthony became their manager. Anthony was focused on the US market and discarded the acoustic set, instigating a more raucous sound with Marriott as the front man. The group's first album for A&M, Humble Pie, was released later that year and alternated between progressive rock and hard rock. A single, "Big Black Dog", was released to coincide with the album and failed to chart, however the band was becoming known for popular live rock shows in the US. On July 9, 1971, Humble Pie opened for Grand Funk Railroad at their historical Shea Stadium concert, an event that broke the Beatles record for fastest selling stadium concert, to that date. Also in 1971 Humble Pie released their most successful record to date Rock On as well as a live album recorded at the Fillmore East in New York entitled Performance Rockin' the Fillmore. The live album reached No. 21 on the US Billboard 200 and was certified gold by the RIAA. "I Don't Need No Doctor" was a FM radio hit in the US peaking at No. 73 on the Billboard Hot 100, propelling the album up the charts. But Frampton left the band by the time the album was released and went on to enjoy success as a solo artist.

1971–1975: Clem Clempson, The Blackberries and further success

Frampton was replaced by Clem Clempson and Humble Pie moved towards a harder sound emphasising Marriott's blues and soul roots. Their first record with Clempson, Smokin', was released in 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 in one double album, as Lost and Found. The marketing ploy was a success and the album charted at No. 37 on the Billboard 200.

Looking for a more authentic R&B sound, Marriott hired three female backing vocalists, The Blackberries. The trio consisted of Venetta Fields, Clydie King and Sherlie Matthews who was later replaced by Billie Barnum. They had performed with Ike and Tina Turner as The Ikettes and with Ray Charles as The Raelettes.^[3] This new line-up included Sidney George on saxophone for the recording of Eat It, a double album released in 1973 made up of Marriott originals (some acoustic), R&B numbers, and a Humble Pie concert recorded in Glasgow. The album peaked at No. 13 in the US charts. Thunderbox was released in 1974, and Street Rats a year later. In 1975, Humble Pie conducted their Goodbye Pie Tour before disbanding.

1979–1981: Steve Marriott's Humble Pie without Frampton and Ridley

In late 1979, Marriott and Shirley revived Humble Pie, adding Bobby Tench,^[4] former vocalist and guitarist from The Jeff Beck Group, along with bassist Anthony "Sooty" Jones from New York. They submitted "Fool for a Pretty Face", a song Marriott and Shirley had just written, to record labels. They secured a recording contract with Atlantic Records subsidiary Atco and in the UK their material was released by Jet Records, owned by former Small Faces manager Don Arden. They recorded the album On to Victory (1980), and "Fool for a Pretty Face" reached No. 52 on the US Billboard Hot 100. On to Victory peaked at No. 60 on the Billboard 200. Humble Pie toured the US as part of the 'Rock 'N' Roll Marathon Bill' with Ted Nugent and Aerosmith and also recorded the album Go for the Throat (1981).^[4] This album was originally recorded by the band as a raw-edged Rhythm and Blues album, but their record company wanted a slicker album.^[4] In April 1981, at the beginning of the promotional tour for the Go for the Throat album, Marriott crushed his hand in a hotel room door, delaying earlier scheduled appearances by the band, and he later developed a duodenal ulcer forcing the cancellation of all further tour dates in July 1981. Soon afterwards this line-up disbanded,^[5] due to contractual differences.^[4]

1982: Steve Marriott forms a new band billed as Humble Pie

In 1982 Marriott was back on the road with Jim Leverton (bass, backing vocals), former Steppenwolf keyboardist Goldy McJohn and Chicago-born drummer Fallon Williams III. This grouping was originally set to be called The Official Receivers, The Three Trojans (after McJohn departed) or The Pie, but ended up billed by promoters as Humble Pie. McJohn was let go after suffering drug troubles and the remaining trio toured Australia in October 1982 billed as Small Faces to entice patrons. In January 1983 Leverton ran into trouble at U.S. Immigration and was deported back to England.

Marriott based himself in the Atlanta, Georgia, area, where his second wife Pamela Stephens was from and continued to tour clubs as Humble Pie. Atlanta musician Keith Christopher (from The Brains) took over bass and a young guitarist from Tennessee, Tommy Johnson, joined as well. After a deal with Capricorn Records fell through due to the label ceasing to trade, this line-up went into Pyramid Eye Studios in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to record three songs, intended for an album which didn't materialise. Following Johnson leaving and being replaced by Phil Dix, they were scheduled to record demos with Yes and ELP producer Eddy Offord at Eddy's studio in Atlanta with Rick Richards of Georgia Satellites as the new guitarist. Before recording sessions began, Rick and Keith left the band. The recordings were finished with Fallon on drums and Dave Hewitt (from Babe Ruth) on bass, but failed to attract a record label. Marriott disbanded the band and returned to England in late 1983.^[6]

1988–2000: Jerry Shirley's Humble Pie, new Marriott and Frampton songs

Jerry Shirley obtained the rights to the name Humble Pie in 1988 and reformed the group with different musicians. This project was called New Humble Pie or Humble Pie featuring Jerry Shirley, where Shirley was the only original member. The band began performing concerts and was based in Cleveland, Ohio, where Shirley was working as an on-air radio personality at Cleveland's WNCX. The line-up included vocalist Charlie Huhn, who also played lead and rhythm guitar. While Huhn and Shirley were the only permanent members of the group,^[7] several other musicians appeared, including Wally Stocker and a returning Anthony "Sooty" Jones on bass. Jones was quickly replaced by Sean Beavan (who was engineering their 1989 independent single release "Still Rockin'").^[8]

In August 1989 they appeared in the line-up at the Woodstock Festival's 20th Anniversary Celebration.^[9] By 1990, Scott Allen had replaced Beavan on bass and a little later that year, Cleveland guitarist Alan Greene had joined in place of Stocker.^[8] Bassist Sam Nemon played with this lineup from 1992 to 1996 when Brad Johnson took over. In August 1999 Shirley was seriously injured in an auto accident and later returned to England.^[7]

Frampton and Marriott started collaborating again in 1990. Two songs from this collaboration, "The Bigger They Come" and "I Won't Let You Down", with Steve Marriott's vocals, appeared on Frampton's album Shine On: A Collection. Marriott died in a house fire on 20 April 1991.^[10]

2000–2003: Former members reform, Back on Track album and Steve Marriot Memorial concert

In 2000 Charlie Huhn continued on as Humble Pie without Shirley to fulfill live dates. Rick Craig of Halloween, alternating bassists Ean Evans of The Outlaws joined the line up with Kent "Bubba" Gascoyne and Jamie Darnell alternating on drums. Michigan guitarist Patrick Thomas took Craig's place later that year. After completing touring duties they disbanded and Huhn went on to join Foghat.

Having returned to the U.K, Shirley re-formed Humble Pie in 2001 with a line-up including the original bassist Greg Ridley, former Humble Pie member vocalist and guitarist Bobby Tench and new rhythm guitarist Dave Colwell (of Bad Company). They recorded Humble Pie's thirteenth studio album, Back on Track (2002), which comprised new songs and was released by Sanctuary Records.^[11] Keyboard players Zoot Money and Victor Martin were brought in for recording sessions. A brief tour of UK and Germany with Company of Snakes followed with new keyboardist Dean Rees. But Ridley fell ill late in 2002 and the band split up.

Shirley appeared at the Steve Marriott Tribute Concert held at the London Astoria in 2001, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Marriott's death. The concert featured a grouping of early Humble Pie members Frampton, Clempson, Ridley and Shirley.^[12] Former member guitarist Bobby Tench also appeared as the frontman for the house band, which included Zak Starkey, keyboard player Rabbit Bundrick and bassist Rick Wills. This concert was released as a DVD by Chrome Dreams in 2005 entitled The Steve Marriott Astoria Memorial Concert 2001,^[13] and as an album with the title One More for the Ol' Tosser (2006).^[14]

Ridley died on 19 November 2003 in Alicante, Spain of pneumonia and resulting complications. He was 56.^[15]

2018: Tour without Jerry Shirley

During 2018 Jerry Shirley still owned the Humble Pie name and instigated a new lineup which he would direct but not tour with. Shirley stated: “We all have a great sense of love and pride for Humble Pie, the [former] members their families and what we were able to achieve and it goes without saying that no one will ever replace Steve, Peter or any member of the band. My goal is keep the legacy of Humble Pie intact as one of the greatest live acts in rock, while satiating the need for generations of our beloved fans to again enjoy our music performed live by world class musicians”. ^[16]

Shirley chose Dave "Bucket" Colwell, who had played and recorded with the band on the 2002 album Back on Track to lead the band live on tour as co-front man and lead guitarist, alongside former Savoy Brown and Cactus singer Jimmy Kunes. The new line up included second guitarist James "Roto" Rotondi, bassist David C. Gross and drummer Bobby Marks. They began a fifteen-show tour of the U.S on August 31, 2018 in Riverhead, New York. The band performed songs from the Humble Pie catalogue and also songs by others such as, Bad Company's “Can’t Get Enough (of your Love)” and Free’s “All Right Now”.^[16]

Personnel

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)
• Greg Ridley – bass, vocals, guitar (1969–1975, 2001–2002; died 2003)
• Peter Frampton – guitar, vocals, keyboards (1969–1971)
• Clem Clempson – guitar, vocals, keyboards (1971–1975)

Discography

Studio albums:

Live albums:

• Performance Rockin' the Fillmore (1971) #21 US (US:Gold^[19])
• In Concert (1996)
• Extended Versions (2000)
• Natural Born Boogie: The BBC Sessions (2000)
• Live At The Whisky A Go-Go '69 (2002)
• Live '73 (2012) (Reissue of the 1996 King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents 'In Concert')
• Live '81 (2013)
• Performance Rockin' the Fillmore: The Complete Recordings Box set (4-cd), (2013)
• Official Bootleg Vol. 1 Box set (3-cd), (May/2017)
• Official Bootleg Vol. 2 Box Set (5-cd), (April/2018)

Compilations:

• Lost and Found (1973) US Cash - 41
• Back Home Again (1976)
• Greatest Hits (1977)
• Best of Humble Pie (1982)
• Classics Volume 14 (1987)
• Early Years (1994)
• Hot n' Nasty: The Anthology (1994)
• The Scrubbers Sessions (1997)
• The Immediate Years: Natural Born Boogie (1999)
• Running with the Pack (1999)
• Twentieth Century Masters: The Millennium Collection (2000)
• The Atlanta Years (2005)
• The Definitive Collection (2006)
• One More for the Old Tosser (2006)

Singles

Video games and DVDs

• "Cocaine" – Grand Theft Auto IV – on the fictitious radio station Liberty Rock Radio (Credited to Steve Marriott) (2008) Rockstar North/Rockstar Toronto
• "Get Down to It" – on the fictitious radio station K-DST in San Andreas (2004) Rockstar North/Rockstar Games
• "30 Days in the Hole" – on the fictitious Los Santos Rock Radio in Grand Theft Auto V (2013, Xbox One/PS4/PC versions only) Rockstar North/Rockstar Games
• The Steve Marriott Astoria Memorial Concert 2001 (2005) Chrome Dreams

References

Sources:

• Hewitt, Paulo and Hellier, John. Steve Marriott - All Too Beautiful... Helter Skelter (2005). {{ISBN|1-900924-44-7}}
• Best Seat in the House: Drumming in the '70s with Marriott, Frampton and Humble Pie by Jerry Shirley (Paperback – 1 June 2011)

External links

• {{official website|http://humble-pie.net}}

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