Humble Pie’s Performance: Rockin' the Fillmore is regarded as one of the greatest live rock albums of all time. It captures a kick ass band in front of a rowdy crowd at the Fillmore East in New York City in 1971. Rockin’ The Fillmore is the album that broke Humble Pie in the USA. Up to that point, their studio albums were a mixed affair. Touring with Grand Funk Railroad showed them that kicking ass all the time is the way to go and to leave the acoustic guitars to James Taylor. Well, at least that’s what Steve Marriot, Jerry Shirley and Greg Ridley wanted to do. Lead guitarist Peter Frampton left the band to become the soft rock king of the 70’s. He wanted to show everyone “the way” was wine coolers, cocaine and feathered hair.This live recording from the Winterland in San Francisco May 6, 1973 is another example of Humble Pie at its peak. Recorded for radio broadcast by the King Biscuit Flower Hour, this is very much the equal of their revered live album. Some like it even better than Rockin’ The Fillmore some less, but everyone agrees that few can match the power of Humble Pie in concert
The show kicks off with an announcement to the “beautiful people of San Francisco, please welcome the world’s finest Humble Pie.” The band launches into one of their all time hardest rocking songs “Up Your Sleeve” from the Eat It album. This is pure power. Steve Marriot fires up a simple riff and drummer Jerry Shirley leads the rest of the band into a frenzied boogie attack. Steve screams his brains while Clem Clemson rips solos through the entire song. The guitar tone is pure Gibson Les Paul Custom plugged into Marshall triple stacks. Loud, brash, in your face. Greg Ridley’s bass booms and you can imagine that it’s pounding the chest cavities of the stoned hippies. They love it! They want more! And they really get it when Steve introduces “4 Day Creep,” a highlight from the Fillmore album. It’s an old Ida Cox blues song that they give a swinging balls out arrangement to with Greg, Clem and Steve each singing a verse. This is total high energy rock & roll on a par with MC5, Grand Funk Railroad and The Who in their prime. If this doesn’t get you rocking, then you should donate your ears to medical science fiction.
Steve works the crowd by telling them that they didn’t come to California “to play no thin, thin rock.” They came “to play some rock motherbitchin roll!” Clem fires up their Live At Leeds inspired version of Eddie Cochran’s “C’mon Everybody” from the Smokin’ album. Jerry pounds the crap out of his cowbell and the band hits a heavy mid tempo groove. If you ever wondered what The Who might sound like with 2 guitars, this is it. If you ever wondered what the Rolling Stones would sound like with a better singer, the Pie’s version of “Honky Tonk Woman” will give you a good indication. It’s a pretty faithful rendition but hits a little harder than the original. (Disclaimer – I am not a Rolling Stones fan and always skip this song).They slow things down with a version of “I Believe To My Soul” by Ray Charles that has Steve testifying with backing vocals by the soul trio The Blackberries. Steve Marriot is one of the few white singers that could really tackle soul ballads and not embarrass himself too much. He overdoes a little bit with the vocal histrionics at times, but he’s got the spirit. Coincidentally, the MC5 used to cover this song in 1967 and 1968 as part of their stage act.
The Blackberries start screaming that they want to take you higher and the band revs up a storming version of their hit “30 Days In The Hole.” Clem’s got some funky tremolo effect on his guitar and Jerry is absolutely pounding his drums. In the middle the band breaks into a vamp so Steve can preach to the crowd about not getting busted by The Man. He doesn’t “want no judge getting his buzz off you” by sentencing you to hard time.The band gets funky on a 12 minute version of Jr. Walker’s “Road Runner” that’s tight and loose at the same time. Steve loves Ray Charles so much that they have to do another one of his songs “Hallelujah, I Love Her So” that’s also on Rockin’ The Fillmore. That version might be a little bit better with Marriot and Frampton trading the vocals. Clem’s on a par with Frampton on guitar but can’t match his singing.
“I Don’t Need No Doctor” is repeated from the Fillmore album, and that version also has the edge over this one. This is a great version but 1971 recording is the definitive one. The show wraps up with Steve getting behind the organ to preach to the crowd about the virtues of being “Hot N Nasty,” another killer jam from the Smokin’ album. It’s a total kick ass stone gett-off with a pounding rhythm section, funky guitar and call and response vocals. “Do you get the message” they ask? HELL YEAH!
--Woody
Buy here: King Biscuit Flower Hour: In Concert
Stream the show at Wolfgang’s Vault
http://concerts.wolfgangsvault.com/dt/humble-pie-concert/20052603-2981.html
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