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Like so many British Rock Bands (Zeppelin, Purple, Sabbath, Floyd etc) - Humble Pie knew they had to break America. And after four well received but commercially underwhelming studio albums on two different labels (Immediate and A&M) - they finally hit pay dirt by going back to basics. I can still recall the excitement of hearing this beast for the first time in late 1971 - like a Gladiator unleashed on a baying crowd - the Pie 'rocked' like the proverbial sweaty sandals-and-swords blade-swinger with "Performance..." - and how. But which version to buy...
If I'm honest the best version is Omnivore Recordings 4CD monster "Performance: Rockin' The Fillmore - The Complete Recordings" issued USA and UK in October 2013. The UK version on Omnivore Recordings 3751304 (Barcode 602537513048) captures Remasters of all four shows from 28 and 29 May 1971 at The Fillmore East venue in New York as they were played. Seven of these electric versions then formed the basis for the November 1971 double-album we've all known and loved for over four and half decades. But as many will have noticed, that 2013 multiple-disc limited edition has become rare and very pricey in certain circles.
In the absence of anything else (their catalogue is strangely ignored by British reissue companies) - I would suggest this back-to-basics full double-album onto 1CD reissue from November 2016 in Japan. It can be purchased as new for about £22 to £24 online from several sites including Amazon (sometimes less secondhand) – has a 2007 Remaster, Mini LP Gatefold Repro Artwork and both looks and sounds amazing. Here are the Stone Cold Fevers...
Released 23 November 2016 in Japan - "Performance: Rockin' The Fillmore" by HUMBLE PIE on Universal/A&M Records UICY-77979 (Barcode 4988031188125) is an SHM-CD Reissue (Double-Album onto 1CD) in Mini LP Repro Artwork with a 2007 Remaster that plays out as follows (72:39 minutes):
1. Four Day Creep [Side 1]
2. I'm Ready
3. Stone Cold Fever
4. I Walk On Gilded Splinters [Side 2]
5. Rolling Stone [Side 3]
6. Hallelujah (I Love Her So) [Side 4]
7. I Don't Need No Doctor
Tracks 1 to 7 are the live double-album "Performance: Rockin' The Fillmore" - released November 1971 in the UK on A&M Records AMLH 63506 and November 1971 in the USA on A&M Records SP 3506. Produced by HUMBLE PIE - it peaked at No. 32 in the UK and No. 21 in the USA.
HUMBLE PIE was:
STEVE MARRIOTT – Lead Vocals and Lead Guitar
PETER FRAMPTON – Lead Vocals and Guitar
GREG RIDLEY – Bass
JERRY SHIRLEY – Drums
Fans will know that Japan has had a 'long' history of reissuing Humble Pie – in this case a whopping four times on the SHM-CD format alone. Number one came 14 February 2007 on Universal/A&M Records UICY-93221 (Barcode 4988005459756) - that issue featuring SHM-CD technology and Mini LP Repro Artwork (or Paper Sleeve) and most importantly - a new Remaster by Audio Engineer HIDEAKI NISHIMURA (all reissues since have been based on this variant).
Second was 22 April 2009 on Universal/A&M UICY-94068 (Barcode 4988005555175) – again on SHM-CD and Mini LP Artwork. Third arrived as part of the 'Back To The Rock Years...' reissue series on 10 April 2010 – but this time the SHM-CD Universal/A&M Records UICY-20095 (Barcode 4988005638977) came in a standard jewel case only.
Which brings us to number four and our chosen poison today - the 23 November 2016 variant - essentially yet another reissue of the 2007 Remaster but one that is still on catalogue (the earlier discs are all deleted). The artwork repros the gatefold colour artwork – but as the original tan label A&M double-albums contained no inserts or booklet – your foldout white paper inlay is a basic job – approximated lyrics in English and Japanese with a history of Humble Pie in Japanese and naught else. But the Hideaki Nishimura Remaster is great...
Right from the off you notice that out of the seven songs – six are covers arranged by the Pie with Side 1’s "Stone Cold Fever" being the only band original. So the double felt new at the time – moulding these fantastic R&B, Blues and Soul songs into their own HP variant of British Blues Rock (much like Zeppelin had done so many times). The British Four-Piece that had produced "Humble Pie" in June 1970 and "Rock On" in March of 1971 were on top form and had gelled as a powerhouse Rock Band – miles away from Marriott’s days with The Small Faces and Frampton’s tint with The Herd.
And it's this hybrid of a great band using great tunes that comes storming out at you with their Ida Cox opener "Four Day Creep" – originally a scratchy 78” from 1939 on Okeh 05298 - the original big mama bemoaning that her man might be an opportunist lover and a low-down thief taboot. As Marriott shouts "...aw right!" twice – they launch into a sexy riff and you can just hear how tight Humble Pie are – those twin guitars delivering huge power – a swagger that bands in the early 70ts seemed to have in spades. Then you notice the other double-whammy – the twin vocals of Marriott and Frampton. As track 2 shuffles into play first Marriott works the crowd into a frenzy with his stop-start guitar-and-vocals intro – are you ready – cause this one is a long one! The audience giggles and as soon as that drum whacking beat hits them they’re clapping and in the mid of a fantastic Humble Pie reworking of the Muddy Waters classic "I'm Ready" – Frampton taking over the vocals half way through. At times you think – it just doesn't get any better than this when it comes to Classic Rock.
"...This is something off our album that we haven't played here awhile..." - Marriott shouts in his fabulous cheeky-chappy London accent introducing their "Stone Cold Fever". And off we go again – another killer twin-guitar riff – the two leads working off each other like Thin Lizzy in absolute go-mode. Even now it's a marvel to hear it and the Remaster is just huge. You might think it too much to have one song take up a whole side - but the 23:27 minutes of Dr. John’s voodoo anthem "I Walk On Gilded Splinters" is broken down in such a way as to make it not just palatable but awesome. Starting out with a lone guitar playing soulfully (check out that broken bottle that hits the floor) - The Pie sound like Led Zeppelin in destroy-all-comers form. And cleverly Marriott introduces the Harmonica half way through to liven up the mix - fabulous stuff.
For Side 3 up jumps another one-sider - the 16:10 minute Blues of Muddy Waters "Rolling Stone" that they covered on the "Rock On" LP in March of 1971. Seriously great Marriott guitar comes 'man' like out of his guitar - a fabulous Blues Rock version - and then 'that voice'. As he warbles the 'say I will' lyrics like Johnny Winter losing it - you can hear the crowd reacting - loving the heavy guitar and soloing (even if we do get that clumsy and prudish edited out curse - a beep). Mama takes him another room and tells our hero of her intentions - none of which are decent (ain't had none for a long time).
They bring the gig home with two upbeat covers - Frampton singing Ray Charles' Atlantic Records hit "Hallelujah (I Love Her So)" - the second half taken over by Marriott, then a rare slot by Bassist Ridley. Continuing on with the Brother Ray connection - finally we a Nicholas Ashford and Valerie Simpson hit they penned for him in 1966 on ABC Records - "I Don't Need No Doctor". Telling the crowd they're going home on Monday and they've had a gas playing in the States - Marriott leads his rocking troupe in a Soul tune that sounds like they wrote it. The crowd baying, clapping wildly, the twin guitars riffing and soloing - the show is brought to a properly memorable end – prescription filled...
Frampton would soon jump ship for what was to ultimately become a hugely successful solo career - while Humble Pie would return with the excellent but overlooked studio album "Smokin'" in 1972. But after the monster that was "Performance..." - I suppose a single LP in a rather boring sleeve felt like an anti-climax (even if in hindsight – it wasn’t).
I've always loved Humble Pie and many rate this as one of their many highlights and easily up there as one of the all-time great live double-albums – a British/American lightning-in-a-bottle moment that only grows in stature as the years pass.
We would lose Marriott in 1991 aged only 44 from a horrible home-fire accident – robbing the world of one of the great front men and characters in Rock (much like the equally beloved Ronnie Lane). I miss him and them – and this reissue had brought that home with a hammer blow. And isn't that the best compliment of all...
The Japan-Only 23 November 2016 Series of
HUMBLE PIE SHM-CD Reissues in Mini LP Repro Artwork are:
1. "Humble Pie" (July 1970) – Universal/A&M UICY-77977 (Barcode 4988031188101)
2. "Rock On" (March 1971) – Universal/A&M UICY-77978 (Barcode 4988031188118)
3. "Performance: Rockin' The Fillmore” (November 1971, Live 2LP Set onto 1CD) – Universal/A&M UICY-77979 (Barcode 4988031188125)
4. "Smokin'" (March 1972) – Universal/A&M UICY-77980 (Barcode 4988031188132)
5. "Eat It" (April 1973, 2LP Set onto 1CD) – Universal/A&M UICY-77981 (Barcode 4988031188149)
6. "Thunderbox" (February 1974) – Universal/A&M UICY-77982 (Barcode 4988031188095)
7. "Street Rats" (February 1975) – Universal/A&M UICY-77983 (Barcode 4988031188156) – 11 Tracks
8. "Street Rats – UK Version" (February 1975) – Universal/A&M UICY-77984 (Barcode 4988031188163) – 15 Tracks
