Humble Pie were a very good recording group, but their true colours showed through on stage--they were an incredible live act. Driven by the twin arsenal of Steve Marriott and Peter Frampton, Pie were one of the most powerful and energetic blues/rock bands in rock and roll.
One must look no further than the immortal 'Rockin The Fillmore' for proof. Although they produced a number of British hits with their studio work, 'Fillmore' is a masterpiece that speaks for the band in four simple sides of vinyl.
Humble Pie enjoyed the luxury of having two amazing guitarists who fed off each other, with each's sound and style combining to make a whole far greater than the sum. Marriott was the guts--laying down a sleazy, irrestible background, while Frampton flirted on top, weaving in and out of the band's wall of sound.
Rounding out the equation was Marriott's raspy vocals, searing with tales of pain, promise and promiscuity. Pie's renditions of blues classics I Don't Need No Doctor, Hallelujah and I Walk On Gilded Splinters should be considered mandatory listening for Guitar 101. Regrettably, Steve Marriott passed away in 1994.
