(4 / 5)
Oohh, if you, like me, are a Pie fan; that’s Humble not Jonathan; then you are being properly spoiled right now. Not one, but two Humble Pie releases on the same date.
Hot on the heels of last year’s “Humble Pie’s Official Bootleg Box Set Volume 1” comes the “Official Bootleg Volume 2”, collating rare and previously (officially) unreleased live shows that were illicitly recorded between 1971 and 1981.
And also this little gem; “Humble Pie: Back On Track / Live In Cleveland”. A two disc set delivering 44 tracks in total.
Originally emerging from the remnants of The Small Faces, Humble Pie formed in 1969 when guitarist and vocalist Steve Marriott joined forces with Peter Frampton, drummer Jerry Shirley and bassist Greg Ridley recording for Andrew Loog Oldham’s Immediate label. Frampton left the band to go solo after 1972’s double live “Performance: Rockin’ The Filmore”.
Joined by former Pie alumnus Greg Ridley on bass and Bobby Tench from the Jeff Beck Group on guitar and vocals, drummer Jerry Shirley enlisted Bad Company guitarist Dave “Bucket” Colwell in 2001, for a new line-up and record from Humble Pie.
Their 11th studio album, “Back On Track”, has much to offer fans of classic Humble Pie, as much as fans of classic, blues-based hard rock. Produced with Andy Jackson, famed for his work with Pink Floyd, the album also features guest appearances from Zoot Money on Hammond organ.
The album was recorded at Jacob’s studios near Farnham in Surrey, and at David Gilmour’s famed houseboat Astoria Studios, between December 2001 and January 2002, and released the following month.
Going back a further 12 years, Jerry Shirley and Humble Pie were touring with a line-up featuring Charlie Huhn, Wally Stocker and Sean Beavan, with a set heavily peppered with “Performance: Rockin’ The Fillmore” classics – including “Four Day Creep”, “Stone Cold Fever”, “I Don’t Need No Doctor” and “Hallelujah (I Love Her So)”, as well as a cover of “The Babys”, “Head First” and “Fool For A Pretty Face”, from the Pie’s “On To Victory”.
Captured at the legendary Agora in Cleveland, Ohio on January 12, 1990, this mid-west venue is evidently a stronghold of Humble Pie fans, if the audience reaction is anything to go by.
With plenty of rare pictures, and a new essay penned by music writer Malcolm Dome; based on interviews with Jerry Shirley, there’s more than enough brain fodder to go with the aural delights within this 22 track release, which packs a powerful punch. You can never have too much Pie, eh?
By Simon Redley
(1 / 5) ‘Dull Zone’
(2 / 5) ‘OK Zone’
(3 / 5) ‘Decent Zone’ (4 / 5) ‘Super Zone’
(5 / 5) ‘Awesome Zone’
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