That’s one of my two favorite studio albums with the band. JS: Thank you! I’m very proud of the moment and I’m very proud, especially proud of that record. I’d like to start by congratulating you on that milestone. Last week marked the 50th anniversary of Smokin’. There’s a lot going on in the world of Humble Pie right now, so we’re just gonna hop right into it. Jerry Shirley: I’m fine thank you! It’s good to Zoom and meet you! I love it! Greetings Jerry and welcome to Defenders of the Faith! How are you doing today? In this exclusive interview, Shirley looks back upon 50 years of Smokin’, the band’s legendary (and sometimes infamous) shows, and his plan to honor Humble Pie’s legacy in the years to come. Taking this historic importance into consideration, it was an honor to sit down with original Humble Pie drummer and co-founder Jerry Shirley. The ones that claim they aren’t are lying. From Aerosmith and Van Halen, to KISS and The Black Crowes, there are few bands who weren’t directly influenced by Humble Pie. Their loud, sweaty brand of blues and boogie infused rock n’ roll spoke to a generation of kids hellbent on hellraising, paving the way for all hard rock and heavy metal bands to follow. In the early 70s, few bands rocked harder and drew bigger crowds than Humble Pie. Listeners attracted to bands like early Rolling Stones and Cream are pretty much duty-bound to give Smokin’ a hearing, simply because of Steve Marriott’s one-of-kind vocal prowess and Humble Pie’s elemental muscle.They don't need no doctor: Shirley (drums) performing live with Humble Pie in 1971. The album comes across as unrehearsed and uncooked. What makes Smokin’ so good is the lack of overproduction. Still, the song begins to get cloying by the end, simply due to its length. On their cover of Cecil Gant’s “I Wonder,” Humble Pie offers downright nasty guitar work comparable to Jimmy Page and Led Zeppelin. Even Stephen Stills’ braying organ can’t salvage the tune. Humble Pie’s version is little more than sluggish boogie. The weakest track on the album is probably “Road Runner/Road Runner’s ‘G’ Jam,” the song by Junior Walker. Admittedly, he’s not John Bonham or Keith Moon or Neil Peart, but he does hit hard, and his very looseness delivers the brio of recklessness. When music sites put together their incessant lists, such as Top 10 Guitarists of All Time or 50 Greatest Rock Drummers, specimens of the latter type fail to recognize Jerry Shirley for his stellar drumming. The live album had done well, but the band needed to prove they could replicate their contagious live sound in the studio. The term ‘fortunately’ is fitting because Humble Pie needed a solid piece of work after the second-rate sales of their self-titled album and Rock On. In 1972, they released Smokin’, which fortunately proved successful, hitting the Top 10 on the U.S. Replaced by Clem Clempson, whose claim to fame was playing with Colosseum, Humble Pie’s sound took a tougher edge brimming with blues and soul flavors. Of course, it’s more likely he just wanted to do his own thing. In other words, Frampton wanted more pleasing, platinum-flavored guitars. A&M Records stepped in and signed Humble Pie, who released their self-titled album, followed by 1971’s Rock On and a live album, Performance Rockin’ the Fillmore, featuring “I Don’t Need No Doctor,” which propelled the album to gold status.įrampton left Humble Pie to pursue his solo career because the story goes, he believed Humble Pie’s sound-brawny blues-rock-was the result of demands made by listeners and not necessarily the band’s preference or strength. Signed to Immediate Records, Humble Pie released their debut album, As Safe as Yesterday Is, followed by Town and Country. Marriott quit the Small Faces and joined the band already in place around Frampton-Humble Pie. Everything came to head when the Small Faces were playing at Alexandra Palace. Undaunted, Marriott kept pushing for Frampton to become part of Small Faces, while at the same time putting together a band for Frampton. For whatever reason, they didn’t want Frampton in Small Faces. Marriott, the guitarist for the Small Faces, wanted to bring Frampton into the Small Faces, but both bassist Ronnie Lane and keyboardist Ian McLagan dissented. Humble Pie’s advent was the result of Marriott’s friendship with Peter Frampton, who had left The Herd and was looking for a new gig. One of the early so-called “supergroups” of the late ‘60s, Humble Pie, formed in 1969 and released Smokin’ in 1972-the band’s fifth studio album, as well as Humble Pie’s highest-charting album.Ĭoming out of the starting gate in 1969, Humble Pie was made up of Steve Marriott (guitar, vocals, keyboards, harmonica), Jerry Shirley (drums), Greg Ridley (bass), and Peter Frampton (guitar, vocals, keyboards).
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