Customer Reviews

Rock on

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It has always amazed me why this piece of classic rock music was not on everybody's top ten lists. Steve Marriott's voice was at its prime. Peter Frampton's guitar work is the best he has ever done. Buy this now, check out "Stone Cold Fever" and then tell me it's not one the best rock songs you have ever heard. This album blows "Smokin'" away, there is no comparison. Give it a chance you won't be sorry.

Retro

This is Humble Pie at their studio recording peak. From the opening booming and ringing chords of Frampton's anthemic "Shine On", it's obvious that the listener is in for a hell-of-a-ride through some eclectic and classic 70's rock. Everything from a taste of country rock ("Sour Grain") to blues ("Rolling Stone") to jazz-rock ("Strange Days"). The talent and abilities of this band at this point in their career was as good as it gets in rock & roll. The interplay between Frampton's and Marriott's vocals and guitar playing was unsurpassed at the time.

I had seen The Pie live 2 or 3 times prior to the release of this recording. The stride they hit with the release of "ROCK ON" made you think they could make great music forever (as The Stones continue to do). This disc should be a MUST LISTEN to any serious rock fan. Every song is a bit of true magic.

Amazon has it dead wrong. This CD HAS been re-issued by the Rebound Records label, but it has NOT been remastered. This disc, along with the rest of the domestic Pie releases, are still the same crappy, 35+ year old, digitized vinyl-EQ'd masters, all which sound like the flat audio from AM radio: No bottom, no definition, no soundstage, nothing.

*** HOWEVER ***

On 2/14/07, Universal Japan released the entire Humble Pie A&M catalog, plus the "Marriott" solo album, with brand new, awesome remastering and mini-sleeve packaging. These remasters are GLORIOUS, some of the best I've ever heard. It's so great to finally enjoy these albums in properly mastered audio.

Four of the five Japanese remasters are now the audio benchmarks for these titles: The 2006 UK Repertoire version of the third album "Humble Pie", however, definitely has more clarity than the Japanese version, especially in the drums.

The initial run of the five central Pie titles (Humble Pie, Rock On, Performance, Smokin' & Eat It) have already sold out in Japan, so don't delay in getting yours.

Link to the 2007 Japanese remaster of Rock On

2009 UPDATE: Japan has re-released the mini-sleeve remaster!

WHAT IS A JAPAN "MINI-LP-SLEEVE" CD?

Have you ever lamented the loss of one of the 20th Century's great art forms, the 12" vinyl LP jacket? Then "mini-LP-sleeve" CD's may be for you.

Mini-sleeve CDs are manufactured in Japan under license. The disc is packaged inside a 135MM X 135MM cardboard precision-miniature replica of the original classic vinyl-LP album. Also, anything contained in the original LP, such as gatefolds, booklets, lyric sheets, posters, printed LP sleeves, stickers, embosses, special LP cover paper/inks/textures and/or die cuts, are precisely replicated and included. An English-language lyric sheet is always included, even if the original LP did not have printed lyrics.

Then, there's the sonic quality: Often (but not always), mini-sleeves have dedicated remastering (20-Bit, 24-Bit, DSD, K2/K2HD, and/or HDCD), and can often (but not always) be superior to the audio on the same title anywhere else in the world. There also may be bonus tracks unavailable elsewhere.

Each Japan mini-sleeve has an "obi" ("oh-bee"), a removable Japan-language promotional strip. The obi lists the Japan street date of that particular release, the catalog number, the mastering info, and often the original album's release date. Bonus tracks are only listed on the obi, maintaining the integrity of the original LP artwork. The obi's are collectable, and should not be discarded.

All mini-sleeve releases are limited edition, but re-pressings/re-issues are becoming more common (again, not always). The enthusiasm of mini-sleeve collecting must be tempered, however, with avoiding fake mini-sleeves manufactured in Russia and distributed throughout the world, primarily on eBay. They are inferior in quality, worthless in collectable value, a total waste of money, and should be avoided at all costs.

Energised, stylish and capturing the contemporary rock dynamic of that era, Humble Pie were probably at their creative peak when this album was released. The band was more than simply proficient by now, and with talent like Steve Marriot and Peter Frampton on board, the playing was tight and exciting. Jerry Shirley and Greg Ridley give solid rhythm section support, and come through well on the mix. Even on my original vinyl album, the production quality shines through from the 1971 recording.
The song quality is consistently high, and songs appear to be sequenced so as to provide a build in tension and excitement. A very accessible rock album, and a very important part of Britrock's evolution.

After the first two English-country tinged import albums, Humble Pie went under contract with A&M and delivered two knockout albums before Frampton went solo. It may sound unbelievable, but in its time this band was competing with the likes of the Rolling Stones for rock supremacy, and really had some of what it took to do that. Marriott and Frampton had a dual vocal and guitar attack thing going, and the backbone was solid (ex-Spooky Tooth bassist Greg Ridley and a kid named Jerry Shirley on drums). They were arena big, and crunched huge, "Stone Cold Fever" is a tank.

Frampton really dashed the band, because while Marriott was a star in his own light, like any NBA fan knows, you need two stars to win championships. And this is really as far as they got, Marriott's follow-ups were kind of sludgy without Frampton's ringing guitar work, and eventually the band faded away. But if you go through the trouble of getting your hands on the first two imports and the first two US releases, you'll have four albums of some really hot music, for the day at least. And while you're at it, pick up Frampton's first four albums as well . . . before his hair went pink.

I fervently hope that "Rock On" is slated for re-release as an SACD. Humble Pie was an excellent band and in an era of excellent bands it tends to get overlooked. I can only hope that a later generation of musicians finds what a rich vein of music this band supplied.

There's some great jammin' here with Steve Marriot leading the band and Peter Frampton on board. One forgets just what a great guitarist, songwriter and singer Frampton was and just how much a veteran he was before "Comes Alive" catapulted him to stardom.

Absolutely recommended!

Now, this is one of the best hard rock albums of the early 70's, and probably the whole decade. Actually, why don't I add that it's probably one of the best ever. Every song is top- notch. Steve Marriott's vocals are amazing throughout, and Frampton's guitar is an easy match. This is a true masterpiece, highlighted by "Sour Grain" and the humor- filled "79th and Sunset". This album is a classic rock essential.

If you don't already know,Humble Pie came up around the same time Zeppelin and The Stones were at the top of their game.1970's "Rock On" captures the band at their peak,with Frampton onboard,and with a listen or two showcases why these guys could stick it to the Stones or Zeppelin any day.Don't get me wrong,I am a huge fan of those 2 bands,but this record,and the band,barely gets the recognition they so righteously deserve.Every track on here is a real winner.

Here's some standouts:
"Stone Cold Fever" has got to be one of the greatest rock songs of all time containing that gargantuan and highly memorable riff."Big George" is a great humorous track which still manages to kick arse."Shine On" is a great uplifting song with awesome backup singers,no better way to start off the album."Sour Grain" features awesome guitar by Frampton and Mariott."A Song For Jenny" is a great slow tune."Rollin' Stone" just explodes near the middle of the song,great song.

These guys were an amazing brit rock band,it's a shame they couldn't put out several more records as good as this one.However,the follow-up "Smokin" is another classic which is just as good so check that out if you liked this one.And if you dig the black crowes,check HP out because Pie had a huge influence on those guys.

One the finest bands of players that rock music could hope to have within it's ranks...Humble Pie. Steve Marriott, Peter Frampton, Greg Ridley and Jerry Shirley. A hard rock band that could blend in country, jazz, folk, honky tonk, blues,R & B and soul, as needed, anytime, anywhere.

"Rock On" was the last studio recording by The Pie that included Pete as a member {"Rockin' The Fillmore" the fantastic live double LP of Pete's last tour, would follow this.} This 1971 recording was one of The Pie's best because of the selection of songs presented here capture the band in it's best light. "Shine On" Pete's great song is here, and it was a staple of his solo concerts for years after, this version is 'heavier' than how Pete would perform it later, and this version is full of muscle and might, it is THE version. "Sour Grain" thumps and rocks and contains a little soul, a taste of what later Pie would do a lot more of a few years later. "79th & Sunset" is a welcome to the Honky Tonk for these english country boys, when HP goes in this direction, they sound like the funkiest boys on the back forty. "Stone Cold Fever" is flat-out hard rock, and as this version is great, it is only a taste of what The Pie would be live on The Fillmore record, "Fever" is great, great rock music with one of those classic riffs that drives it along.

"Rolling Stone" is next, and here is another song that would grow so much bigger on stage, another classic Pie track. "A Song For Jenny" opens side two, it's a pretty acoustic song for a friend of Steve's, again the country influence slides in here, the Soul Sisters, are dropped into this for some stone soul funk, and then it's into Pete's: "The Light" a melodic rocker with his tasty lead playing featured over the funk groove laid underneath it all. "Big George" is writen and sung by Greg, and it's a thumping-beat tune, but as it's not bad, it is the weakest track on this record.

"Strange Days" with it's jazzed-out piano riff brings us back up into real Pie territory, like the best works of another great band: Traffic, "Days" is classic Pie. Steve, is in charge here with this one, another great HP number, the lead guitar, {Steve? Pete?} is tasteful and controlled, like in a murder mystery before you find out who the killer is. To close "Rock On" is: "Red Neck Jump" another Steve tune that brings us back to the Honky Tonks, there's a bit of funk and fire mixed right into this: 'Jump' as it contains a bit of 1950's jive, to send us home.

There is more of what Steve is about, featured on: "Rock On" over the lighter and jazzier influences of Pete. And as he could see the direction that Humble Pie, was headed for, this would be Pete's last record as a member of the band. The stage act would become about the hardest of any outfit of it's day. NOBODY could follow Humble Pie on stage, they were just too good! The studio recordings would really explore soul, funk and R & B after Peter's departure from the group. It was all about to change, after this.
Four Stars!!!

Originally released in 1971, as I'm not exactly sure if this was their second or fourth album. Tracks here that had me playing this CD over several times were "Shine On" (didn't this cut later become a Peter Frampton song?), the fantastic soul rocker "Sour Grain", "Stone Cold Forever", the ballad "A Song For Jenny" and "Red Neck Jump". Basically, good damn GOOD heavy blues-rock. Highly recommemded.