Guide to British Music of the 1960s

December 2001

CD Review

Humble Pie- Live at the Whisky A Go-Go 1969

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Humble Pie just make the criteria for Making Time as they were formed in 1969. Peter Frampton and Steve Marriott, in particular, had been frustrated by their previous groups and wanted the opportunity to expand musically. Humble Pie was to be the format with which they could do this.

Live at the Whisky A Go-Go is a souvenir of the band's first US tour in December 1969. Performance Rockin' The Fillmore is seen as one of the all-time great live albums but this is a much earlier Humble Pie gig before they had built their reputation anywhere, particular in the US. It has an intimacy that was lost when the band broke the US stadium circuit. Although the recording was made early in the Pie's career, they had already completed two studio albums in a matter of a few months. 

There are only five tracks on this CD. Nowadays the extended songs may sound a bit dated but back in 1969 this was something new that allowed groups to really stretch themselves. The opening track is an acoustic version of the Yardbirds' For Your Love. This sounds quite different to the original. It was a feature of the band's set that originally included four acoustic songs, each one highlighting a separate band member. However, this was changed and, by December 1969, For Your Love was the only such track left. The song itself was written by Graham Gouldman who also write Heartful of Soul as well as a number of other hits in the 1960s. He later turned up as a member of 1970s band 10CC.

Shakin' All Over is also another English rock classic, originally released by Johnny Kidd & the Pirates. This has been called the greatest-ever British rock n' roll song. There is a great version by the Who as well. An extended break in the eleven-minute Humble Pie version includes harmonica playing by Marriott. 

Hallelujah I Love Her So is an Ray Charles song that remained in the Humble Pie set and was even included in the short set played by the reformed band at the Steve Marriott Memorial in April 2001. The Beatles used to do this one too.

The Sad Bag of Shakey Jake is the only original track on the CD, having been written by Steve Marriott.

The final track, Dr John's I Walk on Guilded Splinters, is over 20 minutes long! The song has also been covered more recently by Paul Weller. Like Hallelujah this song was also included on Performance Rockin' The Fillmore. 

Essential Tracks:

• For Your Love
• The Sad Bag of Shakey Jake
• I Walk on Guilded Splinters

Track Listing:

1. For Your Love
2. Shakin' All Over
3. Hallelujah I Love Her So
4. The Sad Bag of Shakey Jake
5. I Walk on Guilded Splinters