''Performance: Rockin' the Fillmore'' is the 1971 live double-LP/single-CD by the English blues-rock group

Humble Pie Humble Pie are an English Rock music, rock band formed by Steve Marriott and Peter Frampton in Moreton, Essex, in 1969. They are known as one of the first Supergroup (music), supergroups of the late 1960s and enjoyed success in the early 1970s ...

, recorded at the

Fillmore East The Fillmore East was Promoter (entertainment), rock promoter Bill Graham (promoter), Bill Graham's rock venue on Second Avenue (Manhattan), Second Avenue near 6th Street (Manhattan), East 6th Street on the Lower East Side section of Manhattan, ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

on May 28–29, 1971. It reached No. 21 on the ''Billboard'' 200, #32 in Canada, and entered the UK Top 40.

Background

The hour-long set contains one original song and several cover versions. The song listed as "Four Day Creep" is attributed to the classic blues singer Ida Cox, but bears no melodic or lyrical resemblance to her self-recorded composition of that title. The single version of " I Don't Need No Doctor" was backed with "A Song for Jenny" from the '' Rock On'' album, which Marriott wrote for his first wife, Jenny Rylance. After the album was mixed, and shortly before it was released, guitarist

Peter Frampton Peter Kenneth Frampton (born 22 April 1950) is an English-American guitarist, singer, and songwriter who rose to prominence as a member of the rock bands the Herd and Humble Pie. Later in his career, Frampton found significant success as a s ...

left the band because of growing friction between him and Marriott. The album's steady sales helped it to become the band's first

RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

gold record. Its popularity helped the band's previous album, ''Rock On'', reach gold album status. "I Don't Need No Doctor" was the biggest hit from the album, having been issued as an edited single and reaching No. 73 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1971. On October 29, 2013,

Omnivore Recordings Omnivore Recordings is an independent record label founded in 2010. It specializes in historical releases, reissues and previously unissued vintage recordings, as well as select releases of new music, on CD, vinyl and digital formats. Omnivore R ...

released all four sets recorded that weekend as a four-CD set ''Performance: Rockin' the Fillmore: The Complete Recordings''.

Critical reception

Ken Barnes penned a negative review of ''Performance'' in '' Fusion'', writing: "In a financially justified but slightly crass bid to attract the reds-whites-and-blues crowd, the group has gone metal-heavy with a vengeance, and as a result now rocks not only the Fillmore but is rockin' the bottom as well. In short, this leaden collection of sledge-hammered

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...

and over-extended under-inspired improvisations is pretty dismal." ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' reviewed the album more favourably, commenting that it is "full of the dynamic, raw-gut force of the hardest kind of

hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a heavier subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and Distortion (music), distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the Garage rock, garage, Psychedelic rock, psychedelic and blues ...

", particularly praising "Hallelujah (I Love Her So)". Writing in '' Christgau's Record Guide'' (1981),

Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and later became a ...

quipped: "Lotsa getdown vocals, lotsa getdown guitar, and an important political message, which is that short guys get laid more than normal people. A lie." Paul Morris of '' The Rough Guide to Rock'' (1999) named it a "ground-breaking live double LP" which captured Humble Pie's quintessential sound, adding: "On this, Marriott, the consummate showman, employed his gutsy baritone to spine-chilling effect on lengthy and thrilling reworkings of both originals and blues standards." He also named it one of Humble Pie's most recommended recordings, and "one of rock's most powerful live albums." Reviewing the album in ''The Great Rock Discography'' (2006), Martin C. Strong commented on Marriot's powerful stage presence, noting how he " lazeshis way through a fiery set of boogie-based blues-rock, both Humble Pie originals and frenetic covers". In 2011, ''

Houston Press The ''Houston Press'' is an online newspaper published in Houston, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in the Midtown Houston, Midtown area. It was also a weekly print newspaper until November 2017. The publication is supported entirely ...

'' ranked the album fifth in their list of "Five Essential Boogie-Rock Albums"; contributor Bob Ruggiero considers it "often overlooked but essential", adding that the lengthy jams on "Stole Cold Fever", "Rollin' Stone" and "I Don't Need No Doctor" make the record ideal for "groovin' or stuffing some choice smoke in a bowl."

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

Stephen Thomas Erlewine Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and former senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of multiple artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance ...

noted how it documents an era where Marriot's concepts and lyrics were balanced by Frampton's "searing" guitar work, conceding that while less engaging than ''As Safe Yesterday Is'', the live record is "valuable and at times insightful" for capturing the band at a pivotal moment in their career.

Track listing

Personnel

Humble Pie *

Steve Marriott Stephen Peter Marriott (30 January 1947 – 20 April 1991) was an English actor, musician, guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was a student at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London and appeared in the West End, before taking a r ...

– guitar, vocals, harmonica *

– guitar, vocals * Greg Ridley – bass guitar, vocals *

Jerry Shirley Jeremy Duncan Tipson Shirley (born 4 February 1952), known professionally as Jerry Shirley, is an English rock drummer, best known as a member of the band Humble Pie (band), Humble Pie, appearing on all their albums. He is also known for his wor ...

– drums Technical team *Live recording by Fedco Audio Labs *Engineer:

Eddie Kramer Edwin H. Kramer (born 19 April 1942) is a South African-born recording producer and engineer. He has collaborated with several artists now in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, including Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles, David Bowie, the Rolling Stones, L ...

*Assistant engineer: David Palmer *Re-mixed at

Electric Lady Studios Electric Lady Studios is a recording studio in Greenwich Village, New York City. It was commissioned by rock musician Jimi Hendrix in 1968 and designed by architect John Storyk and audio engineer Eddie Kramer. It was completed by 1970. Hendrix ...

, New York *Engineer: Eddie Kramer *Ably assisted by John Jansen, Andy Edlen, Buzzy and Tom *Produced by The Pie

Charts

Certifications

Releases

:1971 LP A&M 3506 :1990 LP A&M 6008 :1990 CD A&M 75021-6008-2 :1990 CS A&M 75021-6008-4 :1996 CD Universal/Polygram 1887 :2004 LP Classic 3506 :2006 CD Universal 6229 :2007 CD Universal 93221 :2007 CD Universal 93221 (Japan) :2013 CD Universal 3751304 :2017 LP Box Disc 3 A&M ('The A&M Vinyl Boxset 1970-1975' released June 16, 2017)

References

External links

YouTube:/ "I Don't Need No Doctor" 1971Steve Marriott - The Official Website
* {{Authority control Humble Pie (band) albums Albums recorded at the Fillmore East A&M Records albums 1971 live albums Albums produced by Steve Marriott Albums produced by Peter Frampton Albums produced by Greg Ridley Albums produced by Jerry Shirley Hard rock albums by English artists Boogie rock albums Heavy metal albums by English artists