''Humble Pie'' is the third studio album by English rock group Humble Pie. Released in 1970, it was their first album with

A&M Records A&M Records was an American record label founded as an independent company by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss in 1962. Due to the success of the discography A&M released, the label garnered interest and was acquired by PolyGram in 1989 and began distr ...

Background

''Humble Pie'' was a transitional album and a harbinger of the band's new, heavier direction. The material was darker than their previous two efforts, with striking contrasts in volume and style – Peter Frampton's gentle "Earth and Water Song" is buttressed between two of the heaviest tracks on the record, the band-composed [] "One Eyed Trouser Snake Rumba", and a cover of Willie Dixon's "I'm Ready". Drummer Jerry Shirley contributed a rare lead vocal on his song "Only a Roach", a country-twinged ode to cannabis (drug), cannabis that also appeared as the B-side of the summer 1970 single "

Big Black Dog "Big Black Dog" is a single released in 1970 by English rock band Humble Pie, one of the first British supergroups which formed in 1969. It was the band's first single for A&M Records and the follow-up single to " Natural Born Bugie" (1969). I ...

". This was their first release under the auspices of new American manager Dee Anthony – who had pushed for a louder, tighter sound both live and in the studio – and for their new label, A&M Records. At the end of 1969, the Pie's old label, Immediate, owned by

Andrew Loog Oldham Andrew Loog Oldham (born 29 January 1944) is an English record producer, talent manager, impresario and author. He was manager and producer of the Rolling Stones from 1963 to 1967, and was noted for his flamboyant style. Early life Loog Oldha ...

, went bankrupt – a saga chronicled by Marriott on the satirical ballad "Theme from Skint (See You Later Liquidator)".

Artwork

"Humble Pie" is often referred to by fans as "The Beardsley Album" because of the distinct cover artwork by artist

Aubrey Beardsley Aubrey Vincent Beardsley (21 August 187216 March 1898) was an English illustrator and author. His black ink drawings were influenced by Japanese woodcuts, and depicted the grotesque, the decadent, and the erotic. He was a leading figure in the ...

, an influential English illustrator and author best known for his erotic illustrations. The inside of the gate-fold album features the band and the back cover is the second version of the George Frederic Watts oil painting " Hope"; and, is the back photo on the Japanese remastered version of 2016. Humble Pie- Humble Pie inside gatefold 1970

Humble Pie- Humble Pie inside gatefold 1970

Track listing

#"Live With Me" - (Humble Pie) - 7:55 #"Only a Roach" - (Shirley) - 2:49 #"One Eyed Trouser Snake Rumba" - (Humble Pie) - 2:51 #"Earth and Water Song" - (Frampton) - 6:18 #" I'm Ready" - ( Willie Dixon) - 4:59 #"Theme from Skint (See You Later Liquidator)" - (Marriott) - 5:43 #"Red Light Mamma, Red Hot!" - (Humble Pie, lyrics - Marriott) - 6:16 #"Sucking on the Sweet Vine" (Ridley) - 5:46

Personnel

Humble Pie *

Steve Marriott Stephen Peter Marriott (30 January 1947 – 20 April 1991) was an English guitarist, singer and songwriter. He co-founded and played in the rock bands Small Faces and Humble Pie, in a career spanning over two decades. Marriott was inducted pos ...

– guitar, keyboards, vocals * Peter Frampton – guitar, keyboards, vocals *

Greg Ridley Alfred Gregory Ridley (23 October 1941 – 19 November 2003) was an English bassist who was the bassist and a founding member of the rock band Humble Pie and Spooky Tooth. Career Ridley was born in Carlisle, Cumberland, England. Early in h ...

– bass, guitar, vocals * Jerry Shirley – drums, guitar, vocals, lead vocals on "Only a Roach" Additional musicians * John Wilson – drums on "Only a Roach" *

B.J. Cole Brian John Cole is an English pedal steel guitarist, who has long been active as a session and solo musician. Coming to prominence in the early 1970s with the band Cochise, Cole has played in many styles, ranging from mainstream pop and rock t ...

– steel guitar Technical staff *Recorded by Glyn (The Man) Johns at Olympic Sound Studios, London *Mutual Ideas by Glyn Johns / Humble Pie

References

External links

* Billboard.com album discography {{Authority control 1970 albums Humble Pie (band) albums Albums produced by Glyn Johns A&M Records albums Albums recorded at Olympic Sound Studios