Free, Humble Pie, & Fleetwood Mac
Three of my favorite bands! All three worked very hard to become successful and all three had spectacular musicianship!
When I first picked up the Tons of Sobs LP I had no idea that this band was so young! Andy Fraser, the bass player, was 15, Paul Kossoff, guitarist, was 17 and singer Paul Rodgers and drummer SImon Kirke were only 18!
Of course, everyone knows their biggest hit “All Right Now” but for me, they wrote some incredible tunes that I think are equally as strong, if not more so.
I think after it became a big hit, they played Carnegie Hall. Unfortunately, I did not get to see the show but I did see Bad Company with Paul Rodgers a couple of years later.
BTW, Andy Fraser is one of “Talkin About My Generation’s” fans! Hi Andy!
When my sister returned from London, she had a copy of Mr Wonderful by Fleetwood Mac with the awesome Peter Green on guitar. Obviously a Elmore James fan, Green’s guitar style was just what John Mayall needed after Eric Clapton left the Bluesbreakers. Not to long after Green joined Mayall, he and Mayall bassist John McVie and drummer Mick Fleetwood started recording what was to become Fleetwood Mac. McVie was the holdout wanting the steady gig with Mayall, he didn’t join the band until they started to become popular. As a matter of fact, the Mac in Fleetwood Mac was to entice McVie to join the band!
My favorite Fleetwood Mac American LP is Then Play On. You could tell from the recording that the band was branching out from its’ blues roots
Created from 3 fantastic bands, The Small Faces, Spooky Tooth, and the Herd, Humble Pie included wonderful traits from each of them. Lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Stevie Marriot, lead guitarist Peter Frampton, bassist Greg Ridley and 17 year old drummer Jerry Shirley were on of the most interesting bands from England.
There first LP As Safe As Yesterday IS was released on Andrew Loog Oldham’s Immediate label, also home to the Small Faces. It didn’t do very well in the US but Natural Born Bugie was a hit in England. Their 2nd release didn’t make it to the US but I went down to Bleeker Bob’s in the Village and picked up the import. Town and Country was a more laid back LP and stands up well today!
When they came to the states and played the Fillmore East, all was right with the world! They recorded it and it went gold!
I was at that show. If you get a chance to listen to the recording, you can hear me applauding!
Sadly, Peter Frampton left the band due to creative differences. He too did a live solo recording that launched his career into the stratosphere! Frampton Comes Alive sold over 6 million records!
He was replaced by Colisseum guitarist Clem Clempson and they had their most successful chart LP Smokin’
I am putting a new band together and will be gigging in NY on June 17th. I plan on playing material from all three of these groups
It is going to be a good show!
As David Lee Roth says “If it’s too loud, you’re too old!”
Hi David,
ok where and when?i cannot miss the show and i am already looking forward to actually meeting you.
jp