HUMBLE PIE LEGACY – 50 YEARS OF SMOKIN’

When Humble Pie emerged a half century ago, they lead the way as the heavy harbingers of a new generation of organic, hard-hitting blues-rock that would help define the denim and doobies half-decade of the early 1970s. Their unimpeachably classic LPs like 1971’s heralded live album Performance: Rockin’ the Fillmore and 1972’s commercial breakthrough Smokin’ remain veritable cornerstones of classic rock, foundational influences for generations of artists from Aerosmith to Van Halen to Quiet Riot to the Black Crowes to Rival Sons, Dirty Honey, and beyond. 

With the band poised to begin touring, and the deep catalog of songs to draw from night to night, each has a specific favorite track or moment they point to. With Bodley, he shares, “There's a moment near the end of ‘I Don't Need No Doctor’ where there's kind of a false ending after the guitar solo. When Bobby counts the band back in to the main riff, the audience always goes bananas. It lands like an explosion every time. The entire building and all the people in it are vibrating at the exact same frequency in that moment. It's a thing of beauty to behold.” For drummer Marks he simply offers, “Sounds cliché, but all the songs are a joy to play.  As a drummer, you really can’t ask for more than these songs to play every night.” Guitarist Colwell weighs in offering, “I especially like ‘Four Day Creep’ as it's such an amazing opener on the Fillmore album, quite unique.”

The band will hit the road in September billed as Jerry Shirley Presents: Humble Pie Legacy - 50 Years of Smokin’. Shirley offers, “Having spent a long time carefully putting together such a wonderful band of top class players with the help of Dave ‘Bucket’ Colwell, my musical director and band leader using his recruiting skills, I am thrilled with the outcome and can't wait to see and hear them light up the live stage later this year."   Looking towards the road ahead, singer Stapley shares, “Having spent a number of years playing with guys like Bucket, Kenney Jones, and Rick Wills, and having written, performed with, and been a close friend to Mollie - one of Steve’s daughters - it’s clearly obvious to me that the legacy of Humble Pie is an important and influential one. It’s not lost on me that the center spot on stage has a huge hole in it, where Steve Marriott once stood. I can’t even attempt to fill those boots, no one can. But I’ll tear my lungs out giving it a shot… The songs deserve it, the band deserves it, and everyone one who has come to love the music of Humble Pie, but never got to see them live, deserve it too… So, no pressure… (gulp). “ Read the band's full bio here.

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