Humble Pie – “The Life And Times Of Steve Marriott” [Documentary Review]

I can’t… I just can’t even put into words what a large waste of paper and plastic this is going to be when it’s found in the used section of your favorite record store. Steve Marriott’s a golden god and, while the coverage is fair, it’s boring. First off, I understand this is a re-release, but, as a three-disc set, I would expect a little more. Disc one is a rip of a documentary that’s been on YouTube for ages. Disc two is a streamlined version of disc one, trimming the fat so one doesn’t fall fast asleep in their recliner. Disc three is audio that’s been floating around for years, which ends up being the highlight of this collection of butt nuggets.

Now, as a given, the documentary was filmed back in…. I don’t know when The Black Crowes first assembled and Quiet Riot’s singer hadn’t OD’d. The British banter is asleep at the wheel and uninteresting, unlike Marriott himself. The guy was a power plant vocalist and guitarist sans the drug problems; a firecracker with a short fuse, to put it mildly.

You can write an entire story about “Itchycoo Park,” a book on “Thirty Days in the Hole,” and you can’t surpass “Four Day Creep“ or “C’mon Everybody.” Even Peter Frampton’s stories are tame for the time, as I believe he was on holiday for a jaunt. Only Kevin DuBrow from Quiet Riot points out how Marriott started preaching and singing banter in between songs and this was to become the swan song for Humble Pie.

Steve Marriott says “I Don’t Need No Doctor.”

I love this band like Led Zeppelin, and better than Jeff Beck’s Truth. It saddens my heart that someone hasn’t shined a light on this musical rainbow and leprechaun with the pot of gold known as Steve Marriott.

But, do yourself a favor and skip this long-winded, nicely packaged shiny shrink-wrapped version of the band’s history. YouTube the video segment, buy Live at Winterland on LP (also released on Cleopatra or the superior King Biscuit version on CD), and skip the box set altogether. I won’t say he’s rolling over in his grave over this, but, at least someone acknowledge his presence properly in the annals of rock and roll, and buy the guy a hefty pint up in rock and roll heaven.

The Life and Times of Steve Marriott Track Listing:

01. Stone Cold Fever
02. Tin Soldier
03. Itchycoo Park
04. Lazy Sunday
05. Paradise Lost
06. Take Me Back
07. Natural Born Woman (Natural Born Boogie)
08. Alabama ‘69
09. Sad Bag of Shaky Jake
10. For Your Love
11. Four Day Creep
12. 30 Days in the Hole
13. Hot ‘n’ Nasty
14. Black Coffee
15. The Bigger They Come
16. I Will Not Let You Down

Run Time: 90:00
Release Date: November 8, 2019
Record Label: Cleopatra Entertainment

Gotta love those “Honky Tonk Women.”