HUMBLE PIE was formed amidst much hype by ex-SMALL FACES guitarist STEVE MARRIOTT and former HERD guitarist PETER FRAMPTON in 1968. Marriott had been in the spotlight for much of his life, first achieving recognition as a child actor in 1960 playing the lead role of the Artful Dodger in the London play 'Oliver!'. Between 1962 and 1964 Marriott also starred a variety of movies including 'Live It Up!', 'Be My Guest', Peter Seller's 'Heaven's Above' and TV series 'Citizen James' and 'Dixon Of Dock Green'. 

Marriott switched from acting to music in 1963, releasing an unsuccessful solo single 'Give Her My Regards' / 'Imaginary Love' that July through Decca Records. He subsequently joined THE MOMENTS, evolving from THE FRANTIKS. This band toured hard but when their version of THE KINKS 'You Really Got Me' failed to chart Marriott was dropped from the act. He next forged the highly successful Mod band SMALL FACES. Five highly influential albums ensued, 1966's 'Small Faces', 1967's 'From The Beginning' and 'There Are But Four Small Faces' and 'Ogden's Nut Gone Flake' in May 1968 and 'The Autumn Stone' in November 1969, but the group collapsed. Marriott hooked up with Peter Frampton to create HUMBLE PIE. Joining this illustrious duo was former SPOOKY TOOTH bassist Greg Ridley and the then 17 year old ex-LITTLE WOMEN and APOSTOLISTIC INTERVENTION drummer Jerry Shirley. Initial rehearsals had Ian McLagan of the SMALL FACES on keyboards.

The band was signed to ROLLING STONES manager Andrew Loog Oldham's Immediate Records and scored a no. 4 UK hit single in July 1969 with 'Natural Born Bugie'. The progressive Rhythm and Blues Rock inclined album 'As Safe As Yesterday Is', recorded by producer Andy Johns at Olympic Studios in London, emerged shortly afterwards in August, hitting no. 16 on the UK charts. This set, opening with a rendition of STEPPENWOLF's 'Desperation', witnessed different track listings either side of the Atlantic, the UK version hosting 'Growing Closer' in place of the US variant's 'Natural Born Woman'. Marriott and Frampton divided song writing duties equally throughout the album with formative member Ian McLagan contributing 'Growing Closer'. Rolling Stone's November 1970 review of 'As Safe As Yesterday Is' by Mike Saunders famously used the term "Heavy Metal" (actually "noisy, unmelodic, heavy metal-leaden shit-rock", to describe the band's sound.

A second album, 'Town and Country' again produced by Andy Johns, also released in the UK during November 1969 whilst the band was in the throes of its debut North American tour, boasted a lighter acoustic flavour. This rush release, complete with the BUDDY HOLLY cover 'Heartbeat', was put out hastily by Immediate Records with little marketing in an attempt to stimulate cash flow for the failing company. 'Town and Country' was not granted a US release. This duality of sound was highlighted in concert format as live sets were divided between opening acoustictracks, often including an ambitious re-working of Graham Gouldman's 'For Your Love', capped by a full electric set.

Despite this success early albums failed to live up to the 'supergroup' status marked out for the band by the media. When their record label collapsed HUMBLE PIE signed to A&M Records together with new manager Dee Anthony and an eponymous Glyn Johns produced album was released in July 1970. Clad in a distinctive Aubrey Beardsley linework sleeve, this album pursued a harder stance. For this set, which saw COCHISE man B.J. Cole providing guest steel guitar, the band tackled WILLIE DIXON's 'I'm Ready'. The financial woes of their erstwhile label were chronicled on the wryly titled 'Theme From Skint (See You Later Liquidator)'.

'Rock On', once more recorded at Olympic Sound Studios in London with producer Glyn Johns, arrived in March 1971, attaining gold sales status in the USA. Another homage to the Blues was delivered with MUDDY WATERS 'Rollin' Stone'. The band started to aggressively tour America, culminating in the classic live album 'Performance - Rockin' The Filmore' in November 1971. This release, which oddly comprised a roster of cover versions with only 'Stone Cold Fever' as the sole original composition, peaked at no. 21 on the Billboard charts. At this point in their career HUMBLE PIE were consistently filling American stadiums. 'I Don't Need No Doctor' also gave the group a valuable radio hit.

A&M Records reissued their first two UK albums in America in one package, titled 'Lost And Found', which reached no. 37 in the charts, but Frampton bailed out after the live album to form FRAMPTON'S CAMEL before he achieved massive solo success in America with his double live album "Frampton Comes Alive'. HUMBLE PIE soldiered on with guitarist Clem Clempson whose previous credits include BAKERLOO (alongside future JUDAS PRIEST drummer John Hinch) and COLOSSEUM.

With Clempson in the ranks HUMBLE PIE got noticeably heavier on the March 1972 collection 'Smokin'', giving the group it 's highest Billboard chart position at no. 6. In the UK 'Smokin' reached no. 28. Two covers were tackled, a deliberately lethargic 'C'mon Everybody' by EDDIE COCHRAN and 'JUNIOR WALKER's 'Road Runner'. Stephen Stills guested on 'Road Runner' whilst Alexis Korner was spotlighted on 'Old Time Feelin'.

April 1973's double album 'Eat It' was made up of one side of originals and a second of R&B covers including versions of IKE & TINA TURNER's 'Black Coffee', RAY CHARLES' 'I Believe To My Soul', EDWIN STARR's 'Shut Up And Don't Interrupt Me', JAMISON's 'That's How Strong My Love Is' and the ROLLING STONES 'Honky Tonk Women'. Side three featured acoustic Steve Marriott compositions and live tracks on side four caught on tape at Green's Playhouse in Glasgow. The studio songs were recorded in the singer's newly converted barn at Beehive Cottage dubbed Clear Sound Studios. The album scored no. 13 in the USA and no. 34 in the UK.

They then switched direction firmly to a more Soul orientated path with the addition of female backing vocalists THE BLACKBIRDS (Venetta Fields, Billie Barnum, Clydie King) for February 1974's 'Thunderbox'. Amongst the mainly original tracks was a take on ANN PEEBLES "I Can't Stand The Rain' and 'Oh La-De-Da' by THE STAPLES SINGERS. The album title passed many American listeners by, a thunderbox being old English slang for a toilet. The Hipgnosis album sleeve featured a cut out keyhole, through which a woman could be seen sitting on the toilet. This effort peaked at no. 54 on the US chart listings.

February 1975's Street Rats' was conceived in less than favourable circumstances as a contractual obligation. Reportedly material tracked by Marriott at Clear Sound Studios for an intended solo album was "confiscated" by the record company, mixed by Andrew Loog Oldham and released under the HUMBLE PIE brand. No less than three THE BEATLES covers were incorporated, 'Rain', 'We Can Work it Out' and 'Drive My Car' plus CHUCK BERRY's 'Rock and Roll Music'. Band members were defiant in their condemnation of 'Street Rats'. After four years solid work on the road and a crop of chart albums the musicians finances were in such a perilous state that a joint decision was made to venture into new musical pastures and so, with keyboard player Tim Hinkley installed, the band undertook a 1975 farewell tour dubbed 'Goodbye Pie'.

HUMBLE PIE fell apart, with Clempson forming STRANGE BREW. Shirley joined NATURAL GAS. Main man Steve Marriott formed the STEVE MARRIOT ALL STARS, releasing the album 'Marriott' in 1976, although the man later put HUMBLE PIE back together after a brief reformation attempt with the SMALL FACES dissolved. 

The band, Marriott, Shirley and now featuring the WIDOWMAKER, HUMMINGBIRD, BOXER and JEFF BECK GROUP singer / guitarist Bobby Tench and American bassist Anthony 'Sooty' Jones, cut the song 'Fool For A Pretty Face', which secured a new deal with Atco Records for the USA and Don Arden's Jet Records in the UK. HUMBLE PIE toured North America in support of the 'On To Victory' album, which hit no. 60 on the charts, in 1980 as part of the 'Rock n' Roll Marathon' bill alongside MAHOGHANY RUSH, MOTHER'S FINEST, ANGEL and RUSSIA.

'Go For The Throat' was crafted by the same membership in union with producer Gary Lyons, augmented by backing singer ROBIN BECK in the studio. Marriott re-recorded the SMALL FACES hit 'Tin Soldier' as a single, the HUMBLE PIE version attaining a no. 58 US chart position. The group attempted to tour the USA with the 'Go For The Throat' album but an injury to Marriot's hand forced cancellation of early shows and the debilitating effects of a duodenal ulcer saw further shows canned. Atco Records duly dropped the band.

Jerry Shirley wound up joining ex-MOTÖRHEAD guitarist 'Fast' Eddie Clarke in FASTWAY for a brief tenure before trying to resurrect the HUMBLE PIE name in America with ex TED NUGENT, GARY MOORE and VICTORY vocalist Charlie Huhn. A projected mammoth tour degenerated into a handful of club dates.

Canadian Metal act KICK AXE revived interest in the band during 1984 with their radio hit version of '30 Days In The Hole'. Shortly after, and unbeknown to the general public, Steve Marriott was in consideration to occupy the vacant vocal position with none other than BLACK SABBATH.

By 1989 Tench was a member of the GB BLUES CO. alongside ex-DOG SOLDIER guitarist Derek Griffiths and former ARGENT bass player Jim Rodford. That same year Shirley acquired the legal rights to the HUMBLE PIE brand. Performing as HUMBLE PIE FEATURING JERRY SHIRLEY, a new band unit, including vocalist Charlie Huhn and guitarist Alan Greene, was assembled in Cleveland, Ohio. This version of the group toured enthusiastically in the USA and appeared at the Woodstock festival's 20th anniversary celebration concert but would issue no recordings.

Sadly Marriott, who had an erratic career post HUMBLE PIE but was nonetheless still a strong influence on a generation of guitar players, died when a fire destroyed his 16th century home in Arkesden, Essex, after taking a lethal cocktail of cocaine, valium and alcohol on 20th April 1991. In 1996 Marriott's impact on the scene was recognised by an Ivor Novello award for 'Outstanding Contribution to British Music'.

Shirley and Ridley reforged HUMBLE PIE yet again in 2000 together with Zoot Money, ex-BAD COMPANY guitarist Dave Colwell and former guitarist Bob Tench. Frampton, Shirley and Ridley would all perform at a concert held in memory of STEVE MARRIOT at London's Astoria venue in 2001. Also in attendance was ROGER DALTREY of THE WHO.

Greg Ridley took out a live combo entitled GREG RIDLEY'S HUMBLE PIE, featuring guitarists Chris George and Stefan John with STRAY's Karl Randall on drums, in 2003. Sadly, Ridley died suddenly from pneumonia on the 19th of November same year. George subsequently joined WAYSTED. During early 2004 former QUIET RIOT singer KEVIN DUBROW covered 'Red Light Mama, Red Hot' on his 'In For The Kill' album.

Garry Sharpe-Young