Performance Rockin' the Fillmore
Encyclopedia
Performance Rockin' the Fillmore is the 1971 live double-album/one-cd by English
blues-rock group Humble Pie
. It reached #21 on the Billboard 200
, and hit the UK Top 40.
's guitar playing was at its most melodic and Steve Marriott
's vocals are captured here in essence and preserved.
"I Don't Need No Doctor" was the biggest airplay hit from the album (having been issued as a single in edited version, and reaching #73 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1971). But some consider the biggest highlight to be the Doctor John cover "I Walk On Gilded Splinters". It stretches out over almost 25 minutes; one can even hear a bottle drop in the menacing intro.
The song listed as "Four Day Creep", and attributed to classic blues singer Ida Cox
, bears no melodic or lyrical resemblance to her self-recorded composition of that title. The single version of "I Don't Need No Doctor" was backed with another live recording from the Fillmore East not contained on the album, "A Song for Jenny", which Marriott wrote for his first wife, Jenny Rylance.
There is a story that, during the mixing of the album, the band presented what they thought to be the finished product to their manager, Dee Anthony
. Upon listening to it, he made one comment: "Great, but where's the audience?" It turned out that Marriott and drummer Jerry Shirley
were stoned and had forgotten to include the sound of the audience in the mix - so it was back to the mixing desk.
Shortly before the album's release, guitarist Peter Frampton left due to growing friction between Marriott and him. His departure hurt Marriott greatly, though he would never admit it to the other band members.
The album's steady sales helped Performance: Rockin' the Fillmore to become the band's first RIAA gold record, and its popularity helped the band's previous album, Rock On, to reach gold album status as well.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
blues-rock group Humble Pie
Humble Pie (band)
Humble Pie was a rock band from England, finding success both in the UK and the US. They are remembered for songs such as "Black Coffee" "30 Days in the Hole", "I Don't Need No Doctor", and "Natural Born Bugie"...
. It reached #21 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, and hit the UK Top 40.
Album profile
This hour-long set boasted only one original song and a handful of cover tunes, beefed up and presented Humble Pie-style. Peter FramptonPeter Frampton
Peter Kenneth Frampton is an English musician, singer, producer, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. He was previously associated with the bands Humble Pie and The Herd. Frampton's international breakthrough album was his live release, Frampton Comes Alive!. The album sold over 6 million copies...
's guitar playing was at its most melodic and Steve Marriott
Steve Marriott
Stephen Peter Marriott , popularly known as Steve Marriott, was an English musician, songwriter, and frontman of several notable rock and roll bands, spanning over two decades...
's vocals are captured here in essence and preserved.
"I Don't Need No Doctor" was the biggest airplay hit from the album (having been issued as a single in edited version, and reaching #73 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1971). But some consider the biggest highlight to be the Doctor John cover "I Walk On Gilded Splinters". It stretches out over almost 25 minutes; one can even hear a bottle drop in the menacing intro.
The song listed as "Four Day Creep", and attributed to classic blues singer Ida Cox
Ida Cox
Ida Cox was an African American singer and vaudeville performer, best known for her blues performances and recordings...
, bears no melodic or lyrical resemblance to her self-recorded composition of that title. The single version of "I Don't Need No Doctor" was backed with another live recording from the Fillmore East not contained on the album, "A Song for Jenny", which Marriott wrote for his first wife, Jenny Rylance.
There is a story that, during the mixing of the album, the band presented what they thought to be the finished product to their manager, Dee Anthony
Dee Anthony
Dee Anthony was an American talent manager who started in the business with fellow Bronx native Jerry Vale. After meeting Tony Bennett in 1954 at a nightclub in Yonkers, New York, he ended up representing the singer for more than a decade...
. Upon listening to it, he made one comment: "Great, but where's the audience?" It turned out that Marriott and drummer Jerry Shirley
Jerry Shirley
Jerry Shirley is an English rock drummer, best known for his work with the rock band Humble Pie and appeared on all their albums...
were stoned and had forgotten to include the sound of the audience in the mix - so it was back to the mixing desk.
Shortly before the album's release, guitarist Peter Frampton left due to growing friction between Marriott and him. His departure hurt Marriott greatly, though he would never admit it to the other band members.
The album's steady sales helped Performance: Rockin' the Fillmore to become the band's first RIAA gold record, and its popularity helped the band's previous album, Rock On, to reach gold album status as well.
Side one
- "Four Day Creep" (Ida CoxIda CoxIda Cox was an African American singer and vaudeville performer, best known for her blues performances and recordings...
) – 3:46 - "I'm ReadyI'm Ready (Blues song)"I'm Ready" is a blues song written by Willie Dixon and first recorded by Muddy Waters in 1954. It was a hit, spending nine weeks on the Billboard R&B chart where it reached #4...
" (Humble PieHumble Pie (band)Humble Pie was a rock band from England, finding success both in the UK and the US. They are remembered for songs such as "Black Coffee" "30 Days in the Hole", "I Don't Need No Doctor", and "Natural Born Bugie"...
, words by Willie DixonWillie DixonWilliam James "Willie" Dixon was an American blues musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and record producer. A Grammy Award winner who was proficient on both the Upright bass and the guitar, as well as his own singing voice, Dixon is arguably best known as one of the most prolific songwriters...
) – 8:31 - "Stone Cold Fever" (Humble Pie) – 6:18
Side four
- "Hallelujah I Love Her SoHallelujah I Love Her So"Hallelujah I Love Her So" is a rhythm and blues single written by and released by American singer Ray Charles in 1956 on the Atlantic label.The song peaked at number five on the Billboard R&B chart and much like "I Got a Woman" and "This Little Girl of Mine" before it was a song based on a gospel...
" (Ray CharlesRay CharlesRay Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
) – 5:10 - "I Don't Need No DoctorI Don't Need No Doctor"I Don't Need No Doctor" was a hit song written by Nick Ashford, Valerie Simpson and Jo Armstead, and first recorded by Ray Charles in 1966. Over the years, it has been covered by bands such as garage rock band The Chocolate Watch Band in 1969, Humble Pie in 1971, New Riders of the Purple Sage in...
" (Nick Ashford, Valerie SimpsonAshford & SimpsonNickolas Ashford , and Valerie Simpson , were a husband and wife songwriting/production team and recording artists....
, Jo ArmsteadJo ArmsteadJosephine "Jo" Armstead , often known as "Joshie" Jo Armstead, is an American soul singer and songwriter. She co-wrote Ray Charles' hits "Let's Go Get Stoned" and "I Don't Need No Doctor", among other songs written with Ashford & Simpson...
) – 9:15
Personnel
- Steve MarriottSteve MarriottStephen Peter Marriott , popularly known as Steve Marriott, was an English musician, songwriter, and frontman of several notable rock and roll bands, spanning over two decades...
: guitar, vocals, keyboards, harmonica - Peter FramptonPeter FramptonPeter Kenneth Frampton is an English musician, singer, producer, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. He was previously associated with the bands Humble Pie and The Herd. Frampton's international breakthrough album was his live release, Frampton Comes Alive!. The album sold over 6 million copies...
: guitar, vocals - Greg RidleyGreg RidleyAlfred Gregory 'Greg' Ridley was one of the more visible rock bassists in England, and a founding member of the successful rock band Humble Pie...
: bass, vocals - Jerry ShirleyJerry ShirleyJerry Shirley is an English rock drummer, best known for his work with the rock band Humble Pie and appeared on all their albums...
: drums
- Live Recording by Fedco Audio Labs
- Engineer : Eddie KramerEddie KramerEdwin H. Kramer is an audio engineer and producer who has worked with, among others, Led Zeppelin, Triumph, Kiss , Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Spooky Tooth, Peter Frampton, Curtis Mayfield, Santana, Anthrax, Carly Simon, Loudness, and Robin Trower.-1960s:Eddie...
- Assistant Engineer : David Palmer
- Re-mixed at Electric Lady StudiosElectric Lady StudiosElectric Lady Studios, at 52 West 8th Street, in New York City's Greenwich Village, is a recording studio originally built by Jimi Hendrix and designed by John Storyk in 1970...
, New York - Engineer : Eddie Kramer
- Ably assisted by John Jansen, Andy Edlen, Buzzy and Tom
- Produced by The Pie
Releases
- 1971 LP A&M 3506
- 1990 LP A&M 6008
- 1990 CD A&M 75021-6008-2
- 1990 CS A&M 75021-6008-4
- 1996 CD Universal/Polygram 1887
- 2004 LP Classic 3506
- 2006 CD Universal 6229
- 2007 CD Universal 93221
- 2007 CD Universal 93221 (Japan)