Bright Side Of The Moon: Humble Pie

Humble Pie - Rock On
MFSL Aluminum (MFCD 847)
wv.scans

This is the final studio album to feature guitarist and vocalist Peter Frampton, Rock On saw Humble Pie establishing the heavy blues/rock sound they became famous for, led in no small part by their new manager, American, Dee Anthony after the collapse of Andrew Loog Oldham's Immediate Records. But this was not where Frampton wanted to be and within a year he had quit the group to pursue his solo career and take his music in a more acoustic direction.

Rock On cut its teeth live before it was recorded, with the band just finishing an American tour. Marriott considered the album like a studio party featuring numerous guest performers from the world of blues and soul. Distinguished performers such as PP Arnold, who Marriott knew very well from his Small Faces days, Doris Troy who had a U.S. hit in the early 1960s with her own self-composed song "Just One Look" (later covered by The Hollies), and Claudia Lennear (who had sung backing for artists such as Joe Cocker, Freddie King and Gene Clark), were featured on this album.

The album features the classic rock song "Stone Cold Fever" written by band members Marriott, Ridley, Frampton and Shirley. Steve Marriott's ballad "A Song For Jenny" (written for first wife Jenny Rylance) features The Soul Sisters (Doris Troy, P.P. Arnold and Claudia Lennear) on backing vocals. B.J. Cole contributes pedal steel guitar. "Strange Days" is a ballsy blues rock song, as Marriott's powerful vocals soar the closest to a live performance that any on this album reach, it is also the longest song on the album too, the vocals having a delayed echo making it all the more out there yet grounded especially Frampton's guitar solos that weave throughout. "Sour Grain" was a joint composition by Peter Frampton and Steve Marriott, which keeps the same tempo as "Shine On", but with just Steve on vocals.

1. Shine On	Listen	Listen
2. Sour Grain	Listen	Listen
3. 79th And Sunset	Listen	Listen
4. Stone Cold Fever	Listen	Listen
5. Rollin' Stone	Listen	Listen
6. A Song For Jenny	Listen	Listen
7. The Light	Listen	Listen
8. Big George	Listen	Listen
9. Strange Days	Listen	Listen
10. Red Neck Jump	Listen	Listen