Humble Pie

Humble Pie with no Steve Marriott? As preposterous as that sounds -- after all, Marriott was the heart, soul, and voice of the band -- that's exactly what took place on the 2002 release Back on Track. The trusty old Humble Pie rhythm section is back in place (bassist Greg Ridley and drummer Jerry Shirley), who are now joined by a pair of newcomers -- guitarist Bob Tench and vocalist Dave Colwell. And despite being issued in the early 21st century, songs such as the album-opening "Dignified" and "Ain't No Big Thing" have an unmistakable '80s mainstream rock feel to them. Which is quite puzzling, as it was grit and soul that served as major ingredients on the majority of classic, Marriott-led Humble Pie releases. While it's understandable that Ridley and Shirley would want to get together and start playing once more -- Humble Pie was quite a mean rockin' machine back in the day -- this "new look" lineup simply doesn't do the Humble Pie legacy justice. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide