Search - Humble Pie :: Scrubbers Sesions

Jewel in the ruff

Shayne J. Davis | Murwillumbah, N.S.W. Australia | 05/11/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Scrubbers sessions is a real jewel in the ruff.This minor-label, 20-track release is a kind of Holy Grail for Marriott fans. Cut at his home studio with a bunch of friends ("the Scrubbers"), it's raw, heart-felt, and creative, showing all the potential that failed to surface on the post-Frampton Pie records. Ridley and competent blues pianist Tim Hinkley played a large part - Ridley's vocal on "Send Me Some Loving" is one of his best anywhere - but it's really a Marriott solo album. His authentic antiquarian interests surface repeatedly, with a hilarious music hall number ("Captain Goatcabin's Balancing Stallions"), gentle stabs at acoustic country ("Bluegrass Interval"), rockabilly ("You're A Heartbreaker") and country-blues ("Hambone"), some stripped-down R & B (Cooke's "Shake"; Spector's "Be My Baby"), and several over-the-top attempts to ape old time Delta and Chicago blues (a ground-shaking cover of "Mona"). All of this nicely balances his usual, blustery hard rock, which is crafted and impassioned here ("Street Rats"; drug odes like "High And Happy"). Amazingly, A & M records refused to release the tapes; given to Hinkley, they surfaced only when he finally decided to cash in on them. Guitarist Clempson and singers Fields, King and Brown showed up, but drummer Shirley didn't and was replaced by Ian Wallace; guests include BJ Cole (pedal steel) and Joe Brown (fiddle), and Wallace's King Crimson compatriots Mel Collins (sax) and Boz Burrell (bass). (JA)"

Scrubber Sessions

William D. Mahan | Diamond Springs, CA United States | 03/18/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Simply put, the second best bit of work by the Post-Framton Pie, after Smokin'. This set really shows off the wide range of the band as never before displayed in a single set. The tracks capture the force & direction that the band was moving towards, including a full range of hip-shaken boogie, raw blues and soulful ballads. Sadly put, an explosive last vison of a super band who's life was cut short, by short sidedness of the the '70s rock industry. The Scrubber Sessions is indeed, "The Lost Pie" that any fan must have!!!"

Humble Pie - 'The Scrubber Session' (Archive Records)

Mike Reed | USA | 05/25/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I remember wanting to get this compilation release when it first came out like ten years ago. Never got to hear it until now. A tasty twenty track collection of unreleased Humble Pie mid-'70's material that was originally slated to be the next band record. Tunes I dug the most were "I Need A Star In My Life", the bluesy "Send Me Some Loving", "High And Happy", "It's All Over", their own version of "Cocaine" (not a cover of the J.J. Cale classic) and a post-Frampton gem "Signed Sealed". Casual fans should get something out of 'The Scrubber Sessions' but obviously die-hards will get more. Worth the wait."