Small Faces came out of Manor Park, East London in the mid 60s.
The classic Small Faces lineup would be:
Steve Marriott – vocal
Ronnie Lane - Bass
Kenney Jones – Drums
Jimmy Winston - Organ (later replaced by McLagan)
Ian McLagan - keyboards
Their roots would begin as key players in the London mod movement. Later they would grow as one of the UKs most creative and groundbreaking psychedelic acts. Word has it that the band name came from the fact that the boys were all on the short side and the term “face” was slang for being popular and looking sharp.
Their musical output, during a four year period, is recognized as being one of the most inspirational of the era. They have been name checked by musicians such as Paul Weller and Noel Gallagher as a major influence. The band’s early song set included R&B/soul classics that were popular with many bands of that era. The band would also perform original compositions on which Marriott would display vocals that had been modeled on his own heroes, Otis Reading and Bobby Bland. Check out "Every Little Bit Hurts" for Steve Marroitt's voice at it's very best.
They signed a management contract with 60s impresario Don Arden who would secure a recording deal for the band with Decca Records. Jimmy Winston would be fired soon after to be replaced by Ian McLagan, whose look and keyboard playing was a perfect fit with the band.
The new line up would chart with their third release for Decca, “Sha-La-La-Lee”. Debut Album, “Small Faces” would also see success in the British Charts, as popularity grew the band would begin to feature on TV shows like Ready Steady Go.
The bands playing had improved considerably and they would have achieved so much more if it were not for their aggressive, yobbish attitude which would alienate industry insiders and concert promoters. Marriott managed to eventually get the group banned from Top of the Pops after swearing at the shows producer.
In 1966 the group achieved a number one record with, “All or Nothing “, regarded by many as a white soul classic. Don Arden had spent a lot of time and effort promoting the Small Faces. Now he was growing tired of their loutish behavior, they were wrecking a career that had only just begun. The band found themselves bogged down in a bitter, legal wrangle when they should have been delivering a follow up to “All or Nothing “.
Eventually they parted company with Arden and Decca and sign with Andrew Loog Oldham’s Immediate label.
The Immediate sessions saw the band progress rapidly. The fist single was “Here Come the Nice”, which was influenced by drug use and managed to escape censorship despite the fact that it openly referred to speed. 67/68 saw the group at a creative peak. “Itchycoo Park” was released in mid-1967 followed by “Tin Soldier” a song Marriott had intended for P.P. Arnold who, in the end, sang backing on the Small Faces version.
“Lazy Sunday” was released in 1968, a cockney music-hall styled song released against their wishes but another chart success.
By now their career was at an all time high with the release of the classic album “Ogden’s’ Nut Gone Flake”. It is recognized not only for it’s musical innovation but, also it’s inventive round cover. The album stayed at number one in the UK for six weeks.
A two-act concept album it was narrated between tracks by Stan Unwin who related a psychedelic fable about “Happiness Stan” and his quest to find out where the moon went when it waned. The album was acclaimed and sold well, but the band was confronted by the problem of how to perform a studio created work of art, live.
Through the fall of 1968 there had been strong rumors of the band splitting. Marriott made it official on New Year’s Eve 1969, walking off stage in middle of a live set.
Marriott already had plans for the future and the new band he was forming with Peter Frampton, Humble Pie.
The remaining members regrouped and recruited former members of the Jeff Beck Group, singer Rod Stewart and guitarist Ron Wood. They would release one album as the small faces before enjoying some success as The Faces.
Kenny Jones would join The Who after Keith Moons death in 1978.
Steve Marriott would tragically die in his sleep when a fire tore through his home, on Saturday, April 20, 1991.
Ronnie Lane died in Trinidad, Colorado, in June 1997, after a long and brave fight with multiple sclerosis.
It is well worth checking out the impressive back catalogue left behind by this creative and groundbreaking group during an all too short career.
The classic Small Faces lineup would be:
Steve Marriott – vocal
Ronnie Lane - Bass
Kenney Jones – Drums
Jimmy Winston - Organ (later replaced by McLagan)
Ian McLagan - keyboards
Their roots would begin as key players in the London mod movement. Later they would grow as one of the UKs most creative and groundbreaking psychedelic acts. Word has it that the band name came from the fact that the boys were all on the short side and the term “face” was slang for being popular and looking sharp.
Their musical output, during a four year period, is recognized as being one of the most inspirational of the era. They have been name checked by musicians such as Paul Weller and Noel Gallagher as a major influence. The band’s early song set included R&B/soul classics that were popular with many bands of that era. The band would also perform original compositions on which Marriott would display vocals that had been modeled on his own heroes, Otis Reading and Bobby Bland. Check out "Every Little Bit Hurts" for Steve Marroitt's voice at it's very best.
They signed a management contract with 60s impresario Don Arden who would secure a recording deal for the band with Decca Records. Jimmy Winston would be fired soon after to be replaced by Ian McLagan, whose look and keyboard playing was a perfect fit with the band.
The new line up would chart with their third release for Decca, “Sha-La-La-Lee”. Debut Album, “Small Faces” would also see success in the British Charts, as popularity grew the band would begin to feature on TV shows like Ready Steady Go.
The bands playing had improved considerably and they would have achieved so much more if it were not for their aggressive, yobbish attitude which would alienate industry insiders and concert promoters. Marriott managed to eventually get the group banned from Top of the Pops after swearing at the shows producer.
In 1966 the group achieved a number one record with, “All or Nothing “, regarded by many as a white soul classic. Don Arden had spent a lot of time and effort promoting the Small Faces. Now he was growing tired of their loutish behavior, they were wrecking a career that had only just begun. The band found themselves bogged down in a bitter, legal wrangle when they should have been delivering a follow up to “All or Nothing “.
Eventually they parted company with Arden and Decca and sign with Andrew Loog Oldham’s Immediate label.
The Immediate sessions saw the band progress rapidly. The fist single was “Here Come the Nice”, which was influenced by drug use and managed to escape censorship despite the fact that it openly referred to speed. 67/68 saw the group at a creative peak. “Itchycoo Park” was released in mid-1967 followed by “Tin Soldier” a song Marriott had intended for P.P. Arnold who, in the end, sang backing on the Small Faces version.
“Lazy Sunday” was released in 1968, a cockney music-hall styled song released against their wishes but another chart success.
By now their career was at an all time high with the release of the classic album “Ogden’s’ Nut Gone Flake”. It is recognized not only for it’s musical innovation but, also it’s inventive round cover. The album stayed at number one in the UK for six weeks.
A two-act concept album it was narrated between tracks by Stan Unwin who related a psychedelic fable about “Happiness Stan” and his quest to find out where the moon went when it waned. The album was acclaimed and sold well, but the band was confronted by the problem of how to perform a studio created work of art, live.
Through the fall of 1968 there had been strong rumors of the band splitting. Marriott made it official on New Year’s Eve 1969, walking off stage in middle of a live set.
Marriott already had plans for the future and the new band he was forming with Peter Frampton, Humble Pie.
The remaining members regrouped and recruited former members of the Jeff Beck Group, singer Rod Stewart and guitarist Ron Wood. They would release one album as the small faces before enjoying some success as The Faces.
Kenny Jones would join The Who after Keith Moons death in 1978.
Steve Marriott would tragically die in his sleep when a fire tore through his home, on Saturday, April 20, 1991.
Ronnie Lane died in Trinidad, Colorado, in June 1997, after a long and brave fight with multiple sclerosis.
It is well worth checking out the impressive back catalogue left behind by this creative and groundbreaking group during an all too short career.
TOP TRACKS
1 All or Nothin'
2 Tin Soldier
3 Song of a baker
4 Here comes the Nice
5 Itchycoo Park
Recommended Albums (click to preview)
1 All or Nothin'
2 Tin Soldier
3 Song of a baker
4 Here comes the Nice
5 Itchycoo Park
Recommended Albums (click to preview)
No comments:
Post a Comment