Conference napalm::guitar

    I heard two tunes while he was interviewing in the BCN studios
    a couple of weeks ago.  Sounded like typical Frampton.  To me, 
    he's always been both a "pop star" and a real "guitarist" and
    his output and style have remained remarkably consistent over
    his solo career.  I think the only thing that ever really changed
    was public perception after he scored big with the live album.
    
    /rick

    The only thing that really changed after the live album is he did one
    sorry album ("I'm In You", still got my copy...gag) followed by that
    stupid Sgt. Pepper movie and lost all his rock credentials by pandering
    to teenyboppers...or at least appearing to.  Of course, the other thing
    that happened at the same time was that punk happened and melodic hard
    rock became unhip.
    
    Saw him live in 72 opening for Geils and Mahavishnu Orch. (??) and he
    had a tight, rocking band. His stuff as lead neck strangler for the Pie
    was pretty righteous, too.  Hey, anyone else remember his guest shot
    with the Ox on "Whistle Rhymes"? 
    
    Haven't heard the new album, but it has some serious hype behind it,
    probably because it's on a small label that's hungry for a hit.  Ya
    gotta give A&M credit for staying with him as long as they did, but
    maybe they were greedy enough to sign him up for mucho albums when he
    was hot, never thinking he wouldn't last.
    
    							Brian

    "Frampton Comes Alive"?!  

    
    	I've always thought "Comes Alive" was one of the best guitar albums
    of the '70's. Frampton was a real tasteful player. 
    
    	His stuff with Humble Pie was weak early on (never liked their
    first couple "folky" albums), but by the time of the "Rockin' The
    Fillmore" album, the Pie was rockin'. 
    
    	The sessin work he did around that time was nice, too; I also
    remember his playing on John Entwistle's "Whistle Rhymes". In fact,
    another of my favorite '70's guitarists played on that record-- 
    Jimmy McCulloch, who played with Thunderclap Newman and McCartney's
    Wings.
    
    	After "Comes Alive" he really did a swan dive, though. "I'm In
    You" was lame, "Sgt. Pepper" was hurl city, and really every LP he's
    released since has been weak. To be honest, though, if you go back
    and listen to most of his pre-"Comes Alive" albums, like "Frampton's
    Camel", "Winds of Change", those albums were pretty weak, too. I think
    "Frampton Comes Alive" was just one of those moments where everything
    gels just right, the best moments are captured, the performances are
    right on, and the record-buying public is ready to hear it.
    
    
    Brad
    

    I have to disagree about the early solo stuff; "Winds of Change"
    and "Frampton's Camel" are great albums imo.  Sure, they're not
    as rockin as the Pie stuff was, but they're chock full of great
    hooks and sterling guitar work.
    
    Just imo, of course

    
> After "Comes Alive" he really did a swan dive, though. "I'm In
> You" was lame, "Sgt. Pepper" was hurl city, and really every LP he's
> released since has been weak. 

There have been a couple decent albums, although I agree that they weren't
*great*. 'Breaking All The Rules' was pretty good, including the fantastic
title track. And 'Premonition' (his last comeback album) also had some 
good moments.

But I agree, Peter is at his best onstage. I saw him at the Paradise in
Boston a year or two ago, and he *smoked*! Great show!!!

alan

    
    	Didn't he also tour with Bowie?
    
    	And... just what does he say with that talkbox on "Do you feel
    	like I do" from "Comes Alive"?  
    
    

    He toured w/Bowie on Glass Spider Tour (played one riff from "Do You
    Feel..." in the middle of Jean Genie)
    
    I saw him live 2 or 3 times, on the tour preceding "Comes Alive". I 
    can't remember that much from those days... 
    
    Favorite solos include "Apron Strings" from Whistle Rhymes (what
    vibrato!!!) and Four Day Creep (Humble Pie Rockin the fIllmore)
    
    And lets own up about All I Want to be !!! (Winds of Change)
    
    - Mark

    re: .7
    >Didn't he also tour with Bowie?
    
    Frampton actually went to school with Bowie, in Brixton, London. So
    they've known each other for quite a few years now!
    
    Dom

    Actually, Frampton's FATHER was a teacher of Bowie's in school. There
    is a bit of difference in their ages...

    
    
    	I heard that he will be playing the Sting in New Britian Ct. in
    late March. Saw him there last year, great show...
    
    John

    
    I always thought that this was a guy whose music was totally ruined by
    stardom. After Alive!, he just let his talent be piddled away on a
    bunch of worthless efforts, aimed at image more than music.
    
    I was surprised to see him pop up on a Steve Morse Band cut about 
    9 years ago, called 'Stand Up', where he traded solos with Morse.
    Not complimentary styles, but hey, you could hear the guy could still
    play.
    
    But, yeah, I liked his playing a lot, too, as well as some of his
    writing. 'Penny for Your Thoughts', 'Money', 'Nowhere's Too Far',
    'Don't Fade Away' (love that solo), 'White Sugar'...good hooks,
    harmonies, and English pop-crunch. 
    
    I guess the real essence of Frampton's early style was summed up by the
    late Steve Marriott, when talking about Humble Pie after Peter had
    joined. His comments:
    
    		"Pete plays like a f*cking bitch."
    
    I also have a story about a Frampton groupie whom I was lucky enough to
    get acquainted with while playing up in Albany NY around early 1978. But
    that's for another time.
    
    Peter

>    I was surprised to see him pop up on a Steve Morse Band cut about 
>    9 years ago, called 'Stand Up', where he traded solos with Morse.
>    Not complimentary styles, but hey, you could hear the guy could still
>    play.
    
    Yes, if I didn't know Steve Morse better I'd go so far to say that
    he attempts to blow away Frampton (Morse is totally un-into that
    amazingly enough) because his solo is kinda flashy.  
    
    Actually, I'd declare Frampton the winner anyway.  His solo is just 
    ultra-classy and I think Steve's doesn't fit the context nearly as
    well.  The two solos also just don't fit together and given that
    Steve's come second, I fault him.
    
    	db

    If I remember correctly, when PF was at the height of his fame, just
    after 'Comes Alive' he was in a pretty nasty car smash that removed
    him from the rock scene for quite a time.  By the time he was up and
    running again his fame had cooled quite a bit, he's certainly not made
    the big time here in the UK since!  Shame but I'll look up the new
    stuff.
    
    Cheers
    
    Dusty Guitar Miller - London