Sad story of one of the greats! RIP Steve...



The Steve Marriott Saga: How the Mob, Peter Frampton and Daddy Osbourne Snuffed Out The Small Faces and Humble Pie

By Don Jacobson


The other day I was listening to a great old album on WREK-FM, one of our better non-commercial, student-run stations, from Georgia Tech in Atlanta. The program was Stonehenge, WREK's weekly "deep tracks" classic rock show, and the album was Humble Pie's first effort, 1969's "As Safe As Yesterday Is." It was so good, it got me wondering, why didn't Steve Marriott ever become the ultra-special hyperstar he should have been? What happened to him in the years between Humble Pie's break-up in 1975 and his premature, accidental death in a 1991 house fire?

In my resulting research, there was a non-surprise: Marriott was totally besotted by cocaine and booze, which eventually led to an induced mental illness. But there was also something else that I wasn't aware of. In the long, ignoble history of musicians being ripped off by unscrupulous, power-mad managers, Marriott had to take the cake. He never realized any kind of financial gain from his fabulous output of talent. Sandwiched around one visionary but unsuccessful handler (the Rolling Stones' Andrew Loog Oldham) were two other, uh, less-than-saintly guys, including Sharon Osbourne's daddy.

The career of Don Arden, Sharon's father, is a fascinating, cautionary tale of how the music business and what amounts to organized crime are really just two sides of the same coin, and he's maybe one of the all-time poster boys for "reasons this industry should be destroyed." He died earlier this year at age 81. Arden was known as "Mr. Big" and the "Al Capone of Pop," using all kinds of extra-legal means to get his acts airplay, including the threat - and actual use of - violence, both against clients who dared to question his accounting methods as well as outsiders. His first big success was Marriott's band The Small Faces. Teenager Steve never had any idea where the money went all those years while he was following his heart, writing some of the best songs of the British Invasion era. Truly, it was a classic case of the victimized artist.

(Arden is probably best known for his mid-70s success in managing Electric Light Orchestra, as well as an incident in 1979 when he set his dogs on daughter Sharon, who had incurred his displeasure by muscling in on his management contract with her future husband, Ozzy Osbourne. The dog attack resulted in a miscarriage for Sharon.)

Arden sold The Small Faces' contract to Oldham in 1967, who in turn used them as a key cog in his attempt to launch one of Britian's first indie labels, Immediate Records, after he had basically invented the Stones as their first manager. It turned out Oldham was a much better Carnaby Street gadabout than he was a competent businessman, however, so despite The Small Faces scoring their biggest-ever successes on Immediate - such as Itchycoo Park, one of the best British invasion singles ever - again, Marriott never saw a dime.

Then, after he formed Humble Pie with Peter Frampton, Marriott hooked up with Dee Anthony, one of the most important and powerful American rock managers. Anthony was indeed successful in getting the band a contract with A&M Records, and was the one who encouraged them to go the hard boogie, arena-rock route, a sound that turned them into one of the best live bands around and eventually yielded the hit "Thirty Days In The Hole." (Anthony later used the same formula for Frampton and his Comes Alive! album.) But, like a broken record, millions of dollars of royalties disappeared. Marriott, who was so poor he had been reduced to stealing food, thought Anthony had diverted the considerable Humble Pie royalties to push a now-solo Frampton, and demanded that Anthony tell him where the money was. At that point, Marriott was taken into a meeting that included John Gotti, Paul Castellano and other members of the Gambino crime family, at least according to Marriott's official biography, All Too Beautiful. That ended his impertinent money questions.

In addition to his borderline mental illness and his never-really-conquered substance abuse (he died from smoke inhalation in a fire caused when he passed out and dropped a lit cigarette), Marriott's nightmarish experiences with the record industry were a big reason he never tried to make a comeback in the 1980's, when, after all, he was still only in his 30's. While other British Invasion-era stars were reveling in a second wave of adulation from a new generation of admirers - and perhaps making up for how completely they were ripped off the first time around and in many cases curing their "overlooked" status - Marriott never did. He was so wary of record companies that he preferred to play the rest of his career in small English pubs and acoustic venues, where the pariahs of the industry would leave him alone. He chose penury and obscurity rather than than sell out to a corrupt music biz machine. That makes him a hero in my book.

And, unfortunately, that's also why he's more or less a footnote nowadays despite being one of the key talents of the rock era. It makes you wonder if his drug and personal problems were fueled by his shabby treatment as an artist. Whether or not that's true, I think anyone who ever wants to make a case for why major labels and the gigantic corporations that now control them are poor stewards of our civilization's precious musical heritage need only look at the horrible fate of Steve Marriott to see why the demise of the record industry can't come fast enough.

[www.beachwoodreporter.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-03-14 19:00 by 2000 LYFH.

He had 3 bands after Humble Pie....as you say, touring mostly (although not exclusively) on the London circuit...

1984 - 1986 - Steve Marriott's Packet of 3
1986 - 1987 - Steve Marriott & the Official receivers
1988 - 1989 - Steve Marriott & the DTs

.............there's a saying in England..."where there's muck there's brass"...when one hears stories like Steve Marriott's and Peter Ham's from Badfinger (to name a couple, it just reminds 'you' of the obvious, that the reverse also applies, 'where there's brass, there's muck'..............



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 2015-03-14 19:53 by EddieByword.

Didn't know the story, thanks for sharing that 2000 LYFH.

Both compelling and disturbing. The Sharon/Daddy Osbourne stuff I was completely unaware of.

Thanks for sharing that article, 2000LYFH. This story reminded me of an upcoming documentary about Steve, to be called "Midnight of My Life". Phil Davis (well famous for his role on Quadrophenia) will be the director: [www.crowdshed.com]

Thanks for sharing this story 2000 LYFH and I think Keef was a fan of his playing. I've seen one of his great concerts in a smaller club

I saw him in a small rock club called Uncle Sams just outside Buffalo in Cheektowaga, NY. We were leaning on the stage.

I also saw him open for Ted Nugent as part of Humble Pie. Not sure but I think Jerry Shirley was on drums.

Steve Marriott /packet of three - all or nothing

It's really disgusting how many artists have gotten ripped off, poor guy didn't even have enough money to eat.

It's a very sad story, he was so talented.

Taken as a whole, the narrative from people around Marriott (Glyn Johns, Jerry Shirley, Ian McLagan, etc), Marriott was frequently so manic and drunk and coked up, he was torture to be around. In his book, Jerry Shirley also maintains the notion of lost Humble Pie millions was a figment of Marriotts cocaine paranoia. Bassist Rick Wills observed even at his wasted worst he could still jump on stage and deliver the goods live but stayed so sozzled he lost the ability to write decent material or make good records. At the peak of his powers, up to mid/late 1973, the guy was absolutely world class. Ogdens Nut Gone Flake, Rockin the Fillmore and Smokin' still sound great today.

He sure seems a humble and likable fellow in this 1985 interview. One of the best rock and roll voices the planet has ever seen.





peace

I've always thought, from what I've read, that he was a nice fellow, but prone to less savoury episodes which made him difficult company at times. Musically, he was unimpeachable; excellent guitarist, monumental voice. If only I could sing like him.

Declan

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latebloomer
It's really disgusting how many artists have gotten ripped off, poor guy didn't even have enough money to eat.

It's a very sad story, he was so talented.

I think you can take that bit of info with a pinch of salt.........even on welfare in the Uk...(until recently, since the Conservatives = US Republicans (2010) came into power and foodbanks are all over the place), anyway, in the 1980s - 90s even welfare always afforded someone enough to eat if not anything much more......



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-03-15 05:17 by EddieByword.

Saw him in Solingen/Germany, 2 weeks or so before his death.

Sad man, sad condition he was in.

Fantastic thread. Great to learn more about the elusive Small Face. And very sad indeed. Sickens me to here the level of corruption in the the music industry and how it broke such a talented soul like Marriott. I love Humble Pie and Marriott was a monster singer. Incredible white soul rock. I have all Humble Pies albums on vinyl and love the sound of the 70s they resurrect.

I wish there was some way his estate could get some of the money hat was owed to him. I wonder how the families of those corrupt parasites have in their estates? Probably living pretty high on the hog.

That part about the Gambino and Gotti families putting the thumb screws on a poor junky rock n' roller. No match there. A meeting with Satan, his harpies, and demons.

A sit down with John Gotti and Paul Castellano?

Its worth noting that Loog Oldham pocketed a million quid when he sold his share of "Rolling Stones Ltd" to one Allen Klein plus also apparantly receiving a share of their publishing income in perpertuity.
This, at a time (1968 or therebouts) when Mick and the others were having to beg and borrow to get any spending money out of Klein. And of course Immediate acts were getting shafted.
In retrospect, despite the hype (their own), these Managers....and I would include Phil Spector in this, were no better than the record companies they more than readily critised.
Remember Keiths quote in the 1971 RS interview....."better the Mafia than the CIA".
I don't think so.

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vincentwhirlwind
A sit down with John Gotti and Paul Castellano?

Yeah well..........kinda makes you wonder what is real and what's not with that article.

That said I was/am a big Humble Pie fan. Always thought Marriott and excellent guitarist, song writer, and singer.

Another Stones related wrinkle to the Pie story, per Jerry Shirleys book "Best Seat in the House", the newly unemployed Brian Jones contacted Marriott about coming to the initial Humble Pie rehearsals with an eye to joining- an idea that was met with a little apprehension given the state Jones was in and not taken totally seriously by the band- in any event he died very shortly after and it never came to fruition. It wouldnt be hard to slot Brian Jones in on "As Safe as Yesterrday Is" or "Town and Country" which had a distinct poor mans Traffic vibe, very stoned UK rural feel very different from the sound that made The Pie famous.

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EddieByword

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latebloomer
It's really disgusting how many artists have gotten ripped off, poor guy didn't even have enough money to eat.

It's a very sad story, he was so talented.

I think you can take that bit of info with a pinch of salt.........even on welfare in the Uk...(until recently, since the Conservatives = US Republicans (2010) came into power and foodbanks are all over the place), anyway, in the 1980s - 90s even welfare always afforded someone enough to eat if not anything much more......

Not to mention the guy had enough money to stay high. Not condoning the rip offs which undoubtedly happened. In that regard he was pretty much like everyone else! The survivors learned from it (see the Stones). If the guy had cleaned up his act he could have bounced back.

Mariott was an immense talent. Ogden's Nut Gone Flake is fairly lost classic. I remember seeing it on 8 track and cassette in bargain bins in what were pretty obviously bootleg formats. The sound was always godawful. I am guessing the money never reached him.

What a voice.

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Wry Cooter

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EddieByword

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latebloomer
It's really disgusting how many artists have gotten ripped off, poor guy didn't even have enough money to eat.

It's a very sad story, he was so talented.

I think you can take that bit of info with a pinch of salt.........even on welfare in the Uk...(until recently, since the Conservatives = US Republicans (2010) came into power and foodbanks are all over the place), anyway, in the 1980s - 90s even welfare always afforded someone enough to eat if not anything much more......

Not to mention the guy had enough money to stay high. Not condoning the rip offs which undoubtedly happened. In that regard he was pretty much like everyone else! The survivors learned from it (see the Stones). If the guy had cleaned up his act he could have bounced back.

Mariott was an immense talent. Ogden's Nut Gone Flake is fairly lost classic. I remember seeing it on 8 track and cassette in bargain bins in what were pretty obviously bootleg formats. The sound was always godawful. I am guessing the money never reached him.

What a voice.

I think the lifestyle and the music were just more important to him that prudent financial planning. Jenny Marriott sums it up pretty well from this 1999 interview by John Hellier:

"With regards to the money, well the guys in the band wrongly assumed that it was being safely invested for them in things like New York taxicabs and other things. After 19 tours they presumed that at sometime they would be able to sit back and enjoy the fruit of their labours. Having said that they were very extravagant on the road, they would have suites in hotel rooms, large limos and jets. They’d spend, spend, spend and nobody advised them otherwise. As with the Small Faces they were spending more than they were earning. The assets that they had assumed they had accumulated had disappeared into thin air. The story of Steve’s Life! I suppose it was their own fault really for not taking responsibility for their own finances. They certainly didn’t act in an adult way. To be fair to the management I think they did try and stop some of the excesses on the road but the band didn’t want to know. It was their justification for being on the road in the end, just to live this crazy life style."

She goes on to say that drugs are what broke up their marriage and no doubt this was a major factor in Steve's myriad of financial problems.

peace

amazing talent gone way to soon

Jenny Marriott nails it. A couple quick vignettes- when Steve was trying to recruit the Blackberries for the Eat It tour, he offered something like $1500 a week for the 3 singers- when Venetta Fields declined saying she made more than that doing sessions, Marriott was caught of guard and replied he meant $1500 each- a rather astronomical figure for backup vocalists in 1973. When the band decided they all wanted to sit together when they traveled, a separate Lear jet was rented just for the equipment. A film crew was retained to accompany the band on tour to produce a documentary a la Mad Dogs and Englishmen- none of the footage turned out to be usable. Vast amounts of money were pissed away. Right before Steves death, Peter Frampton had lined up a seven figure deal with a major label for a 2 year Frampton/Marriott lp and tour- Steve showed up at the signing on a major bender not having slept for days and melted down in front of the gathered execs, killing the deal. So yes, he definitely got screwed particularly with the Small Faces but he was consistently his own worst enemy. A real shame.

Having read a couple of biogs of Steve Marriott, i have come away with the impression that he made his own hard luck. Great shame coz there's no doubting his talents as singer,writer and guitarist.
I don't doubt that he got ripped off as pretty much everyone else did esp. in the 60s but that Jenny Marriott quote does seem to go some way to explaining why he ended up in such a mess.
The Marriott books were the only music biogs i've read about people whose music i really like but came away thinking what an absolute tosser. Well other than Phil Spector but he's something else altogether.

Sammy Hagar had some funny stories in his biography about Steve when Montrose opened for Humble Pie in the early 70's

Here is one

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Sammy Hagar
Hagar recalls how he learned everything there was to know about being a frontman from watching the likes of the J. Geils Band's Peter Wolf and Humble Pie's Steve Marriott. But the latter rock hero was a lovable "fuckup" who pulled some crazy drug-induced stunts.

"I remember one time in Chatanooga, Tennessee," writes Hagar. "We were sitting in the hotel room of tour accountant Jerry Berg, picking up our $10 per diems on Monday morning, first in line for the weekly payout. Jerry was filling out the paper, sign here, when Steve came busting into his room, @#$%& up in the middle of the day. He'd been up all night doing blow and drinking. 'How much @#$%& money we got, mate?,' he said. Jerry started to close his briefcase and Steve punched him in the mouth, grabbed the briefcase, and dashed out the door."

According to Hagar, Marriott made off with "forty thousand dollars and change", and was later found in jail, arrested with a bunch of drugs. But they just got him out of jail and the tour continued, seventies-style.

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Naturalust

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Wry Cooter

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EddieByword

Quote
latebloomer
It's really disgusting how many artists have gotten ripped off, poor guy didn't even have enough money to eat.

It's a very sad story, he was so talented.

I think you can take that bit of info with a pinch of salt.........even on welfare in the Uk...(until recently, since the Conservatives = US Republicans (2010) came into power and foodbanks are all over the place), anyway, in the 1980s - 90s even welfare always afforded someone enough to eat if not anything much more......

Not to mention the guy had enough money to stay high. Not condoning the rip offs which undoubtedly happened. In that regard he was pretty much like everyone else! The survivors learned from it (see the Stones). If the guy had cleaned up his act he could have bounced back.

Mariott was an immense talent. Ogden's Nut Gone Flake is fairly lost classic. I remember seeing it on 8 track and cassette in bargain bins in what were pretty obviously bootleg formats. The sound was always godawful. I am guessing the money never reached him.

What a voice.

I think the lifestyle and the music were just more important to him that prudent financial planning. Jenny Marriott sums it up pretty well from this 1999 interview by John Hellier:

"With regards to the money, well the guys in the band wrongly assumed that it was being safely invested for them in things like New York taxicabs and other things. After 19 tours they presumed that at sometime they would be able to sit back and enjoy the fruit of their labours. Having said that they were very extravagant on the road, they would have suites in hotel rooms, large limos and jets. They’d spend, spend, spend and nobody advised them otherwise. As with the Small Faces they were spending more than they were earning. The assets that they had assumed they had accumulated had disappeared into thin air. The story of Steve’s Life! I suppose it was their own fault really for not taking responsibility for their own finances. They certainly didn’t act in an adult way. To be fair to the management I think they did try and stop some of the excesses on the road but the band didn’t want to know. It was their justification for being on the road in the end, just to live this crazy life style."

She goes on to say that drugs are what broke up their marriage and no doubt this was a major factor in Steve's myriad of financial problems.

peace

Song about Steve's first wife Jenny Rylance from the 1971 "Rock On" album:

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1cdog

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vincentwhirlwind
A sit down with John Gotti and Paul Castellano?

Yeah well..........kinda makes you wonder what is real and what's not with that article.

That said I was/am a big Humble Pie fan. Always thought Marriott and excellent guitarist, song writer, and singer.

Dee Anthony's real name was Anthony D’Addario and was from the Bronx (NYC). Being in the nightclub circuit in the 50's and 60's in NYC, he may have had ties to these guys. And when a client starts demanding huge amounts of back money, who better to try and change your attitude.

[www.fivefamiliesnyc.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-03-16 18:34 by 2000 LYFH.

I'm a bit vague but didn't Ronnie say the Small Faces had to split as no-one could work with Steve Marriott? Even bigger ego than most.

Wasn't Steve Marriott the one that lured Jimmy McCulloch away from Wings? Though I remember that story from somewhere.....

peace

Small Faces with P.P. Arnold from 1967 - (If You Think You're) Groovy. Nice tune from that golden year...