REVIEW: Humble Pie As Safe As Yesterday 2025 reissue

Following a thwarted show at Alexandra Palace London on News Years Eve 1968, the following day would bring on a new dawn into the lives of Peter Framption, Greg Ridley, 17 year old Jerry Shirley and Small Faces frontman Steve Marriott.

It’s well documented that Shirley had been a fan of Marriott, idolizing at the feet of his hero at gigs of the Small Faces, Frampton had also played with said band and it was even suggested the Face of 68 be allowed into their ranks, which was rebuffed by Lane, McLagan and Jones. This series of events no doubt rattled Marriott bringing him to the boil, before he quit the magic midgets announcing his new quartet Humble Pie.

Small Faces were and still are one of the very best bands to emerge from the 1960’s, ranked along side The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Who, they fit promptly into the top four UK bands from the period, their music and clothing identity still resonates with fans worldwide 50 + years on. Humble Pie however are an altogether different model. Heavier and to some not as easy to the ear as their linked predecessors, it’s certainly time to revaluate this notion with the timely reissues on offer by Kenney Jones Nice Records, releasing superbly executed remastered versions of their albums taken directly from original tapes.

The first of the reissues is As Safe As Yesterday, released on limited edition vinyl and CD packages, the bands first release originally came out on Andrew Loog Oldham’s Immediate Records, the band decided to stay with the label that was Happy to Be a Part of the Industry of Human Happiness, certainly it was thought Oldham’s enthusiasm and vision he had shown the Small Faces would carry over well into this new project, however as the new liner notes from Jerry Shirley he explains all would not work out as desired with the band eventually leaving the homely UK shores to sign for a CBS before conquering the US.

But back to their debut album, the bands sounds at this time equalled a desire to explore sounds being showcased by the likes of The Who and The Yardbirds, there are also tinges of a band who would also feature a former fan of Marriott, Robert Plant and Led Zeppelin, there’s are some riffs featured in this set that would become familiar to fans of the Zep who would do well to check this release. Opening track Desperation, a cover a Steppenwolf track, shows evidence there will be little time for teenage fans to scream widely due to the guitars being firmly cranked up to 11, mod Afterglow inspired Stick Shift and Buttermilk Boy also show off influences from American blues roots but cranked up a notch.

Further delights include the band’s debut single, Fabs Get Back sounding Natural Born Bugie plus more folkier numbers, Ian McLagan composed number Growing Closer was offered as a stunning peace offering to Mac, along with the protest acoustic song template Alabama 69, there’s even time for some stunning sitar work on I’ll Go Alone. With added bonuses of previously unreleased tracks Road To Ride (Rota Road), Leave No Stone Unturned (Just A Riff), Hello Grass (No Regrets) and Zeptoe Through The Tulips (Steve’s No.1) the substantial workings of the band can be enjoyed like never before, the production on this set is as you would come to expect from the previous releases on Nice, expert production firmly brings to life all instrumentation and vocals like you have never ever heard before.

A thankful nod and wink to those that have been pining for reissues of this all too often forgotten rock titanic band, 2025 welcomes this reissue with open arms.

Nice Records can be found here