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Making Time Review June 2004 Steve Marriott was one of the most important
figures in British rock and pop music in the 1960s and 1970s but also one of the
least celebrated. Like Steve Winwood, his amazing white soul voice belied his
youth or size. His writing partnership with Ronnie Lane in the Small Faces
produced some of the best singles of the decade and one of the most
idiosyncratic albums in Ogden's Nut Gone Flake. In aspects other than his
height, Steve Marriott was huge.
So a complete appraisal of Marriott's life and
work is well overdue. Paulo Hewitt is already the author of several notable
biographies including one on the Small Faces. John Hellier has authored works on
the Small Faces but is also the publisher of Darlings of Wapping Wharf
Launderette, one of the country's best-selling fanzines as well as promoter of
the recent Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane memorial concerts. Consequently, the
biography has been entrusted to two writers who know their subject and are
passionate about it.
First it should be said that this is a superb
piece of work that even uncovers new things about the Small Faces as well as
Humble Pie and Marriott's later "career" on the pub circuit in the UK. There is
little doubt that Steve Marriott was highly talented and was widely respected
for this. However, underneath all this was a different character. The
schizophrenia that was exaggerated by the cocktails of drinks and drugs meant
that, from time to time, another character appeared, not Marriott but Melvin the
bald-headed wrestler. Ultimately, this other side was his downfall, the source
of his marriage break-ups and, finally, his early death. Even those who worked
with Marriott found his hyperactivity and playing of pranks very difficult and
wearing. Not just his marriages broke down but also his relationships with
former colleagues such as Ronnie Lane, Ian McLagan, Peter Frampton.
John and Paulo have conducted extensive research
for the book. This has involved interviews with people from the whole of
Marriott's life. This makes it clear that his hyper-personality did not develop
as a result of his massive fame at an early age but it was always there. Even at
school, Marriott was hyperactive and a difficult person to be around. The
stardom and the drink and drugs that came with it simply served to fuel the
hyperactivity.
Steve Marriott's passion was music. He had a love
of American R&B such as Ray Charles and Bobby Bland and this was clearly audible
in his own work, not just in the Small Faces but also in latter incarnations of
Humble Pie and later groups such as Packet of Three. He knew he was good at what
he did but he always recognised where his roots were. This may be part of the
reason that he seemed to be uncomfortable with his fame. Marriott received the
plaudits that, possibly, other deserved. This situation was reversed later.
Marriott had seen many of his contemporaries, indeed those who were clearly
behind him in the talent pecking order (Rod Stewart, David Bowie, etc) receiving
the critical acclaim and financial rewards when he was collecting empty bottles
to return just to pay the rent or playing pubs night after night while others
were in stadia. He was bitter about this. His former colleagues on the Small
Faces had linked up with Stewart and Ronnie Wood to form the Faces. Marriott
remarked that it took two to replace him. Many, including Marriott, would remark
that Stewart is a strong frontman and a great singer but hardly in Marriott's
class.
Like his colleagues in the Small Faces and Humble
Pie, Marriott did not receive the rewards due to him because of the way in which
the music business operated. It was controlled by managers and record companies
and the artists were seen as largely disposable. In many cases they signed their
first contracts when they were happy to be making a record and so less concerned
about how much they earned from it. Suddenly, they were bound by these contracts
and not in control of what was released. They may be viewed as great singles
today but the Small Faces did not want My Mind's Eye or Lazy Sunday
released as singles. The former was intended as a demo only! Even in Humble Pie
it was the manager Dee Anthony who pulled the strings. The members of the band
were simply employees of a corporation and were paid a wage. Possibly this
explains why, after this, Marriott appeared to be a control freak, dictating and
determining what his bands did. He was the one that people came to listen to
after all. Maybe he just wanted to ensure that control was not given to those
who do not have the musicians' best interests or even the music at heart.
All in all, All Too Beautiful is an
excellent biography of one of music's greatest talents. There was no doubt that
he was extremely gifted as a songwriter, a singer, a guitarist and as a
performer. However, his problems with drinks & drugs, the Inland Revenue and
money in general meant that he did not enjoy the rewards of his success.
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