Wednesday, August 13, 2003
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Wednesday, August 13, 2003 |
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Frampton to bring classic live show to PTC By MICHAEL
BOYLAN "Frampton Comes Alive" is the best-selling live album of all time, selling over 16 million copies and still attracting new fans to this day. It is no surprise, when you consider the album contains some of Peter Frampton's biggest hits, including "Show Me The Way," "Baby, I Love Your Way," and "Do You Feel Like We Do?" Frampton is a big fan of his live albums, even going back to his Humble Pie days, stating on his web site that "My live albums are always my best." Fans will get to see and hear for themselves just how good his live performances are when he plays the Fredrick Brown Jr. Amphitheater in Peachtree City on Friday and Saturday. Frampton's musical career began at an early age. He showed an interest in the guitar and his father made him take four years of classical guitar lessons. By the age of eight he was playing some of his favorite songs as well as writing his own songs. He joined a number of bands in his teen years and his first taste of the big time came when a band he was in a called The Preachers, which was produced by Bill Wyman of The Rolling Stones, appeared on the hit British TV program "Ready, Steady, Go." By the age of 16, Frampton was playing with The Herd, which enjoyed a tremendous amount of success worldwide, except for in the United States. Frampton would make it big in America soon enough. He formed the band Humble Pie with friend Steve Marriott and the group recorded five albums with hit songs such as "Stone Cold Fever," and "Rock On," before Frampton embarked on his solo career. Frampton would later come full circle from his Humble Pie days when he played the manager of the group in Cameron Crowe's film "Almost Famous." His first solo album was "Wind of Change," which was released in 1971, one year after doing session work with George Harrison on his solo album "All Things Must Pass." Frampton would continue to record his own material while also lending himself out for session work. Throughout his career Frampton would work with artists such as Harry Nilsson, Ringo Starr, David Bowie, Crosby, Stills and Nash and his former producer Bill Wyman. He also played guitar on "Grease" by Frankie Valli for the film "Grease." Within a year of the release of "Frampton Comes Alive," Frampton, upon the urging of the label, released "I'm In You." It sold three million albums, but was deemed a failure. By 1982, Frampton felt it was time for a break. After a four year hiatus he released "Premonition," which led to recording and touring with Bowie on the Glass Spider Tour. In 1990, Frampton re-teamed with Marriott and recorded three songs before Marriott's untimely death. Within two years, Frampton began to tour again. The touring, supposed to be a six week club tour, evolved into a seven monh tour that took him to large amphitheaters and other venues. Frampton has continued to tour and record over the years, most notably releasing a DVD and CD entitled "Live in Detroit." He will release a new album, "Now," which was recorded in his home studio in Cincinatti, OH, later this month. His current tour promoting the new album features long time band members Bob Mayo and John Regan and drummer Chad Cromwell who has toured with Frampton since 1997. Earlier this week, they performed a free show at the Border Books on Broadway. They will tour the Midwest and the East Coast through the fall. Frampton has also found success outside of the recording industry. He has formed his own musical equipment company, Framptone, which sells the Talkbox, which Frampton has helped make famous, and an amp switcher. Some of his more famous clients include Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters and Art Alexakis of Everclear. He has also found himself in animated form on both "The Simpsons" and "Family Guy." These appearances, plus his work appearing in the popular films "Dazed and Confused" and "Almost Famous" have introduced his famous sound to new listeners, while keeping his fans "feeling like they do." Frampton will perform at 9 p.m. this Friday and Saturday. Opening for Frampton at 8 p.m. will be Dove Award nominees The Elms, who are touring exclusively with Frampton. Tickets are $45. Phone 770-631-0630 or visit www.amphitheater.org for more information.
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