From the July 2011 issue of Uncut (Take 170). We tell the story of the legends of the Department of Defense and their talented and complex man, Steve Marriott. From The Small Faces to Humble Pie, to his bizarre final days on the bar circuit, what drove Marriott to self-destruct? Humble Pie bandmate Peter Frampton recalls: “He was the most talented person I’ve ever known, but there was something off about him. Some big problems.”
“Nice”: that was their favorite word. And it’s true – musically, sartorially, psychedelically, Small faces He was Nice – good. But by the 1980s, those events were a distant memory. Their singer Steve Marriott – the former master dodger who is now akin to Arthur Daley – can usually be found at London boozers, playing gigs for money, dodging and diving. While old competitors like… Rod Stewart The penthouse lifestyle he lived, the Marriott elevator was stuck in the basement. Ace Face performed cleanly on stage in underwear.
Then in 1991, he had the opportunity to change his life. He was invited to Los Angeles to make an LP with him Peter Framptonhis former Humble pie Bandmate. This unexpected meeting — the first time they had scored together since 1971 — was an opportunity for the 44-year-old Marriott to rejoin the major league. He was able to earn a small fortune recording and publishing his progress. It was an open goal: he couldn’t miss. Frampton was happy to help. “I’m back with my idol,” he says. “It was my second chance to work with the greatest British singer of all time.” But Frampton, who had heard stories of Marriott’s decline, set some ground rules. There is no alcohol in the studio. Don’t go without permission. Above all, no cocaine. Marriott agreed. Within days, he broke his promise. He was a drunk, a coke snorter, a belligerent, a demon. Frampton stopped the sessions and sent Marriott back to England. He missed his open goal.
Marriott returned home from Los Angeles, arriving at his home in Arksden, Essex, in the early hours of April 20, riddled with jet lag. A passing motorist saw flames coming from the house at 6.30am and called the fire brigade. Marriott’s body was recovered from the upstairs bedroom. The inquest ruled accidental death as a result of smoke inhalation: he likely fell asleep due to the burning of a cigarette. His funeral took place on 30 April, a rainy and windy day in Harlow, while a group of young boys stood guard outside.
Marriott left many questions unanswered, some just interesting, others downright scary. What are the motives that motivated him? Why did he sabotage a profitable comeback? Was his downward spiral intentionally engineered? “He was the most talented person I ever knew,” Frampton says sadly. “But there was something in his psyche. Some big problems.”
Find the full interview from UNCUT July 2011/Take 170 in the archive