Show me the way Peter Frampton

The Album cover for Peter Frampton's 1976 album "Frampton Comes Alive".

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frampton_Comes_Alive!

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“If there was ever a musician who is an honourary member of San Francisco society, Mr. Peter Frampton…“                ~ The introduction to “Frampton Comes Alive!”

When I started really getting into music in the Fall of 1984, my older brother started making mixed tapes and giving them to me at Christmas time. He is 10 years older than me, has been really heavy into music since he was a teenager back to the mid-70s, and has a lot of music.

I knew he tried to provide a selection of songs and, whether consciously or not, exposed me to a lot of different music. Of course it was his taste and type of music, but I have to say it was broad and enriching for me.

Over time, when I went to visit him in Calgary, I would find myself flipping through his records. He always offered to make whatever albums he had into tapes for me. By then, I had heard of a lot of musicians and performers from the radio, reading, and various TV shows such as “Good Rockin’ Tonite”; “Video Hits”; “Solid Gold”; and “Entertainment Tonight”.

Somehow, likely through one of the features on LA-107 FM, I heard about Peter Frampton and his epic album “Frampton Comes Alive!”. It was among a host of other albums from before I started listening to music. By then, I had also heard he was playing guitar for David Bowie on his “Glass Spider Tour”.

So, one day, I came across “Frampton Comes Alive!” at my brother’s and asked him to make a tape of it. I had never heard Peter Frampton perform, not even on the radio. I had just heard of him.

My brother came to visit regularly as well, so the next time he came to the farm, he had “Frampton Comes Alive!” and some other albums recorded. He hated wasting tape, so put an album on each side of one of the blank TDKs he recommended I buy by the box.

That was my introduction to Peter Frampton, something I was reminded of when I heard recently he is being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame later this month.

Live in concert
My knowledge of the musician all begins and ends with “Frampton Comes Alive!”, which actually came out in 1976. To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect, when I popped the tape into my ghetto blaster.

It opened with that introduction and went right into the music. Interestingly, as the tape played, I recognized more and more of Frampton’s songs. That actually happened quite a bit. I imagine it was due to the fact when my siblings were still home, my brother listened to his stereo quite a bit, and my sister listened to her clock radio a lot. Plus music was all around too, at school, on TV and elsewhere.

Songs must have seeped into my brain by osmosis.

“Frampton Comes Alive!” has several hits.

“Show Me the Way” started everything off, going all the way to number six on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. It was not only Frampton’s first top 10 hit, but his first ever single to hit the chart.

He followed that up with “Baby, I Love Your Way”, which peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100; and “Do You Feel Like We Do”, which went all the way to number 10.

“Frampton Comes Alive!” debuted on the Billboard 200 album chart at number 191, and went all the way to number one. It was number one for a total of 10, non-consecutive weeks, and was the top selling album of 1976.

Pre-history
Peter Frampton was born in England in 1950, and attended Bromley Technical School at the same time as David Bowie, who was three years older. Frampton got interested in music when he was seven, and was playing in a band by age 12. He went on to play in the bands the Little Ravens, the Trubeats, and after becoming a successful child singer became a member of the Herd. At the age of 18, in 1969, Frampton helped form Humble Pie.

Frampton went solo in 1971, after four studio albums and one live album. He released “Wind of Change”, his first solo album, in 1972. He released three more solo albums, with little commercial success.

That all changed in 1976 with “Frampton Comes Alive!”

The years after
Frampton followed up “Frampton Comes Alive!” with the album “I’m With You” in 1977. The title track “I’m With You” went all the way to number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, but it was nowhere near as successful as “Frampton Comes Alive!”.

He also appeared in the movie “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club band” in 1978, and played guitar on the title song of “Grease” in 1978.

Frampton was involved in a serious car accident in the Bahamas in 1978, and his career went into decline. He continued to record through the rest of the ‘70s and the ‘80s.

He also joined his old friend David Bowie in 1987 on Bowie’s album “Never Let Me Down”, and played on his subsequent “Glass Spider Tour”. Frampton said playing on this tour helped revive his career, as he kept on recording and performing.

In 2007, he earned a Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Album for “Fingerprints”. In 2011, he celebrated the 35th anniversary of “Frampton Comes Alive!” with a tour which followed the original set list exactly, playing the album song-for-song.

Then, in 2019 Frampton announced a farewell tour after which he would be retiring. He had been diagnosed with Inclusion Body Myositis, a progressive muscle disorder characterized by muscle inflammation, weakness and wasting. A dollar from every ticket sold on the tour went to the myositis research fund Fampton created at Johns Hopkins where he received treatment.

However, he would continue to play past that farewell tour.

Peter Frampton received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1979; and is set to be inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on October 19, 2024 by his friend Roger Daltrey, lead singer of The Who.

Parting thoughts
When I heard Peter Frampton was going into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I was reminded more of my brother than Peter Frampton. I am grateful for all the tapes he made, and the music he made available to me. It helped shape my musical taste, and contributed to the soundtrack of growing up.

Without my brother showing me the way, I would have never discovered the talent of Peter Frampton.