55 Years Ago, This Rock Supergroup Was Overshadowed by Their Opening Act,a Then-Unknown Bruce Springsteen Band

Penning his first big hit, “Born to Run”, at just 24 years old, Bruce Springsteen now ranks among the best-selling artists of all time. His poetic soul, electrifying stage presence, and blue-collar sensibilities elevated Springsteen to superstardom, and at 76 years old, the Boss is still going. Reflecting on the “Glory Days” crooner’s career, it’s easy to believe he was destined for rock-and-roll history all along. Members of the British rock supergroup Humble Pie certainly saw that potential on this day (July 11) in 1971, when they faced the difficult task of following a then-unknown Springsteen and his band during a show at the Sunshine In music venue in Asbury Park, New Jersey.

“We Absolutely Tore the Place Apart”

In the early 1970s, Bruce Springsteen was still a scrappy up-and-coming artist in search of his own authentic sound.

Before eventually settling on his legendary E Street lineup, the 20-time Grammy winner formed the Bruce Springsteen Band in the summer of 1971. The nine-piece outfit included future E Street Band members Vini Lopez (drums), Garry Tallent (bass), Steven Van Zandt (guitar), and keyboardist David Sancious.

On July 11, 1971, the band had the opportunity to open for Humble Pie, which included former Small Faces vocalist Steve Marriott and guitarist Peter Frampton.

Formed in Moreton, Essex, in 1969, Humble Pie had released their fourth studio album, Rock On, just four months earlier in March 1971. After two years of rising success in their home country of the United Kingdom, Rock On was their first taste of the U.S. charts.

As the story goes, Springsteen and his bandmates performed so exceptionally that the members of Humble Pie debated the merits of trying to follow them at all, according to Peter Ames Carlin’s 2012 biography Bruce.

“The club manager had to come out and talk them back inside,” said Howard Feigenbaum, who played alto saxophone for Springsteen at the time. “And I understood their problem. The audience didn’t want us to leave. We absolutely tore the place apart.”

Why Bruce Springsteen Allegedly Turned Down His Big Break

Ultimately, Humble Pie did take the stage that night in New Jersey. And after their set ended, Peter Frampton had a proposition for the Bruce Springsteen Band.

“We were sitting around afterwards, and Frampton was talking to me,” trumpet player Harvey Cherlin recounted. “‘We love you, we’re gonna do a world tour, we want you to open for us!’ He said he’d get us a deal with A&M Records and help make us stars.”

However, neither the band’s leader nor its then-manager, Tinker West, seemed too keen on the idea. According to Cherlin, West replied, “Oh yeah, a major label, eh? Good luck! They’re gonna screw ya!’”

“And in a way he was right,” Cherlin conceded.

According to a footnote in the book, Springsteen disputed the authenticity of Frampton’s offer, saying the band would have welcomed the opportunity to open for Humble Pie.

Fortunately, the “Born in the U.S.A.” rocker didn’t have to wait much longer for his time to come. In May 1972, Springsteen auditioned for John Hammond, then a talent scout at Columbia.

After he had played the final note, Hammond declared, “You’ve got to be on Columbia Records.”

[RELATED: One Profoundly Underrated Track From Each of Bruce Springsteen’s 1970s Albums]

The following year, Bruce Springsteen released his debut album, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.

Featured image by Tom Hill/WireImage

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