Steve Marriott has been a huge influence on musicians for the last 40 years including Paul Weller and Noel Gallagher. Even Jimmy Page used Steve a bench mark when looking for a singer for Led Zeppelin. Steve Marriott was a real character, the eternal street kid, the ‘spitting image’ token cockney, even as a teenager!

After his stage debut in the West End musical ‘Oliver’ and appearances in early black and white episodes of ‘The Famous Five’ he was chucked out of school (for setting fire to it!) Subsequently your Steve spent more time listening to Alexis Korner’s record collection - and sleeping on his couch - than coming to terms with any career move. Eventually, after a spell with his band, ‘The Moments’, he formed ‘The Small Faces’ with a music shop acquaintance, Ronnie Lane, drummer Kenney Jones and organ grinder Jimmy Winston who had far more road qualification than musical ones - he owned a van! (He was soon replaced by Ian McLagan).

The Small Faces first success was the mod-soul ‘Watcha Gonna Do ‘bout It’, followed by ‘Sha-la-la Lee’. For three years, a career with wonderful singles continued, ‘All Or Nothing’, ‘Here Come The Nice’, ‘Itchycoo Park’, ‘Tin Soldier’ etc. and live appearances based on rhythm and blues, mod image and smashed hotel rooms! When their legendary, chart topping, concept album ‘Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake’, complete with in-between-track banter by cockney compere Stanley Unwin, one of the best concept albums ever made if you haven't heard it download it now itunes. Soon after Steve Marriott left the Small Faces, who would soon enlist Rod Stewart and Ron Wood and become The Faces.

In January 1969, Steve Marriott joined Humble Pie which he had initially helped Peter Frampton to form as a trio with ex-Spooky Tooth member, Greg Ridley and young Jerry Shirley.