The Small Faces

Before the Rod Stewart/Ron Wood led Faces, there was an even more awesome band...the Small Faces, one of the greatest groups of the 60's! Their sound drew on elements of psychedelia, blues, r&b, and early hard-rock, much like their post-Small counterparts, but in these early years, it was the soulful wail and aggressive guitar playing of Steve Marriott (my all-time favorite vocalist) that defined their sound. Still lacking some of their catalog, but already, they're one of my personal favorites, and it's clear that they had quite a large impact on music during the short time they were together. They'll never be mentioned in the same breath as contemporaries The Who or The Rolling Stones, but if you ask me they were every bit as good as those bands.



Note to Rod Stewart: You've got a cool voice, dude, but Marriott was the best singer the Faces ever had, small or otherwise.

Not familiar with this band, other than hearing of them.

Are they anything like The Who? I'm a fan of those guys.

Schbopo wrote:

Before the Rod Stewart/Ron Wood led Faces, there was an even more awesome band...the Small Faces, one of the greatest groups of the 60's! Their sound drew on elements of psychedelia, blues, r&b, and early hard-rock, much like their post-Small counterparts, but in these early years, it was the soulful wail and aggressive guitar playing of Steve Marriott (my all-time favorite vocalist) that defined their sound. Still lacking some of their catalog, but already, they're one of my personal favorites, and it's clear that they had quite a large impact on music during the short time they were together. They'll never be mentioned in the same breath as contemporaries The Who or The Rolling Stones, but if you ask me they were every bit as good as those bands.



Note to Rod Stewart: You've got a cool voice, dude, but Marriott was the best singer the Faces ever had, small or otherwise.

I like 'em. I only have a comp of their stuff but for my money they pioneered the glam/sleaze style that bands like The Quireboys and Dogs D'Amour trade in.

Can't go wrong with the Small Faces or the Faces IMO. Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake is a very good concept album and their 2 S/T are good too. Ronnie Lane lived about an hour away from where I live and that's where he died.

I hate to admit this but I am a fan of both the Faces and Humble Pie, but I am unfamiliar with the Small Faces outside a cover tune that the original version of Quiet Riot did.

For years I have read about them and was aware of the personal that made up the band but never took the time to look into them, I will now.

manny wrote:

I hate to admit this but I am a fan of both the Faces and Humble Pie, but I am unfamiliar with the Small Faces outside a cover tune that the original version of Quiet Riot did.

For years I have read about them and was aware of the personal that made up the band but never took the time to look into them, I will now.

If you like the whiskey-throated barroom style of bands like The Quireboys, I think you'll like Small Faces.

I love that pub barroom sound of the Quireboys so it sounds like something I would enjoy.

So is The Faces at all related to The Small Faces?

Metallic Blaze wrote:

So is The Faces at all related to The Small Faces?

Yep apparently when Steve Marriott left to form Humble Pie with Peter Frampton they recruited Rod Stewart and continued forward as the Faces.

Ive heard of them but not heard them I thought Marc Bolan was involved in the band too but I must be mistaken with something else

Addy wrote:

Ive heard of them but not heard them I thought Marc Bolan was involved in the band too but I must be mistaken with something else

I think you maybe thinking of John's Children, Marc Bolan's prior T.Rex band.

I dont think so, I remember on the David Bowie VH1 Storytellers he was talkin about Marc Bolan and ideas for different bands and what not and I could have sworn he said Small Faces.... -shrugs-

I dunno maybe it was my imagination.......

Quote :

Before the Rod Stewart/Ron Wood led Faces, there was an even more awesome band...the Small Faces

I'd argue against that statement, but that's just me.

Awhlie back, I had a comp of their stuff on tape when I heard some of their original material being covered by some 80's bands (Great White, Blue Murder). I found their stuff to be a little too trippy and, I dunno, mod-like? (if that makes sense). They had some cool stuff going on, but it was a work in progress compared to the stuff that would come from The Faces.

It might sit differently with me now that I'm older and have a better appreciation for music, but I'll stick with the barroom swagger of The Faces for now.