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For those who haven't read it, you'll enjoy this - a major interview done by UK Mod Magazine "On Target" in 2000 with Manon Pearcey, who was Steve Marriott's partner for a few years in the 80's (don't believe the years quoted in the article though) and mother of the apple of Steve's eye - his daughter Molly.
I spotted her at the memorial gig last year. Last year she also married one of Steve's buddies Joe Brown, himself of course married to the late Vicky Brown and father of Sam Brown.....complicated ? ... Iain
I remember the first time I heard Steve Marriott's searingly soulful voice, and being stunned. My initial introduction was provided courtesy of a pissed up patron of the local village pub. "Marriott, Marriott....he's the one..." I was told. "Lives dahn in Arkesden". The old boy proceeded with his tales of one of Steve's near legendary gigs in a local pub. "I see 'im a few years back......we wuz waiting in for 'im to play in some boozer dahn Stretford way......'ees cahm on abaht a full hour later than billed.....Wiv a few drinks inside 'im. We woz all waiting to see what 'eed do. 'Ees stood up at the mike and said "right you f****** mug punters, sit up and listen. You'll be glad you waited coz I am the bollocks" and wiv that he blew the fackin roof off the joint. You've gotta check 'im 'aht. 'ees the guvnor mate"
I was fifteen at the time, and well impressed ! A week later I'd sorted out some Small Faces tracks and...sure enough it was the proverbial canine's knackers. I was hooked.
It was the spring of '92, a short time after the fire at his cottage where he tragically lost his life, a cruel and shocking event that robbed us of an icon. Whilst Steve's legacy was acknowledged by the press at the time of his death, with hindsight, no-one quite anticipated the fervour of the renewed interest in Steve's music - most especially his work with the Small Faces. After years of bitter disputes and legal wrangles that had cost his group dearly in financial and artistic terms, it finally seems the Small Faces back catalogue is being given the attention and credibility it so richly deserves, and not before time. Steve Marriott is undoubtedly an icon, and make no mistake, will always be the genuine 'Modfather'.
For an 'On Target' exclusive we journeyed to the outskirts of Oxford to meet Steve's lifelong friend Manon Pearcey, a lady who had not only known Steve for virtually all his life, but is also the mother of his daughter. A rare opportunity to interview somebody with a perspective on the 'real' Marriott. we jumped at the chance.
When did you first meet Steve ?
We were 12 years old and I was looking out of my window, we'd moved into a flat in Manor Park in London, and Steve was walking past with his dog, Butch, nasty little thing he was (the dog - Ed)
We just sort of said hello. I remember thinking he was very different looking from the other boys, he was in Oliver at the time, his hair was quite a bit longer than everyone else's, he looked sort of striking.....I remember the reason he got the part (in Oliver) was that he used to go busking at the bus stop when he was about eleven. Lionel Bart had seen him busking once or twice and thought he was great - so when he webt into the audition, as soon as he walked onto the stage Lionel Bart had said "that's the one I want". He absolutely adored him. Thought he was wonderful.
Do you recall any of his early gigs ?
He had a group, Steve Marriott's Moments, I can't honestly remember if that was his first group, but I do remember his first proper gig with a band. It was in a coffee bar on the corner of our road. Everyone was into Buddy Holly at that time. Steve had borrowed his dad's glasses and taken the lens out of them. All our mates went. It was really great. We were only 13 or 14 at the time but even at that time he had the kind of charisma that most people just don't have. Plus, he already had experience of the stage. He used to go down to Canvey Island for holidays with his parents and would always win the talent competitions hands down. It got to the point where most of the other kids wouldn't enter cause they knew they'd never match him. Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha.
One of the first proper gigs he did I remember was in a Village Hall, and by this time he obviously had a bit of a following because this place was absolutely packed. There were a lot of young guys who hadn't heard him, and when he got up on stage they all laughed at him becasue he was very spotty, plus he had long hair when everyone else's was short, and he looked about twelve !
He started singing in a very high voice "house of the rising sun" everyone was laughing...then suddenly he belted it out, and the kids' faces were unbelieveable. I was sitting on the stage, and they were so shocked as to where all this power came from. Afterwards they all shook his hand and apologised and said "we're so sorry, we didn't know you could do that" and it was sheer adoration from then on, these kids used to go to all the gigs, wherever he was they used to follow him and it was so funny, he knew like "I'll show you" sort of thing.
Do you remember anything of the early gigs Steve played with the Small Faces ?
Actually I didn't ever see the Small Faces cause I couldn't bear the girls screaming. It really annoyed me. He was just so talented, and such a fantastic singer and why were they screaming ? you couldn't hear him. It would have just been annoying to me, and it definitely annoyed him. He thought "you go out there and do your best and they can't even hear you ?" He sometimes felt, you know "I might as well not bother"
They must have realised that much of the hysteria generated was because of their image. I suppose that in presenting themselves in the way they did they were the architects of their own misfortune
It’s funny, because knowing him at such a young age you just can’t imagine. It’s weird. I can’t imagine how people would look at him as an idol. This guy you knew as a best friend. It’s really weird. The strange thing was he was never that confident in how he looked anyway, and he always looked different, always looked different to everybody else, you know his hair was longer and he was terrbily nice (affects a posh accent). When he was younger he spoke beautifully. That was Stage School. He went to the Italia Conti, and had worked on Radio Luxembourg. Thye used to have this agony aunt bit where they read out these letters "Dear Marge - my boyfriend doesn’t love me" and he used to read them out so beautifully, but I knew he was laughing "listen to this - what they writing that for?"
How important to Steve was the Mod image ?
Well it was when the Faces first got together but eventually clothese weren’t important to him. I’d try and make him dress, you know, "Oh why don’t you wear that?" And he’d be like "I’ve had all that. I don’t care if it’s not fashionable. I don’t want it anymore."
I mean he’d go to a gig in his slippers, he really would, and I’d think "Oh Christ", and he’d go off in a tracksuit and slippers...."they’re comfortable...leave me". Because I think it was so much, you’ve got to do this, you’ve got to do that and they are surrounded by people telling them how to dress.
Despite never having seen the Small Faces I assume the two of you were in touch while Steve was in the group. How do you feel he felt at the time, coping with his celbrity status at such a young age ?
It used to frighten him. He never got used to all the girls camping out on the doorstep ! He just couldn’t work that one out. Never could. He wasn’t egotistical. He was a very kind guy, you know and despite the fact that he kind of wanted to, and knew that he would be very famous, he just....I don’t know, it wasn’t real...he didn’t see it all as being real
You mention he knew he’d be famous from an early age ?
Well yeah, I remember I was thirteen, he must have been just fourteen, and he’d decided he wanted to sing like the black guys. He was really into Muddy Waters and all that, and he’d heard all this stuff and decided "I wanna sing like that". We were in our block of flats. I think it was three floors and a basement, and he said " I wanna really sing like htese black guys, I think I can do it, but I’ve gotta practice and could we do it in the stairwell"
He went downstairs and I went up and he started singing and it was unbelievable. All the neighbours were shouting "Steve, stop making that racket", but he didn’t know how it would sound. Of course it was fantastic. We got an old tape recorder and used to record him practising singing and playing the harmonica, in those days he could really play the harmonica but he wasn’t very good at guitar.
Where did the harmonica playing come from ?
I can’t remember the name of the group, but he was 15 and played support for Jimmy Reed the blues singer at the Tottenham Royal. Yeah, he must have been about 15-16 and Jimmy Reeed thought he was amazing, just couldn’t get over his voice. Afterwards we were backstage and this guy was teaching Steve how to play the harmonica, you could see the adoration in this black guy’s eyes, you know, for this young kid, and he looked so young. They actually kept in contact for a long time after that
There was obviously an artistic and sensitive side to Steve, yet he is often portrayed as a kind of rough and ready East End urchin, an image he was partially responsible for cultivating.Do you think he used this as a kind of defence mechanism against.....
....well yes. He spoke so well, because of his time at Italia Conti, and I suppose that really made him stick out like a sore thumb in the East End. He really didn’t have that many friends...not close friends...because there was so much jealousy there. All the girls loved him because he was different, and because he grew up around women, his siter, his mum, his aunt, his nan (he adored his nan) he had a good rapport with the women. He really knew how to talk to women, , not in a sexy way, but in an easy way. So the men were jealous of him. He was a fantastic cook.
Always a winner with the ladies !
Well yes, ha ha, but yeah he could make the most amazing meal from whatever was knocking around, and you’d say "how’d you do that?" And he wouldn’t be able to remember. That’s as art form in itself.! But ask him to hang a picture and he wouldn’t have a clue. When we lived together I did all the DIY and he did all the cooking, but I suppose it illustrates he was very domesticated, which people don’t know about.
Another thing that’s never been written about Steve is how he really loved the ballet. Honestly, he thought Nureyev was fantastic. I think they taught them about ballet at italia Conti. He took me to see Swan lake with his mum, cause he couldn’t believe I had never seen it. He was explaining all the moves and it was hilarious ‘cause he was sat there in a pair of old jeans, unshaven with an old jumper with something very rude written across it explaining away, and he kept getting funny looks from this guy sat next to us. Anyway, this guy turns to Steve and says something like "You seem to know a lot about the ballet, what do you do young man?" So they sit and talk and it turns out that this guy is the choreographer., We wre at the National Theatre, and Steve just looked like nothing on earth.
Steve loved Noel Coward, he knew every word he ever wrote., read all about his life and I took him to see Blythe Spirit for his 40th birthday and it was the opening night and it was full of stars. He was on a binge, ‘cos he didn’t like being 40, he hadn’t shaved, andhe looked a scruffy mess like you wouldn’t believe, and of course they’re all dressed up cause it’s the opening night. The Sun was there, the Mirror was there, they were like "Oh Steve, how you been ? Come and have your picture taken", and I refused to be seen with him. Joanna Lumley was in it and some guy who died recently. I can’t remember his name. Steve was there pulling it to pieces. He’s saying at the top of his voice "he would turn in his grave if he could see this. Why’s he doing that. He’s so wooden that guy..why doesn’t someone tell him?" We’re sitting next to this guy’s brother and I’m thinking "oh Christ, why me ?" I just want to go home. But he sort of got round the guy, and they had a drink together and he said "well I’ve really studied Noel Coward" and all this. How he got away with it I don’t know, but God it was awful. I just wanted to run. But, I mean, when he was sober there was no-one finer
Steve did have a bit of a reputation for being difficult or stroppy, how much of that do you think was warranted ?
Oh that was drink, ha ha, it was drink, ‘cos when he didn;t drink he was the easiest person to get on with. He did go through a phase, I think with the Small Faces, when he didn;t like drinking; he didn’t drink for a long time
Was that anything to do with discovering hallucinogenics ?
Well yeah, maybe, but everyone was into that, except me of course. I like to be sitting upright at the end of the night when everybody was lying flat out on the floor. But cocaine and whisky was just the worst - the worst combimation.
I remember this guy came down from Guitar magazine, and he was such a nice guy.....he’d come down to do an interview with Steve and Steve had been drinking for days. The poor guy was just so uncomfortable, and didn’t know what to make of him and Steve just sat there and was the pits. Then Steve said "I’m just poppin upstairs for a minute" and he just collapsed on the stairs and was out like a light. So I covered him with a blanket and just left him there. I said to the guy "I’m so sorry, but please don’t write about this". He said "my wife is such a big fan of Steve she’d kill me" and bless his heart he didn’t write the story. I wish I’d been able to get in touch and thank him
But yeah, Steve was really very domesticated, but that’s not what people wanna read. They wanna read he’s been lying around in his own sick, God knows why. It’s just sensationalism for its own sake. In reality he was such a sweet guy. Steve was on Pop Quiz in ’84 with Mike Read, and there was Bob Geldof and PP Arnold, Paul Jones from Mafred Mann, Hholly Johnson and a few others who I forget, and he just stole the show because he was telling these funny stories. The audinece was in hysterics, Mike Read was in hysterics, the cameramen were in hysterics. His mind had gone blank and he kept getting all the answers wrong so he just resorted to making everyne laugh. Afterwards I saw mike Read in the corridor and he came up to me and took both ny hands and said "how do you live with him?". I said "it’s so easy. He’s so sweet"
But it’s important that you get the right impression, and Steve wasn’t an aggressive person. When he was sober he really didn’t have a stroppy side at all. He was just unhappy for a long time. I remember he was devstated when Jenny (Steve’s first wife) left him and I suppose that’s when it first all got out of control. But he did try to battle against it, he really tried to battle, to stop the alcohol. He’d go maybe four, five months without a drink, and be eating properly, and he’d look good and then a sudden something would just tip it. I remember once coming home, and Steve hadn’t drunk for four or five months, and we walked through the door and the room was full of smoke. The kitchen was black where he’d put on a casserole and left it. There were beer bottles all over the table you know, some friends had come round with a load of beer, and Steve was upstairs asleep. The weirdest thing was, if I hadn’t come home hthe house would have burnt down. He was meant to go that way, because it wasn’t the first time he’d done that.
It’s a great shame, if Steve were still here, how do you think he’d like all the renewed interest in the Small Faces ?
I think he’d be really pleased, definitely, he’d be pleased.....I know he was proud of his work w, but also that he sometimes had a hard time with audiences heckling him to wheel out all the old tunes. I suppose in some ways, having been part of sucha seminal band had its disadvantages, stereotyping you know.
Well yeah, he certainly didn;t like playing some of the old tunes, especially Sha La La La Lee, but he had to do some of the old stuff. It was weird actually. There was a programme the other night that had some footage of Steve. I hadn’t seen him in this suit. Well, I remember this suit because he came round to play this record to me (Sha La La La Lee) and he was sort of "I got a new suit but put this record on" and I said "I don't like it very much" and he knew he’d get an honest opinion from me. He’s like "what so you mean you don’t like it?" And I said "well I know what I like and it’s just not you". He was really angry and walked out and slammed the door. Years later, when we were together I reminded him and he said "I hated it as well but I didn’t need you to agree with me". Yeah, he didn’t like the tune at all, but it was commercial and I suppose that’s what broke them into the big time, but he always hated that record.
So what kind of music did he listen to at home ? Who were his inflkuences among his contemporaries ?
Well he loved Ry Cooder and Randy newman, John Prine and of course he loved black nusic, all the old soul singers, Patti La Belle, and Aretha of course, and he loved Ray Charles
What was Steve getting up to musically in the time you were together (‘77 - ‘84)
He was playing mainly with packet of Three, there was a Small Faces reunion but he toured Europe and America. He always had lots of gigs
Did it ever frustrate him that he didn’t really have the kind of recognition he deserved when many of his contemporaries were in superstar status ?
No, no, no it didn’t bother him as long as he was earning enough money to live comfortably on, plus he liked playing the pubs and clubs cause it was closer. He knew the audiences were there for him. It’s like the really big gigs were so impersonal, like when he played Shea Stadium, which was the biggest then, wasn’t it ? And he said "you can only see a few faces, it’s just a sea" and that was with Humble Pie who were at one stage just massive in the States. They were never that big here, but they were really big in the States.
But....that’s not to say he didn’t enjoy the big gigs when things went well, but I think he found it nerve wracking. I remember he did the Charlton Athletic Football Ground gig with the Who in ’74 and they had Lou Reed and (Steve Letford’s cousin) Maggie Bell. I think he was with the All Stars or something (no....Humble Pie...Ed) Anyway I was there with Steve’s sister, and we were trying to get backstage cause he’d beenliving in America and she hadn’t seen him. So we were sent a message "no, you can’t get backstage" and we were fuming. "There’s all these hangers on back there, and I’m his sister!". She was really pissed off. So we sat down and when he came onstage he had his hair cut short and that’s why he didn’t want us backstage, in case she took the piss out of him and it knocked his confidence. But it was the most fantastic gig I ever saw him do, he just blew everybody away, and shit, the noise when he came onstage was just unbelievable, he just walked on and said "Awwwright" and the place just erupted. And when the Who came on they couldn’t follow him (it’s well documented that all four members of the Who were f*** faced and noneactually recall playing the gig at all) they just couldn’t keep up that energy that he’d created.
Speaking of the Who, I once read that Steve had been approached by Jimmy Page when he was putting Led Zeppelin together, Steve on vocals, Pagey on guitar with Keith Moon and John Entwhistle as the rhythm section. I always wondered at that story. Is ther any truth in it ?
I’m not sure. I wouldn’t be surprised though. It’s a veru close knit scene with all the British musicians. He was friends with the Stones too, being on the same label(immediate) under Andrew Oldham. He was actually asked to join the Stones at one point but I don’t think Mick was too keen ! When Steve was living in New York he was on one of the Stones’ albums and they’d come round to his place one weekend. Toby, his son, had gone to school on the Monday and said to one of his mates "The Rolling Stones came round to see my dad yesterday" and he got beaten up. Poor kid.
So coming back to the Faces, did Steve stay in touch with the other band members after the split ?
I think he’d had a row with Ronnie Lane but I can’t remember what it was about. But the thing with Steve was that he never bore a grudge. If someone did him down he’d be angry, and then, you know, he’s just think "oh f*** off" but he wouldn’t let it eat him away like some people, he just wasn’t like that.The thing was they all suffered through having people like Don Arden controlling their interests, they were manipulated and taken for a ride so badly. It put pressure on them and their relationship with each other. Steve really loved the other guys but he just found it so hard but, they did play together a few years later, before Ronnie was really ill.
The thing is Stee was only ever in it for the music. The fame and the fortune, those things may have mattered to him very early on, but I mean, he could have tried to pursue lost royalties through the courts but he wasn’t interested, and , I remember him playing gigs in his slippers ! The money and the image weren’t important to him at all, only the music and I think that’s how he would really like to be remembered
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