♪ Woke up this morning ♪ ♪ With a wine glass in my hand ♪ ♪ Whose wine, what wine ♪ ♪ Where the hell did I dine ♪ ♪ Must have been a dream ♪ ♪ I don't believe where I've been ♪ LAURA: Hi, I'm Laura Savini and I had the wonderful opportunity to spend time with a true legend in music, Peter Frampton.

And we spoke for about an hour and he just talked so openly about his career, about his current health condition, and he shared a lot about music.

And we are very proud to share this entire interview on PBS Passport.

♪ My friend got busted ♪ I know this is hard to believe, but I'm sitting with Peter Frampton and this is so exciting.

We are so pleased that you're here with us on PBS.

It really is a thrill.

PETER: It's- I've waited all this time and now here we are on PBS.

LAURA: Here we are.

PETER: I'm so thrilled.

LAURA: You know, I'm- I'm watching your concert and I'm saying you're very honest that it may be one of your last concerts.

PETER: Mm-hmm.

LARUA: What is your emotion out there?

Are you excited?

Are you sad?

PETER: Um, never sad when I'm on stage until I say goodbye at the end.

LAURA: Mm.

PETER: And then it's a little bit of a- as- you know, a weeper.

(both laugh) But, um, no, that's what I've done ever since I was, you know, 14 years old is- is perform live.

So it's something that is part of me.

It's the extra part of me that pushes me on, you know.

So it's- it's my purpose, you know?

And, you know, through COVID, um, the two years where we've supposed to have gone to Europe... LAURA: Mm.

Mm.

PETER: Right after the America-Canada leg of the finale tour, it was so frustrating, because, I mean, we were all in the same boat.

LAURA: Yes.

PETER: But- but- I was- I had a catch-22 situation.

The longer I wait, (clears throat) the- the more my IBM progresses.

So I got nervous that we wouldn't be able to- I wouldn't be able to play o- okay.

So every now and again we get the band together and we'd play and I go, "Okay, still good, still good."

And um, and then, you know, we- we got this date at the Albert Hall, um, the Royal Albert Hall, LAURA: Mm-hmm.

PETER: And um, 'cause that's what the whole tour was based around.

I wanted to say goodbye to my home country in style.

And I'd never played the Albert Hall as me.

I played it with other people in other bands and things like that.

But, in fact, I played with- with Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings.

LAURA: Wow.

PETER: And um, so, it was very, um, special that we were to get that.

And then even though it was a lot longer to wait than I had envisaged, um, we- we went for it and it was fantastic, as you will see.

LAURA: (laughing) Yes, it is fantastic.

It's- it's a glorious show.

I- I wanna go back a little further though, because as I understand it, you taught yourself how to play the guitar as a very young child.

PETER: Mm-hmm, um.

(clears throat) Well, I- I got my f- I got a ukulele, a banjolele which is a banjo- shaped uke um, when I was about seven.

That was my grandmother's.

And, um, and then, um, I got a guitar when I was eight.

So, um, and then I just- I started listening to um, you know, Elvis Presley for Scotty Moore, the guitar player, H- Hank Marvin from The Shadows, who was the most important, um, band for me.

I wanted to be in that band, I- or I wanted to be Hank Marvin.

And, um, so yeah, that was- that was- I learned every song they- tune they've ever played.

It's all instrumental.

But they were also the backup band for Cliff Richard... LAURA: Oh.

PETER: Who's our Elvis... LARUA: Yes.

PETER: You know, except he's still going strong.

LAURA: Yes, he is.

PETER: So, um, yeah.

So that- that was the first thing.

And then of course, um, from that it went to Eddie Cochran, Buddy Holly, you name it.

All the American stars.

But I always loved the ones that played guitar and not just- and wrote their own songs like Eddie and Buddy, you know?

So, um, it was, um, important for me that- that kind of music.

LAURA: And then you very quickly caught the attention of a few important people in London and started playing with- (laughs) I mean, you did stuff with George Harrison, weren't you a teenager at that point?

PETER: Well, I was- I was 20 at that point.

So, but I mean, I had been virtually discovered by Bill Wyman, um, in this band that I was in called The Preachers, which was pre-Herd, and um, and he owed the drummer of the band, it was a semi-pro band.

And I was still at school, I was 14.

And we went up to London for my first professional- real professional session with this band.

And Bill Wyman was the producer, and then, um, Glyn Johns the engineer's engineer was the engineer.

So I- I- I always say I- I didn't realize it at the time, but I started at the top... LAURA: Yeah... PETER: You know, with some of the best people, um, best ears and, um, best musicians.

LAURA: So you're 14 working with Bill Wyman.

PETER: Hm-hmm.

LAURA: That- did y- did you understand it?

PETER: Um, well, I think that, um, it was just my life at that point.

LAURA: Yeah.

PETER: And I accepted- I was very excited by, you know, um, by being, you know, um, thought of as a- a- a young upstart guitarist and by people like the Rolling Stones and things like that.

So yeah, it was, it was, um, it- my father didn't like the Rolling Stones.

(both laugh) LAURA: What father did?

(laugh continues) PETER: But, well, he didn't like the Beatles to start with, but then at least when the Stones came out, he realized that, "Well, at least the Beatles had shorter hair."

(Laura laughs) You know, so it was, you know.

But, um, so anyway, it was- it was kind of weird knowing that, you know, but then, I have to flash forward to when I did an album- the album after "Comes Alive!"

Um, Mick Jagger was- was recording, mixing, and I think it was "Get Yer Ya-Yas Out!"

That's one of The Stones live- live records, and, um, my dad and mom came down to the session and I had Stevie Wonder playing harmonica on the track.

LAURA: Oh, come on.

PETER: And Mick- as I arrived, Mick was at the bottom of the stairs in Electric Lady, and he said, um, "I heard you've got Stevie Wonder "coming to play harmonica.

Can I come in and listen?"

I said, "All right then."

And- (both laugh) And so anyway, he came in and then my parents came and I'm looking at my father and Mick Jagger talking through the glass and I'm going, "I would never have believed this in a million years."

(laughs) And then, Dad comes into the control room he said, "That Mick Jagger, he's a really nice chap, you know."

So now he likes The Stones.

(laughs) (Peter continues to laugh) LAURA: That is great.

This is just so crazy that you introduced your dad to Mick Jagger.

PETER: (laughing) I know.

LAURA: Well, the things that life throws us.

PETER: I- I never thought that would happen, no.

LAURA: That's wild.

I- I- I mentioned George Harrison before, because I did not know that you played on "My Sweet Lord."

PETER: Well, I played acoustic on a lot of tracks on that.

I cut- I was on the basic track, meaning everybody at the same time on about five tracks.

And then George invited me back, just the two of us to overdub, and that's when they kept putting up, um, Phil Spector, who was the producer, killer producer.

And he, um, he wanted more acoustics.

So, um, George invited me, just the two of us, to sit on stools looking at- through the glass at Abbey Road, at, you know, at Phil Spector.

(laughs) And um, (Laura laughs) and they kept putting other tracks that I hadn't played on.

First of all, they put the tracks I had played on and we overdubbed more acoustics.

And then he kept putting up more and more.

He said, "Well, let's try more and more."

So I think I played- if you hear an acoustic, I'm probably on there, yes.

LAURA: You know, it's- it's interesting, because quite often we think of you as bursting onto the scene with "Frampton Comes Alive!"

but your schooling, so to speak, leading up to that point and- and how much touring and playing you did... PETER: Mm-hmm.

LAURA: Is phenomenal.

PETER: Well, yes, I mean, I'd had The Preachers before I left school, which was a wonderful band to be schooled by.

I like that term.

Um, and 'cause we did everything from blues to jazz, to Motown, to rock, you know, LAURA: Wow.

PETER: We covered everything.

And then The Herd, and they were great musicians too.

And then of course into Humble Pie, um, that was- that was my- um, the best period for- I had come into my own as a guitar player at that point, throughout- through all these other bands I'd been in.

I was getting better and better.

And- and, um, (clears throat) that I think was, um, especially when we recorded, um, the "Rock On" album, there was a- a song called "Stone Cold Fever" that I had wri- we'd all written it together, but I'd written the- the intro part to it, and that's what we based the whole thing on.

But at the end, there's a long, um, ad- libed solo that I did.

And, um, when we came into the control room, and it was Glyn Johns was the engineer producer, and um, I listened to the solo and it took me aback, 'cause I said, "I think that's me now."

I think I just recognized that that's my style, you know?

LAURA: Wow.

PETER: And it was through Humble Pie- playing so much with Humble Pie, um, I was combining some of my jazz favorite licks with rock licks and blues licks.

So I- I kind of put it all together, and The Shadows.

You know, I put everything that I'd ever learned together i- in Humble Pie and it- the- the result was me.

And I didn't say anything to anybody.

I just went to myself, "Oh, wow.

"I- I've- that's probably one of the better solos I've ever done," you know, so, and it sounds like- sounds unique to me.

Doesn't sound like Eric Clapton doesn't sound like it's this one, that one, or any- LAURA: Yeah.

Uh-huh.

PETER: You know, it sounds like me.

So that's- I always thank Humble Pie, it was a wonderful band to be in.

LAURA: You know, that's a- that's a fascinating moment.

That's like this epiphany when you're like, "Okay, I know who I am, now I can go do this," like- PETER: Yes, it was, and- and from that moment onwards, I mean, very soon after that we recorded the "Rockin' the Fillmore" album, which was a, um, which was Humble Pie's first gold record.

But I left before it came out and I was doing all these different sessions for George, for Harry Nilsson, for, you know, John Entwistle, the list goes on.

And- and, um, you know, that's when, um, my style, it- there it was, and it was coming out on all these- I mean, the very first time I met George was when (inhales), um, he was producing his very first album for the Apple label, 'cause The Beatles' App- label was called Apple.

LAURA: Right.

Mm-hmm.

PETER: And, um, so, I was just introduced some- a friend- well, someone that worked for- for George asked me into the control room and said, "Do you wanna meet George?"

I said, "I'd love to."

So we went over there and- and we spoke for a few minutes and he said, "Do you wanna play?"

I said, "Now?

(both laugh) Aren't you in the middle of a session?"

He said, "Well, no, come on now."

And so, he gave me the guitar, put in my hands, not given, he didn't give it to me, but he put in my hands the red Les Paul that is a storied, it's called Lucy, I believe.

Now, I didn't know at the time.

And that was the one that Eric played for "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."

LAURA: Oh.

PETER: And George had used on, um, you know, a lot of the solos and- and the Beatles and stuff like that.

So, um, he hands me the guitar and he says, um, "Here's the chords."

And I've realized now that Steve Stills, Stephen Stills is sitting right here.

(Laura laughs) And I- I was so blinker-visioned like this on George, that I- "Oh my God, there's another, oh me, and that's Stephen Stills."

(laughs) Um, and so, we start playing and I'm playing very quiet rhythm, because this is the Beatles' lead guitar player, obviously.

LAURA: Uh, yeah.

PETER: So after a while he stops and he goes, (imitates George Harrison) "No, Pete, I want you to play lead."

So I ended up playing on this first single from the Doris Troy album that he was producing and, um, ended up playing all the- the lead parts.

So, um, that was- I came out of that session about three foot off the ground.

LAURA: Yeah, I'm sure you did.

(laughs) PETER: Yeah, that was a wonderful experience.

LAURA: (exhales) Oh my gosh.

So it's my understanding that when you were in some of those sessions with George Harrison, PETER: Mm-hmm.

LARUA: That you saw the famous talkbox.

PETER: I did, um, the very famous um, from Nashville, Pete Drake, pedal steel player, um, he, um, was invited over to London by George.

And, um, so we did, um, I think the first one we might have done was, "If Not For You," which was written by George and Bob Dylan.

LAURA: Ah.

Oh right.

PETER: And so there's- there's Pete Drake, and he sets up his pedal steel.

He was about as close to me as you are now.

And so, the pedal steel was right here.

And, um, so, after you know, we'd finished a track or two, he goes, "Hey Peter, do you- do you wanna hear something?"

I said, um, "Yeah, what you got?"

And I thought he was just gonna play me something.

Well, then he gets out- out of his little bag, this little box, puts it on the end of his pedal steel, plugs this in here, that in there, and then a pipe, plastic pipe goes in- tube goes in his mouth and he starts, the pedal steel starts singing to me, it's coming out of his mouth.

And I just went, "Oh my God," 'cause I'd heard a similar sound on the radio when I was very young, Radio Luxembourg that- that faced, we could pick it up from Luxembourg in London.

And, um, their call letters were Fabulous 208, and- but it was done in that ♪ Fabulous 208 ♪ in a kind of a c- a pre- computer computer voice.

LAURA: Ah-huh.

PETER: And so I'd always wondered, "How do they do that?"

And there's- there it is right in front of me.

LAURA: Wow.

PETER: It was a different technique, but it's the same sound.

LAURA: Now, had Peter invented that?

PETER: No, um, Alvino Rey, um, in the thirties or forties um, had come up with that, a slightly different technique, but almost exactly the same result.

And he was also a pedal steel player, so... LAURA: Huh.

PETER: Um, but, um, Pete Drake was the one that, um, I think had a couple of hits "Forever," I think is one of them in the six- early sixties.

And, um, so, and there it was.

So I of course, I said to him, "Where did you get that?"

He said, "Well, I made it myself."

I said, "Oh."

He said- I said, "So I can't find one?"

Well, the- the story there is that he then lent it after that session to Joe Walsh (Laura sighs) who did "Rocky Mountain Way" with it.

LAURA: Right, right.

PETER: Which has the talkbox, the definitive talkbox solo... LAURA: Yes.

PETER: As far as I'm concerned.

And, um, so, Joe used that particular one of Pete's for the session... LAURA: Huh.

PETER: And then said to his friend Bob Heil, who was his, um, longtime buddy, ham radio buddy, who also made PA systems that we used, um, James Gang used, Humble Pie used, and he said to Bob Heil, you know, in Joe's inimitable way, (imitates Joe Walsh) "I want one louder."

So- so Bob Heil had to (laughs) make one that was louder.

So, um, this- and I've c- I have corroborated the story with the horse's mouth.

So Joe said, "Yeah."

And, um, so, um, luckily, um, Bob Heil heard how interested I was in them, and I got one for Christmas from Bob Heil.

LAURA: You did?

PETER: Yeah, so that was about probably Christmas '73, something like that.

LAURA: So were you thinking that you were just gonna play around with it?

Did you have any idea what it was going to do to your career?

PETER: No, no.

LAURA: Wow.

PETER: I had no idea.

All I- all I knew was that everybody else was, apart from Stevie Wonder, and one track Jeff Beck did with the- with the talkbox, um, they both used something called The Bag by Kustom.

And, um, (clears throat) was that Stevie Wonder used it to talk, you know?

And sing backgrounds and things like that through it.

LAURA: Oh.

PETER: And, um, so, but everybody else was kind of using it as just a sound.

And I had seen Pete Drake speak perfectly through it.

LAURA: Huh.

PETER: And it came out really, you know, you could understand every word.

So that was my goal.

I thought, what if I could actually communicate with the audience as this other character, you know, as this talkbox guy- LAURA: Interesting.

Yeah.

PETER: The computer guy, you know.

And I had no idea what it would, how it- they would react to it.

And then the first night that I introduced it into the show was in the end part of "Do You Feel," but this was probably in '74, um, and before that it had just been an extended guitar solo.

And so, we brought everything down and then I started using the talkbox, and we all felt that the audience had moved forward about 18 inches like that.

It was just that sort of, "Oh my God, what's that?"

And then they went berserk.

And so, and then I- I just made a sound with it first of all.

And then I said, you know, "Do you feel like I do?"

And the place just erupted, you know, because it wasn't me, it was this other thing, you know, which is so amazing.

(Laura sighs) And, um, and you know, for, if I'd have paid for it, it was only $150, but I got it as a present.

So... (laughs) LAURA: Can you believe that?

I mean, just think of that $150 gift.

(Peter laughs) Wha- I mean, it changed... PETER: Yeah.

LAURA: It changed your life, wouldn't you say?

PETER: Well, it definitely made me stick out.

LAURA: Yeah, right, right.

PETER: Yes, on- on- on "Show Me The Way" and... LAURA: Yes.

PETER: "Do You Feel," yeah.

LAURA: It gave you a different sound than anybody else had right then.

PETER: I had a gimmick.

(laughs) LAURA: A gimmick.

It was your shtick.

PETER: Unique!

you gotta have a shtick!

You have a- a gimmick.

Beat it, hey, hee.

(Laura laughs) So anyway, I didn't realize I was getting a gimmick, but I did, you know, but I loved it, and I still love playing it, because it's- um, I don't know, every audience still- they still go crazy.

But you know, there's so much Auto-Tune now, Which is the same... LAURA: Mm.

PETER: Kind of effect, but- but it's not- the talkbox is analog, you know, it's very specifically analog.

It's part of the guitar and the shape of your mouth.

LAURA: Interesting.

PETER: Whereas Auto-Tune i- is very digital and, you know, it's- it's- it doesn't have any soul.

(Peter laughs) LAURA: No, I- I get that.

And I didn't realize that- that so you f- it's you making that sound, it's not a computer, it's- it's you.

PETER: Yes.

LAURA: Having fun with the audience.

PETER: Exactly, yes.

And you know the Aut- look, there's been ma- many huge hit songs using Auto-Tune to the max for that effect.

And, you know, I still like, you know, listening to it, but, um, you know, Ro- um, Robert Troutman, um, was also an- a keyboard player that he used the keyboard like Stevie did through the talkbox, and he's- he was phenomenal with it, you know?

So, but- and that's very analog, you know?

LAURA: Mm.

Hmm.

PETER: Even though it's a digital keyboard, it's all- it's all done by him, you know.

LAURA: Yeah, do you still do a lot of analog things like when you record or are you digital and analog with s- PETER: Um, we- we were doing analog and digital at the same time and choosing between the two.

Um, but now, it's got so good, LAURA: Mm.

Yeah.

PETER: The digital that we don't worry so much about it on the tracking, but we do mix to both.

I've got an analog, two-track, half-inch that we mix to that, and we mix to the computer as well.

And we let the mastering engineer, um, decide which one cuts better.

LAURA: That's great, PETER: Yeah.

LAURA: That's perfect, that's perfect.

M- most of the so- I think all of the songs actually in this special that we're doing come from "Frampton Comes Alive!"

right?

I think- PETER: Most of them.

LAURA: Most of them.

PETER: Most of them.

LAURA: So I wa- I wanna spend a little time talking about that album.

I mean, how could we not?

PETER: Mm-hmm.

LAURA: But when, I mean, you did so much studio work and then you took this chance and recorded over, I think it was like three concerts?

PETER: Yes.

LAURA: You record your music, you record these live shows, and it just makes me feel like maybe you just know how to work a room, like you know how to use a live atmosphere.

Do you prefer that over a controlled studio?

PETER: Oh- oh, night and day, yes.

LAURA: Night and day.

PETER: Absolutely.

Um, (clears throat) there's no take two live.

Well, there can be if you mess up, but- (both laugh) but, um, I like the fact of, as I walk onto that stage, there's no one on my shoulder or through the glass saying, "Maybe try that a little" (speaks nonsense) It's all down to me.

LAURA: Yeah.

PETER: Whether I make mistakes or I do what I want, or I- I don't come up to my- my standard, whatever.

Um, but I do enjoy the audience.

I use my own self- deprecating humor, which I think audiences really like.

Um, and well, I can't help it.

That's what my humor is.

(both laugh) Um, but- but- and- and I've learned to- over the years how to, um, grab the audience... LAURA: Mm.

PETER: You know, and bring them into me... LAURA: Mm.

PETER: You know, and I- I do- I do enjoy that.

And, um, it's something that I've pretty much enjoy all the time.

LAURA: 'Cause I think when I listen to that album, and even then when it came out, I realized this, that the songs were sort of breathing with you.

You let the- you let the crowd be in it and, like, we- we're inhaling and exhaling with you.

Am I imagining that?

Were... PETER: No, it was one of those- the- the main evening, which is Winterland and- was Winterland, it's now condos I think.

LAURA: Oh, shame.

(both laugh) PETER: But- but Winterland um, was a- a wonderful arena.

It was a ballroom.

LAURA: Mm.

PETER: Um, so it was no seating, it was all standing.

And um, it's about 7,000, 8,000 people I think.

Um, and it was the place to play in San Francisco.

And- and not only the place, but San Francisco are taking a liking to me ahead of a lot of the other places in- in America.

LAURA: Huh.

PETER: And it's when you could have a regional breakout of a hit.

(Laura laughs) You can't have that anymore.

LAURA: No.

PETER: Um, but you could and, um, on radio.

And radio, I owned the radio waves in San Francisco in '75, um, before the live album.

LAURA: Huh.

PETER: They picked up on the Frampton album before the live record, much more than anywhere else.

Maybe New York.

But, um, so it was, um, by the time we came to promote the Frampton record, we were actually- we got to Winterland and we were recording it to do the live record.

So, um, we'd had, um, lots of- we'd been playing the numbers for a while except for "Show Me The Way," "Baby I Love Your Way" and "Nowhere's Too Far."

And those three, we realized we needed to record again somewhere 'cause they weren't as up to par as far as the rest of the show.

So that's when we went to Commack, Long Island for "Show Me The Way."

LAURA: (laughs) I love that.

PETER: And we went to Plattsburgh University.

LAURA: Ah!

Go New York.

PETER: To- to- to do "Baby, I Love Your Way."

LAURA: Oh, is that really?

PETER: Yes.

LAURA: Oh, that's so great, my home state.

PETER: I think it was $2.50 to get in that night, so to see us.

LAURA: Last time anyone saw you for $2.50.

PETER: Yeah.

(Laura laughs) LAURA: Well, needless to say, you know, that album just- everybody just took to it.

It was really a phenomenon.

The music was catchy and rock, yet relatable.

I think girls and guys could both get into it.

PETER: Mm-hmm.

LAURA: You really, you- you- you hit all of us with that.

We could all relate to that.

And I wonder how quickly that changed your life.

I mean, you were playing to 7,000, I'm guessing you were just within months playing to a much bigger venue.

PETER: Well, yeah, that one- that was (clears throat) o- o- on that '75 tour.

That was one of the bigger places, yes.

LAURA: The 7,000.

PETER: Right, we couldn't- we were still opening or supporting other acts.

LAURA: At that point?

PETER: At that point, throughout that year, we weren't headlining everywhere.

We could only headline in Detroit, New York, um, and- and San Francisco.

LAURA: Whoa.

PETER: Maybe LA, but I doubt it at that point.

But, um, as soon as the live album came out, um, or even before it came out, um, I tell the story about, I- I went away in January of '76 for a, um, a vacation, because I knew we were gonna work all year promoting this live record.

And, um, so I went on vacation in January, um, for about 10 days.

And before I left, my agent said, "We have- in Detroit, you've sold out a whole show, um, at Cobo Hall."

And that's, you know, 10 or 12,000 or more maybe.

I don't know, um, lot of people, um.

(Peter laughs) And, um, so, I went away and I came back and lo and behold, we had three more shows there.

So we ended up doing four shows.

So that's when I realized when I came back from the vacation, the album was just- had just come out in- in January, "Comes Alive!"

And so, I came back after the first week of results of what was going on.

And we heard that it was selling like hot cakes, you know, and the rest as we say, um, was history.

LAURA: T- tell me about the first time you play a huge venue, be- and I don't know how quickly that happened, but I just sort of imagine you peeking out behind, you know, looking out (Peter chuckles) and seeing like 50,000 people and saying, "Oh."

(Laura laughs) PETER: Well, yes.

I- I think the- the- the one that gave me cause to swallow and (Peter gulps) gulp a little (Laura laughs) was um, in '76 we played um, Philadelphia, um, JFK Stadium, which was... LAURA: Oh wow.

PETER: They said it was 115,000, but we know they printed more tickets.

So it was probably 120- or-more thousand people.

LAURA: Oh my gosh (gasps) PETER: And there's a- there's a picture of that night from a helicopter or a blimp or something, and it shows the- 'cause it was an oval shape, wasn't round, 'cause it was so big.

And I think that was the first time I had played somewhere.

Well, and we played it the year after too, but it was um, and then we went on and played um, Soldiers Field in Chicago... LAURA: Mm.

PETER: The same weekend, LAURA: Ah.

PETER: You know, so it- and- and other places too, other, um, um, bigger stadiums like that.

So it was the beginning of the stadium tour for me in '76.

LAURA: Wow.

PETER: And Days on the Green in, um, in San Francisco, well, Oakland, and, um, I- I think I did that like three or four times, Day on the Green, and that's 65,000 people, you know.

So, but, um, yeah, I mean, a lot of people have played stadiums obviously, but for me, it was, um, it wasn't a big deal- big thing at that point.

The Beatles had done stadiums... LAURA: Right.

PETER: Few other bands had done stadiums.

And then, you know, even our PA company, Clair Brothers at the time, had to, um, had to manufacture extra speaker cabinets for these huge venues.

There's no one... (both laugh) because it hadn't been done that often, you know?

LAURA: Wow, a- and this is a purely selfish question, because everything I do is on TV.

I'm- I'm rarely in front of a live audience and I- I don't know what that feels like and most of us watching don't know.

What does that feel like to have 100,000 people?

(Peter sighs) PETER: Um.

LAURA: Do you feel them?

PETER: Oh, yes, absolutely, um, because I'm- I'm going out there to speak to everyone individually, basically.

LAURA: Yeah, yeah.

PETER: That's, you know, um, I mean, I- the- the um, MO for when I was supporting was when you go out there, you wanna grab as- m- maybe I'm opening for ZZ Top or something back then.

And um, so, it's a full arena, you know and I'm going out there maybe opening or in the middle spot, and my MO is to go out there and grab as many of their audience LAURA: Right.

PETER: As- to become my followers as well.

So therefore, the whole audience was a potential, (both laugh) you know, to be my audience.

LAURA: Right, right.

PETER: And so, by the time they were- my name was the only name on the ticket, um, I pretty much knew that they were all there for me, so... LAURA: Mm.

PETER: Grabbing them wasn't so difficult, you know?

LAURA: Yeah, yeah.

PETER: I knew they were there to see me, so.

LAURA: I- I just- I- I love that whole idea of you out there at- which happened kind of quickly all of a sudden.

And they're the songs you wrote, it's this guitar style you developed.

PETER: Mm-hmm.

LAURA: It- it just must have felt so good.

You know, it just... PETER: Yeah.

I mean, it was- it was more than I could ever hope for in you know it, that period, um, and um, so yes, it was beyond my wildest dreams.

LAURA: Mm.

And then all of a sudden, you know, you're like, got your shirt unbuttoned and you're on the cover of the teen magazines and the poster- PETER: The poster, yeah.

LAURA: I mean the poster ubiquitous, PETER: Yes.

LAURA: I mean, every girl's bedroom.

And I started thinking about that poster and I said, "What was the equivalent?"

And Farrah Fawcett was the equivalent and it was the same year.

(Peter laughs) Did you realize that?

PETER: Yes, it was, yes.

Yes, we- we actually finally met later on in- in our lives.

I met Farrah, but, um, yeah.

Well, yeah, so there was her poster and my poster, you know what I mean?

She sold more of hers, I think.

LAURA: Did she?

You could... PETER: Yeah, well, I had hers.

LAURA: Did you have hers?

(laughs) (slaps leg) PETER: Of course, I had hers.

(Laura and Peter laugh) LAURA: I love that.

(both laugh) You seem a little embarrassed of your poster, not your Farrah poster.

Your own.

PETER: Oh I didn't- no I ha- I didn't like it at all.

LAURA: What?

PETER: Well it was um, the thing- the thing was that, um, "Comes Alive!"

was the culmination of all this work that I'd done from the year dot when I started playing.

And- and my musical credibility was- was pretty high, you know?

LAURA: Yeah.

PETER: And then the- the album "Comes Alive!"

hit, and because of what was on the record... LAURA: Yes.

PETER: Not because of the way I looked at that point, but the aftermath of that was that they realized that, because I looked the way I did, I could sell a lot of magazines.

So all of- all of a sudden I'm on the front cover of this one, that one, this one.

LAURA: Mm.

PETER: And unfortunately I- I let um, Scavullo, um, um, made me take my- well, asked me many times during the session for "Rolling Stone," "Would you take the shirt off?"

And I said, "No, no, I- I- you know, I'm a serious musician," LAURA: Mm.

PETER: And they'd already done my hair like I looked like Farrah Fawcett, you know, so... (both laugh) suddenly, "Oh God, I don't look like me."

And then they wanted the shirt off and I said, "No, no, no, no, no."

And then ver- at the very end, he- Scavullo goes, (imitating Scavullo) "Peter, Peter, Peter "just a one a shot for me, please, please?"

Took the shirt off, click, front cover of "Rolling Stone."

LAURA: Ahh.

PETER: So, and to me, we didn't need to really um, bolster the teeny-bopper look that I had, because of the way I was born, um... LAURA: Mm.

PETER: I- that's the way I looked.

LAURA: Right.

PETER: But, um, the more important thing to me was my guitar, the music... LAURA: Sure, sure.

PETER: Always.

And I'd never really cared about the way I looked, and... or the way I dressed or anything.

And now it was, um, obviously, you know, everybody was wearing satin pants and- and you know, tops with them open like Robert Plant, LAURA: Mm.

Saturday Night Fever.

PETER: That kind- same- had the same kind of top as Robert Plant.

LAURA: Yeah, mm.

PETER: So it was the same time period except, um, they kept their credibility.

And because I was on the cover of so many magazines um, with my shirt off, (laughs) um, the guys kind of started to get bugged.

And- and I think the- the girls- the girls came to the front and the guys went to the back.

And, um... LAURA: You saw that?

PETER: I- I felt that, yes, that I was losing my male audience, because I was- I was crossing over from my- from musical- all-round credibility... LAURA: Mm, mm.

PETER: To just the music was getting lost... LAURA: Mm.

PETER: As far as in my credibility.

And that wasn't to be, wasn't to come back- I had to work very hard to get that back.

LAURA: Mm.

PETER: Um, and I have to say that the person who gave it back to me was my school chum, David Bowie, um, who asked me to play on "The Glass Spider" tour... LAURA: Oh.

PETER: And also the "Never Let Me Down" record in '87.

'86, '87.

And um, David, um, and I'd known each other since school days.

And he was always someone there I could call... LAURA: Hmm.

PETER: For advice and everything.

And that's when he called me up and said, "Would you come and play on my record, my next record and be on the tour?"

And, um, that's when I realized, "Oh my goodness, what- what a great thing," you know.

And I didn't realize what it was doing at the time, but it- it gave me back my musical credibility as the guitar player.

LAURA: Sure.

'Cause there's no, I mean, you see you on stage with the guitar, there is no doubt that you are a guitar hero.

(laughs) PETER: Well, thank you.

LAURA: No, it's true.

PETER: I'm okay, um.

(both laugh) But I mean, David knew what he was doing more than I did at that time.

LAURA: Do you think he was doing that to get you back out there in another- PETER: Mm-hmm.

Oh, he definitely, he didn't do anything without a reason, so... LAURA: Huh, what a nice guy.

PETER: Yeah, he was a wonderful man and a dear friend, obviously for many years.

LAURA: Hmm.

PETER: And um, that was a gift, the gift that keeps on giving, you know?

LAURA: Hmm.

PETER: And I- I- I continue to thank him.

LAURA: Oh, that's lovely.

That's really nice.

You have this guitar story that just blows my mind.

It's- it's almost a make believe story of your Phenix.

PETER: If- if you- if you wrote a screenplay and took it to a film company, they- they would say, "No, this didn't happen."

LAURA: Yeah.

PETER: You know.

Well, I was given the Les Paul, um, which is now called the Phenix, um, for obvious reasons, you'll- you'll hear in a second, but- but basically, I was given- given it by a friend in- in San Francisco um, at- at the Fillmore West in 1970.

And I used that guitar through Humble Pie, um, through my early solo records, all my sessions, um, everything that I did, all the way up, all tours and everything, all albums, all the way up to 1980.

And then (clears throat) we were playing Caracas, Venezuela.

LAURA: Wait, wait, go back, 'cause I wanna understand why this guitar is important to you.

Is it customized to you?

Is it a one of a kind?

What... PETER: Um, it is a one of a kind, because it's a Frankenstein of a guitar.

(Laura laughs) It's actually a- a 1954/'55 Gibson Black Beauty.

And that means that it had older-type pickups on it.

And then, the friend that gave it to me, he, um, replaced the pickups in it and put instead of two, put three humbucking pickups in it, and then sent it back to Gibson to be refinished black.

LAURA: Oh, wow.

PETER: And so, when he gave it to me, I wasn't a big fan of Les Pauls at that time, but I played that one that night and I don't think my feet touched the ground.

It was one of those, um, incredible moments where a guitar found me and I found it.

LAURA: Wow.

PETER: And I couldn't play anything else from that one.

LAURA: And that was in what year?

PETER: That was in 1970.

LAURA: Oh, wow.

PETER: And then, um, so it's on the front cover of- it's on the live record, obviously, it's on all the studio records that I did between 1970 and 1980.

So then in- in 1980, we, um, we flew from Caracas, Venezuela to Panama.

We had a day off.

And the- the equipment flew on a cargo plane later after us.

And unfortunately, it never got off the runway and it was a ball of flames.

LAURA: Oh, no.

PETER: So it exploded.

And, um, so, we- we pretty much realized that um, all our equipment was gone, but more- more importantly, there were people that perished, you know.

LAURA: Oh, no.

PETER: So it was a sad occasion... LAURA: Oh gosh.

PETER: Obviously.

So, um, then people would ask me, Gibson very nicely, much later made me one that looked like it, but it wasn't it.

LAURA: It didn't sound the same?

PETER: I don't know.

I didn't know at the time, because I had nothing to compare it with, see?

LAURA: Mm.

PETER: So, um, 30 years later, I got an email with all these photos of the guitar at that point in time in 2010 or whatever it was, 2008.

LAURA: W- w- wait, wait, wait.

So the airplane blows up.

Everything's gone, 30 years later, someone shows you a photo and you say, "This is my guitar."

PETER: They sent me an email to my website and I opened the- the email and there's like a dozen really very well- taken shots of it with the pickups in the pickups out inside, the cavities in the back, everything.

And, um, so, I knew it was mine, but I screamed, you know, like, wow, I couldn't believe it.

And so, but I didn't want to announce that I knew it was mine to these people that had it in South America... LAURA: Mm.

PETER: Because I didn't want to have to pay LAURA: Mm.

PETER: A million dollars for it.

I'd been given it once.

So I owed something on it, but not a million dollars.

You know, so, um, (laughs) and, so, anyway, um, the person that had it brought it into this luthier in the island of Curaçao off the coast of Curaç- Caracas, and, um, it was his father's guitar.

And so, he took it to this luthier who knew what it was immediately.

LAURA: Mm-hmm.

PETER: And when the kid came back the following morning, um, to get it fixed, to- to pick it up after it had been fixed, um, the luthier said, "You know whose guitar this is, right?"

And the kid just did the case up and ran.

LAURA: So they knew?

PETER: They knew that I- that we knew that they knew that I knew.

LAURA: Wow.

(Peter laughs) PETER: So two years, um, two years went by, a gray area.

The kid wants a new guitar, he can't stand this old thing.

And so- LAURA: I mean, that's just crazy, (both laugh) but go on.

PETER: So he comes back to the luthier and he says, "Look, um, I like to sell this back to Mr. Frampton, I need $5,000."

So I thought, "Well, that's not bad."

Um, so anyway, it took two years for that to happen.

And then no one wanted to bring it to me, because they thought it was a- it was stolen merchandise and (Laura sighs) they thought that maybe I would have the FBI waiting for them in Miami, you know?

Which I didn't, you know, I didn't care about that.

I just knew it existed now and wanted to get it back.

So they came, came to- we were here in Nashville at the time in a hotel suite and they came in and we had a three- camera shoot ready for the thing to be returned to me.

And you can see that on YouTube.

LAURA: And it's the young man, he brings it back to you.

PETER: No, it's the luthier LAURA: Oh.

PETER: And the Minister of Tourism LAURA: Oh.

PETER: From the island of Curaçao who paid the 5,000, (Laura laughs) because the luthier didn't wanna buy it, 'cause he didn't wanna buy, um, stolen merchandise.

So they figured, I can't sue- I can't get a country and put them in jail, so.

So the- the Minister of Tourism bought the guitar for me and I paid him back.

So they arrived in- in Nashville and gave me the guitar back and I realized it was actually the guitar, so.

LAURA: Were there any burn marks on it or anything?

PETER: Oh yes, it's- it's- LAURA: Yeah?

PETER: Definitely got scars LAURA: Mm-hmm.

PETER: And, um, I took it back to all- we went straight from the scene of them giving it back to me.

Um, we all got in our cars and- and went over to Gibson and, um, got it verified that it was what I said it was.

And, um, they said yeah, it's a '54/'55 Black Beauty that has been, you know, um, changed to the- what we all know it as the one on the front cover of "Frampton Comes Alive!"

LAURA: Mm.

And does it sound like your old guitar now?

PETER: Well, thereby lies another tale where I- where I brought, (Laura laughs) the- the band didn't know that- that- that I had (clears throat) got it back and it had gone to Gibson to be refurbished, but only to get it working and playing okay, not to change the burn marks.

And so, um, I got it back at the recep- the rehearsal, the band didn't know and we never rehearsed, "Do You Feel," 'cause it's too long.

Um, (both laugh) so, I- I just said with my back to them, I said, "Hey guys, I really need to try the opening of- something with my sound, I'm not sure what it is, want to try the opening to, 'Do You Feel.'"

So I started playing, and it's noticeably the one on the record.

LAURA: Come on.

PETER: Yes.

So I started playing and then I turned around and they were all like this, you know, because it was- it sounded so different.

LAURA: Wow.

PETER: Because it sounded like the record.

And, well then we just start playing and everybody went, "Oh, well, is that it?"

(Peter laughs) And it's undoubtedly the one from the record so... They- they all sound diff- all- every guitar, even if you had two guitars on a Thursday night, finished, you know, made after lunch at the Gibson factory, both of them will be made by the same luthier, if they were- if you could make two in an afternoon, you can't.

But- but if- as they come to finish and you could play one and then play the other, and they would both be different and made by the same person, because the wood is different.

(both laugh) LAURA: It's gotta be- I- I know sometimes an artist says, "Oh, I played that song so many times."

But that song is so joyous.

There's so many pieces and aspects to it.

PETER: I think that, um, it's become- well first of all, I wrote about a hangover, so it's a party song.

(both laugh) LAURA: Come on.

PETER: Yeah, "Woke up this morning with a wine glass in my hand" you know, so.

(Laura laughs) So, you know, it is a- a party song and, um, the chorus is- I mean, it's a joyous song, you know?

LAURA: Mm-hmm.

PETER: And for whatever reason, I'm asking the audience a question, do you feel like I do, you know?

Or we do, the band?

And, um, so, they're really involved all the way through.

And for whatever reason, i- it's become this song that, um, if I- if I didn't perform it, they'd lynch me.

You know, so... (both laugh) LAURA: Yeah.

PETER: But it- it's- it's the song that really does, um, bring the- the evening to a- to a close, you know, in a great way.

In a fan- it's a fanfare... LAURA: Yeah.

Yes.

PETER: At the end, it's a fanfare, I tell you.

So, um, yeah, and then- then usually, um, that will be when we go off.

LAURA: Oh, and you know you say that and that- you just saw me catch my breath, because, um, this is an emotional moment for everybody watching, because we don't know if we're gonna see you do this again.

PETER: I'm- I can never say- never say never.

(Peter laughs) Um, I'm hoping that- that we can do some one-offs or some residential situations, LAURA: Mm.

PETER: Um, wherever it might be sooner than later.

Um, and, um, I- look, I don't wanna stop playing ever.

LAURA: No, I can't imagine you would.

PETER: So I'm gonna play as much as I can for as long as I can.

LAURA: I- I- I- I love that idea and I hope you do that.

And I- I have to say, I don't know if you've thought about it this way, but, um, you know, in years past if somebody got a condition, they didn't talk about it.

PETER: Mm-hmm.

LAURA: It was hidden or maybe they just didn't play for a while.

But I think it's so important what you're doing is saying, um, you know, something's happening to me.

PETER: Mm-hmm.

LAURA: And it makes the rest of us say, okay, we don't have to be embarrassed.

Was that part of your plan or do you realize how that's helping people?

PETER: Well, I spoke with my team of- of doctors at Johns Hopkins right from the off, before- (clears throat) 'cause I knew way before I told anybody what was- what was going on.

And, um, we spoke about a time when we thought that it would be appropriate to help everybody el- It's a- unfortunately they call it a boutique disease, LAURA: Mm.

PETER: Because it's only, you know, 50,000.

But there's a lot of people out there that don't know they have it that do, you know, um, unfortunately.

But it still affects a very small amount in the scheme of things.

LAURA: Say the name of it again.

PETER: It's inclusion body myositis, IBM.

And basically, it's, um, it affects the arms, the muscles in my arms and hands and the fronts of my- my legs.

Um, so, um, and I'm very lucky, um, that it- it is progressing very slowly for me, which is great.

Other people have- there's different speeds obviously.

So, um, it effects my- it has affected my legs more than anything... LAURA: Mm.

PETER: Um, up until now, but it is starting to a- a- affect my hands a little bit.

And, um, so, I'm playing every day and practicing... LAURA: Mm.

PETER: To keep them moving, you know?

LAURA: Oh, that's good.

Um, it's a hard question for me to ask, but does it scare you?

PETER: Um, I don't think it scares me, because I'm so well aware of the end game and, um, it's something that, um, there's nothing I can do about it, you know?

Unless they come up with something, we're hoping all the time for a- (smacks lips) a drug trial that works LAURA: Mm.

PETER: Or some sort of trial... LAURA: Mm.

PETER: That- that works, um, obviously to stop it.

I don't think there's any possibility of- of reversing it, um, but stop it where it is.

And so, um, I- my kids say, "Dad, why do- why did little things really bother you?"

And I said, "Because I can't do anything about the big things."

(Laura laughs) You know, so I've gotta worry about something, so.

LAURA: Right, right.

PETER: Um, I'm very optimistic about the outcome, um, but I'm realistic at the same time.

LAURA: Mm, mm.

PETER: So, um, it's a mixed bag of emotions.

LAURA: Mm, mm.

So you change your lifestyle a little to live the best life you can.

PETER: Mm-hmm.

LAURA: And what are some of the things you are going to do now that you're not on tour to- to live that best life?

PETER: Well, I'm still playing music and writing music and recording music.

So a- as long as, I mean, the thing is, um, I'll still be able to write a song and sing and record, you know?

LAURA: Great.

PETER: The level of guitar playing is up for grabs.

But I think that, you know, I will go on doing what I do and- and writing and- and making music.

It- it's always been for myself, um, it's never really been for everybody else.

It's something that you do and it's gotta turn me on first with a new piece.

I just came up with a new piece the other day and I got really excited about- really excited about it.

And so, I've started recording a little demo of that, this new piece and we'll see where that- so I'm excited right now.

That's what I want is that excitement.

LAURA: Yeah.

PETER: When I- when I hear something that I haven't done before and it's uniquely mine, it's- nobody else would do that.

I don't think anybody else would do that.

So, um, that's what I'm always searching for.

And the older you get, the longer it takes to find those things that (Laura laughs) you haven't done before, you know, so.

LAURA: Well, I was wondering about that, 'cause I was thinking how the- the- the talkbox defined you for a while.

And then I was thinking, what is Peter Frampton doing now?

I'm sure you're in here fiddling with that guitar, trying to come up with a new sound.

PETER: Mm-hmm.

Always.

Um, but we've recently done, um, over the last three/four years, we've done a blues album, um, "All Blues" and then, and another instrumental album, "Frampton Forgets the Words" and I've done the book too, so.

(Laura laughs) LAURA: Oh!

PETER: You know, there's- there's been lots of stuff and I- you know, I keep very busy and, um, so always new stuff.

So the- the one good thing that I can say is that there is in the works, a brand new, self-written um, Frampton album coming out.

I don't know when, but when I'm finished with it.

(Peter laughs) LAURA: We'll be waiting.

PETER: Yes.

LAURA: We'll be happy to hear that.

You know, during this show we're offering your memoir.

Can you tell us a little bit about it?

PETER: Um, yes, well, it's something that, um, I had never thought I would do, um, but i- it- it's a- a something that I thought about, um, for a long time and then worked out well, it all sort of happened at the same time, the idea of the finale tour, because I had fallen on stage a couple of times.

LAURA: Mm.

PETER: And realized there was something wrong.

LAURA: Mm.

PETER: So then I- I went to be diagnosed and then found out that, and then, so I thought, well, this is all- sounds to me like I should do- I spoke with my manager in- in Ken Levitan and I said, "I think we ought to slow down on the live thing."

And we were actually on a tour of- of, um, of publishing houses in Manhattan and that's when we decided that we- I do the book and then we'd also work towards a finale tour.

LAURA: When you write that book, you've gotta go back and dig around some stuff like, maybe you didn't wanna think about.

Did you do that?

PETER: Oh yeah.

LAURA: Yeah?

PETER: It's- it's- it's all in there, you know?

Um, the good, the bad and the ugly, you know?

And um, so, I do cover everything, the ups and the downs, you know?

And I think what did I learn most for?

And I think the- the downs.

LAURA: Mm.

PETER: I think that's when- when you've gone from flavor of the year to nowhere, which is what happened after "Comes Alive!"

Um, it's character building.

(Peter laughs) Um, and it was not in my nature to let sleeping dogs lie.

LAURA: Mm.

PETER: So I got up, picked myself up and then just started working back and it was quite a long road back.

And- and I think that's what- that's what gives me my optimism, LAURA: Mm.

PETER: Because if I could come back from that, I can come back from just about anything.

LAURA: I have to tell you something, and you've probably heard this before and it's just little old me, but you think you were up there and then all of a sudden disappeared.

All of us who had that album, mm-mm, you never left the top of that stage.

PETER: Well thank you.

LAURA: We love you and you are that Frampton and we are so glad you did this concert for us.

PETER: Thank- thank you, it was so fun to do.

(Laura sighs) LAURA: It's just brilliant to see you out there playing them and with this new sort of a more mature Peter Frampton playing the music in the way you sound now, the way you want it to sound.

PETER: Well hopefully I'm more mature, but the way I play isn't, I don't know.

(laughs) LAURA: No, I don't mean it that way.

PETER: No, no, no, I know.

LAURA: But I mean your demeanor.

It's just... PETER: Yes.

LAURA: You- you totally own it, it's gorgeous.

PETER: Well, thank you.

I appreciate that.

LAURA: This has been such a pleasure to have time with you.

Oh, tell me, do you watch some shows on PBS?

PETER: Yes, I do.

I watch all of "Masterpiece."

Um, I am a Passport member.

LAURA: (Gasps) You are?

PETER: Yes, I donate.

(Peter laughs) LAURA: I just love Passport.

PETER: Oh yeah, because you- you get to see the whole thing, um, sometimes before anybody else does.

LAURA: Mm-hmm.

PETER: And you get to see a little bit more behind the scenes.

And so, here I am advertising PBS.

(laughs) LAURA: I'm thinking we put a little bit of this on Passport for behind the scenes, what do you think?

PETER: Well that will be good.

We do have enough music for another 20-minute segment.

LAURA: I think we're onto something.

PETER: I think we are.

LAURA: I'm so glad you support PBS and we just love having you here as part of PBS.

Thank you.

PETER: Thank you, my pleasure.

LAURA: What a great time we've had with Peter Frampton.

And you heard we're going to have some of this on Passport.

We've got his memoir, we have his music.

This is a night you are not going to wanna forget.

This is an experience you are not going to wanna forget.

This is the music of our time and it just keeps going and it's priceless.

Support this PBS station with your call, your click, your text right now and let us send you some fond remembrances of this great show with Peter Frampton, and thanks.

♪ I want you ♪ ♪ Show me the way ♪ ♪ I want you ♪ ♪ Day after day ♪