From the S&S archives: It's a tough act: Frampton follows Frampton

TOKYO — After "Frampton Comes Alive" sold nearly 15 million copies, Peter Frampton discovered he was his own toughest act to follow.

"I felt a tremendous pressure when I went in to do 'I'm in You,' " he told reporters Monday.

"But I finally learned that you have to stop competing with an album like 'Alive.' Now everything's beginning to seem like a new challenge once again."

Frampton, 28, was. scheduled to open at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Budokan in this, his Japan debut.

The tour — and a lot of other things — nearly didn't get off the ground after a June automobile accident in the Bahamas left him with six reportedly cracked or broken ribs, a broken arm and a wicked head wound that needed 12 stitches to sew up.

"I was lucky to have recovered as quickly as I did," he said.

Since his recovery, the rail-thin Englishman has been writing again, but none of his new songs will be heard on this concert tour.

"The songs haven't been recorded yet and I don't like doing anything that the people can't buy," he said.

Instead, his shows will feature material from the two monster albums which vaulted him to super-stardom.

Super-stardom. He doesn't like the word.

"I don't think of myself as a star or super-star," he said.

"Since I began playing the guitar at 8, I've only wanted to be popular and respected as a writer and musician.

"Star and super-star. They're words for other people. Not for me."

And with that, it is understood that Peter Frampton is, indeed, a super-star of the truest order.

Other concert dates for him include 6:30 p.m. shows Thursday and Friday in the Budokan before leaving for Osaka and a pair of 6:30 p.m. shows Saturday and Sunday in the Festival Hall.

He will also appear at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 31 in Nagoya's Public Hall and winds up his tour at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 1 in the Kyoto Kaikan Hall.