They kept coming into the club, and one evening Bob brought a cassette of Breakfast in America straight from the mix sessions. A bunch of us piled into cars went to someone's house at 2 AM and listened to that album with our jaws on the floor.
Over the next few years Bob and I wrote songs and in the early 80s Scott and I started a band actually. Nearly signed by Atlantic but alas, it didn't happen. As I was working with Bob and Scott, I got to know all of the Supertramp guys and when Roger left the band, because I was a known session guitarist in LA at the time, Rick Davies asked me to come and play with the band which I did and then he hired me as the guitarist on the subsequent two albums that they did, "Brother Where You Bound" and Free As A Bird". I went on those tours and I must say the response was phenomenal. The band, even without Roger, was really popular especially overseas.
I don't know if their work would ever get them into the Hall of Fame but those initial albums that you mentioned were of course top of the sonic heap at the time
Marty Walsh
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Ask any Canadian stoner kid who grew up in the mid 70's the theme albums of their youth and it's Crime of the Century, Dark Side of the Moon and Led Zeppelin 4. Crime of the Century is still in my top 3 all these years later. Their performance of the title track at the old Empire Stadium in 1979 is still my favourite live moment. The album went platinum here in Canada.
Rob Schlyecher
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What's so fascinating are all the Canadians who are sharing memories of Supertramp..
I loved Supertramp and owned Crime of the Century and Even in the Quietest Moments, which might be one of my desert island pics. I doubt I was old enough to see them live, but I recently downloaded both to Spotify (on my "Roadtrip" playlist). Listening to Quietest Moments and the memories of growing up in Toronto just flooded over me - the good and the bad..
I think Canadians always had an affinity to Supertramp..
Simma Levine
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I remember reading the liner notes of BREAKFAST IN AMERICA and loving that there was a guy not credited for saxophone and or clarinet... but WOODWINDS! Dude was a whole family of instruments! Somehow they rocked with clarinet... that alone puts SUPERTRAMP up there with anyone who's ever attempted the rock and the roll. Thanks as always for another great read.
Adam Dalton
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All I had to see was the subject line Re-Supertramp and knew your readers would nail the historical significance of Supertramp coming out with "Crime of the Century" at the time they did. I was 16 yo and I remember being kind of pissed that this band getting a lot of attention, that*I* had never heard of (and I was the guy in high school who was supposed to have heard of everybody). And, to boot, they had a stupid name (by 1975 standards). They were out of the mainstream for 1975. Almost a little "throwbacky". But the confidence and verve percolating through the opening track "School" communicated that these guys had arrived, no matter what art "school" they belonged to … or no art school at all, .. whether they were late… or early …they were just sui generis.
Emmett McAuliffe Esq.
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In 1977 I opened for Supertramp with my then band - The Hometown Band at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. They were a class act - both musically and to their opening act which wasn't always the norm in those times.They were such a signature sound of that era. Great band and a highlight in a 52 yr career.
Shari Ulrich
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This album was clearly one of the first pieces of music that MOVED me. I was just old enough and just young enough to get it. It remains in my top 5 of all time. And it maybe has just a slight bit to do with I don't hear as well as I used to. Made me want to go out and spend every last dime I had me on the best stereo equipment I could find, so I could play it as loud as it deserved. And I did. Still have the Bose 901's and it's the album of choice when I want to shake the room. Imagine a reunion in the Sphere. I would pay dearly to be in that room.
Thanks
Frank J Biederer
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I was at the March '75 Supertramp Santa Monica Civic show.Found them on KWST,my favorite station.They handed on pins when you entered with crime logo.
J.D. LePera
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Supertramp! That run from "Crime of The Century" through "Breakfast In America" is one for the books. I'd rate "Crime" as one of the 20 best albums ever.
Seeing them perform live in Bezerkely in '75 was magical. Greg Khin opened but the dude had a tough chore to work that crowd.
One of the best bands ever. Too bad Rodger Hodgson and Rick Davies couldn't work out their creative differences because what they had in common was as special as Dave Gilmour and Roger Waters.
Like 10cc, it sucks to gave these bands that are greater than the sum of their parts fracture and produce lesser works of art.
But that goes all the way back to the Beatles and it's hard to find examples otherwise.
Lee Elliott
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I think one of the most interesting aspects of Supertramp's story is that they were funded by Sam Meisegaes, a Dutch millionaire. Without that seed money, would they have made it to the big time? Talk amongst yourselves….
Tom Scharf
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There was a phenomenal sounding Supertramp bootleg back in the day..It opened with "School"..A (blues) harp lick..Then cheering..Sounded like a small venue, possibly a club..The ANTICIPATION!..Then, "He's coming along"..Pause..Cheering..Then, the band kicks in..Does anyone remember DYNAMICS? I can still picture the crude album sleeve, and our red bong.
I was lucky enough to catch Roger's solo show in the mid 90s..Just him, an acoustic guitar, digital piano, and the SONGS..He did the hits, AND some of his more recent solo work..Which is worth a revisit.. Brilliant chap..Someone in the royal family loved his music, and had him do command performances..Why isn't he in the R&RHOF!? (Spoiler alert-It's a load of HOOEY!)
He was one of the great Prog lyricists..Few brought those themes into the top forty more often, nor more succinctly.."The Logical Song", "School",etc..It resonated/still resonates with the disenfranchised..Some of the enfranchised, too!
The QUESTIONING..Of societal norms and expectations..The SEARCHING..For some meaning beyond the scripts we've pitched by polite society.. Somebody GOT us..(Spoiler alert-It weren't Jesus.) And in the Progosphere, Supertramp will always be persona GRATA..
And THIS hidden gem is the best example..Best coupled with that iconic "Crisis, What Crisis?" album cover..
THE MEANING..
The Meaning - Roger Hodgson (co-founder of Supertramp), Writer and Composer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_Xz2q40ijA
James Spencer
I saw Supertramp in 1976 (Crisis! What Crisis tour) and again in 1977 (Even In The Quietest Moments tour) in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Both featured heavy doses of Crime of The Century at these absolutely stunning and technically proficient shows. But what else that I noticed was how much fun this band was having and despite being sonically 'perfect', they were enjoying their time onstage immensely, with John C. Helliwell making sure the audience knew that.
As you know Supertramp were on A&M as were many of their label mates of the era like Nazareth, Styx, Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Tubes, Split Enz, the Police and others.
You may not know this but it was Canada who broke most of these groups first and A&M was a label that helped make that happen. Might have been something in the water up here but it is also fairly well known fact that many groups got their toehold in North America via Canada first. And Supertramp was one.
I might also add, the Beatles were a phenom in Canada in 1963, almost 7-8 months before they conquered America in Feb '64.
Keep digging Bob, threads like this are great, longtime Lefsetz Letter follower,
Stephen Marsh
Halifax,. N.S. Canada
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I loved your piece on Supertramp…….one of my fave bands of all-time. Roger is a gifted generous soul as well! For my 50th a few years back, he had me come as his guest (with three friends) to my local venue - the gorgeous Mountain Winery in Saratoga, CA - and proceeded to dedicate "Logical Song" to me in front of the crowd to acknowledge my special day. Then he had me come backstage to hang out after the show; needless to say it was a magical evening.
Like so many others who have chimed in, their music was a huge part of the soundtrack of my life; "Breakfast in America" was the big breakthrough during my teen years — I didn't come to appreciate "Crime of the Century" 'til I was in college. One of my fave tracks hasn't been mentioned — that's "Child of Vision"; a true masterpiece. A great homage to prog rock/fusion it has stood the test of time as have most of their music. As others have said, they were totally underrated. I really appreciate you acknowledging them and their contributions……
Kelli Richards
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"Right, quite right, you're bloody well right
you got a bloody right to say ...
Me, I don't care anyway!"
They could a written this song about you Bob.
Don't you ever stop.
Saw Supertramp Reading Rock Festival 1975.
Blown away, next act up was Yes, they put me to sleep.
Cheers,
Paul Holdom
New Zealand
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