Where Are They Now? Supertramp

November 2012 issue

Words: Lisa McPhillips      

British rock band Supertramp first formed in 1969 under the name “Daddy.” Their sound is most often described as “progressive rock” or “art rock,” although their most commercially successful albums featured the incorporation of these styles with the more radio-friendly elements of traditional rock.

The band’s signature sound was the product of the songwriting of Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson, the distinctive voice of Hodgson, and the prominent and creative use of the Wurlitzer electric piano and the saxophone.

The band changed its name to Supertramp in1970, and the original lineup, in addition to Davies and Hodgson, included guitarist Richard Palmer and percussionist Robert Millar. The band turned out a number of hit singles and albums through the 70s and into the 80s, enjoying success on both sides of the Atlantic. Their first commercially successful album was their third release, 1974’s Crime of the Century. It is this writer’s opinion that this album contained much of the band’s best artistic work, although they would not hit their commercial peak until five years later, with the release of Breakfast in America, which sold over 20 million copies worldwide.

Hit songs for Supertramp included “Dreamer,” “Bloody Well Right,” “Give A Little Bit,” “Goodbye Stranger,” “The Logical Song,” “Breakfast in America,” “Take the Long Way Home” and “It’s Raining Again,” among others. Davies and Hodgson came from vastly different musical backgrounds; Davies was heavily devoted to jazz and blues while Hodgson was more fond of pop and psychedelia. Despite their differences, the duo co-composed virtually all of Supertramp’s songs. Palmer penned the majority of the lyrics of their early material, but left the band in 1971, citing personality conflicts with Hodgson and Davies.

Millar also left the band early on after suffering a nervous breakdown while on tour. He would be replaced by percussionist Keith Baker. The band had ongoing problems with personnel changes, as is evidenced by the fact that Supertramp has had over 20 members during its history. Despite this, Davies and Hodgson remained the core of the band, and the bond between them was solid, until...

In 1972, Hodgson tried LSD for the first time. He has been quoted as saying this was “the happiest day of my life.” In fact, Hodgson expressed concern about the fact that Davies was unwilling to partake, and would later state that this divergence was the root of the rift that later developed between the two. However, their relationship remained amicable throughout the 70s and early 80s even as their writing partnership gradually dissolved. Even though Supertramp songs continued to be officially credited to Davies and Hodgson as a team, most of the later songs were written by one or the other individually.

The band relocated to Los Angeles in the late 70s, and soon thereafter Hodgson moved his family to the mountains of northern California, where he built a home and recording studio. This further widened the rift between Hodgon and the rest of the band, and he finally announced he was leaving Supertramp in 1983, while the band was on a worldwide tour. He stated at the time he wished to focus on his family and spirituality, and record some solo material. He never publicly blamed his differences with Davies or the other band members for his departure.

Davies led the band into the 80s and continued to enjoy moderate success, although Supertramp would never again achieve the superstar status it enjoyed following the release of Breakfast in America. The group officially disbanded in 1988, after several years of criticism for not including any of Hodgson’s compositions in their live shows.

In 1996, Davies reformed the band with an eight-man lineup, which included four new members. This effort lasted until worldwide tour in 2002, after which the band went dormant. During this time, it is reported that several attempts were made to get Hodgson to rejoin the band, all of which were declined.

In 2010, Supertramp reunited, without Hodgson, for a 35-show tour in through Europe, the commemorate the band’s 40th anniversary.