The 70's Called

Life was pretty wonderful...

Supertramp was the 70's. Other icons of the era like The Stones, The Who, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, and Led Zeppelin were just as popular and successful, if not more. But to listen to the music of each band would reveal something more telling. Supertramp's music, while it still sounds exciting and wonderful today, captured a vibe and approach to songwriting that embodied the scene of that decade. Progressive rock was at its height, especially in the UK, with artists like King Crimson, Gentle Giant, Pink Floyd and Genesis. The genre appealed to a wide demographic, and if you didn't care for one band, say the ever-challenging King Crimson, then you could move on to the slightly more accessible Pink Floyd. 

Supertramp, while comprised of intelligent, virtuoso, imaginative musicians, was not all about pushing boundaries like some of their contemporaries. The group's - or founder Rick Davies' - mandate was to write timeless, powerful rock songs. And those rock songs often carried a pop sensibility, defined largely by incredible hooks, melodic saxophone, and Beach Boys-esque falsetto vocal harmonies. The band successfully merged symphonic with pop. That was their appeal and their distinctive stamp. Nobody else sounded like Supertramp.

I came upon Supertramp quite by accident. There was a day in my late primary school years when I sat around a friend's family stereo system, playing bits of the extensive record collection. There was some Queen, Kiss, Pink Floyd, and Prism.... but what was this - a piano in a snowdrift.... Supertramp? My pal put on the song Fool's Overture. That was it. I was hooked. Roger Hodgson's tinkling piano bled into strident, throbbing thick keyboards. And it seemed that the richly-recorded low end - the bass and drums - was what attracted me to the band initially. 

When I tried to buy a first Supertramp album for my collection, all I found in the store bin at the time was Crisis... What Crisis? I didn't know anything about its songs, but I took a chance and grabbed it. Boy, am I ever glad I made that decision, for even after all of these years and having heard all of their other "classic era" music, I still hold Crisis closest to my heart. The emphasis on acoustic guitars really caught my ear, and I loved that disc from top to bottom. I played the opening tracks Easy Does It and Sister Moonshine over and over and over again. Sister Moonshine is still among my favourite songs of all time.  

My beloved Crime of the Century 8-track,

still in one piece

Only a little after that, I located the gem Crime of the Century on 8-track tape. Yes, again with the 8-tracks! The songs Dreamer and School were my favourites off this legendary album. Crisis and Crime were in constant rotation in my home during my high school years. The song School off the Crime album also happened to be the unofficial anthem of my high school, as it was frequently played during school assemblies. Funny thing, it was my old primary school buddy who later ran the audio/visual for those events, and that would explain the cool musical choices. I distinctly remember hearing Rush's Red Barchetta once, too. 

When Breakfast in America was released in 1979, I was already a major 'Tramp fan, so I picked that up without hesitation. Great album, though it was the first side (half) that I appreciated most. And strangely, even though Quietest Moments was my initial exposure to the band, I did not even own that disc until a couple of decades later. For me, that album doesn't hold a candle to Crime or Crisis, which are without a doubt my favourite Supertramp albums. 

Symphonic pomp combined with rock guitars, silky smooth saxophone, and hummable melodies created a contrast and dynamic that made Supertramp both radio-friendly and notable for their musicianship. Without being too eclectic for the general public. Or me.