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Dear Friends & Fans, I just want to send a note to you all thanking you for all the support I’ve felt from you – in emails, guestbook postings, appreciation at the shows…it’s really because of you that I’m able to do what I love to do – share my music with the world. Your connection to what I’ve expressed through my music touches me deeply and that it has brought people together in so many different ways inspires me to keep performing and writing and exploring the depths of what music can do. A challenge for all of us in these crazy times is hanging on to our integrity as we go through the rollercoaster of life and as an artist I have always strived to be authentic and original. My songs come from a deep and very personal place inside me and they carry my beliefs and my dreams and my philosophy of life. Many of you may not know this but the other members of Supertramp never held the same spiritual or philosophical beliefs that I have and that are in my songs. What I wrote about didn’t represent the rest of the band or their beliefs. So for Rick to claim credit for songs he didn’t write or believe in, is an integrity issue. And it’s hard for me to keep thinking of them as Supertramp songs when the band didn’t compose them or write the music for them. Which is why the advertising of the Supertramp tour with my voice and my songs has been very difficult for me. For the fans’ sake, I am happy that my old friend and partner Rick is going on tour again but I am not in agreement with how he is choosing to market his Supertramp tour by capitalizing on my art to sell tickets, and especially now since both of us are touring at the same time. So many of you have told me over the last few years how previous Supertramp tours used my voice and my songs to sell tickets and how the public thought I was going to be present at the concerts and they ended up feeling tricked or disappointed. So I cannot in all conscience stay silent. I need to speak up for artistic and marketing integrity. Unfortunately, some statements I have made already have been misquoted or sensationalized or taken out of context. All those sensationalized headlines came from what we posted on my website. I hope everyone knows this is something that happens in the media. For me, it’s not about banning or vetoing what Supertramp is doing - it’s about integrity, ethics and speaking up for what I believe is right. Those of you that know me know that I am a peaceful man, and I feel even though one is peaceful, sometimes one needs to speak up when it is the right thing to do. I have offered to join Rick and Supertramp for a few special reunion shows when I don’t have any of my own shows booked. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on how you view it, they chose to go out to tour at the same time I already had my 2010 tour booked. Yet there are windows of time that I would be able to join them. I know how many of you would like to see this and that is why I have offered. Personally, it is not something I want or need to do – I am very happy touring the way I am now. Yet I feel in my heart it’s the right thing to do. So, I’ll keep holding out an olive branch to Rick in case he should change his mind. I so appreciate all of you that have been asking to help, supporting me on the tour, sending in ads, articles, and radio spots, getting the word out on Facebook, taking part in fan forums and communicating over the internet, participating in our international community. Your belief and support touches me deeply. I hope I can play for you again sometime in the near future. God bless. Love, Roger We’re sending Roger’s letter out simultaneously with our latest article, in response to the many questions we have received. Many of you have written and asked to participate in the tour with us, so we are responding here with some specific ways that would be very helpful. One of the things that made South American tour so successful was through all fans participating in blogging, posting, sending out tweets, and sending us timely reports on what was being seen in the press and media. In this way fans can keep the excitement building for the rest of the tour, and you are not only supporting Roger, but helping the public and other fans to be informed also. We are so thankful for everyone who continues to help us in this way. So, please continue sending us updates on how the Supertramp tour is being advertised around the world - email us what you see and hear with radio, articles, billboards, and ticket sites, and record it or take a picture if you can! The radio spots and TV ads we have received have been very helpful and enable us to correct misinformation. Also, please post, blog, tweet and comment on Facebook, MySpace and You Tube to clarify any misinformation where needed or share your experiences where needed. Also it’s always wonderful to post your experiences of Roger’s concerts and what his music means to you. We are looking forward to seeing you in the days ahead, in person and online, as we continue Roger’s 2010 World Tour. Love to all, Linda & Shakti P.S. We are also sending you an attachment with this letter (see below) that has more specifics on how you can help, with examples and links. We know many fans have even more ideas, these are just the ones that have come to us so far. Those of you have that blogs, please post the article we are sending on your internet site. Dear Friends, We are very grateful for all your support and help, it’s so appreciated in trying to clear up the confusion with the way the Supertramp shows are being advertised. We really want the public to know the difference between what they are going to see in a Supertramp show, and what they are going to see at a Roger Hodgson show. Here are a few examples of how fans have helped us and how things have been changed:
Please use any of the examples above as suggestions of what you can do, or you may have your own ideas. Please continue to email us descriptions when you hear something on the radio or see ads, and let us know where you saw the ad or radio spot. If possible, make a recording or take a picture and send it to us. And we encourage you to join our community on line and post, blog, tweet and comment on the facebook wall. Describing a concert is a great thing to share also and give links in your posts including Roger’s website. You’re welcome to post the latest article, and if you have your own blog or website, please pass it on. Below we have given a list of links where you can meet up with other Roger Hodgson fans and share your comments. We so appreciate hearing how either Roger Hodgson shows or the Supertramp tour is being advertised around the world. Please continue to share your love of Roger’s concerts and what his music means to you, with us and with our community! Warm regards, Linda Tyler Harmonic Management harmonicmanagement@earthlink.net Excerpts from:Less Super, More Tramp: A Conversation With Roger Hodgson,Formerly of Supertramp
Though you may not be aware of it, you are almost certainly familiar with Roger and his body of work too. For a decade and a half, Roger Hodgson served as one of two main songwriters and vocalists who founded Supertramp, and as fate and his talent would have it, Hodgson was the one who wrote and sang the vast majority of the band's ten most enduring hits -- including such classic rock standards as "Give A Little Bit," "Logical Song," "Take the Long Way Home," and "Dreamer," to name a few of the more obvious favorites. A deeply personal, introspective and even spiritual writer, Hodgson composed apart from the band, and some of his greatest songs were written before Supertramp even formed. Like some of you, I spent more than a few hours of my youth listening to Breakfast In America on headphones. I loved those songs then; I love them now -- and so do my young sons today. Though Supertramp was not always a critical favorite, these songs have stood the ultimate test of time. In 1983, Roger Hodgson decided to leave Supertramp, in part to focus more on raising a family. In walking away from the band and stepping back from the music business, Hodgson made an agreement with the group's other main writer and singer Rick Davies. As Roger tells it, the two then-friends agreed that Davies could continue on with Supertramp, but that, in essence, Roger would take his songs with him. Rick could perform his own songs as Supertramp, and Roger would sing his songs as a solo artist. For a time, this agreement apparently held, but eventually -- as Supertramp became a decidedly less successful recording and touring enterprise without the ongoing artistic contributions of Roger Hodgson -- Rick Davies seemingly changed his mind. Recently, Supertramp kicked off what has been called a "70-10" 40th Anniversary World Tour in Germany, though Roger Hodgson was not invited to be a part of this supposed reunion. Still, Davies and company certainly have made plenty of room for Hodgson's songs in their set list -- much to the chagrin of the man himself. At the Gerry Weber Stadium in Halle, Germany, for instance, the act now called Supertramp, such as it is, performed the following Hodgson songs: "Breakfast In America," "Give A Little Bit," "It's Raining Again," "Take The Long Walk Home," "The Logical Song" and "Dreamer." In recent years, Hodgson has returned to performing in truly excellent form, a fact beautifully documented on his upcoming album Classics Live as well as the outstanding and already available DVD Take The Long Way Home: Live In Montreal. If you get a chance to get those releases or see Roger Hodgson in concert, take it, because to hear the man sing his own songs as only he can, there's no doubt that he's the real deal. By any name, he still offers everything I loved about Supertramp. Generally, Roger Hodgson is a man who speaks first and foremost through his songs, but now he's coming forward to speak out and try to set the somewhat distorted record straight: Why do you think the songs that you wrote and sang when you were part of Supertramp continue to endure for people around the world? The songs I contributed to Supertramp came from a very pure place in my soul. They were not contrived for any mere commercial purpose -- simply to write "hit" songs. Without even being fully aware of it, I created these songs to explore my very private longing for love and that sense of a true home, a place of real connection inside our heart. Though even I did not fully understand it at first, I now know that these songs were vehicles for me to try and figure out answers to the fundamental questions of life. That's why I never get tried of singing my songs, as I'm doing on my 2010 World Tour. The songs that I have written are, in a sense, the purest and deepest expression of who I am. I believe that's why songs like "Dreamer," "Give A Little Bit," "Take The Long Way Home" and "The Logical Song" continue to be meaningful to me, and to so many other people around the world. How do you feel about Supertramp now performing those songs without you? Because these songs are so meaningful to me and to all those who love them, they are not to be taken lightly or exploited cynically. So it breaks my heart to say that's exactly what's happening now with Supertramp's supposed 40th reunion tour. The irony is these songs of mine that Rick is now playing and using to advertise this tour are the same ones that Rick didn't even want on Supertramp albums all those years ago. Suddenly when it's time to sell tickets for his shows, Rick seems very fond of my songs. Even if Rick is going to go ahead play my songs, it would better and more honest if he could at least let people know who wrote those songs, and make it clear that I am not part of this "reunion." So how does this all feel? It feels terrible. It feels unfair. It feels wrong. And it shows a complete lack of respect for all people who love this music. The Supertramp tour is called "70-10," presumably because it covers 40 years of Supertramp music, right? In fact, it seems Rick is only playing one song from the whole 28 years since I left the band -- that's twice as long as I was even in the band. I feel terrible about the way Rick is promoting this Supertramp tour. He's using my songs and even my voice to promote his shows. That's wrong. A third of the songs performed at these concerts are my songs that I wrote and composed on my own -- songs that Rick gave me his word he would not play after I left. So why did you leave Supertramp? After all, the band was still tremendously successful then. I wanted to spend time with my young children at home instead of being on the road. But it was also because I wanted out of the music business. I just wanted to break from this same lack of ethics and morals and integrity you sometimes see in the music business. So I took a break from it all, and moved out of the city to some place more rural and peaceful. It was also because our musical styles were going completely different ways at the time. Yet as I said, the very songs Rick didn't like and didn't want on Supertramp albums -- songs that he would make fun of and criticize and be condescending towards me about -- he is now using to promote his tour. Rick is not even showing the respect or the common decency to let the public know when they sing my songs that I am the songwriter and composer who wrote and sang them. Even if Rick was going to break our agreement, he could still acknowledge that I wrote the songs and that I am not on stage now. Sadly, it seems very clear that Rick wants to write me out of the Supertramp history, and to make matters worse, he's doing it with my songs as the soundtrack. I believe you've offered to be a part of a true reunion and possibly even make some special appearances with Supertramp. Assuming that particular call never comes, do you still plan to keep on singing your songs? Yes, I did. And I've been overwhelmed by all the fans who would love to see that. So we really tried, but Rick and his wife Sue said no. So if people want to hear my songs, I hope they will come hear me sing them in concert. I intend to keep singing my songs with the sort of love and respect they deserve. I'm happy to sing them for the people out there who've kept them very much alive and well in their own hearts for all these years. Finally, I want to say that I really don't like coming forward like this, but I feel people have a right to know the truth. And the reality is that Rick Davies can own a trademark, but he cannot own the truth. What does Roger think of the Supertramp concerts…
So many of you have written in asking how Roger feels about the Supertramp concert and them playing so many of his songs – and about Jesse playing so many when he was supposed to be touring with Roger this year – and how they are continuing to use Roger’s songs and voice to advertise their shows which is still happening. For example, someone wrote on the guest book yesterday "I've just been shouting at the TV. Canal+ in France has just shown (around 18h35, today, 3rd September) an advert for "Supertramp", with the dates of their concerts in Paris. Only the name "Supertramp" was used. The name "Roger Hodgson" was not once mentioned. And yet every single extract they played featured - exclusively - your, Roger's, voice! I did not register Rick's voice at all.. " Another fan sent an email last week about a Supertramp ticket giveaway promotion on WDR radio. The question they asked was which is the most famous Supertramp song here in Germany? (It's Raining Again- by Roger). Then they played a medley of Roger's songs. They didn't mention that Roger would not be with Supertramp. The fan commented (translated from German): " I think it's not good when they advertise with Roger's songs and then he is not there. Certainly many fans will be disappointed." Roger sends his best to everyone and thanks everyone for their support and wants everyone to know that he still thinks the right thing to do would be some special reunion shows with him and Supertramp. He’s done everything he knows how to do, and so has management and promoters and it’s up the fans if you really want it – he’s kept his calendar open in October. It’s for the fans that he plays music, so if you want it, then shout for it, write for it, petition for it. Roger is still willing and open. Supertramp's Songwriters Roger Hodgson / Rick Davies Song ListMany fans have written in and asked who really wrote and composed Supertramp’s songs. So, our intention is to help the public realize who the actual songwriters were behind the classic “Supertramp” songs so that when people hear Roger’s voice, “one of the most recognizable voices in rock history,” they will recognize it as Roger Hodgson, the songwriter and composer of the songs we love. It is our hope to give Roger the honor and appreciation for his musical creations that have given the world so much. And with that goal in mind, we have prepared the following song list. Also many fans have asked about the agreement that Rick and Roger made concerning their respective songs when they dissolved their partnership. When Roger Hodgson left Supertramp 27 years ago he and Rick agreed that the band would not play Roger’s songs. Their agreement was for Supertramp to become a vehicle for Rick’s music and Roger would go forward with his future secured by his songs and his voice. And it wasn’t just a gentleman’s agreement. The publishing company & the contract legally recognize which songs each songwriter actually wrote and Roger was given legal approval rights for his songs and Rick for his. The songs Roger Hodgson sings that are often referred to as Supertramp songs are songs that Roger wrote and composed alone - that is how he creates music. He will often hear the musical composition first, then the lyrics come. Sometimes he will hear the whole song complete inside himself before he puts it down on paper and recording. When he was with Supertramp, he would make a demo of the song and bring it to the band for them to learn their parts. So Supertramp as a band never wrote and composed together, there were only 2 songwriters for the band. The songs Roger sings lead vocals on are the ones he composed the music and lyrics for, and the songs Rick sings lead vocals on are the ones that he wrote. We are posting below the song list from Exhibit A of the contract, which is "a schedule of the titles... showing the actual writer(s) of each composition" giving Roger the approval rights of his songs and Rick the rights for his. Excerpts from: Latest News & Answers to Your Burning Questions – Roger Hodgson Embarks on 2010 World Tour & Why he will not be touring with Supertramp this year.As many of you have heard, Supertramp will be going out on tour in Europe in the fall, and in answer to all the questions that have been pouring in, Roger will not be joining them in 2010. When we first heard from a promoter a week or two before they announced their dates in France that Supertramp would be doing a fall tour, Roger was as surprised as the rest of us. At that time in mid February, Roger wrote to Rick and Sue asking if it was true that they were planning on touring, but he never received a reply and still hasn't to this day. So, obviously, Roger wasn’t invited for this tour, nor was Dougie Thompson from the classic line up. John, Bob and Jesse Siebenberg have been invited, but even they were taken by surprise and were asked just shortly before they announced the tour in France, so nobody even knew, including Roger, that this tour was happening until the last 2 months, and even the promoters have said they just started putting it together in February So, unfortunately for many fans that have really wanted to see Roger with Supertramp again, Rick and Sue Davies chose to put this tour together very quickly, at the last minute knowing that Roger already had his 2010 tour dates in place. And as anyone who watches Roger’s website knows, his world tour for 2010 had been planned for many months before Rick ever announced their dates in France. We’ve been told that they are billing the tour as the 40th Anniversary tour of the band and we just find this very surprising, misleading and disrespectful of Roger since he is the only other member that was a part of Supertramp when he and Rick founded the band together 40 years ago. (Dougie joined the band in 1972 and John and Bob a year later in 1973 and have not actually been with Supertramp for 40 years). It would seem that you would want to invite the other co-founder and the bass player of the classic line up for the 40th anniversary of the band. So, we’re really hoping it doesn’t create any confusion in the market place or mislead anyone into thinking that a 40th anniversary tour means a reunion tour with Roger Hodgson and Dougie Thompson. And with not inviting them, it seems it would have been more straightforward to simply call it a Supertramp tour. A lot of you have been writing and asking – why doesn’t Roger rejoin Supertramp for the tour or at least for a few shows? We had that same idea. Roger thought he could join Supertramp for a few special concerts when he doesn’t have any scheduled shows, as a way to really give to the fans what they have been wanting for so long – to have him rejoin Supertramp. So, we suggested this to Rick and Sue Davies’ agent, but he told us adamantly that would “never happen,” that Rick and Sue didn’t want that and would refuse any such collaboration. He also said that Supertramp would have nothing to gain from Roger performing with them and that the only person that would benefit would be Roger. Of course, we disagree. We think both Supertramp and Roger would benefit, and of course who we would want to benefit the most would be the fans. In fact, the main reason Roger would want to do it is because he knows how much the fans would love to see him and Supertramp back together again. He wishes that Rick and Sue for the fans' sake would be cooperative for even a few special concerts. But the silver lining in all of this is, for those who are familiar with the different sounds of Supertramp, Rick and Roger are two very different artists – two songwriters with two very distinctive styles of music – and this year you’ll have the opportunity to see both! If you want to hear the legendary voice and classical pop rock of songs like The Logical Song, Dreamer or Give a Little Bit you can come see Roger at one of his shows. And if you want the legendary voice and more jazzy blues sound of Rick’s songs like Bloody Well Right, Goodbye Stranger or Rudy you can have that, too. And as this is the first time in a long time that Supertramp is touring at the same time as Roger, we are really hoping that Rick honors the agreement he made with Roger when he left 27 years ago for the band not to play Roger’s songs as this has created a lot of confusion for the public in past years. That was what Rick and Roger both knew would help create a clear delineation between Supertramp and Roger Hodgson when they agreed to part ways. The agreement was for Supertramp to become a vehicle for Rick’s music and that Roger would go forward with his future secured by his songs and his voice. Roger wouldn’t have given up the name if he thought Rick was going to continue playing his songs, because otherwise he was leaving the band with nothing. We feel it is only morally and ethically right that Rick abide by the promise that he made to Roger. And besides that, Rick has so many great songs to fill more than a whole concert. And of course, at Roger’s shows, you can hear his songs being sung from the original composer’s heart and soul and that is what helps create the atmosphere of magic and brings these songs alive. The Latest from Buenos Aires.Hi there. We just got off a 19 hour plane ride from Berlin where we just did an orchestra show and then flew to Argentina. And as we got here, we saw Supertramp’s statement on our google alerts which was very surprising. We just wanted to post a quick response to all the fans to say this isn’t true and there are a lot of holes in this statement. It doesn’t address anything about how they are using Roger’s songs and his voice to promote their tour or about Rick not honoring his agreement with Roger not to play his songs. Yes, it is true that we did meet with Rick & Sue once. We had a cup of coffee in Canada in the summer in the middle of our 2008 tour. And then it was almost a year before we even spoke to them again. So to say there were 15 months of negotiations happening is simply not true. Yet, what is more important is that Roger did write to Rick in February asking him if it was true that the anniversary tour was happening and he never got a reply. And we did offer to join Rick for a few special reunion concerts when our tour schedule allowed, and their agent told us they refused. We know how much fans have been wanting Roger to join Supertramp on this 40th Anniversary tour, so our main reason for offering was for the fans’ sake. We really think you deserve it. We want to honor all the appreciation that the fans have given Roger and Supertramp over the years for their music. Roger wouldn’t be here doing these concerts and playing the music that he loves if it wasn’t for you. Roger Hodgson, Ex-Supertramp, Brings 2010 World Tour to North America, Then on to Europe for Summer Shows
Hodgson issues statement regarding a competing tourRoger Hodgson, widely regarded as one of the most gifted composers, songwriters and lyricists of our time, co-founded the progressive rock band Supertramp with Rick Davies in 1969. Roger wrote and sang most of the classic hits that brought Supertramp worldwide acclaim, selling over 60 million records. His is the voice still heard on the radio today where the group's classic hits have become evergreen standards. His songs are part of the soundtrack in the lives of millions of "boomers" and their children and grandchildren. Roger announced his World Tour last November. When he heard recently that Rick might do a Supertramp tour this fall as well, he was surprised and immediately sent an email to ask Rick if this was true. Rick never replied, so, obviously, Roger is not part of that tour. Nor was Dougie Thompson from the classic line up invited. Other musicians scheduled for the Supertramp Tour expressed surprise when they were invited so soon before the first dates were announced. According to Roger, "Over the years, many fans have said they'd love to see us perform together again. So we suggested to Rick's agent that we might play a few special shows together on our respective tours." But Rick's agent declined the offer, saying that would only benefit Roger. Roger and his management disagree, saying it's really the fans who would benefit. Roger went on to say that "Since this is the first time we are touring simultaneously since we split up 27 years ago, I expect Rick to honor the agreement he and I made that the band would not play my songs. "Since the current Supertramp is a vehicle for Rick's music, which is very different from my style and songs, it's important for Supertramp to stay true to Rick's style and songs and avoid doing covers of my songs. Rick and I both knew that doing that would help create a clear delineation between Supertramp and Roger Hodgson when we agreed to part ways." Roger hopes to see his many fans at one of his shows in the months ahead: the magical duo shows worldwide; full band shows in South America and Europe; orchestral shows, and a few special appearances. www.rogerhodgson.com/documents/tour.html. Excerpts from Spanish rolling Stone Interview, August 2010How was the experience playing with an orchestra and band? What can we expect this time? How will your band be this time? And the track list? ?? I love playing with a band - and doing shows with an orchestra is always exciting but for me the most special is truly the solo shows. It is where I can have a deeper more intimate connection with the audience and sing from the most naked, honest place in my heart. It is a very unique show, I don't know any other artist that does anything like it. Between myself and Aaron Macdonald, we make a very complete, big sound. For me, Music is the art of space and when you hear the songs in a more simplified way people tell me they are amazed at how deeply they are affected. Obviously I play all my classic hits that people want to hear - Dreamer, the Logical Song, Breakfast in America, School, It's Raining Again, Give a Little Bit, Take the Long Way Home, Fool's Overture and will also perform some songs from my solo albums and songs I have not recorded yet. I am amazing that my songs have stood the test of time so well and that I am now performing for three generations of fans. I could never have imagined when I was 20 or 40 that I would be touring today and feeling more fulfilled than ever. How about your voice? Your voice is so distinct and easy to recognize, How do you take care of it??? I have always tried to stay healthy - in my lifestyle, I don't drink or smoke but for me the most important place for me to stay healthy is in my heart for that is what people feel when I sing. Why aren’t you a part of Supertramp’s 40th Anniversary tour? When I heard that my former band-mates Rick Davies, Bob Siebenberg and John Helliwell were going out later this year on a Supertramp 40th Anniversary Tour, I offered to join them for a few special reunion concerts in response to the many requests from fans. Oddly, for this Anniversary Tour, Supertramp’s management declined. The subsequent publicity however has created much confusion, as the public naturally expect to see and hear my songs and voice. So many have told me that in the past they went to the Supertramp shows expecting to hear my voice, and I was not there. So much of the public think of my voice as one of the trademark sounds of Supertramp and yet they are not familiar with the name of the singer - Roger Hodgson. So when my photo or my voice is used to sell the Supertramp shows, it is confusing. I simply want to make it clear to the public that I am on my own 2010 World Tour. I wish Supertramp well, however at this time I will not be joining them at their shows in Spain. Excerpts from Paul Cashmere Articles - 2010Roger & Rick - The Songwriters And Their Agreement Roger again emphasized that he is happy for Rick to be playing live again but the pair had an agreement that Rick would get the name Supertramp and Roger would get his songs. “I feel good about Rick going out,” he said. “What I don’t feel good about is about him breaking an agreement that we had. To tell you the truth Paul, I would never have handed over Supertramp, I am not that much of a fool, to just hand over something I had put 14 years of my life into to Rick for nothing. I really was the driving force in that band for 14 years. I remember very clearly the only thing I cared about when I gave Rick the name was that I would leave with my songs and my voice in tact. That would be my security. For him, his security would be the name, obviously”. Unfortunately for Roger, that agreement was never in writing. “That was where I did not have a good attorney. No, it was not in writing,” he admits. “It was a handshake where we looked each other in the eye. I had been with Rick for 14 years. I thought that I could trust him. The first tour he did, the ‘Brother Where You Bound’ tour, he didn’t play my songs. He honored the agreement. Then 5 or 7 years later that is when he started to, for whatever reason, play my songs. I felt very betrayed. That is part of the reason Dougie Thompson left the band. He felt it was really wrong”. ~ Roger Hodgson has taken a further step in the Rick Davies feud by posting a list of the songs separating the ones he wrote for Supertramp and the ones Rick Davies wrote. Hodgson’s concern is that Rick Davies has resurrected Supertramp and gone back on an agreement that he would not perform Roger’s songs in the set. However, the marketing for the Supertramp tour promotes a set list rich in Hodgson tunes. Supertramp performing Roger Hodgson songs without the Hodgson voice will clearly not be genuine to the fans. Roger Hodgson left Supertramp 27 years ago and as part of his departure, Rick Davies agreed that the continuation of Supertramp would become a vehicle for Rick’s songs and Roger would do his own songs in his solo shows. ~ The unknown story is that while Rick & Roger shared the writer’s credit, they actually wrote & composed separately, a fact that their publishing company & contracts state clearly, with Roger was given legal approval rights for his songs and Rick for his. In addition, Rick Davies agreed not to play Roger’s songs at Supertramp concerts when the two songwriters ended their partnership 27 years ago. Rick kept this agreement on the very first post-Hodgson Supertramp tour, but has since not honored it, which is something we are working on. Click to see the complete list of songs written by Roger Hodgson and songs written by Rick Davies. When they parted ways, Roger and Rick Davies agreed that Rick would keep the name Supertramp, and Roger would keep the approval rights to the songs he wrote. In this way, their different styles as songwriters and artists would be delineated: Supertramp would become a vehicle for Rick’s music, and Roger Hodgson would become a distinct solo artist defined by his own voice and musical expression. Every band makes different business arrangements as partnerships are dissolved and assets divided. For the 14 years Roger spent helping to build the name Supertramp, what he wanted most was to leave the partnership with his own songs. ~ A Few Special Reunion Shows Hodgson is calling on Davies to reconsider the tour. “Roger thought he could join Supertramp for a few special concerts when he doesn’t have any scheduled shows, as a way to really give to the fans what they have been wanting for so long – to have him rejoin Supertramp,” the statement reads. “So, we suggested this to Rick and Sue Davies’ agent, but he told us adamantly that would “never happen,” that Rick and Sue didn’t want that and would refuse any such collaboration. He also said that Supertramp would have nothing to gain from Roger performing with them and that the only person that would benefit would be Roger. Of course, we disagree. We think both Supertramp and Roger would benefit, and of course who we would want to benefit the most would be the fans. In fact, the main reason Roger would want to do it is because he knows how much the fans would love to see him and Supertramp back together again. He wishes that Rick and Sue for the fans' sake would be cooperative for even a few special concerts”. ~ Simultaneous Roger Hodgson & Supertramp Tours Since both Roger Hodgson and Supertramp are touring this year we want to help dispel any confusion and avoid misleading the public. Some people do not know that it is Roger’s distinctive voice they hear on most of the classic hits such as ‘The Logical Song’, ‘Breakfast in America’, ‘Dreamer’, ‘It’s Raining Again’ and ‘Give a Little Bit’. To hear those songs sung by their original singer song-writer they would need to come to a Roger Hodgson concert, not a Supertramp show. Quite a few fans have told us they heard it announced on the radio that Roger will be a part of the Supertramp tour, which is not true. For those who are familiar with the different sounds of Supertramp, Rick and Roger are two very different artists – two songwriters with two very distinctive styles of music. And the silver lining in all of this is this year you’ll have the opportunity to see both! If you want to hear the legendary voice and classical pop rock of songs like The Logical Song, Dreamer or Give a Little Bit you can come see Roger at one of his shows. And if you want the legendary voice and more jazzy blues sound of Rick’s songs like Bloody Well Right, Goodbye Stranger or Rudy you can have that, too. ~ Supertramp Tour Advertising Roger’s main problem with the Rick Davies’ Supertramp tour is that Supertramp are advertising the tour using his songs and he says that he had an agreement with Rick that Supertramp would not perform those songs. In fact, Roger doesn't have an issue with Rick performing as Supertramp. He just has an issue with his songs being played. “To tell the truth if Rick was going out as Supertramp and just doing his music I’d be incredibly happy. I am a big fan of Rick’s… but it is the way it has come down and the way he is advertising the tour that is not right”. ~ “I stayed silent the last few times. Not silent to Rick. I definitely told Rick how I felt about it but I stayed silent to the public. Because of that I have had 6 or 7 or 8 years touring really trying to reclaim my songs as Roger Hodgson songs which really is what they are. That is why I am out on a world tour and now we will be playing in the same countries as they are and I can’t stay silent on this one. For Supertramp or Rick to advertise this tour as a Greatest Hits tour and advertise it with my songs … I’ve seen ads mentioning ‘Dreamer’, ‘Give A Little Bit’ Logical Song’, ‘Breakfast In America’ … it is outrageous”. ~ Many fans have written to Roger over the years saying that when Supertramp toured in the past some radio stations would play his songs to promote Supertramp's concerts. Since everyone recognizes Roger’s trademark voice but most don’t know its Roger singing, fans went to the concerts thinking they would be hearing Roger's voice, and were disappointed to find Roger was not there. We are trying to support both artists and the public to delineate between Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson’s songs and distinctive voices, especially since the Supertramp tour is being billed as an “anniversary tour”, and the public might mistakenly think that Roger will be rejoining them. ~ Roger's Shows I think a lot of the magic and spirit that people think they would see at a Supertramp reunion they are actually getting at my shows now. I feel the reunion I am having is with my audience and it feels really good”. Roger Hodgson has just completed the most amazing solo tour of Australia with a set of nearly completely Supertramp. He performed the songs he wrote and sung. Supertramp without his voice is just not Supertramp. ~ I love the connection that I have with audiences in smaller venues like that. That is part of the magic of the show because I love people and I love having fun with them as well as playing my songs”. ~ If you were ever a fan of Supertramp then attending a Roger Hodgson concert these days is as good as it gets and it gets good. Hodgson was a founding member of the band but left in 1983. As the principal songwriter of Supertramp and lead singer of the songs he wrote Hodgson solo sounds exactly like Supertramp which is a good thing. Roger’s solo career was infrequent so his choice of songs to perform live falls almost entirely on his Supertramp career. The one new and unreleased song he did perform in this set was ‘The Awakening’. Roger Hodgson is also a funny, likeable guy often recounting the stories behind the songs before he sang them. Just don’t ask him to sing songs he didn’t write. “I’m telling you now I didn’t write ‘Bloody Well Right’ so don’t yell out for it,” he told the crowd early in the show. It was hardly needed. The Roger Hodgson setlist reads like a history of music at a point of time starting with the ‘Breakfast In America’ track ‘Take The Song Way Home’ and ending with the pop hit ‘It’s Raining Again’. Roger Hodgson offers olive branch to Supertramp Roger Hodgson co-founded Supertramp with Rick Davies in 1969, a partnership that dissolved amicably in 1983. When Hodgson heard that his former band-mates Rick, Bob Siebenberg and John Helliwell were going out later this year on a Supertramp 40th Anniversary Tour, he offered to join them for a few special reunion concerts in response to the many requests from fans. Supertramp’s management has so far refused, and has not even publicly acknowledged Hodgson’s offer. “Last summer Rick and I talked about working together again, but it was about a totally different tour. It was never about a 40th anniversary tour and there were no talks that included the classic line up. In fact, it was a total surprise hearing Rick say he wants to put the old band back together, because last year he was adamantly opposed to working with John, Bob and Dougie due to the law suits that had been going on between them the last few years.” “As far as Rick and Sue now claiming there were 15 months of discussions, I guess they are counting from the one time we met in 2008 until they stopped returning our calls and emails last summer, even though most of those months there was no communication between us at all. I can only surmise they want to give the impression we really tried, so all the requests for me to be a part of some special reunion shows will quiet down because the fans will think it’s impossible. But it is possible.” “I enjoy the way I’m performing my music now more than ever, yet I know that it means a lot to the fans to see me on stage with Supertramp again and I feel it’s the right thing to do. It is because of the fans’ wishes I have offered, and the offer is still on the table as my way of saying thank you to the fans for their support of our music all these years. None of us would be here if it weren’t for the fans.” Hodgson speaks out about misleading advertising appearing in Europe Hodgson went on, “I have become very close to the fans through touring over the past few years and I’ve heard from many how on Supertramp’s last tours, and again on this current tour, some radio stations are playing the songs I wrote and sang lead vocals on to announce the Supertramp concerts. After playing The Logical Song, Breakfast in America, Give a Little Bit or Dreamer with my voice singing, they announce ‘that was Supertramp and they are coming in concert... giving the cities and dates.’ In the past, many people attended the Supertramp shows expecting to hear my voice, and I was not there.” “So I’m very unhappy to see the misleading advertising with my photos and my voice appearing again. Much of the public think of my voice as one of the trademark sounds of Supertramp and they recognize my voice but they don’t know that it’s Roger Hodgson singing. So if my picture or my voice is used to announce Supertramp, it is confusing even if some of the articles say Roger Hodgson will not be part of this tour. It is of course not right when my voice, image and likeness are used to promote someone else’s tour, and I need to speak up about it.” Agreement between Supertramp’s Songwriters (Full Songwriter’s list) When they parted ways, Roger Hodgson and Rick Davies had a gentleman’s agreement that Rick would keep the name Supertramp, and Roger would keep the approval rights to the songs he wrote. In this way, their different styles as songwriters and artists would be delineated: Supertramp would become a vehicle for Rick’s music, and Roger Hodgson would become a distinct solo artist defined by his own voice and musical expression. Every band makes different business arrangements as partnerships are dissolved and assets divided. Hodgson said “After 14 years building the Supertramp name, which had become very valuable, what I cared about most was taking my individual art, songs and compositions with me. Rick and I began writing and composing separately, starting before Crime of the Century, yet we continued to share songwriter’s credit, similar to Lennon and McCartney, which I deeply regret.” “My songs were written and composed when I was alone and come from a deeply personal place, they were not written with Rick or Supertramp. These songs are pieces of my heart and soul that I put into song. The band didn’t share the philosophical and spiritual beliefs that I wrote about, and Rick didn't even like a lot of my songs and argued against some of them being included on the records. Yet ironically, now some of those very same songs are being used to sell his tour. I feel that as an artist you want to be authentic and original and believe in the music that you perform.” “I feel I need to speak up as a voice for artistic integrity, not only for myself but for every artist that’s had someone claim credit for their creation be it a songwriter, screenwriter, artist, inventor or creator of any kind. Anyone who knows me knows I am a very easy going guy, yet it’s time for me to speak up for integrity in the music business, for honesty in advertising, and for all my fans and the public who I don’t want to see misinformed.” Simultaneous Roger Hodgson & Supertramp tours in Europe “Rick has written so many songs himself, he went on to create several albums after I left Supertramp. He has more than enough great songs to fill a concert. Many fans have said they prefer me performing my own songs, rather then hearing them at Supertramp concerts. And since we are both touring at the same time fans have the opportunity this year to hear me sing my classics as the original songwriter at my concerts. And the Supertramp tour is the opportunity for fans to hear Rick’s musical style and songs.” “The good news is, since we are both touring simultaneously in Europe, fans will be able to go see Supertramp and Roger Hodgson concerts both in the same year. And if Rick will change his mind there could be a few special reunion concerts as well.”
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In Portugal one fan sent us an email with