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El Periódico de Catalunya, 29 juny 2009

Roger Hodgson: "Vaig deixar Supertramp per la família"

       L’afilada veu de Supertramp torna a Barcelona 12 anys després per reviure, dimecres que ve al Poble Espanyol, els èxits de la banda sonora de diverses generacions.

       IMMA FERNÁNDEZ

–En la seva actuació al passat Festival de la Porta Ferrada, va preguntar per què no actuava a Barcelona, una de les seves ciutats favorites.
–Sí, m’encanta el seu esperit, la gent. És tan viva, passional, única... I hi tinc molts amics; ho vaig dir al meu mànager i sóc molt feliç de tornar.
 
–Va mostrar molt sentit de l’humor. Amb Supertramp, era molt tímid.
–Sí, he canviat molt. Abans no podia ni parlar amb el micròfon i ara m’agrada riure i fer riure. Els 20 anys fora del grup m’han fet un home nou. Tinc una seguretat i una felicitat que no havia tingut mai. Disfruto molt més de la vida.
 
–¿Com ho ha aconseguit?
–L’espiritualitat és molt important per a mi. No són l’èxit o els aplaudiments els que em fan feliç, a mi o als altres, sinó sentir-me agraït per la meva vida i viure-la amb el cor. Cada persona ha de trobar el seu camí cap a Déu, i per a mi és l’amor i es troba en el propi cor.
 
–La seva veu és la de sempre. Deu ser perquè no fuma...
–Potser, però sobretot és perquè quan em sento bé al meu interior, la veu sona meravellosa. Si em sento estressat o infeliç, no tant.
 
–Se li acaba de morir la mare.
–Ha sigut molt dur. Va ser un gran suport per a la meva música i els meus somnis. Però el meu treball sobre l’escenari consisteix a deixar els problemes, sentir-me feliç i donar el millor de mi a la gent.
 
–Sincerament: ¿va deixar Supertramp per diferències amb el seu altre líder, Rick Davies, per una crisi personal o, com vostè diu, per la seva família?
–S’han explicat moltes històries, però la veritat és que em vaig casar i vaig tenir dos fills en dos anys i no podia fer les dues coses bé al mateix temps. Van ser 14 anys meravellosos amb el grup, però el cor em va dir que, si seguia, em perdria veure créixer els meus fills, perdria la meva família.
 
–Es va retirar a les muntanyes...
–Sí, me’n vaig anar de Los Angeles a un lloc més saludable; em vaig comprar unes terres en un lloc bonic, Nevada City, envoltat d’arbres i natura. Em deien que era boig, però un ha de seguir el seu cor.
 
–¿No ho ha lamentat mai?
–Va ser una decisió molt difícil perquè Supertramp era el meu baby, les meves cançons i sons. I ara que pocs saben qui va ser Roger Hodgson, vull que sàpiguen que les cançons i la veu que han estat sentint tants anys eren meves. Però, quan miro enrere, sé que vaig fer bé de veure créixer els meus fills.
 
–Va tenir sort, la seva dona. ¿Segueixen junts?
–No. Desafortunadament, el meu matrimoni es va acabar quan els meus fills van créixer. Ens vam adonar que ja no hi havia res... Però amb els meus fills estic molt bé.
 
–¿Què és més difícil, ser pare o estrella del rock?
–¡Oh, pare, molt més! Tenir èxit també és difícil, és com jugar amb foc, però ser pare és molt més desafiador i complicat.
 
–Els seus pares el van ficar de nen en un internat anglès. ¿Potser per això no va voler deixar sols els seus?
–Sí, és possible. Jo vaig estar allà des dels 8 anys i va ser molt dur. Als meus fills els vam educar a casa fins als 11 anys, quan van voler anar a l’escola. Jo vaig ser intern massa aviat, molt petit, però també va ser una gran experiència: em vaig qüestionar moltes coses, vaig començar a escriure cançons, vaig compondre The logical song, vaig estar a la banda del col·le... I la guitarra es va convertir en el meu millor amic.
 
–Amb el seu fill Andrew, també músic, va fer un parell de gires. ¿Que en farà més?
–Va agafar el seu camí, té la seva pròpia música. Però potser repetim.
 
–Ve a Barcelona acompanyat d’Aaron McDonald al saxo, teclats, harmònica... Una petita banda de dos ideal per a temps de crisi.
–Sí, sí. Fem un gran so, ¿oi? Aaron primer només tocava el saxo i el vaig animar a aprendre harmònica, teclats... M’agrada perquè fem un so potent però més íntim; puc posar més emoció que amb una gran banda al darrere.
 
–¿El va molestar que Rick Davies i companyia es llancessin a la carretera sota el paraigua de Supertramp?
–Em va molestar que trenquessin l’acord i toquessin les meves cançons quan em van dir que no ho farien.
 
–Va voler tornar amb Davies el 2000, però li va donar carbassa.
–Llavors no li va interessar, però encara espero que puguem tornar a fer música junts. A mi m’agradaria per tancar el cercle.
 
–¿El frustra que li demanin més els vells hits que els discos en solitari?
–No, totes són cançons meves, unes més famoses que d’altres.
 
–¿Ha complert tots els seus somnis?
–Jo crec que s’ha de servir els altres. Amb la meva vida o la meva música. Cada dia em llevo molt agraït pel que tinc. I ara el somni és compartir amb el públic el meu cor, ajudar-los una mica... give a little bit... a ser feliços.

El Periódico de Catalunya, 29 June 2009

Roger Hodgson: "I left Supertramp for my family"

The sharp voice of Supertramp comes back to Barcelona after 12 years next Wednesday at Poble Espanyol, the success of the soundtrack of generations.

By: Imma Fernández

Translation edited by Claudia Yildiz

-In your last performance at the Festival de la Porta Ferrada, you asked why you were not performing in Barcelona, one of your favorite cities.

Yes, I love your spirit, the people. It is so alive, passionate, unique ... I have many friends here, I said that to my manager and I am very happy to return.

-You showed a great sense of humor. During your time with Supertramp you were very shy.

Yes, I have changed a lot. In former times I was not able to talk to the microphone and now I like to laugh and laugh. It’s been 20 years that I am away from the band and I have become a new man. I have a security and a happiness that I never had. I am much more enjoying my life nowadays.

- How have you achieved that?

Spirituality is very important to me. It's not the success or the applauses that make me happy, but I feel grateful for my life and I live it with all my heart. Everyone must find his own way to God, and for me it is love and it is in our hearts.

-Your voice is still the same. It must be because you don't smoke ...

That may be a reason, but when I feel good inside then my voice sounds wonderful. If I feel stressed or unhappy it also can be felt in my voice.

-Your mother died recently.

It has been very hard. She was a great support for my music and my dreams. But when I’m on stage, I need to leave my problems apart, feel happy and give my best to people.

-Sincerely: you left Supertramp because of differences with the other leader, Rick Davies, because of a personal crisis or, as you say, for your family?

Many stories have been told, but the truth is that I had married and we had two children in two years and I could not do two things well at the same time. I had 14 wonderful years with the group, but my heart told me, that if I would have continued, I wouldn’t have seen my children growing up and I would have lost my family.

-You retired to the mountains ...

Yes, I went from Los Angeles to a healthier landscape, I bought some land in a beautiful place, Nevada City, surrounded by trees and nature. Everyone said I was crazy, but one must follow his heart.

-Have you ever regretted it?

It was a very difficult decision because Supertramp was my baby and so were my songs. Now only few people know who Roger Hodgson is and I want everyone to know, that the songs and the voice they heard for so many years is mine. But when I look back, I know that it was the right decision and that I saw my children grow up.

-Your wife was lucky. Are you still together?

No. Unfortunately, our marriage ended when our children have grown up. We realized there was nothing left... But I get along very well with my children.

- What's more difficult, being a parent or a rockstar?

Oh, being a dad is much more difficult! To be successful is difficult, it's like playing with fire, but being a father is much more challenging and complicated.

-Your parents sent you to an English boarding school. Perhaps it was the reason for you not to leave your children alone?

Yes, that is possible. I was there from the age of eight and it was very hard. My children were educated at home until the age of eleven and then they wanted to go to school. I went to boarding school too early, I was too young, but it was a great experience as well. I questioned many things, I started to write songs, I wrote “The logical song”, I was in a school rock band ... and the guitar became my best friend.

- You did a couple of tours together with your son Andrew, who is also a musician. Will you play together more often in the future?

He took his way, he has his own music. But yes, perhaps we'll repeat it.

-You are coming to Barcelona with Aaron McDonald on saxophone, keyboards, harmonica ... A small band of two wonderful musicians for times of crisis.

Yes, yes. We sound great, right? Aaron only played saxophone when he joined me and I encouraged him to learn harmonica, keyboards ... I like it because we make a much more powerful sound, but intimate as well, I can put more emotion in my songs than with a big band behind.

-Did it bother you that Rick Davies and company made a tour under the umbrella of Supertramp?

I didn't like it that they broke the agreement we had, and they played my songs although they promised that they would not.

-You wanted to make a reunion with Davies in 2000, but finally nothing happened.

He was not interested then, but I hope we will make music together in the future. I would like to complete the circle.

-Does it frustrate you that people are always requesting the old hits rather than your solo recordings?

No, they are all my songs, some are more known than others.

-Did you fulfill all your dreams?

I think I have to serve others. With my life or with my music. Every day I wake up very grateful for what I have. And now my dream is to share my heart with my audience, help them a bit ... Give a little bit ... to be happy.

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