Supertramp - Welcome to the Official Website!

The best Supertramp anthology so far, November 12, 2005
Reviewer: Wayne Klein "Wayne Klein" (Fairfield, CA United States)
Unlike the previous releases, "Retrospectacle" focuses on material from the band's entire career including their poor selling first two albums and the single they released prior to "Crime of the Century". The first disc takes 1 track each from the band's first two albums. We get a rare single the band released prior to "Crime of the Century". "Crime" deservedly gets five tracks while "Crisis? What Crisis?" has four from this fine album. "Even in the Quietest Moment" also features four strong tracks including the hit single "Give a Little Bit". For fans of the band the real highlight here is the release on CD of the band's virtually unheard single "Land Ho"/"Summer Romance". This was the first single recorded by the band's most successful line up and the same one that would record every album from "Crime of the Century" to "Famous Last Words". If you've leard Roger Hodgson's solo album "Hai Hai" you've heard "Land Ho" as Hodgson did a virtually identical remake of the original version but with different production touches. A note to fans who may have purchased the single--this is not the original 1973 mix of the song but, instead, a previously unreleased 1975 remix when the song was being considered for inclusion on "Crisis? What Crisis?". The flip side of the single features Rick Davies on lead vocals on the R&B inflected "Summer Romance".

The second disc opens with six tracks from "Breakfast in America" ("Another Nervous Wreck" should also have been included but that's just my personal opinion). We get "You Started Laughing" the only new song on "Paris" and then three tracks from the most popular line up's swan song "Famous Last Words". The second disc goes on to document the post-Hodgson line up including the marvelous "Cannonball", overlooked "Free as a Bird" (the best song on the weak "Free as a Bird" album even if it had too much of a techno element to it), "You Win, I Lose" (which was originally supposed to be a reunion album featuring Roger Hodgson. It didn't work out) from the band's first studio recording in a decade "Some Things Never Change" and the big bandish "Over You" from the last release by the current line up "Slow Motion". While "Over You" is a marvelous song I would have gone for the marvelous jazz inflected "Tenth Avenue Breakdown".

The booklet has comments from Davies as well as a discography for the band and which songs were culled from which albums. It's not a complete discography though as there's nothing mentioned about "Extremes" a soundtrack the band did in 1973 which I've never heard. A very nice job all around this is the anthology to get if you want all the hits and some additional pleasant stuff as well.

Davies and co-producer Bill Levenson (who has done some marvelous reissues by the way. My hat's off to Bill who has continued to be a guiding force behind a series of excellent remastered/reissued albums and new compilations/boxed sets) have picked the cream of the crop for the band's albums. Sure, you could argue about songs NOT being included but just about every song on this anthology DESERVES to be here.

Supertramp Is Accomplished, Audacious and Self Possessed, March 26, 2006
Reviewer: P. Robichaud "prisrob" (New England USA)
The name of the band "Supertramp" was taken from W. H. Davies' 1908 novel "The Autobiography of a Super-Tramp".

"Mr. Davies is no propagandist of the illusions of the middle-class tramp fancier. He does not tell you that there is honor among tramps. On the contrary, he makes it clear that only by being too destitute to be worth robbing and murdering can a tramp insure himself against being robbed and murdered by his comrade on the road. The tramp is fastidious and accomplished, audacious and self- possessed; but he is free from divine exploitation and the endless discountenance of being passed by as useless by the life force that finds superselfish work for other men." Editor's review of "The Autobiography of a Super-Tramp".

From my review of "Breakfast In America", I stated that "Starting life as a British progressive rock band, Supertramp shifted gears and became a real pop band. Supertramp was formed in England in 1969 by keyboardist/vocalist Roger Davies. 1974's "Crime Of The Century" became the band's first big smash, followed by "Crisis! What Crisis?" and "Even In The Quietest Moments". 1979's "Breakfast In America" was a huge success on both sides of the Atlantic, and is considered by most people to be the band's best album." Despite chart success the band never attained stardom; it was remarked at the height of their popularity that Supertramp was the best-selling group in the world whose members could walk down any street and not be recognized.

And, now, in 2005 they have given us their "Retrospectale: The Supertramp Anthology". As Supertramp's first career retrospective, the 2-CD Retrospectacle contains a compilation of the most popular songs, live tracks and favorite album tracks from all of their albums "Supertramp", I"ndelibly Stamped", "Crime of the Century"", Crisis? What Crisis?", "Even in the Quietest Moments", ""Breakfast in America, P"aris", "Famous Last Words", "Brother Where You Bound", "Free As a Bird", "Some Things Never Change", "It Was The Best Of Times "and "Slow Motion". Also, Retrospectacle marks the first ever official appearance on a Supertramp album of the long out of print single "Land Ho" and its B-side "Summer Romance" which were the first two songs that Supertramp's classic lineup recorded. These tracks were recorded for the "Crime of the Century "album but were left off and released as a non-album single. The versions of "Land Ho" and "Summer Romance" on Retrospectacle were the 1975 re-mixes which the band intended to use on "Crisis? What Crisis?" but left off at the last minute. They are but two of the superb songs to appear. For fans of Supertramp this is the best, the very best that we could hope for. An undulating romance of the songs that we listen to over and over again in our minds and in our reality. Twenty of the songs that Supertramp recorded during their heyday. We all have our favorites and mine is "Take The Long Way Home", which to me, portrays the cycle of our life. While "Logical Song" is the favorite of my best friend, BK.
This is one of those albums that can not be praised highly enough. It just is the best, beyond compare, capital, unparalleled,and unrivaled. Highly Recommended. prisrob March 26, 2006

Great treat for SUPERTRAMP fans with Broken needles and turntables , May 25, 2006
Reviewer: chris banez lim "Crutchead" (Philippines)
If you happen to be a major Supertramp fan and have their LP albums but have no turntables to play 'em since you've a great deal of finding a replacement for your dilapidated equiptment - then you'd find quite a treat with this double cd retrospective album of the band (that would've been issued as part of the DVD inclusive Sound&Vision package as this is said to be a part of A&M Records' "Gold" series) which sorta beats the previous 'Very Best Of' compilations - and most obviously - one of the most rip-offed compilations ever made called = The Autobiography of SUPERTRAMP.

Containing more than a half of BREAKFAST IN AMERICA's entirety, and CRIME OF THE CENTURY + EVEN IN THE QUIETEST MOMENTS; and almost a half of the albums CRISIS? WHAT CRISIS? + FAMOUS LAST WORDS; and a track from all of the other albums from the self-titled debut to the latest SLOW MOTION cd ... plus two live cuts each from their live albums THESE ARE THE BEST OF TIMES (which is kinda like a definitive LIVE album for the Tramp under Davies' wing) and the classic PARIS Live album (whose video footage still hadn't seen its day of being released to the public), but it don't include any from the LIVE '88 album. It also includes a previously unreleased mix of the single "Land Ho" along with its b-side, Davies' "Summer Romance"; and an edited version of the song "Truly" from the debut album.

The let-down's this double cd compilation have included certain 'passable' (meaning: throwable) tracks such as "Cannonball" and "Dont Leave Me Now", when it could've included other real notable ones from the band, such as the intro for the album CRISIS? WHAT CRISIS? "Easy Does It" (which precedes "Sister Moonshine"), along with the album's "A Soapbox Opera"; and EVEN IN THE QUIETEST MOMENTS' "Fool's Overture" instead; and most of all, "Cest Le Von" from FAMOUS LAST WORDS instead.

With a liner note by Scott Schinder, me thinks a true blue fan would've better been off to have written what's there in the booklet rather.

Reportedly a certain amount of portion for this compilation's pressing where printed here in me lokal country of the Philippines (which hath great sonic volume whenever 'twas such), hearken wilt that thence maketh me a one proud bloak whose a fan of the band,me thoughts I'm the only one... 'til i found out through the net that there are actually gazzilion of fans of Supertramp ... across the world, that is.

Sampling a cd of interviews from the band members one time, I've heard John Helliwell (it is I think), stated that basically the band's songs dwell on the theme about a boy trying to get the girl - and he'd find it strange if one gets to miss out on that. And truthfully enough - I got hooked on the band when I was eight years old.

----------------------------------------------------------------
On another note--> Now if I weren't a fan myself, I would've not scored a copy of the jap teen-pop artist YUKIE KOBAYASHI ((yeah, more on this side of Yoko Ono)no seriously-- something that's pop-tolerable by the likes of Billie, Shampoo, and All Saints(?)), who's album cover for her BIG STAR SUPERSTAR album [FLCF-3844, For Life Records CD JAPAN] completely resembles the cover for Supertramp's BREAKFAST - I would've not bought it - but did anyway, as i was looking for the remastered re-issue cd of the said 'Tramp album, when to my surprise seeing that the one on the cover's oriental. Living in asia had me subjected concerning the certain buzz about a song called "Sukiyaki" (a hit in Singapore among other asian countries) for which I never really heard nor give a hoot at all about, turns out she's actually the one who'd cracked it, and the said track is also included in the said album of hers, which is by the way a concept album as well, with her alter-ego NIKKI MONROE, who's trying to make it in Hollywood.

However, it was notable with the track (and quite aptly titled I guess) called "Stupid", and that it also found spots that are produced by the noted Dire Straits producer Neil Dorfsman.

Anyway, so much for all of these - I wouldn't like to end this prattle without suggesting the following better track-sequence for two of 'Tramp's albums, next time you listen to the said albums - program your cd's as follows:

for BREAKFAST IN AMERICA =
3) Goodbye Stranger (fitting to open the album as its original working title's supposed to be "HELLO STRANGER")
1) Gone Hollywood
4) Breakfast In America
6) Take the Long Way Home
2) The Logical Song
7) Lord Is It Mine
5) Oh Darling
8) Just Another Nervious Wreck
9) Casual Conversations
10) Child Of Vision

for EVEN IN THE QUIETEST MOMENTS =
3) (title track)
5) Babaji
1) Give A Little Bit
2) Lover Boy
4) Downstream
6) From Now On
7) Fool's Overture

Just missing a cut or 2..., January 13, 2006
Reviewer: Michael G. Fox (Upstate NY)
OK, we can argue all day but there is no universal perfect greatest hits of ANY group. Not even Eagles 71-75. That is why we burn our own best of's. Personally when i picked this up i expected the Very best of cd with added tracks. I was almost right. I was horrified to see that Hide In Your Shell was left off. This is my ALL TIME favorite and it has some of their best lyrics, instrumentation and singing on it. This was a HUGE faux paus. Heck, my all time favorite is Queen and there is no perfect best of out there, At least this one included hard to find stuff. More than Queen's record company has ever done. We've been promised a box set for YEARS!

Also, a few others from Breakfast In America were left off. But you can't put the whole album on a best of. The only tune off Breakfast i don't much care for is Lord Is It Mine. But then again many like it.

If you are a die hard, BUY THIS CD
If you want to get into the band, I recommend the Very Best Of CD. (Mainly because of the absence of Hide In Your Shell, trust me, you haven't heard a perfect song until you heard Hide In Your Shell)

Best overview to Supertramp available, January 11, 2006
Reviewer: Terrence Reardon "The Pink Panther of classic rock" (Florida)
Supertramp's recently released 2-disc retrospective humorously titled Retrospectacle is a must for all Supertramp fans.
Unlike the previous best ofs, Retrospectacle focuses on material from the band's entire career including songs from their poor selling first two albums to 2002's Slow Motion and everything in between.
The 1970 self-titled debut album is represented by Surely in edited form. 1971's follow-up Indeliably Stamped is represented by Your Poppa Don't Mind which marked keyboardist Rick Davies' vocal debut as guitarist/keyboardist Roger Hodgson was the main singer on the first album and switched from bass to guitar after Richard Palmer quit. What I also like about this collection is that it finally includes the single they released prior to Crime of the Century which was Roger's Land Ho coupled with Rick's Summer Romance and was the first two tracks Davies and Hodgson recorded with sax/woodwind player/occasional keyboardist John Helliwell, drummer Bob C. Benberg(later spelled Siebenberg) and bass player Dougie Thomson. The Land Ho and Summer Romance mix here is not the 1974 UK single mix but the mix intended for Crisis What Crisis in 1975 but was left off due to time constraints. Nice to have those two tracks on CD FINALLY! The 1974 classic debut of Supertramp's classic lineup Crime of the Century rightfully gets represented by five tracks(School, Bloody Well Right, Dreamer, Rudy and Crime's title cut. Hide in Your Shell is not here but gives one a reason to own Crime of the Century). 1975's Crisis? What Crisis? has four tracks(technically five if you count Another Man's Woman(although its live version) represented from that underrated album(Sister Moonshine, Ain't Nobody But Me, Lady and Two of Us). 1977's Top 20 charting Gold selling Even in the Quietest Moments also features four tracks including the hit single Give a Little Bit plus Downstream, Even's title cut and From Now On although a shame Babaji and/or Fool's Overture is missing but c'est la vie!
The second disc features six tracks from the 1979 chart-topping Breakfast in America(Gone Hollywood, The Top 10 hit The Logical Song, the Top 20 hit Goodbye Stranger, Breakfast's title cut, Oh Darling and the Top 10 hit Take the Long Way Home. Just Another Nervous Wreck and/or Child of Vision should also have been included but nevermind). From the 1980 double live album Paris we get You Started Laughing. We then have three tracks from the most popular line up's swan song Famous Last Words(the Top 20 hit It's Raining Again, the Top 40 hit My Kind of Lady and Don't LEave Me Now. Waiting So Long should have appeared but c'est la vie). The second disc goes on to document the post-Hodgson line up including the marvelous Top 30 hit Cannonball from 1985's Brother Where You Bound(that album's title cut which featured Pink Floyd's David Gilmour on guitar should have been included but then would have been a 3 or 4 CD set which is nothing wrong with that), then 1987's flop Free as a Bird is represented by the album's best song which is its title cut. You Win I Lose is from 1997's Some Things Never Change which was originally supposed to be a reunion album featuring Thomson and Hodgson but the old tensions proved otherwise(Thomson is now a publisher and Hodgson is still a solo artist). 1999's It Was the Best of Times Live has Another Man's Woman which was a great, spirited version although some prefer the studio version or the Hammersmith 1975 version. 2002's Slow Motion is represented by Over You.
If you don't know where to start with Supertramp, scoop this 2-disc set up and then work your way through the catalog.
RECOMMENDED!

Superb Group, December 29, 2005
Reviewer: W. Grandy (windsor, nova scotia Canada)
Finally we have a review of Supertramp from their earliest recordings to their latest. I've been a Supertramp fan since 'Even In The Quietest Moments'. A lot of their early and later stuff I haven't heard until now. Not a bad track on this 32 tune set and what a great price for a double CD. As for the remastering, I rebought 'Even In The Quietest Moments' remastered but except for a little cleaner mid and high range and a little less boomy bass I couldn't justify rebuying their whole collection. A@M records were always on the cutting edge technology so the origionals are great as far as I'm concerned.