Forty years ago, the English group Supertramp invaded the United States with “Breakfast in America”. The album marked both the highpoint and the beginning of the end for the group. Throughout the band’s existence, the working relationship between the cynical baritone Rick Davies and the spiritual tenor Roger Hodgson was contentious. And yet, these two opposing musicians still managed to write a classic in the history of pop.

By 1973, the British had already conquered America. The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who and The Kinks had flooded the charts like a tsunami and a new wave was on its way with Queen, Genesis and Pink Floyd. That same year, Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson (who had released their debut album Supertramp anonymously three years earlier) decided to give their band a makeover. They hired a Scottish bassist, Dougie Thomson, a Californian drummer, Bob Siebenberg, and an English woodwind player, John Helliwell (on saxophone, clarinet, flute and occasionally keyboards). The new format caught the attention of the label A&M and they were sent to a farm in the countryside with Ken Scott, who had just finished recording Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player for Elton John and Ziggy Stardust for Bowie. One year later, Crime of the Century impressed critics and public alike, sending Supertramp to the top division, particularly thanks to Roger Hodgson’s high pitched voice on the hit Dreamer, which would go on to become the group’s signature sound.

The group moved to California and immediately recorded a follow-up with Crisis? What Crisis?, released in 1975. For their next album, Even in the Quietest Moments (1977), Supertramp wanted to hire sound engineer Geoff Emerick, who had worked on Revolver and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. As Emerick wasn’t available, he sent them his apprentice Peter Henderson. Russel Pope, their concert sound engineer and the sixth member of Supertramp was surprised when he saw the young man: “This kid walked in the door – looked about 14 – and we went, ‘What, you’ve got to be kidding!’ But within two days of hearing his approach to the recording, we knew he was perfect.” Carried by Give a Little Bit (another of Hodgson’s songs) with a guitar that sounds like that of Jimmy Page’s on Tangerine, the album was a huge success and the group decided to continue with Henderson on the next record. For once, Rick and Roger were in agreement: the next album had to bring out the lighter, fun side to the group, with more pop elements than the preceding albums.

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