Who likes Supertramp?

By-Tor · #1 10-29-2004, 10:29 AM

They had some great songs but "Take the Long Way Home" is such a well structured song.
Can somebody back me up, that is a clarinet on the solo interacting with the harmonica? How cool is that!
Such a great song. The bass line is just too cool, simple and perfect for the song.

Any other Supertramp fans?

johnvice · #2 10-29-2004, 10:48 AM

I'm dating myself here, but when I was a kid in teh late 70s, I use to listen to "Crime of The Century" over and over again!

Doug Thompson on bass and Bob Benberg on drums were a great rhtyhm section. While they were no Lee/ Peart or Jones/Bonhmam, they nail the right right groove in everthing they did.

fulcrum · #3 10-29-2004, 03:49 PM

Yes. Helliwell is playing a clarinet on the instrumental break of Take The Long Way Home. Not surprising since the fingering is similar, if not identical, to that of the sax.

The Tramp lost something when Hodgson left, but up to that point they were pioneers in the form of the rock song-- they didn't feel inclined to fit a tune into four minutes just because "that's what you do". If they felt like lingering over a section of music, they did it, and if that made the song eight minutes long, so be it.

As a writer, that's probably the main thing I took out of Supertramp, and it's a credo I follow to this day.

Plus, their productions were pristine. You could always hear everything.

Chad Michael · #4 10-29-2004, 04:32 PM

Loved songs like "Dreamer" and "The Logical Song" especially for the Wurlitzer electric piano sound.

Wurlitzer rules!!!

Chad Michael · #5 10-29-2004, 04:46 PM

In re-reading this thread, it depresses me.

Music was sooooo good back then, bands poured their heart and soul into composing something brilliant and memorable... I loved going to the 'record' store and buying albums like Supertramp's "Breakfast in America", the Doobie Brothers "One Step Closer", The Fixx, Tears For Fears, Yes, or Genesis.

Personally, I can't say that about today's music. Maybe I'm just getting old... but (if I had the time, gotta gig tonight) I'd love to put "Breakfast In America" on the turntable and give a listen.

genderblind · #6 10-29-2004, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bimplizkit

Music was sooooo good back then, bands poured their heart and soul into composing something brilliant and memorable... I loved going to the 'record' store and buying albums like Supertramp's "Breakfast in America", the Doobie Brothers "One Step Closer", The Fixx, Tears For Fears, Yes, or Genesis.

Yeah... recently hearing Supertramp material on a classic rock station, I developed a new appreciation for Dougie Thompson's lines, fat and perfect for the songs!!! He used a Stingray frequently, with a full tone that really proves wrong the naysayers of the Ray.
BIMP!!! Slightly OT, but nice to see The Fixx mentioned!!!

Bassic83 · #7 10-29-2004, 05:11 PM

What's a turntable?

J/K...

Chad Michael · #8 10-29-2004, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassic83

What's a turntable?

J/K...

I don't know, but if you have two of them and a microphone, you're "Where It's At"

Bottles and cans, just clap yo hands.

Hambone · #9 10-29-2004, 05:16 PM

Another Tramp fan here.

One of the big thrills back then was my buddy's monster SAE stereo (800 watts - parametric eq - 8 Dyanco 2 way's - all built into the interior of an Airstream trailer!) and the Breakfast in America direct to disk recording. Then, it was a true sonic blast. Now, it wouldn't be anything better than a well engineered CD but boy, back in the day...

Bassic83 · #10 10-29-2004, 05:17 PM

It just goes to show you that the average American today has lots of class (most of it third) and all their taste is in their mouth. Soul? On the bottoms of their Nikes...the whole music scene is pretty much a wasteland in America. It doesn't matter if you can play, or sing, or whatever. Who cares? It's all about how well you can dance. THAT's what sells records!

That said, I really long for the good old bad old days when the buzzwords in the hall at school was who had the new record out, and how good were the songs on it? Did it sound just like their last album, or was there something new? New, huh? Great, can I borrow it overnite?

Now it's all about dancing and how many four-letter words you can get into 3.5 minutes.

Chad Michael · #11 10-29-2004, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hambone

...my buddy's monster SAE stereo...

I have an SAE R102 receiver, bought it in 1986, using it to this day, and it sounds as good as ever. Oh, not to hijack the thread

but 'they don't make stereo equipment like they used to', either.

bassmatik · #12 10-29-2004, 05:55 PM

i love "Breakfast in America".
the bass sound in this record is one of the best i have ever heard.
by the way, i read somewhere that the bass player used flatwound strings.

Hambone · #13 10-29-2004, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bimplizkit

I have an SAE R102 receiver, bought it in 1986, using it to this day, and it sounds as good as ever. Oh, not to hijack the thread

but 'they don't make stereo equipment like they used to', either.

My friend probably would look at yours and say the same thing. This story takes place in 1978!

By-Tor · #14 10-29-2004, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bimplizkit

In re-reading this thread, it depresses me.

Music was sooooo good back then, bands poured their heart and soul into composing something brilliant and memorable... I loved going to the 'record' store and buying albums like Supertramp's "Breakfast in America", the Doobie Brothers "One Step Closer", The Fixx, Tears For Fears, Yes, or Genesis.

Personally, I can't say that about today's music. Maybe I'm just getting old... but (if I had the time, gotta gig tonight) I'd love to put "Breakfast In America" on the turntable and give a listen.

Your not getting old. Your right though, todays music, rock in paticular, does lack alot of quality.

And I need to get another copy of "Breakfast in America".

Alvaro Martín Gómez A. · #15 10-29-2004, 11:18 PM

Hi.

I remember that I was 12 when "Breakfast In America" was released. That was the first time I heard Supertramp and didn't like it because it was so soft to me. I was into bands like Kiss, AC/DC, Judas Priest or Black Sabbath and only liked heavy stuff.

Many years later I gave myself the chance of listening Supertramp again and got "Paris". What an awesome band! After hearing thar recording, I list this band as the second one which live sound and performances are PERFECT (meaning that they sound as in their studio recordings - or even better), being Pink Floyd the first one. I can't list any other band with that asset. Most bands sound excellent live, but very different compared with their studio recordings.

nicoli · #16 10-30-2004, 12:14 AM

Count me in... a Supertramp CD was the first thing my dad ever bought when my family got our first CD player many moons ago. I still remember him putting on 'Dreamer' and standing between the speakers and pointing across them for those panned 'pssssssshhhhoooo' sounds.

I think 'Take the Long Way Home' is probably the best harmonica song ever recorded... that intro is just phenomenal.

charles21o7 · #17 10-31-2004, 11:16 AM

The track "Rudy" off of "Crime of the Century" can always blow my mind. Great , Great band.

Matt Till · #18 10-31-2004, 08:16 PM

Phh... Supertramp... you gotta be kiddin me... nerds...

frikkin' nerds...

*hides his copy of breakfast in america in his vinyl collection*

Heh, gotta give it up. They had a really unique sound, very waltzy at times, almost comical musically, but still good. The vocalist who sings high is a bit annoying at times.

PunkerTrav · #19 10-31-2004, 08:21 PM

I saw them when they were in town a year or two ago. Great live show, complete with dualing guitar solos and a massive bass solo. I was quite impressed.

The Golden Boy · #20 11-01-2004, 11:55 AM

Supertramp is one of the few bands that make me change the radio station. I can't stand their music. I'm not saying they're bad- or that anyone's an idiot for liking them, they're just like fingernails on a blackboard to me... sorry.