Is it necessary?
Supertramp like most bands, had its ups and downs including some friction during the creative process. Rick Davies described the process like “two people painting a picture on the same canvas.” Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson handled the creative duties for Supertramp, whose 1979 album Breakfast in America hit number one on the US music charts for six weeks. Davies was never satisfied with what the band accomplished and thought they could always do better. Breakfast in America was the band’s best-selling album and nothing after it ever came close to its success.
Supertramp formed in London in 1969 when Hodgson replied to an ad Davies posted promising a “genuine opportunity.” Hodgson and Davies were both singer-songwriters who played keyboard. Supertramp was one of the first bands signed to A&M records, bankrolled by Dutch millionaire Stanley Miesegaes. The first two albums tanked and the band was released from A&M.
Hodgson and Davies then reformed the band with a new line up including bassist Dougie Thomson, sax player John Helliwell and American drummer Bob Siebenberg. Their third album, Crime of the Century was their breakout album, hitting number four on the British charts firmly establishing the band. The band moved to the US in the late 1970’s, prior to releasing Breakfast in America.
In 1982 Davies commented on his relationship with Hodgson and indicated that the creative process involved a certain amount of friction. The two have always figured a way around their differences, but as time went on it became more difficult. Hodgson and Davies put out one more album, Famous Last Words before Hodgson quit and moved onto a solo career. In the years that followed, Supertramp put out another four studio albums. For more information check out the article on Musicradar.com
I find it interesting that each songwriter wrote certain songs on each album. Hodgson wrote Dreamer, Gove a Little Bit, Breakfast in America and The Logical Song, Take the Long Way Home, It’s Raining Again while Davies wrote Gone Hollywood and Goodbye Stranger. It seemed like quite an unusual arrangement because in today’s world, cowriters complete the same song together.
Band’s inevitably have conflict, sometimes it can be resolved and sometimes it cannot. To all those bands that have managed to survive through all the ups and downs, we appreciate you.