Supertramp co-founder Rick Davies has attempted to justify why he is touring as Supertramp without Roger Hodgson but has neglected to explain why he is performing Roger`s songs.
At the Supertramp website, Davies has posted:“In June of 2008 Rick Davies went to meet with Roger Hodgson to discuss the possibility of a reunion with him. After fifteen months of discussions, last fall Rick and Roger did not come to an agreement as was hoped. Roger decided to continue his solo career as he has since leaving Supertramp twenty-seven years ago.
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“After a bit of soul searching and much encouragement and support from Supertramp’s longstanding promoters, Rick decided to put the band back on the road.
“The “70-10 Tour” is a celebration of 40 years of Supertramp, which Rick started in 1970, but it is not a reunion with Roger Hodgson. We wish Roger well and look forward to playing for you this fall.
“We sincerely hope this puts an end to the confusion that has been circulating on the internet and in the press”.
The statement ignores Hodgson’s recent statement wishing him luck with the tour and concerns that Davies is breaking an agreement to not perform any of Roger’s songs.
Roger recently told Undercover, “I feel good about Rick going out,” he said. “What I don’t feel good about is about him breaking an agreement that we had. To tell you the truth Paul, I would never have handed over Supertramp, I am not that much of a fool, to just hand over something I had put 14 years of my life into to Rick for nothing. I really was the driving force in that band for 14 years. I remember very clearly the only thing I cared about when I gave Rick the name was that I would leave with my songs and my voice in tact. That would be my security. For him, his security would be the name, obviously”.
The other thing that Roger says is that Rick doesn’t even like his songs. “He is an old jazz and blueser,” Roger told Undercover. “He fought me like crazy over ‘Breakfast In America’. He hated the song. I don’t think he even played on it. I had to fight for some of my songs because he didn’t like them. To do them and not even like them feels even worse”.
Supertramp, with Rick Davies but without Roger Hodgson, are on tour across Europe later this year. Hodgson has already commenced his world tour.
