'I want to create clarity for those who don’t know my name, but know me by my songs and my voice that has been singing to them for almost 40 years – that those songs and that voice is me – Roger Hodgson, not Supertramp in its current form. Now the fans should be allowed to hear the songs they have been listening to for years by the man who wrote and recorded them - the authentic sound.' He added: 'My voice and my songs were always going to be my security. He will then play in the UK next year, including a date at the Royal Albert Hall in May. Hodgson – who played at the Diana Tribute Concert in 2007 - has been in Paris performing concerts of his own. It was at this point, according to Hodgson, that the verbal agreement was made between the pair.ĭespite being told he has a strong legal case, he has never instructed lawyers insisting he would not want to waste his ‘time, energy and life doing lawsuits.’ In 1983, at the height of their success, Hodgson then left to concentrate on his bringing up his young children in Northern California. Indeed, the album was re-released earlier this week. Their most famous album Breakfast In America has sold more than 20 million copies to date across the globe. The band went on to become one of the biggest-selling acts of the late 1970s. The following year they changed the name to Supertramp.įans in high places: The late Diana, Princess Of Wales was a fan of the group and met them in 1986 Hodgson and Davies, 66, - originally from Swindon, Wilts - then formed Daddy in 1969. He wrote many of what would become the band’s most famous songs as a teenager in the 1960s before he even met Davies. Hodgson was born in Portsmouth, grew up near Oxford and went to Stowe public school in Buckinghamshire. They were very personal to me – but now he’s happy to perform them.’ In fact, he didn’t resonate with a lot of my songs. Hodgson, speaking from Paris, continued: 'Rick didn’t even like Breakfast In America. 'Even someone in the music industry could not believe that I was not part of the Supertramp tour after hearing my songs announcing their shows on the radio.' Due to all the radio announcements playing my voice and my songs, so many people are being fooled into thinking that I will be there. 'She was completely shocked when she found out I wasn't part of the Supertramp tour. He said: 'Another example of the misleading advertising happened on Tuesday - a promoter that has been working with us to book a show for 2011 sent an email asking to meet me at the Supertramp concert later this week. Indeed, he says that earlier this week, even a promoter was shocked to find out he was not on the current tour - because of the 'misleading advertising.' However, Hodgson claims he was not even invited on to the tour, called the 70:10 tour, despite offering to rejoin his former band following a fans campaign.Ĭhart-topper: Their 1979 album Breakfast In America was a huge hit ‘Supertramp is a brand name and a trademark owned by Rick - but fans want to hear the songs sung by the man who wrote them.'Īpproximately one-third of the songs on the set list for the current tour were written by Hodgson. Songs like Dreamer come from a pure place – especially when life for so many people is very difficult right now.’ Rick wanted to put bums on seats – and my songs have turned out to be timeless. However, over time, the need to sell concert tickets seems to have caused Davies to renege on the claimed agreement.
I have had so many fans writing to me regarding this.’Īccording to Hodgson, after he left, the band initially did not play his songs. ‘They're singing my songs and using radio ads with my voice to sell the tickets. Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail, Hodgson said: 'There is a big difference between imitating someone and being the authentic artist who wrote the song.’ He also says he has been ‘inundated’ by furious fans because radio advertisements for the tour have, he claims, been using his songs and his vocals before announcing details of the show. Keeping on touring: Rick Davies has continued to use the Supertramp name after Hodgson left the group in 1983