24 The Newfoundland Herald October 29, 2006
As a co-founder of 1970’s Englishrock supergroup
Supertramp,Roger Hodgson was responsiblefor writing some of
thegreatest rock and rollsongs from that era.
From Give A Little Bitto The Logical Song toTake The Long
WayHome, Dreamer andSchool among others,Supertramp sold over
60million albums whileHodgson was with theband. Two of those
albums, Crime ofThe Century and Breakfast In America,eventually
sold over a million copies inCanada alone.
Hodgson left Supertramp in 1983after the album, Famous Last
Words,focusing on his family, his spirit, work-
ing at his own pace.After releasing two soloalbums, 1984’s In
TheEye of The Storm and1987’s Hai Hai, Hodgsonwas out of the
spotlight ,mostly. He continued torelease albums, but did-n’t tour
much to supportthem.
But it didn’t mean hissongs were out of the spotlight, howev-er.
In May 2005, Hodgson was honoredby ASCAP (the American Society
ofComposers, Authors, and Publishers)
BY KEVIN KELLY
EVEN IN THE QUIETEST MOMENTSEVEN IN THE QUIETEST
MOMENTSSongwriting legend Roger Hodgson brings his signature
voice and intimate show to Newfoundland shores.
24 25 hudson 10/18/06 2:43 PM Page 24
October 29, 2006 The Newfoundland Herald 25
in recognition of his song Give A Little Bit being one of
themost played songs in 2005, thanks to a recent hit cover
versionby the Goo Goo Dolls.
Hodgson will take to the stage solo at Mile One Centre onNov. 6
to bring his music to local fans. It’s his first cross-Canada tour
in 23 years and he promises an intimate eveningof music. He
recently released a platinum-selling DVD, TakeThe Long Way Home:
Live in Montreal which gives a little pre-view of what to
expect.
Whether playing keyboard, guitar, or piano, the songs
areintimate in their performance, just his unique voice and at
themost, one or two accompanying instruments. The songs are attheir
core element.
The Herald recently had the chance to speak with Hodgsonabout
songwriting, his career and working with the CanadianIdols this
season, including Newfound;and’s Craig Sharpe.
“You can see the feeling that is created when these songsare
stripped down to the way they sounded when I wrotethem,” Hodgson
states about people’s reaction to his live show.“There’s a certain
magic that happens for people when theyhear them in that form. I
love the intimacy of the solo shows.”
He says he feels “right at home” on stage.“I’m having a whole
new love affair with these songs again,”
he says. “I’m finding that I love these songs more than ever.
”He says that even with the fact its been quite a number of
years since these hits have been written, people still loveand
enjoy them.
“I’m just really amazed how they’ve stood the testof time so
well,” Hodgson states. “For me, as the guywho sings them, that’s
even more amazing. I neverget tired of them. When I get on stage, I
want togive it my best.”
A SHARPE VOICERecently, a whole new generation experienced
Hodgson’s music when he mentored on the pop-ular TV show
Canadian Idol along withDennis DeYoung, known for his workwith
Styx. Hodgson really liked men-toring to the young Idols.
“I felt very much like a protec-tive, proud parent,” he states
ofworking with the Idol contest-ants. He says the Top 7 that
heworked with were a fabulousgroup of individuals includ-ing a
certain youngNewfoundlander, Sharpe.
“My heart went out tohim,” he says of the UpperIsland Cove
native. “He may bevery, very young, but I know whyhe did so well.
He has a voice with a lotof character to it and I was so proud.
He
has a very unique voice and I think he’ll go wherever he
reallywants to set his mind to.”
SONGWRITING 101Hodgson approaches songwriting in a unique way.
He men-
tions to The Herald that it is very much a process.“Each song is
very different,” he states of his approach to
songwriting. “A song like Dreamer literally exploded out of
meone day, lyrics and everything. It must have been the mood Iwas
in. I grabbed the tape recorder and put it down, startedarranging
it, putting harmonies in. It was very quick.”
But despite that example, there is a usual formula toHodgson’s
songwriting.
“In general, when a song comes to me, it is a three to fourweek
process,” he states. “I liken it to a brief love affair,
when a new melody just grabs a hold of me and goesround and
round in my head the whole time. It has
that consuming quality to it, like falling in love. “After he
left Supertramp in 1983, Hodgson
admits it was a little difficult being out of thegroup
dynamic.
“I was 14 years with the band,” he says of hisold mates. “It was
an incredible adventure andlearning experience. I learned a lot
about myself,and human nature, and the highs and lows ofboth
adulation and criticism.”
Having experienced the ups and downs offame, he’s reflective of
his accomplish-
ments. “There’s a lot of pitfalls when itcomes to fame and
success,” Hodgsonsays. “There’s not a handbook thatthey give out,
and you have to navi-gate those waters yourself. Yourwhole external
world changes dra-matically.”
One of his songs is called TimeWaits For No One, and it’s a
goodphilosophy on Hodgson’s careerand the changes in his life over
the
years. However, the songs that RogerHodgson creates leaves an
indelible
mark on the listener and makes us allgive a little bit more in
our lives. Maybe
that’s why fans connect to his sound sowell.
Kevin Kelly is The Newfoundland Herald’s SeniorEditor. He can be
reached by emailing [email protected]
“He has a very unique voice and I thinkhe’ll go wherever he
wants to go to.”
— Hodgson on Idol Craig Sharpe
“I’m having a whole newlove for these songs.”
24 25 hudson 10/18/06 2:43 PM Page 25