40 Years Since Supertramp's Iconic Paris Concert

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There are many bands that don't get much praise or respect in the world of rock, and Britain's Supertramp is a prime example. They came into being in 1969 thanks to Dutch businessman Stanley August Miesages. Sam had provided support to a band called The Joint, but they wre not taking their career seriously. Looking for a new business idea, he approchaed Richard Davies with the idea of starting a band. Davies hooked up with Roger Hodgson, and thus Supertramp were born!

Their first two records didn't do that well, but 1974's Crime of  The Century is considered the first of several classic albums. They ultimately hit the top with their 1979 hot seller Breakfast in America.

That leads us to this post's subject matter. As part of the Breakfast tour, Supertramp played several nights at the Pavillion de Paris, a venue that once was a slaughterhouse. In the fall of 1980, they released one of the finest live albums of all time - naming it Paris, being a change from the working title of Roadworks.

This double-discer is certainly a collector's item - and indeed one of my favorite albums of theirs. The record features all but one song from COTC, and all four singles from Breakfast. The band mainly recorded this album as "bridge." It was often times customary for artists and bands to make a live album to buy time while carving a follow-up album - especially after a successful hot seller as is the case here with Supertramp and their Breakfast in America album.

The band rented a portable studio and taped several shows on their tour. Ultimately, most of the members settled on the show recorded on November 29, 1979 in Paris, but a handful of snippets from other nights were taken in as well.

Now folks there are a few things that make this album unique. First, the songs are much more "lively" on this album - faster, and more intense. Even softer numbers like Take the Long Way Home have an amazing live undertone. Listen to Bloody Well Right and Rudy and you'll see just what I mean!

Also, the album finally...came out on DVD several years ago! I saw this show and it was incredible; however, I was disappointed. Songs such as Ain't Nobody but Me, You Started Laughing, and A Soapbox Opera did not make the cut. This was done to give the filming crew a break in my opinion, it's a shame...

On the plus side, it does feature Give a Little Bit. The band wanted this to make the cut on the original record, but aborted as they simply couldn't agree upon a well-sounding version.

Overall

 Do give both the album AND DVD a listen. The show is great, and if you know a little French, like I do, you'll easily be able to understand John Helliwells iner-song commentary. Particularly, during the intro of Breakfast in America.

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