January 23: Supertramp Hit The Road To Promote Crime of the Century

In 1975, Supertramp hit the road starting a tour to promote their album Crime of the Century. It was a big moment for the band, who had worked hard to get where they were. Let’s look at their story, the album, and why this tour was such a big deal.

RELATED: November 21: Jimmy Page Goes Solo For A World Tour

Who Is Supertramp?

Supertramp was formed in 1969 in London. Two guys, Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson, led the band. Though they had very different styles, together, they made magic.

The band got off to a rocky start with their first two albums, but then they started working on Crime of the Century. The album would go on to change everything...

Fun fact: The band was first called “Daddy,” but they switched to Supertramp. Good choice, right?

Crime of the Century: The Album

Released in 1974, Crime of the Century made Supertramp famous. The songs on the album were emotional and told deep stories about life and struggles. Hits like “Dreamer” and “Bloody Well Right” became fan favourites, but other tracks like “School” and “Rudy” were just as good.

The album's amazing sound can be attributed to producer, Ken Scott, who also worked with The Beatles. He blended everything together perfectly and even used an orchestra to make the album pop more.

Fun fact: The harmonica solo in “School” was played by Rick Davies. It’s one of the most famous parts of the album! (Check it out)

The album's amazing sound can be attributed to producer, Ken Scott, who also worked with The Beatles. He blended everything together perfectly and even used an orchestra to make the album pop more.

The 1975 Tour

The Crime of the Century tour was Supertramp’s first big tour. The band worked hard to make every show unforgettable. They used cool lights and perfect sound to make the concerts special.

Fans loved the mix of songs from the new album and older ones. Roger Hodgson’s high voice and Rick Davies’ deeper voice sounded great together, giving the audience something unique.

Why It Matters

This tour was a turning point for Supertramp. It showed they were more than just a band—they were on their way to becoming legends. The success of this tour set them up for even bigger hits, like their Breakfast in America album.

So, next time you hear “Dreamer” or “Bloody Well Right,” think about 1975 when Supertramp's Crime of the Century rocked the world.

Other Notable Rock Events From January 23

1956 - A law was passed in Clevland that banned rock and roll fans under 18 from dancing in public unless accompanied by an adult. (sounds like a perfect plot for a movie right?) 

1967 - Pink Floyd started recording the Syd Barrett songs. 

1969 - The Beatles recorded 10 takes of this new song they were working on called “Get Back”. 

1971 - The band Steel Mill, which was fronted by Bruce Springsteen, played their final gig in New Jersey. 

1971 - George Harrison officially became the first Beatle to score a number-one single on the UK charts for his song “My Sweet Lord”. The song stayed at number 1 for 5 weeks.

1976 - David Bowie released his tenth studio album Station to Station.

1988 - Nirvana recorded their ten-song demo in Seattle.

1990 - Lynrd Skynyrd guitarist Allen Collins passed away after a multi-month battle with pneumonia

1991 - A radio station in New Mexico played Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” for 24 hours straight to ring in their format change. Listeners called police to the radio station thinking that the DJ had either suffered from a heart attack or that the radio station had been taken over by terrorists.

2006 - The Arctic Monkeys released their debut album, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not. The album would go on to win the Brit Award for Best Album.

Rock Birthdays

1950 - Danny Federici of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band (Keyboard)

1953 - Robin Zander of Cheap Trick (Vocals)

1975 - Nick Harmer of Death Cab for Cutie (Bass)

On This Day In History - January 23

January 23rd is loaded to the brim with historic moments for rock and roll, we sure can’t wait to see what the future holds! Until next week keep on rocking in the free world and we’ll hear ya later!