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.

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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 kkelly@nfld-herald.com

“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.”

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