Supertramp

Supertramp is best known for the string of hits they generated with their 1979 album Breakfast In America. With a foundation of exploratory keyboards and simple guitars, they let Roger Hodgkins' falsetto vocals ride over the top and a new era of post-Moody Blues prog-pop was born. Such classic rock radio staples as "The Logical Song," "Take the Long Way Home" and "Goodbye Stranger" may not be the sort of rock music you get all worked up over but the songs are certainly fun to sing in the shower. The band was formed in 1969, when this rich Dutch guy gave his keyboard-twiddling friend Rick Davies a bunch of money to start the rock band of his dreams. Davies put an ad in the paper and Supertramp was the result. Following a pair of somewhat pretentious records, Mr. Moneybags backed out and the group was forced to try and come up with a hit in order to keep working. The result was Crime of the Century which yielded the semi-heavy weirdo-gem "Bloody Well Right" and the blueprint for Breakfast, "Dreamer." In 1977 they met with more chart success in the beginner-guitar must-learn "Give A Little Bit" before hitting the big time in 1979. Since the release and smash of Breakfast the group has continued to put out records but they have never matched its success either commercially or stylistically. They do however maintain a devoted following.