...THE
OF A SOPHISTO-ROCK SAXOPHONIST BY ANNIE McCLEAN
w phase of John’s life with Supertramp began after Roger’s
departure. From now on Rick Davies would be the sole writer. By mid ’84
he and the remaining band members had assembled once more to begin work
on John’s seventh album with them, “Brother Where You Bound”.
The cover work features coloured ape to humanoid outlines on a white background.
It became the “in” joke within the band to identify which
level of evolution matched what musician. John claims that he is of course
on the right hand side as the fully evolved human.
In May ’85 the band and a huge gaggle of reporters met up in Paris
and took the luxurious “Orient Express” to Vienna with the
purpose of attending the premiere of the very ambitious film for “Brother”
filmed by Rene Daalder. By all accounts the wine flowed and a good time
was had by all – and so they should have, with tickets costing a
“mere” $600 a head. John and Rick commandeered the piano in
the lounge and played into the wee small hours much to the alarm of all
the terribly posh, staid older couples on board.
Yet another Helliwell out-on-the-road period ensued in late September
’85 starting way out west in St. John Newfoundland as ‘tramp
began its touring of N. America. By February the band were over in Europe.
Just three days after John’s 41 st birthday he became a father for
the second time. His second son William was born back home in Santa Monica
whilst John was in the midst of touring. However by March ’86 he’d
again reached London, and could this time be joined by his family. The
band performed at the Royal Albert Hall in aid of the Prince’s Trust
in front of Prince Charles and Princess Diana. The elder Helliwell son,
Charles was asked to sit with them in the Royal Box. Diana had always
professed to being a big ‘tramp fan and Charles Helliwell got to
introduce both royals to the band backstage prior to the show.
In ’87 John and Supertramp recorded “Free As A Bird”,
a more experimental album that toyed with modern technology. He freely
states that this wasn’t perhaps their best idea but then again,
hind sight is a wonderful thing. With the album’s release in autumn
of that year, John had Christmas with his family and then flew south in
the new year to Rio de Janeiro for the start of the “World Migration
Tour” which eventually finished off (May ’88) in London at
the Royal Albert Hall.
The end of the 80’s marked the start of a dormant period for the
band
OF A SOPHISTO-ROCK SAXOPHONIST BY ANNIE McCLEAN