SUPERTRAMP – CRIME OF THE CENTURY LP – EXC+ UK 1974

Supertramp – Crime Of The Century
(A&M Records  1974  AMLS68258)
Matrix No’s: A5/B5 – UK Pressing

Sleeve in Very Good+ condition
– some creasing and sticker mark in top right corner
Insert in Nr MINT condition

Vinyl in Excellent+ condition
(there are some surface marks visible on the vinyl when held up to the light but they don’t affect the sound quality apart from some light pops/crackles)

Supertramp (known as Daddy in 1969–70) are an English rock band formed in London in 1969. Though their music was initially categorised as progressive rock, they later incorporated a combination of traditional rock, pop and art rock into their music. The band’s work is marked by the songwriting of founders Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson and the prominent use of Wurlitzer electric piano and saxophone.

While the band’s early work was mainstream progressive rock, they would enjoy greater commercial success when they incorporated more conventional and radio-friendly elements into their work in the mid-1970s, going on to sell more than 60 million albums. They reached their commercial peak with 1979’s Breakfast in America, which has sold more than 20 million copies.

Though their albums were generally far more successful than their singles, Supertramp did enjoy a number of major hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including Hodgson’s songs “Give a Little Bit”, “The Logical Song”, “Take the Long Way Home”, “Dreamer”, “Breakfast in America”, “It’s Raining Again”, and Davies’ songs, “Bloody Well Right”, “Goodbye Stranger”, and “Cannonball”. The band attained significant popularity in the United States, Canada, Europe, South Africa and Australia. Since co-founder Hodgson’s departure in 1983, Rick Davies has led the band by himself.

Crime of the Century is the third album by the progressive rock band Supertramp, released in 1974. Crime of the Century was their commercial breakthrough on both sides of the Atlantic, aided by the UK hit “Dreamer” and the U.S. hit “Bloody Well Right”. It was a UK Top 10 album and a U.S. Top 40 album, eventually being certified Gold in the U.S. in 1977 after the release of Even in the Quietest Moments…. The album was Supertramp’s first to feature drummer Bob Siebenberg (at the time credited as Bob C. Benberg), woodwinds player John Anthony Helliwell, bassist Dougie Thomson, and co-producer Ken Scott.

The album’s dedication reads “To Sam”, which is a nickname for Stanley August Miesegaes, the Dutch millionaire who supported the band financially from 1969–72.

Track listing

All songs written by Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson.

Side one

Side two

Personnel

Supertramp

• Bob C. Benberg – drums, percussion
• Rick Davies – vocals, keyboards, harmonica
• John Anthony Helliwell – saxophones, clarinets, vocals
• Roger Hodgson – vocals, guitar, pianos
• Dougie Thomson – bass

Other performers (all uncredited)

• Christine Helliwell – backup vocals on “Hide in Your Shell”
• Scott Gorham – backup vocals on “Hide in Your Shell”
• Vicky Siebenberg – backup vocals on “Hide in Your Shell”
• (Anonymous street musician) – saw on “Hide in Your Shell”
• Ken Scott – water gong on “Crime of the Century”

Production

• Producers: Ken Scott and Supertramp
• Engineers: Ken Scott, John Jansen
• Original Vinyl Mastering: Ray Staff Trident Studios
• String arrangements: Richard Hewson
• Cover design and photography: Paul Wakefield
• Art direction: Fabio Nicoli