Customer Reviews

Is Everybody Listening?

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Recorded at the cusp of their international break through, Is Everybody Listening finds the band lean, mean and hungry. The subsequent live albums Paris (1981), Live (1988) and It Was The Best Of Times (1999) were more polished and musically accomplished but lack the fire demonstrated on Is Everybody Listening. It's not the ideal collection for new fans (Paris is probably the slickest and most representative of the band at their best) but there is an edginess here missing on later albums. Perhaps it's due to the fact that the band was on the cusp of breaking through to a larger audience but, more than likely, it's due to the leap in quality of the Davies/Hodgson compositions. IEL is far from their best sounding recording (in fact it doesn't sound much better than a very good bootleg), but this snapshot of the band prior to international stardom captures them in good form and with a handful of solid, catchy tunes.

Like all the releases from Burning Airlines, IEL is more than a historical document. It presents Supertramp still trying to find their footing as artists. It also presents the band willing to experiment and play with their sound in such a way that each track sounds fresh and different from their studio counterparts. Although I would have liked to see comments from Davies, Hodgson or the other band members on the recording, the brief history of the band and insights in the booklet are interesting. It's curious that Hodgson isn't pictured on the photos taken from roughly the same time frame (only Davies and Helliwell are featured) as it was their unique songwriting partnership that allowed the band sound to gel at this time.

The fact that there was no overdubbing and the band limited song selections to two albums (they performed only songs from Crime of the Century and the unfinished Crisis? What Crisis? Ignoring their first two albums and recent single Land Ho!) makes IEL a niche album for hard-core fans. There's also a handful of instrumental/vocal mistakes which would probably been fixed if this album had originally been intended for commercial release. The mistakes only add to the album's charm and honesty. The visual image used for the last Davies/Hodgson album Famous Last Words showed each band member performing a high wire act without a net. IEL is the band living that moment in time; you get the distinct impression that Supertramp is taking considerable risks but the results are most rewarding.

All of the above criticisms add to the charm of the album. It's about as naked as Supertramp ever got in public. It's fun to see many of these songs reduced to their basic arrangements. Since Crime hadn't been finished at this stage, IEL is almost like sitting on the rehearsal for that album. Whatever these songs may lack in slick production touches, are more than made up for by the feeling that Supertramp is making up the material as they're going along. This is where the band plowed the ground and planted the seeds for their unique progressive pop sound. Although their rein at the top of the charts was short lived, IEL conveys the very qualities that made the band so appealing.

I only found this disk by accident -- amazing that only about a decade ago these guys were all over the place. Given the fact that this disk features the "classic" lineup (i.e. with Roger Hodgson), I of course could not resist.

The disk is good, it's a neat document of a time before this band became huge. The sound quality is suprisignly mediocre, though, given Supertramp's usual attention to sound quality (seems like they considered their concert sound guy, Russell Pope, a member of the band). There's distortion on some of the "louder" passages, which is distracting.

Overall, this is nice, if bittersweet record, since it reminds how good they were when they were good, and how much they're missed today (by me, at any rate).

First of all the date and location of this disc is all wrong. Recorded in London on Sunday, March 9th in 1975, this disc sees Roger, Rick, Bob, Dougie, and John perform a well put together set that manages to put the whole "Crime Of The Century" LP and 4 songs from the highly under-rated "Crisis? What Crisis?" LP into one great show. The sound might not be the best, and that's due to the original of this show being a bootleg called "Dreamers." It shoud be noted that John Helliwell's rendition of "A" (You're Adorable")is uncredited on this disc.

This may be the first CD I've ever even had of Supertramp.I mean I tend to hear them SO often on FM radio.Specially with those block-party weekends,where they play three,sometimes four songs in a row from each band.'Is Everybody Listening' is a great archive live soundbaord(almost would have to be)recording of the band early in their career,while on a U.S.tour in support of their 'Crisis,What Crisis' lp.Show apparently took place in early 1975,or 1976.Heard there was a dispute about the actual date.Either way,the long time Supertramp fans are sure to be pleased with this CD.Tracks I was most impressed with were "School","Bloody Well Right","Hide In Your Shell"(sure I've heard this tune on the radio before),"Dreamer" and "Crime Of The Century".Simply good '70's album rock.Comes with an 8-page full color CD booklet,almost like a mini-program.Line-up:Roger Hodgson-keybaords,guitar&vocals,Rick Davies-keyboards&vocals,John Helliwell-flute&sax,Dougie Thompson-bass and Bob Sienbengerg-drums.A should-have.

In 2001, Supertramp released Is Everybody Listening?
This live album is a great piece of history and in fact, much to the claim on the cover it is Cleveland, Ohio from 1976, this performance is the legendary gig the band played at London's Hammersmith Odeon in March of 1975 during its Crime of the Century tour which was recorded by the BBC and aired on the radio countless times.
Eight of the twelve tracks consist of the entire Crime of the Century album(School, Bloody Well Right, Hide In Your Shell, Asylum, Dreamer(complete with John Helliwell's Alphabet Song intro), Rudy, If Everyone Was Listening and of course ending with Crime Of The Century's title cut.
In a bold move, the band even previewed songs from the then-to-be recorded Crime follow-up Crisis? What Crisis?. Here the band plays Sister Moonshine(with bass player Dougie Thomson's intro), Just a Normal Day, a seven minute plus Another Man's Woman and an extended Lady which of course was shortened when recorded for Crisis. Shame artists don't try out new songs before recording as the fans would record the show and release the show on bootleg.
The line-up for Supertramp on this album is its classic lineup of Roger Hodgson on guitar, keyboards and vocals. Plus Rick Davies on keyboards and vocals,John Helliwell on saxophones, woodwinds, keyboards and vocals, Dougie Thompson on bass guitar and occasional backing vocals and Bob Siebenberg(C. Benburg as he was known as then) on drums.
This show is a must for all Supertramp fans who want a classic recording of the band's classic lineup although Paris gives this album a run for the money.
Recommended!

In 2001 and then again in 2006, English prog rockers Supertramp released Is Everybody Listening?
This live album is a great piece of history and in fact, much to the claim on the cover it was from Cleveland, Ohio from 1976, this performance is the legendary gig the band played at London's Hammersmith Odeon in March of 1975 during its Crime of the Century tour which was recorded by the BBC and aired on the radio countless times in the last 30 or so years.
Eight of the twelve tracks consist of the entire Crime of the Century album (starting with School, Bloody Well Right, Hide In Your Shell, Asylum, Dreamer(complete with sax man/keyboard player/show emcee John Helliwell's Alphabet Song intro), Rudy, If Everyone Was Listening and of course ending with Crime Of The Century's title cut).
In a bold move in between the two halves of the Crime album, the band even previewed songs from the then-to-be recorded Crime follow-up Crisis? What Crisis?. Here the band plays Sister Moonshine (with bass player Dougie Thomson's intro), Just a Normal Day, a seven minute plus Another Man's Woman and an extended Lady which of course was shortened when recorded for Crisis. Shame artists don't try out new songs before recording as the fans would record the show and release the show on bootleg.
The line-up for Supertramp on this album is its classic lineup of Roger Hodgson on guitar, keyboards and vocals. Plus Rick Davies on keyboards and vocals. John Helliwell on saxophones, woodwinds, keyboards and vocals. Dougie Thompson on bass guitar and occasional backing vocals and Bob Siebenberg (or C. Benburg as he was known as then) on drums.
This show is a must for all Supertramp fans who want a classic recording of the band's classic lineup although the 1980 double live album Paris (recorded on the Breakfast in America tour) gives this album a run for the money.
Recommended!

I actually like this collection. The best word to describe is 'Raw'. This is early, unfiltered Supertramp. A few songs drag on long, but this was 1976 and they werent affraid to jam a bit.
I guess this was available to others in other forms over the years, but never in its entirety. I had never heard any of it, so it was fresh to me. There is no real endorsement by Members that i can see, packaging wise it is a bit shady. The linear notes are decent though, and the important part is the music anyway.
Call it a superior bootleg, but the sound is 'board' quality. I actually prefer the version of 'Dreamer' thats here over others i have heard. Same goes for 'Hide in Your Shell'. The Crisis songs are OK, but were in pre-recorded form. All of the COTC tracks shine. The biggest difference is in the background vocals. They sound 'Live' (not perfect), but the performance itself is great. I just like that it was left alone. No tweaks. So i can deal with the minor things.
I appreciate this CD. Just like i did some of the 'King Buscuit Flower Hour' CDs they put out years back in the states. A worthy purchase for Fans of this underappreciated band,imperfections and all..

Very nice music from one of the all-time biggest bands. Captured live in Cleveland, Ohio, USA in 1976, the CD is a UK digitally remastered release about the "Crisis..what crisis" tour. The band gets a good performance in concert. The 12 songs belongs to the Crime of the century (8) and Crisis, what crisis (4) albums. Roger Hodgson in inspired vocals, especially in "If everyone was listening" and "Hide in Your Shell". Rick in your own way make a great performance in "Just a normal day" and, of course "Crime of the Century". Of course, the master of ceremony, like always, is John Helliwell.
Track Listing: School, Bloody well right, Hide in Your Shell, Asylum, Sister Moonshine, Just a normal day; Another man's woman, Lady, Dreamer, Rudy, If everyone was listening, Crime of the century.
Includes a nice 8-pages booklet in fine presentation with sleeve notes by Jon Kirkman and photos.
Highly recomendable release.

The previous three one star reviewers are frustrated little girls who just want to counter all five star reviewers for NO REASON.Everybody's listening is a great cd from the crime tour.I would plead with you to ignore all previous and subsequent one star reviewers and their recommendations.this cd is great,so buy it because I said so.

Before I review this Supertramp live record, let it be known that The Cranky Reviewer and his lovers have been reported for viciously, wantonly and cowardly countering a certain reviewer. Since that is off my chest, this live album is great with classics like Bloody Well Right, Dreamer, Another Man's Woman and Crime of the Century. Click buy now or I'll give you a GOTCHA!