Interview with Rick Davies, John Helliwell and Mark Hart during the release of "It Was The Best Of Times" (march, 1999)

(Note: Just click the question and you will hear the answer)  


I) Questions for Rick Davies:

1)     Tell me about the new record.

2)     Were you surprised that the recordings sounded good enough to make up a live album ?

3)     What about the audiences at the shows ? Were they old fans or people new to the music ?

4)     Were you surprised by their response ?

5)     You played to large audiences, something like 18,000 people in Barcelona. Tell me about some other surprises.

6)     Who’s in the current line up ? Is there chemistry, history in the make up of the band ?

7)     What is captured on this live record that perhaps didn’t come off on the original studio recordings of these songs ?

8)     Tell me about the song we were just listening to, “You Win, I Lose”

9)     Does it feel different now when you play the old songs ?

10)  You really have a jazz vibe going on now. Is that something that developed over the years ?

11)  What will the fans get from this record that they haven’t got from you before?

12)  Any story about the next song you’re going to mix, “The Logical Song” ?

13)  So what’s next for Supertramp ?

14)  What was the highlight of the tour ?

II)               Questions for John Helliwell:

15)  Tell me about the new record.

16)  What’s special about this live record ?

17)  Does the level of playing get better as the tour goes on, from the first show to the last ?

18)  You’re more front and center than the rest of the band members.

19)  Who do you think was the audience for the 1997 tour ?

20)  Did the tour escalate as it went along ? Did the crowds get bigger, did you add more shows ?

21)  So what are the highlights of this record ?

22)  Who was originally in the group and who are the newer members ?

23)  Is there music from your 1997 album SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE on this album as well ?

24)  What’s like being on tour again ? How is it different from 20 years ago ?

25)  So what will the listeners get from IT WAS THE BEST OF TIMES, a different take on the songs ?

26)  Now you’re mixing “The Logical Song”. Tell us about it.

27)  Can you play it ?

28)  What’s next for Supertramp ?

29)  And the title of the album ?

III)            Questions for Mark Hart:

30)  Tell me about the new record.

31)  What’s the difference between recording live and recording in a studio ?

32)  Is there a different energy ?

33)  Are you relatively new to the group ?

34)  How did it feel to be back on the road with Supertramp ?

35)  What are the musical highlights of the tour ?

36)  Tell me about the audience. Were they old fans or new converts ?

37)  What was it like being on the road with a father and son team ?

38)  Which numbers got the biggest response from the audience ?

39)  Do the songs become new in any way after playing them for such a long time ?

40)  So the fans are getting a deeper interpretation of the music on this album ?

41)  How did you decide to record at The Royal Albert Hall ?

42)  Any other thoughts ?  

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