LIVE '88

The Cassette and Compact Disc versions of this album include three bonus tracks not included in the L.P.version: "Bloody Well Right", "Free as a Bird", and "I`m Your Hoochie Cooche Man" (which is listed in the L.P. cover and in the label, but this track is really the song "Don`t you Lie to me"). This live album was recorded during Supertramp`s last tour of the eighties. The most interesting songs are the 3 songs from the "Free as a Bird" album ("It`s Alright", "Not the Moment" and "Free as a Bird"), plus "Oh Darling" and "Just Another Nervous Wreck" from the "Breakfast in America" album, and two Blues improvisations of two songs not composed by Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson ("I`m Your Hoochie Cooche Man" and "Don`t You Lie to Me"). The rest of the songs appeared in better versions in the live album "Paris". Mark Hart (not an official member in the eighties) sang two Roger Hodgson`s songs. He sang them good. But Roger Hodgson years later said in interviews that he wasn´t happy with Supertramp`s performances of his songs without him. There are not songs from the album "Brother Where You Bound". The quality of the recording is not very good, because it was recorded on "a two track tape recorder plugged directly into the mix board in the hall", as Rick Davies wrote in the sleeve notes. At least this live album has not studio overdubs, and it is one of the best things of this album. Years later Davies said in interviews that in 1988 he wanted to rest from touring and to give the band a rest. It seems that this album was only released to finish the contract with the record label. It seems that this album is ignored or unknown for many fans of the band.

The bulk of the CD version is made of four tracks from "Free As A Bird", their poorest studio album ever and four tracks as well from "Breakfast" their more commercial and successful album (seventeen million albums sold).

There are no songs from "Brother..." which was the best album after Hodgson's departure. Two non-Supertramp tracks which are rather poor ("Dont You Lie to Me" and the intro "You Started Laughing").

Two songs from "Crime" of which "Bloody Well Right" is not really good here, to say the least. The title track and closing of this live effort is somewhat slower than the original but the same applies to "From Now On" : these two numbers are good (although the backing vocals are weak).

The sound quality is not super... So, you have understood that you'd better stick to the "Live In Paris" one, right ? Yes, bloody well right !

For die-hard fans only. Two stars.

This live album was released at the height of the Supertramp hate campaign. The beloved Roger Hodgson had now long departed, Rick Davies having released the excellent Brother Where You Bound album and the least popular Free As a Bird since his departure. Where the album certainly falls down is that there is no material off BWYB.....why,why,why!!! Normally such a logical activity is to play live material from a great album, but no not even "Canonball". Where is does deliver though is the songs covered from the much maligned Free As a Bird. This album truly indicative of the more focussed jazz direction Supertramp were to embark on. " It's Alright" and " Not The Moment" sounding excellent live. As is " Oh Darling" from Breakfast In America.The jewels are the two blues tracks not previously released on albums, perhaps because the outgoing Hodgson felt they were not part of the famous Supertramp script. He was probably right too but these versions of old blues classics like " Don't You Lie To Me" are excellent. Mark Hart of Crowded House fame is an able replacement to Roger Hodgson too and lively. If anyone recalled Supertramp live in the 70's, both Davies and Hodgson were so introverted that they left the Master of Ceremonies duties to sax man, John.E. Helliwell so it is great having a bit more pizazz in the lineup.Good stuff.