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Their album Breakfast In America is one of the biggest-selling of all time, having sold more than 20 million copies.
And on Wednesday night, Seventies super-group Supertramp played at London's 23,000 capacity O2 arena as part of a huge 40th anniversary tour.
However, the Daily Mail has now learned that a bitter row has broken out between the two band's two key songwriters Roger Hodgson and Rick Davies.
Feud: Former bandmember Roger Hodgson claims Supertramp fans are being 'conned' by the current line-up
When Hodgson - who is known as Mr Supertramp by fans and was renowned for his high-pitched singing voice - decided to leave the band in 1983 to concentrate on bringing up his young family, he claims a verbal deal was struck between him and Davies.
In the agreement, it was decided that Davies could continue to use and perform under the name of Supertramp. For his part, Davies had to commit to never playing Hodgson’s songs again.
However, on the current 35-date tour which began in Germany last month, Davies has chosen to perform seven songs that were written by Hodgson.
These also happen to be the band’s most famous songs – hits like Dreamer, The Logical Song, Breakfast In America, Give A Little Bit and It’s Raining Again.
Hodgson, 60, is furious at what he sees as a betrayal by his former friend.
He believes fans of the band around the world are being cheated by the current Supertramp.
Keeping on touring: Rick Davies has continued to use the Supertramp name after Hodgson left the group in 1983
He also says he has been ‘inundated’ by furious fans because radio advertisements for the tour have, he claims, been using his songs and his vocals before announcing details of the show.
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail, Hodgson said: 'There is a big difference between imitating someone and being the authentic artist who wrote the song.’
‘They're singing my songs and using radio ads with my voice to sell the tickets. I have had so many fans writing to me regarding this.’
According to Hodgson, after he left, the band initially did not play his songs. However, over time, the need to sell concert tickets seems to have caused Davies to renege on the claimed agreement.
‘That is the truth of it. Rick wanted to put bums on seats – and my songs have turned out to be timeless. Songs like Dreamer come from a pure place – especially when life for so many people is very difficult right now.’
‘Supertramp is a brand name and a trademark owned by Rick - but fans want to hear the songs sung by the man who wrote them.'
Approximately one-third of the songs on the set list for the current tour were written by Hodgson.
However, Hodgson claims he was not even invited on to the tour, called the 70:10 tour, despite offering to rejoin his former band following a fans campaign.
Collective: Davies with the post-Hodgson Supertramp line-up
He said: 'I had received so many requests from fans that I offered to rejoin them. I sent Rick a letter and my manager wrote to his.’
Davies did not reply personally but Supertramp declined the offer via agents.
Hodgson continued: ‘Now Supertramp are using my songs as a commodity and not because they believe in them. People want to hear the songs they have been listening to for years by the person who wrote and sang them.'
Chart-topper: Their 1979 album Breakfast In America was a huge hit
Indeed, he says that earlier this week, even a promoter was shocked to find out he was not on the current tour - because of the 'misleading advertising.'
He said: 'Another example of the misleading advertising happened on Tuesday - a promoter that has been working with us to book a show for 2011 sent an email asking to meet me at the Supertramp concert later this week.
'She was completely shocked when she found out I wasn't part of the Supertramp tour. Due to all the radio announcements playing my voice and my songs, so many people are being fooled into thinking that I will be there.
'Even someone in the music industry could not believe that I was not part of the Supertramp tour after hearing my songs announcing their shows on the radio.'
Hodgson, speaking from Paris, continued: 'Rick didn’t even like Breakfast In America. In fact, he didn’t resonate with a lot of my songs. They were very personal to me – but now he’s happy to perform them.’
Hodgson was born in Portsmouth, grew up near Oxford and went to Stowe public school in Buckinghamshire. He wrote many of what would become the band’s most famous songs as a teenager in the 1960s before he even met Davies.
Hodgson and Davies, 66, - originally from Swindon, Wilts - then formed Daddy in 1969. The following year they changed the name to Supertramp.
Fans in high places: The late Diana, Princess Of Wales was a fan of the group and met them in 1986
The band went on to become one of the biggest-selling acts of the late 1970s. Their most famous album Breakfast In America has sold more than 20 million copies to date across the globe. Indeed, the album was re-released earlier this week.
In 1983, at the height of their success, Hodgson then left to concentrate on his bringing up his young children in Northern California.
It was at this point, according to Hodgson, that the verbal agreement was made between the pair.
Despite being told he has a strong legal case, he has never instructed lawyers insisting he would not want to waste his ‘time, energy and life doing lawsuits.’
Hodgson – who played at the Diana Tribute Concert in 2007 - has been in Paris performing concerts of his own. He will then play in the UK next year, including a date at the Royal Albert Hall in May.
He added: 'My voice and my songs were always going to be my security. Now the fans should be allowed to hear the songs they have been listening to for years by the man who wrote and recorded them - the authentic sound.'
'I want to create clarity for those who don’t know my name, but know me by my songs and my voice that has been singing to them for almost 40 years – that those songs and that voice is me – Roger Hodgson, not Supertramp in its current form.
'I want to let fans know there is a clear delineation between the songs that came from my heart and the brand name ‘Supertramp’ as it exists today.
Supertramp - including Rick Davies - were unavailable for comment.
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