Supertramp LPs Get Half-Speed Remasters For 50th Anniversary

Share This:

A pair of Supertramp albums, Crime of the Century and Crisis? What Crisis?, are being reissued as half-speed remastered editions for their 50th anniversary. With oversight by the band as well as co-producer Ken Scott, the project was done by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios giving them greater detail and the best possible clarity. Both will be released on August 29, 2025, via UMe and are available for pre-order now. Crime is available in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here. Crisis is available in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.

From the July 2 announcement: Originally released on October 25, 1974, Crime of the Century was Supertramp’s era-defining third album that catapulted them to global success, breaking them into the U.K. top five and U.S. Billboard top 40 for the first time. As the album fast tracked the band’s global popularity, they would write and record Crisis? What Crisis? that was released 13 months later on November 28, 1975. The band’s lineup was Roger Hodgson, Rick Davies, Dougie Thomson, Bob Siebenberg and John Helliwell.

The Crime of the Century lineup of Supertramp in 1979 (l to r.): John Helliwell, Bob Siebenberg, Dougie Thomson, Roger Hodgson, Rick Davies (A&M Records press photo; Greg Brodsky Archives)

Crime followed the release of their self-titled debut in 1970 and 1971’s Indelibly Stamped albums, neither of which had garnered much commercial success, and their record contract had completed.

Despite its ultimate success, Crime of the Century was not an instant hit upon its release. “Bloody Well Right” was the first single released in the U.S. reaching #35 on the Hot 100, but it wasn’t until the release of “Dreamer” in February 1975 that the track caught the imagination and momentum truly began to build. Its distinctive and unique charm resulted in radio play across the U.K., with it reaching #13. As a result, the album broke into the U.K. top five shortly before the band were to tour the U.S. This proved to be a pivotal time, “Bloody Well Right” became the “Dreamer” B-side and this laid the foundation for commercial success around the world.

From Best Classic Bands’ Album Rewind for Crime of the Century: “Dreamer” was written by the 19-year-old Hodgson in 1969 on the brand-new Wurlitzer piano he set up in his mother’s house. At the time he made a rough 2-track demo, overdubbing vocal harmonies, with tin cans, lampshades, and cardboard boxes for percussion. Five years later he instructed Supertramp and Scott to copy that demo as closely as possible, but of course his co-workers improved on it at least a bit. The lyrics show a boyish delight: “Dreamer, you know you are a dreamer/Well, can you put your hands in your head? Oh no!”

Crisis? What Crisis? was written and recorded in arguably the busiest period of the band’s career. They were in the midst of their first U.S. tour when Hodgson broke his wrist and the tour was forced to end. It was imperative that the band continued their trajectory and new writing and recording was the only option.

With little time to write new material, recording sessions started with some material written for Crime and beyond, with new material being written later in the process that made the album.

With hindsight, Crisis? What Crisis? is now regarded by many as the record that bridges their sound from their earlier prog records to their more commercially successful period and is a significant and vital part of the band’s musical journey.

Crime of the Century Tracklist
Side A
1 School
2 Bloody Well Right
3 Hide in Your Shell
4 Asylum

Side B
1 Dreamer
2 Rudy
3 If Everyone Was Listening
4 Crime of the Century

Crisis? What Crisis? Tracklist
Side A
1 Easy Does It
2 Sister Moonshine
3 Ain’t Nobody But Me
4 A Soapbox Opera
5 Another Man’s Woman