John Helliwell

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John Helliwell
Supertramp - 2024101215503 2024-04-10 Rock Meets Classic - Sven - 1D X MK II - 1751 - B70I7621.jpg
Helliwell in 2024
Background information
Born (1945-02-15) 15 February 1945 (age 79)
Todmorden, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Genres Rock, pop, jazz, blues
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)
  • Saxophone
  • clarinet
  • vocals
  • keyboards
Website johnhelliwell.com

John Anthony Helliwell (born 15 February 1945) [1] [2] is an English musician, best known as the saxophonist, secondary keyboardist, and backing vocalist for the rock band Supertramp. [3] He also served as an MC during the band's concerts, talking and making jokes to the audience between songs.

Helliwell played with The Alan Bown Set, replacing Dave Green when he joined in January 1966, [4] [5] before joining Supertramp in 1973 along with bassist Dougie Thomson, who convinced Helliwell to make the move. [6] In 2004, Helliwell formed the band Crème Anglaise with Mark Hart, who had joined Supertramp in 1985. This group recorded their eponymous debut album in 2005.

In 1987 Helliwell played on Pink Floyd's album A Momentary Lapse of Reason ; his name was misspelled as "Halliwell". [7] This was after Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour had played on Supertramp's album Brother Where You Bound . Helliwell also played on French singer Jean-Jacques Goldman's 1985 album Positif, and clarinet on Sara Hickman's 1990 album Shortstop.

During a professional lull in the 1990s, Helliwell began studying for a music degree at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, but he discontinued his studies to join Supertramp on tour when Some Things Never Change was released. In 2004 he contributed saxophone work on the Simon Apple album River to the Sea. [8]

Helliwell contributed clarinet to The Pineapple Thief's song "Fend For Yourself" from their Your Wilderness album which was released in 2016. [9] [10]

Helliwell fronts the Super Big Tramp Band [11] , which has a jazz big band line-up of trumpets, trombones, saxophones and rhythm section. It plays versions of Supertramp tunes, arranged by members of the band, with no vocals, but with Helliwell as the chief soloist. The band first played in Manchester in June 2013. [12] In 2019 the band played at the Manchester Jazz Festival [13] in May and was scheduled to play in Hull and Hamburg later in the year. [14]

In October 2020, Helliwell released Ever Open Door, a CD album of ballads with Helliwell on saxophone and clarinet, with a string quartet and Hammond organ.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Supertramp</span> British rock band

Supertramp were a British rock band that formed in London in 1970. They experienced their greatest global success in 1979 with their sixth album Breakfast in America. Marked by the individual songwriting of founders Roger Hodgson and Rick Davies, the group were distinguished for blending progressive rock and pop styles as well as for a sound that relied heavily on Wurlitzer electric piano. The group's lineup changed numerous times throughout their career, with Davies being the only constant member throughout its history. The classic lineup, which lasted ten years from 1973 to 1983, comprised Davies, Hodgson, Dougie Thomson (bass), Bob Siebenberg (drums) and John Helliwell (saxophone).

<i>Crime of the Century</i> (album) 1974 studio album by Supertramp

Crime of the Century is the third studio album by the English rock band Supertramp, released in October 1974 on A&M Records. Crime of the Century was Supertramp's commercial breakthrough in many countries, most notably in the UK, Canada and Germany where it peaked in the Top 5 while also making the Top 20 in Australia and France. It was an improvement over their previous sales in the US, but still only peaked at No. 38, with the US hit being "Bloody Well Right". "School" was another popular track, particularly on album rock-oriented radio stations. The album was eventually certified Gold in the US in 1977 after the release of Even in the Quietest Moments.... In Canada, it was eventually certified Diamond. The album was Supertramp's first to feature drummer Bob Siebenberg, saxophone and clarinet player and vocalist John Helliwell, bassist Dougie Thomson, and co-producer Ken Scott. The album has received critical acclaim, including its inclusion in Rolling Stone's "50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums of All Time".

<i>Crisis? What Crisis?</i> 1975 studio album by Supertramp

Crisis? What Crisis? is the fourth album by the English rock band Supertramp, released in 1975. It was recorded in Los Angeles and London – Supertramp's first album to have recording done in the US.

<i>Even in the Quietest Moments...</i> 1977 studio album by Supertramp

Even in the Quietest Moments... is the fifth album by the English rock band Supertramp, released in April 1977. It was recorded mainly at Caribou Ranch in Colorado with overdubs, vocals, and mixing completed at the Record Plant in Los Angeles. This was Supertramp's first album to use engineer Peter Henderson, who would work with the band for their next three albums as well.

<i>Brother Where You Bound</i> 1985 studio album by Supertramp

Brother Where You Bound is the eighth studio album by the English rock band Supertramp, released in 1985. It was their first album after original member Roger Hodgson left the band, leaving Rick Davies to handle the songwriting and singing on his own. The album features the group's Top 30 hit "Cannonball".

<i>Some Things Never Change</i> 1997 studio album by Supertramp

Some Things Never Change is the tenth album by the English rock band Supertramp, released in March 1997.

Robert Layne Siebenberg also known as Bob C. Benberg, is an American musician, best known as a member of British progressive rock band Supertramp, playing drums and percussion. He was the sole American in Supertramp's lineup, joining the band in 1973. His son, Jesse, joined Supertramp at the time of the release of the live album It Was the Best of Times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dougie Thomson</span> British musician

Douglas 'Dougie' Campbell Thomson is a Scottish musician, born in Glasgow and raised in the Rutherglen area of the city. He was the bass guitarist of progressive rock band Supertramp during much of the Seventies and Eighties.

"Terminal Frost" is an instrumental from Pink Floyd's 1987 album, A Momentary Lapse of Reason.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breakfast in America (song)</span> 1979 single by Supertramp

"Breakfast in America" is the title track from English rock band Supertramp's 1979 album of the same name. Credited to Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson, it was a top-ten hit in the UK and a live version of the song reached No. 62 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1981. The lyrics tell about a person, presumably British, who dreams of visiting the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Take the Long Way Home (Supertramp song)</span> 1979 single by Supertramp

"Take the Long Way Home" is the third US single and sixth track of English rock band Supertramp's 1979 album Breakfast in America. It was the last song written for the album, being penned during the nine-month recording cycle. In 1980, the live version from Paris became a minor hit in various European countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Page</span> American musician

Scott Page is an American musician, technologist and entrepreneur known for his saxophone and rhythm guitar work with Pink Floyd, Supertramp and Toto.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's Raining Again</span> 1982 single by Supertramp

"It's Raining Again" is a song recorded by the English progressive rock band Supertramp and released as a single from their 1982 album …Famous Last Words… with credits given to Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson, although as indicated on the album sleeve, it is a Hodgson composition. The end of the song incorporates the old nursery rhyme "It's Raining, It's Pouring".

<i>The Very Best of Supertramp</i> 1990 greatest hits album by Supertramp

The Very Best of Supertramp is a greatest hits album by the English rock band Supertramp, originally released by A&M Records in June 1990.

The Alan Bown Set, later known as The Alan Bown! or just Alan Bown, were a British band of the 1960s and 1970s whose music evolved from jazz and blues through soul and rhythm and blues and ended up as psychedelia and progressive rock. The band achieved limited chart success and is best known for the role it played in developing the careers of numerous musicians including Mel Collins, John Helliwell, Robert Palmer, Jess Roden and Dougie Thomson.

<i>70-10 Tour</i> 2010 live album by Supertramp

70–10 Tour is a series of live albums from the English rock band Supertramp's 70-10 tour, commemorating the 40th anniversary of the band. Each concert from the tour was recorded and released on CD or as an MP3 download. Although "Don't You Lie to Me" only appears on the album from the second Paris concert, the final show of the tour, there are few differences in set lists.

<i>The Story So Far...</i> (Supertramp album) 1990 video by Supertramp

The Story So Far... is a 1990 rockumentary by English rock band Supertramp, featuring interviews with the band members telling the story of the band, and concert footage from the 1983 world tour promoting ...Famous Last Words..., filmed in Toronto and Munich. Originally released by A&M Records on VHS in 1990, it received a DVD version in 2002 that featured some of the band's music videos as extras. The cover art is the same as the greatest hits compilation The Very Best of Supertramp.

<i>Your Wilderness</i> 2016 studio album by the Pineapple Thief

Your Wilderness is the eleventh studio album by British rock band The Pineapple Thief. The album features guest musicians including Gavin Harrison, John Helliwell (Supertramp), and Geoffrey Richardson (Caravan).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Babaji (song)</span> 1977 single by Supertramp

"Babaji" is a song by English rock band Supertramp, written by Roger Hodgson and also credited to other band member Rick Davies. First released on their 1977 album Even in the Quietest Moments..., it was subsequently released in Europe and in Australia as the follow-up single to "Give a Little Bit".

References

  1. "John Helliwell - Biography". www.johnhelliwell.com. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  2. "John Helliwell Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & M..." AllMusic. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  3. Stephen Thomas Erlewine & Andrew Leahe. "Supertramp". All Music Guide. Archived from the original on 4 October 2009.
  4. Jeff Bannister (2007). "The Alan Bown Set" . Retrieved 1 July 2010.
  5. "Breakfast In Spain - Roger Hodgson and Supertramp website - John Helliwell". www.breakfastinspain.com. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  6. Brad, Bad. "Q&A with John Helliwell". RingSide Report. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  7. A Momentary Lapse of Reason
  8. "johnhelliwell.com". johnhelliwell.com. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  9. Ainscoe, Mike (17 July 2016). "THE PINEAPPLE THIEF - YOUR WILDERNESS – album review". louderthanwar.com. Louder Than War. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  10. Mind, The Prog (2 August 2016). "The Pineapple Thief – "Your Wilderness"". The PROG Mind. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  11. "Supertramp's John Helliwell from geeky kid to rock icon". A Breath of Fresh Air. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  12. "RNCM Big Band with Supertramp's John Helliwell - Rob Buckland - Saxophonist". robbuckland.com. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  13. "Big Band Super Tramp featuring John Helliwell" . Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  14. "johnhelliwell.com". johnhelliwell.com. Retrieved 25 May 2019.