Interview très instructive de Tony Shepherd

INTERVIEW TO TONY SHEPHERD
By ABEL FUENTES
Posted on "THE LOGICAL WEB" (www.thelogicalweb.com)
October 2010

QUESTION: According to my notes, you were born on August 21st 1948… Is it right? Where were you born in?

TONY: Yes, that's right. I was born in Wuppertal, Germany.

QUESTION: I thought you were British...

TONY: I was born in Germany because my dad was catching SS officers after the Second World War, but I am British.

QUESTION: Where do you live now?

TONY: I live in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada.

QUESTION: You were the lighting director for Supertramp during many tours... Did you work on something related to lighting in your early years?

TONY: Well, I was a photographer before I joined Supertramp.

QUESTION: What other bands have you worked with as a lighting designer?

TONY: Jethro Tull, The Police, Yes, Elton John... And many more.

QUESTION: When and why did you join Supertramp?

TONY: I'm not sure but I think it was 1971 or 1972. I met them at a house in the country while visiting my best friend, Russel Pope, and I got on well with them.

QUESTION: In 1973 you were living with the band at 35 Holland Villas Road in London... What do you recall from that?

TONY: Not a lot... I remember that the house was in Maggie Charles name... The landlord had no idea an entire rock band plus crew were staying there!

QUESTION: During your first American tour in 1975 Roger Hodgson broke his hand while he was frolicking with you… How did it happen?

TONY: We made a stop on the road way to Vancouver, where we had to play our next show. I was sitting on a tree stump, Roger pushed me off and I took him with me and he landed on his hand. I think it was his thumb he broke. It was a real setback because we had to cancel the rest of the shows.

QUESTION: When did you leave Supertramp?

TONY: I left in 1983, after the "Famoust last words" tour.

QUESTION: Did you leave with Roger?

TONY: Yes. I left the band with Roger as we were very close friends and he wanted to pursue new songs with different musicians.

QUESTION: What have you worked on since you left Supertramp?

TONY: Some years after leaving Supertramp I co-founded Stargate Films, a special effects production company based in Los Angeles, and that has been my main occupation for all these years.

QUESTION: In 1996 you worked again with Roger during his "Rites of passage" project and his 1998 tour through USA, Canada, Europe and South America… What do you remember about that time?

TONY: I was taking care of his stage production and spending a lot of time in his home studio, helping with new songs and trying out new musicians. He was very particular in choosing. We toured in the end with Roger's son as a drummer and it was a very good sounding band. And we had a good time working again with our old friend Ian Lloyd-Bisley.

QUESTION: Why have you not worked again with Roger since then?

TONY: After that tour, Roger recorded the album "Open the door" and then we approached our old manager, Dave Margereson, to manage us, to which he agreed. But before we could use him Roger decided to pack it in, so I left.

QUESTION: What Supertramp members are you still in contact with?

TONY: Mainly the old lighting and sound mates: Ken Allardyce, Russel Pope, Ian Lloyd-Bisley, Norman Hall... But also other people like Spy Matthews, Bob Siebenberg, John Helliwell...

QUESTION: Roger Hodgson and Rick Davies were talking recently to tour together again, but at last it was just another frustrated attempt... What do you think it was the issue between them this time, which has leaded Rick to work again with Bob Siebenberg and John Helliwell after the lawsuit they had in 2005?

TONY: The reason Rick and the rest are touring is to make money. But Roger can make money on his own, so he does not need to tour with them.