02-03-2007People who see Air Supply perform live in concert for the first time are always surprised, said vocalist Russell Hitchcock.
“We put on a rock ’n’ roll show. It’s always been a rock ’n’ roll show. People are always surprised,” he said during a telephone interview Thursday afternoon.
Air Supply will perform at the Wagon Wheel Theatre Feb. 10. Tickets are still available.
Hitchcock started Air Supply with Graham Russell in 1975. From 1975-1977, the band had a great career in Australia, Hitchcock said. They then came to the U.S. to tour with Rod Stewart, but success didn’t find them. They went back to Australia. While there, Russell, the songwriter of the group, wrote “Lost in Love.” The song found its way to the U.S., Clive Davis and Arista Records. It became the first international hit for the band, Hitchcock said, and his personal favorite song of the band.
When Air Supply started out, Hitchcock said they used to tour 10 months at a time. They’ve been to Southeast Asia and Latin America, their biggest markets, as well as North Vietnam, all over the U.S. and other parts of the world. Now they tour about three months a year, with February this year being booked solid.
What first surprised Hitchcock many years ago, he said, was that people knew the words to their songs and sang along, even if English wasn’t their native language. A woman from Nicaragua told him she learned English from their music. She wasn’t the only one, he said.
The reason so many people know their songs, he said, was first because they are great songs that Russell writes. They have great melodies, the vocals are unique, and the songs are simple. Audiences also know the songs are sung from the heart, there’s no pretense, Hitchcock said.
Over the years, Air Supply has gone through some hard times. They aren’t played on MTV or listed on Billboard, but that’s fine with the band. Hitchcock said the band has nothing to prove, they don’t need to be on the music network channels.
“We still do what we love,” he said, and parents share the music of Air Supply with their children and grandchildren.
Together in the same band for more than 30 years, Hitchcock said he and Russell have had a really amazing career and friendship. They don’t have any disagreements, which he said people find hard to believe, but it’s the truth.
Of course, when they are not working together, Hitchcock said they don’t see much of each other either. Russell lives in Utah, Hitchcock lives in California. They also don’t compete with one another in the band - Hitchcock doesn’t write songs, but Russell knows what type of songs to write for him to sing.
Air Supply, despite performing under the radar, are making new music together. “Graham writes all the time,” said Hitchcock. “There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t see him write in his book.”
The last CD they recorded was their 23rd album.
“A lot of people think we’re dead or broken up. We’re still out there.”
The Internet has helped.
“It’s a great medium to get your work exposed,” he said. Hitchcock did say, however, that he feels very strongly against people stealing music instead of buying it. “Everyone has to make a living,” he said, and musicians make a living by selling their music.
So why does the music of Air Supply always seem to be love songs? Hitchcock said Russell gets asked that all the time, and always gives an honest answer. He doesn’t know why. Hitchcock said Russell’s biggest influences are classic English poets. “That’s just the way it happens. I love the songs.”
No matter what type of music is popular at the time, great ballads will always be popular. They go straight to the heart and people always will want to be touched by music, Hitchcock said.
With Valentine’s Day coming up soon, a night of love music with the one you love may be as good of a reason as any to see Air Supply at the Wagon Wheel Theatre.
The Feb. 10 Air Supply shows are at 7 and 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $39, $49 and $59 each. Order tickets by calling the box office at 574-267-8041 or toll free at 866-823-2618.