After 30 years and 23 albums, Air Supply hasn't run out of steam. The duo of Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock, who had romantic hits such as "All Out of Love" and "Lost in Love" in the 1970s and '80s, keeps things going with new songs that continue to reflect on relationships and feelings. And their fans around the world love what they hear.
"It's been happening since day one," said Hitchcock. "The fans who came to our concerts in the early '80s now bring their children or grandchildren with them. When you look around the room, you see kids as young as 12 or 13. It's quite amazing."
Air Supply will make a rare stop in Utah when they play the Sandy Amphitheater on Saturday. They'll blend old favorites with new songs. "Our fans who come to see us want to hear the old hits and our new things," Russell said. "They love new songs like 'Miracles,' 'I'll Find You' and 'Someone' as much as they do everything else we play."
Russell writes all the songs and lyrics for Air Supply. "I get up early and work," he said. The frequent touring that the band does doesn't hinder his creativity. "I write at home and also on the road. I can sit in my hotel room and work. It's a different kind of energy for me. And I love it (working) to death."
"It keeps us fresh," Hitchcock added. "Having new material helps us evolve and get better."
Air Supply has been criticized for being too mushy and sugary, but that's never bothered either Russell or Hitchcock. "Our songs deal with everyday feelings," Russell said. "And the response to Air Supply is universal," Hitchcock noted, "even where English is not their prime language."
Russell said that as they've gotten older, he and Hitchcock have done more soul-searching and have come to terms with life and mortality. "We've become more comfortable with what we sing about and more retrospective. We think about mortality. You know you're going to break down one day.
You are not bullet proof. Once we turned 50, we realized that you've got to do it — you've got to jump off the precipice before someone pushes you off."
Air Supply will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2005. "It's quite a milestone for us," Russell said. "There aren't many bands who've been around as long as we have. I can only think of the Stones, and they've been around longer."
"It's certainly not something anybody anticipated when we started," Hitchcock said. "We didn't have a plan. And before anyone knew it, we'd been together 10 years, then 20, and now 30." -->
A rock opera brought the two together. Russell and Hitchcock met by chance on the set of "Jesus Christ Superstar" in Australia in 1975. Soon they were recording songs. Their first Australian single, "Love and Other Bruises," made it to No. 2 in 1976. Their debut album hit gold after six weeks on the charts. But it wasn't until "Lost in Love" was released in 1980 that Air Supply became a worldwide success.
To mark their 30th anniversary, Air Supply taped a couple of shows they played last month at Casino Rama in Orillia, Ontario, about 1 1/2 hours north of Toronto. "We decided to tape the show (there) because it's a great venue," Hitchcock said.
"And we had the luxury of two nights," Russell said. "When you record something, you need two nights in case anything goes wrong."
As it turns out, Air Supply tapes a live show about every 10 years. "We taped our first live concert in 1983 in Hawaii," Russell said. "Then in 1996 we taped a show in Taiwan, and now, in 2004, in Canada." The DVD and CD of the show are scheduled to be released in January.
Saturday's concert in Sandy will be the first time Air Supply has played in Utah for a number of years. "The reason we don't play there more often is that no one's asked us," said Russell. That's surprising, given the fact that the band has strong Utah ties. Three of the five band members call the Beehive State home. Besides Russell, who's been living outside of Park City full time for the past 10 years, bassist Jonni Lightfoot and pianist Jed Moss both live in Salt Lake City. (Hitchcock lives in Los Angeles and drummer Mike Zerbe in Las Vegas).
Another Utah gig seems to be looming on the horizon, Russell said. He and Hitchcock have been in contact with Utah Symphony & Opera about a possible performance with the symphony. "It'll be in 2005, but we don't know yet if it'll be in Abravanel Hall or in Deer Valley." While Air Supply doesn't often appear with orchestras, it's something that both Russell and Hitchcock enjoy. "We're looking forward to playing with the Utah Symphony," Russell said.
If you go . . .
What: Air Supply
Where: Sandy Amphitheater, 9400 S. 1300 East
When: 8 p.m., Saturday
How much: Lawn seating $18, senior citizens and children, $15; priority seating, $21; premium seating, $25
Phone: 568-2787 or 467-8499
E-mail: ereichel@desnews.com