Special guest legendary jazz saxophonist and 3 time Grammy award winner David Sanborn. David played live with Todd on the show the popular 80's TV show Night Music.
www.rundgrenradio.com
The "almost" official blog for everything Todd Rundgren Related........................................................................................................................................................................... Please visit the sister facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Ma4utopia?ref=hl
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Saturday, December 27, 2008
New York times Boulton Center NY
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/28/nyregion/long-island/28colli.html
BAY SHORE
Maxine Hicks for The New York Times
ARRIVALS The Boulton Center filled up before a concert by Paula Cole on Dec. 20.
THE weather was certifiably frightful, with storm-conscious cancellations the order of the day and night every place on Long Island, it seemed, but one. At the $2.5 million Y.M.C.A. Boulton Center for the Performing Arts on Dec. 19, the marquee blazed like a weather-beating beacon: SOLD OUT TODD RUNDGREN. Looking for Manhattan-caliber entertainment in a rehabilitated pornographic-movie theater on a revitalized Main Street in the midst of an authentic South Shore snowstorm? Search no farther.
The anxious ticket-holders (the space seats 261) who phoned the box office wondering if their tickets would be passports to a performance, a refund, or a, ah, rain check — among the callers was none other than Frank Boulton, the local entrepreneur/benefactor who snagged naming rights to the theater building after rescuing it from foreclosure and gifting it to the Y.M.C.A. in 1997 — were advised to schlep toward Bay Shore on schedule.
“This theater has always reminded me of ‘The Little Engine That Could,’ and tonight is living proof,” said the convivial Mr. Boulton, segueing straight into mingling mode after his slightly bedraggled arrival (parking was an adventure). He remembers watching classics like “Old Yeller” and “A Hard Day’s Night” here during his childhood, when the circa 1929 building was in its G-rated heyday as the Regent Movie Theater. Then came Triple X-rated ignominy followed by a failed experiment as a nightclub, the Hollyrock. Then came dereliction. “The place was boarded up, the doors were welded shut; it was painful to see,” Mr. Boulton said. After he made it a less painful sight, and site, by buying it, the Y.M.C.A. undertook its restoration.
His other high-visibility, and in some circles, debatable, contribution to the Island’s parched entertainment landscape was bringing a minor league baseball team, the Ducks, to Central Islip. That took 10 years. So did germinating his vision for a multitasking theater (Mr. Rundgren’s roadies loaded in just after a free daytime performance for schoolchildren by the Mermaid Theater of Nova Scotia loaded out). “My projects are always ambitious, and they always seem to take 10 years,” he noted.
The Boulton Center now has an annual operating budget of slightly more than $1 million, around half of it supplied by ticket sales. Thanks to the largess of the Great South Bay Y.M.C.A., whose former chairman, Susan Barbash, patronized the Regent as a child — she can recall Bette Davis attending a screening of “Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte” — the theater is creeping toward self-sustainability.
“I think this show sold out in 15 minutes,” Mr. Boulton bragged, with a sort of paternal pride, after taking a non-V.I.P. spot at the end of the line at the concession stand. “Notice I didn’t cut the line,” he said.
That would be bad behavior. As would wimping out and skipping an important weekend at the theater — he and his wife, Karen, promised to be back in their fifth-row seats the next night for the Paula Cole show (co-sponsored by those nice corporate neighbors at National Grid). So Friday the 19th set the can-do tone.
Cancel a long-anticipated, big-fish-in-a-small-pond concert at a not-for-profit theater that prides itself on delivering diverse (only heavy metal acts are a no-no), accessible top-shelf entertainment to a hitherto culturally deprived clientele? With the concert sold out at $55 a seat ($50 for members), it was a no-brainer by management to embody an old show-biz cliché: the show must go on. Fortunately, the star attraction, Mr. Rundgren, a prolific rock/pop troubadour of many incarnations in the course of a four-decade career ignited by the hit ballad “Hello, It’s Me,” slogged to Bay Shore on time.
“He’s a road warrior,” exhaled a relieved Michele Rizzo, the director of talent buying, the center’s odd official title for its inspired booking agent/performer pacifier. Inveigling performers to traipse to a little-known venue in Bay Shore — the griping usually stops when they discover its intimate dimensions and non-bush-league acoustics — is just the beginning of her duties.
Mr. Rundgren, for example, specified Propel Fit Water as his bio-fuel of choice, so Propel Fit Water he got. Quantitatively less trouble than the artist who insisted on organic unsliced oat bread (tough to locate) and screamed at Ms. Rizzo for providing sliced.
Whatever it takes. Happy performers are repeat performers, but only if the resilient Ms. Rizzo elects to rebook them. “I’d probably leave here crying every day if I got upset every time a performer yelled at me over some tiny detail,” she said. Perhaps Bryan Adams should not have insulted the plastic Bon Jovi doll in her office: at a Bon Jovi concert she attended at age 13, she glimpsed her future, and it was the music business. Ms. Rizzo also teaches a course at her alma mater, Five Towns College in Dix Hills.
Speaking of business: The popcorn machine was churning out its fragrant product, throngs of middle-agers (assuming full age is 100ish) were availing themselves of the free coat check (some suburban perks are nothing to sneeze at), and up on the revamped stage Mr. Rundgren, the only baby boomer in the room with a dramatic, skunk-inspired two-tone coif, sidled up to the microphone and bade his hardy audience some special, semi-sarcastic words of welcome.
“Only the brave,” he intoned. “The few. The strong. My fans. We know what a gargantuan, nay, Herculean, task it was for you to get here. We don’t live around the corner, either.”
E-mail: theisland@nytimes.com
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
2 tickets available for blender shows NYC
Hey Mike:
I have two tickets for both Todd shows at the Blender 12/26 and 12/27 that I am looking to sell for regular price. Do you know anyone who might be interested? The tickets are for GA Floor and who ever wants them would have to pay cash and come to Pelham, NY to pick them up. Know of anyone who might be interested?
If so let me know as soon as possible.
Thanks!
B. Almstead contact her if interested at KokapeliPT@aol.com
I have two tickets for both Todd shows at the Blender 12/26 and 12/27 that I am looking to sell for regular price. Do you know anyone who might be interested? The tickets are for GA Floor and who ever wants them would have to pay cash and come to Pelham, NY to pick them up. Know of anyone who might be interested?
If so let me know as soon as possible.
Thanks!
B. Almstead contact her if interested at KokapeliPT@aol.com
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL
MY FRIEND LINO SENT THIS TO ME.. THANK YOU LINO.. HOPE YOU DONT MIND IM USING THIS ..
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
Concert Ad: Poughkeepsie Journal Dec 22 08
Rundgren will return to rock in Woodstock
By John W. Barry • Poughkeepsie Journal • December 22, 2008
A rock musician who helped build the mystical musical legacy surrounding the Town of Woodstock will return to his former community for a concert Tuesday.
Todd Rundgren for years ran Utopia Studios in Bearsville, in a building that sits across a driveway from the Bearsville Theater, where he will perform Tuesday night. Bearsville is a hamlet in the Town of Woodstock.
Rundgren tonight is scheduled to appear on "Late Night with David Letterman," which airs on CBS at 11:35 p.m.
Rundgren came to Woodstock through the efforts of Albert Grossman, the legendary Woodstock musical impresario and former manager for Bob Dylan and Janis Joplin. Rundgren was initially brought in as an engineer, but is known as much for his songwriting, which has found its way into the rock 'n' roll lexicon thanks to tunes such as "Hello, It's Me" and "I Saw the Light."
Rundgren is on tour in support of his latest CD release, "Arena."
To get a sense of the history with which Rundgren has been involved, consider Meat Loaf's classic album "Bat Out of Hell" was produced by Rundgren and recorded at Utopia Studios.
That building now houses WDST (100.1 FM) and Rundgren lives in Hawaii.
"It's hard to recognize now," he said of his old studio during a telephone interview with the Journal. "There are smaller rooms."
On returning to the region, Rundgren said, "It's not that odd, I don't think, for me. I don't have, for instance, some sort of lingering agenda about Bearsville. … When I left and finally sold my house, I did it without any regrets. I found that, even though I kept my studio there to come back and do projects in, it was just too much trouble, too much trouble to go back there."
He added, "I have to say that I've been back in the dead of winter - and I don't miss it."
By John W. Barry • Poughkeepsie Journal • December 22, 2008
A rock musician who helped build the mystical musical legacy surrounding the Town of Woodstock will return to his former community for a concert Tuesday.
Todd Rundgren for years ran Utopia Studios in Bearsville, in a building that sits across a driveway from the Bearsville Theater, where he will perform Tuesday night. Bearsville is a hamlet in the Town of Woodstock.
Rundgren tonight is scheduled to appear on "Late Night with David Letterman," which airs on CBS at 11:35 p.m.
Rundgren came to Woodstock through the efforts of Albert Grossman, the legendary Woodstock musical impresario and former manager for Bob Dylan and Janis Joplin. Rundgren was initially brought in as an engineer, but is known as much for his songwriting, which has found its way into the rock 'n' roll lexicon thanks to tunes such as "Hello, It's Me" and "I Saw the Light."
Rundgren is on tour in support of his latest CD release, "Arena."
To get a sense of the history with which Rundgren has been involved, consider Meat Loaf's classic album "Bat Out of Hell" was produced by Rundgren and recorded at Utopia Studios.
That building now houses WDST (100.1 FM) and Rundgren lives in Hawaii.
"It's hard to recognize now," he said of his old studio during a telephone interview with the Journal. "There are smaller rooms."
On returning to the region, Rundgren said, "It's not that odd, I don't think, for me. I don't have, for instance, some sort of lingering agenda about Bearsville. … When I left and finally sold my house, I did it without any regrets. I found that, even though I kept my studio there to come back and do projects in, it was just too much trouble, too much trouble to go back there."
He added, "I have to say that I've been back in the dead of winter - and I don't miss it."
Sunday, December 21, 2008
video: Todd Rundgren Live at Infinity Hall in Norfolk, CT 12/20/2008
upped on youtube by super fan pvtuniverse
Friday, December 19, 2008
The Return Of Rundgren The Rocker | Philadelphia Inquirer
The return of Rundgren the rocker
He's playing the guitar hero again.
By Sam Wood
Inquirer Staff Writer
Todd Rundgren is fuming mad.
And for fans of the 60-year-old rocker, that's reason to celebrate.
Rundgren has spent much of the last two decades dabbling in
multimedia experiments, techno, and soundtracks. Do we need to
mention the bizarro exercise where he retooled his biggest hits -
"Hello It's Me" and "I Saw the Light" - into out-of-tune bossa novas?
But his anger at eight years of the Bush administration has pushed
Rundgren to return to classic form.
Classic rock, that is. He's picked up his guitar and is wielding it
with a revitalized sense of mission.
Rundgren always has been a rock-and-roll chameleon, sliding
effortlessly from Beatles-style pop to progressive rock to soft rock.
With Arena, Rundgren's latest full-length outing, he's returned to
guitar-hero mode, summoning echoes of AC/DC, Boston and Robin Trower.
"The music is designed to make people just want to pump their fists
in the air and have a visceral response," Rundgren said from
Monterey, Calif., where he had just finished speaking to a conference
on the future of the music industry.
The music is designed to seduce, Rundgren said.
"I'm hoping that people, after a few listens, will begin to absorb
the message," he said. "It's almost quaint."
Underneath all the stomping bombast, Rundgren said, he wanted to
impart a sense of determination and hope.
"The whole record is about the failure of men in recent years," he
said. "How our leadership, political and economic, has turned out to
be liars and cowards and devious people of all kinds.
"But what we really admire about men is how they search for truth and
bear up under awful burdens without complaint," Rundgren
said. "That's what this project is all about."
Rundgren's plans for the new year include more touring and a return
to production duties at his Hawaiian studios. In March, he'll be
producing the New York Dolls.
Rundgren's Sellersville show is sold out, but local Todd fans will
have something to celebrate New Year's Eve, when he performs a semi-
private, semi-secret gig at the Painted Bride Arts Center (for more
information visit http://www.toddnye.info).
----------------------------------------------------------
Todd Rundgren, with Freeman, performs at 8:30 p.m. Monday at
Sellersville Theater 1894, Main and Temple streets, Sellersville.
Sold out. Phone: 215-257-5808.
For source and commentary go here:
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/weekend/20081219_The_return_of_Rundgren
_the_rocker.html
He's playing the guitar hero again.
By Sam Wood
Inquirer Staff Writer
Todd Rundgren is fuming mad.
And for fans of the 60-year-old rocker, that's reason to celebrate.
Rundgren has spent much of the last two decades dabbling in
multimedia experiments, techno, and soundtracks. Do we need to
mention the bizarro exercise where he retooled his biggest hits -
"Hello It's Me" and "I Saw the Light" - into out-of-tune bossa novas?
But his anger at eight years of the Bush administration has pushed
Rundgren to return to classic form.
Classic rock, that is. He's picked up his guitar and is wielding it
with a revitalized sense of mission.
Rundgren always has been a rock-and-roll chameleon, sliding
effortlessly from Beatles-style pop to progressive rock to soft rock.
With Arena, Rundgren's latest full-length outing, he's returned to
guitar-hero mode, summoning echoes of AC/DC, Boston and Robin Trower.
"The music is designed to make people just want to pump their fists
in the air and have a visceral response," Rundgren said from
Monterey, Calif., where he had just finished speaking to a conference
on the future of the music industry.
The music is designed to seduce, Rundgren said.
"I'm hoping that people, after a few listens, will begin to absorb
the message," he said. "It's almost quaint."
Underneath all the stomping bombast, Rundgren said, he wanted to
impart a sense of determination and hope.
"The whole record is about the failure of men in recent years," he
said. "How our leadership, political and economic, has turned out to
be liars and cowards and devious people of all kinds.
"But what we really admire about men is how they search for truth and
bear up under awful burdens without complaint," Rundgren
said. "That's what this project is all about."
Rundgren's plans for the new year include more touring and a return
to production duties at his Hawaiian studios. In March, he'll be
producing the New York Dolls.
Rundgren's Sellersville show is sold out, but local Todd fans will
have something to celebrate New Year's Eve, when he performs a semi-
private, semi-secret gig at the Painted Bride Arts Center (for more
information visit http://www.toddnye.info).
----------------------------------------------------------
Todd Rundgren, with Freeman, performs at 8:30 p.m. Monday at
Sellersville Theater 1894, Main and Temple streets, Sellersville.
Sold out. Phone: 215-257-5808.
For source and commentary go here:
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/weekend/20081219_The_return_of_Rundgren
_the_rocker.html
Thursday, December 18, 2008
colbert report: Todd finally taken off notice
Apparently on the Dec 10th episode of The Colbert Report Todd was
finally taken off notice, here's a link to the clip of the show
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/213636/december-10-2008/on-notice-dead-to-me---forgiveness
finally taken off notice, here's a link to the clip of the show
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/213636/december-10-2008/on-notice-dead-to-me---forgiveness
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
CD review> Musictap
http://www.musictap.net/Reviews/2008/December/RundgrenToddArena.html
12/15/2008
Mark Squirek
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is floor stomping, anthemic music and Todd is on a roll. His last release, Liars, brought him back to melodic pop which he mixed with funk and experimentation. The songs titles were often one word and the message was very direct, he wasn’t happy with a lot of people. Four years later on Arena he tackles a slightly different, but similar, subject. Anger. Only this time he wraps everything in loud, bludgeoning guitars, memorable riffs, forceful choruses, distorted guitars and lyrics that that occasionally approach screaming. As angry and loud as he is, Todd never looses hope for something positive in the end.
Intentional or not, Arena might be considered the second, broader-based half of Liars. Like that release, the title clearly and succinctly explains where Todd is coming from. This time he may be encasing his message in arena-style rock, but more often than not he is addressing the arena of the world. Where Liars may have seemed to be more internal with an occasional touch of finger pointing, Todd is now trying to make us think about where we are in the bigger picture, both physically and spiritually. The idea is laid out on the very first song title, Mad. It doesn’t stop there either. Other songs include Courage, Weakness, Strike and Panic.
Nothing about the message would stand up if the songs themselves weren’t there. Todd’s songwriting skills have seldom been sharper. A lot of artists are disgusted with love and can write a song about heartbreak. But how many can write a song about the danger of kids with guns and make it so damn hummable? Gun starts off with a Paul Kossoff/Free riff and than jumps into a Z Z Top-esque boogie. Somewhere in the middle of the song Todd even references his earlier work with stacked vocals and a hushed question/answer bridge that leads to a screaming guitar solo that would have fit in Utopia. It is a stunning movement across song styles that holds a funny but true refrain which wouldn’t be out of place in a musical number on South Park.
In an odd way the CD could be considered an almost perfect encapsulation of popular hard rock over the last forty years. Years ago Something/Anything was able to reflect the world of pop-masters of the fifties and sixties with the style of the singer songwriter while mixing everything with spacey rock and fun. During Arena Todd again looks outside himself and incorporates the styles of others to create his own personal vision. There are echoes of Queen, Kraftwork and Boston throughout the entire release. Sometimes you think you can hear The Cars, Judas Priest, Robin Trower, Zappa, Genesis, Def Leppard, AC DC or a pop hit from the eighties that you just can’t put your finger on (Bourgeois Tagg anyone?), but Todd somehow manages to always bring it back to being Todd.
Which is where it should always be. Todd is a singular talent in the history of rock. Few artists come close to the man’s skill in the studio. Not to mention his guitar skills. The idea that all this noise came from one, single individual is something that is hard to wrap your head around. Arena was produced, performed and written by Todd. It takes 5 people in AC / DC to do what he does by himself on the song Strike. This isn’t a slam at AC DC, it is meant to serve as an example of how much talent this one man really has.
Arena is the hardened, wiser and reflective book end to Something / Anything. Once again Todd has done it all. The chorus of Weakness, when it finally gets there, may be close to the most beautiful and understanding music he has ever made.
12/15/2008
Mark Squirek
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is floor stomping, anthemic music and Todd is on a roll. His last release, Liars, brought him back to melodic pop which he mixed with funk and experimentation. The songs titles were often one word and the message was very direct, he wasn’t happy with a lot of people. Four years later on Arena he tackles a slightly different, but similar, subject. Anger. Only this time he wraps everything in loud, bludgeoning guitars, memorable riffs, forceful choruses, distorted guitars and lyrics that that occasionally approach screaming. As angry and loud as he is, Todd never looses hope for something positive in the end.
Intentional or not, Arena might be considered the second, broader-based half of Liars. Like that release, the title clearly and succinctly explains where Todd is coming from. This time he may be encasing his message in arena-style rock, but more often than not he is addressing the arena of the world. Where Liars may have seemed to be more internal with an occasional touch of finger pointing, Todd is now trying to make us think about where we are in the bigger picture, both physically and spiritually. The idea is laid out on the very first song title, Mad. It doesn’t stop there either. Other songs include Courage, Weakness, Strike and Panic.
Nothing about the message would stand up if the songs themselves weren’t there. Todd’s songwriting skills have seldom been sharper. A lot of artists are disgusted with love and can write a song about heartbreak. But how many can write a song about the danger of kids with guns and make it so damn hummable? Gun starts off with a Paul Kossoff/Free riff and than jumps into a Z Z Top-esque boogie. Somewhere in the middle of the song Todd even references his earlier work with stacked vocals and a hushed question/answer bridge that leads to a screaming guitar solo that would have fit in Utopia. It is a stunning movement across song styles that holds a funny but true refrain which wouldn’t be out of place in a musical number on South Park.
In an odd way the CD could be considered an almost perfect encapsulation of popular hard rock over the last forty years. Years ago Something/Anything was able to reflect the world of pop-masters of the fifties and sixties with the style of the singer songwriter while mixing everything with spacey rock and fun. During Arena Todd again looks outside himself and incorporates the styles of others to create his own personal vision. There are echoes of Queen, Kraftwork and Boston throughout the entire release. Sometimes you think you can hear The Cars, Judas Priest, Robin Trower, Zappa, Genesis, Def Leppard, AC DC or a pop hit from the eighties that you just can’t put your finger on (Bourgeois Tagg anyone?), but Todd somehow manages to always bring it back to being Todd.
Which is where it should always be. Todd is a singular talent in the history of rock. Few artists come close to the man’s skill in the studio. Not to mention his guitar skills. The idea that all this noise came from one, single individual is something that is hard to wrap your head around. Arena was produced, performed and written by Todd. It takes 5 people in AC / DC to do what he does by himself on the song Strike. This isn’t a slam at AC DC, it is meant to serve as an example of how much talent this one man really has.
Arena is the hardened, wiser and reflective book end to Something / Anything. Once again Todd has done it all. The chorus of Weakness, when it finally gets there, may be close to the most beautiful and understanding music he has ever made.
Concert Advertisement: Hartford Advocate CT
The Changing Man
Music legend Todd Rundgren reflects on his career and his fans
Comments (0)
Thursday, December 18, 2008
By John Adamian
Todd Rundgren
Dec. 20
Infinity Music Hall
20 Greenwoods Road
Norfolk
(866) 666-6306
infinityhall.com
Todd Rundgren is one of those multi-talented protean figures of rock.
Producer, songwriter, singer, frontman, guitar hero, New Wave hit
maker, conceptualist — he's done it all.
You could practically fill up this space just itemizing his
achievements: founder of Philadelphia's the Nazz, a wonderfully
garage-y band that was one of America's best "Anglophile" acts in the
wake of the British Invasion; frontman of the bands Runt and Utupia
in the '70s; scored a solo hit with "Hello It's Me," classic footage —
which you can see on YouTube — where Rundgren sounds like Carole
King and looks like Ziggy Stardust; emerged as a proto-slacker
spokesman with his '80s hit "Bang the Drum All Day"; acclaimed
producer for a wildly diverse group of acts from the New York Dolls,
to Hall and Oates, to Ian and Sylvia, to Cheap Trick and beyond.
Perhaps his most recent peculiar incarnation came in the form of
stepping in as the frontman in the Ric Ocasek-less the New Cars in
2006.
One might wonder just which guise of Todd Rundgren's will appear on
stage at Norfolk's Infinity Music Hall on Dec. 20. But Rundgren's
long-time fans are used to rolling with the flux of his work, as he
told the Advocate when we reached him by phone at his home in Hawaii
recently.
Rundgren and his band will be playing songs off 2008's Arena, along
with more recognizable classics. "We essentially do the entire record
and we bracket it with older, more familiar material, but mostly all
guitar-oriented," he says.
And fans — though they've been willing to follow Rundgren through a
capella adventures, solo acoustic shows, or as a backing band for
artists like Ringo Starr — seem eager. "The audience had not seen me
in this particular guise in such a long time. I guess it was
exhilarating in some way — to sort of pick up as if 20 years hadn't
past," he says. "It seems to be what everyone has been missing."
Many artists have special connections with fans, but Rundgren's stand
out. And he's rewarded his long-time fans in unusual ways, like
setting up informal after-show get-togethers with some. Perhaps the
most un-rockstar-like example was when he invited die-hard fans to
come camp out on his property in Hawaii. Rundgren's comments about
the event warrant inclusion.
"We had an event here last June because it was my 60th birthday," he
says. "We have a fairly large empty tract of land next to the
house. ... We decided to make an open invitation to any of the fans
who had the wherewithal to get to Kaui and could pay a food
allowance. And we had about 250 people come here and set up tents and
camp out and we called it Toddstock. I got a chance to get a more or
less intimate view of a great cross section of my fans. ... The one
thing they share in common is that they're willing to take on an
adventure like that and they were willing to do it with a certain
degree of good humor. And so I have to think that my fans are people
who — at this point — would have to be comfortable with change."
He continues, "I don't see the fans as being a whole lot different
from myself. I think the reason I stay connected with them is not
because I try to stay connected with them and read their minds and
write music about what they're thinking about. I just continue to
write music about what I'm thinking about, and odds are it will find
some kind of resonance in them."¦
Music legend Todd Rundgren reflects on his career and his fans
Comments (0)
Thursday, December 18, 2008
By John Adamian
Todd Rundgren
Dec. 20
Infinity Music Hall
20 Greenwoods Road
Norfolk
(866) 666-6306
infinityhall.com
Todd Rundgren is one of those multi-talented protean figures of rock.
Producer, songwriter, singer, frontman, guitar hero, New Wave hit
maker, conceptualist — he's done it all.
You could practically fill up this space just itemizing his
achievements: founder of Philadelphia's the Nazz, a wonderfully
garage-y band that was one of America's best "Anglophile" acts in the
wake of the British Invasion; frontman of the bands Runt and Utupia
in the '70s; scored a solo hit with "Hello It's Me," classic footage —
which you can see on YouTube — where Rundgren sounds like Carole
King and looks like Ziggy Stardust; emerged as a proto-slacker
spokesman with his '80s hit "Bang the Drum All Day"; acclaimed
producer for a wildly diverse group of acts from the New York Dolls,
to Hall and Oates, to Ian and Sylvia, to Cheap Trick and beyond.
Perhaps his most recent peculiar incarnation came in the form of
stepping in as the frontman in the Ric Ocasek-less the New Cars in
2006.
One might wonder just which guise of Todd Rundgren's will appear on
stage at Norfolk's Infinity Music Hall on Dec. 20. But Rundgren's
long-time fans are used to rolling with the flux of his work, as he
told the Advocate when we reached him by phone at his home in Hawaii
recently.
Rundgren and his band will be playing songs off 2008's Arena, along
with more recognizable classics. "We essentially do the entire record
and we bracket it with older, more familiar material, but mostly all
guitar-oriented," he says.
And fans — though they've been willing to follow Rundgren through a
capella adventures, solo acoustic shows, or as a backing band for
artists like Ringo Starr — seem eager. "The audience had not seen me
in this particular guise in such a long time. I guess it was
exhilarating in some way — to sort of pick up as if 20 years hadn't
past," he says. "It seems to be what everyone has been missing."
Many artists have special connections with fans, but Rundgren's stand
out. And he's rewarded his long-time fans in unusual ways, like
setting up informal after-show get-togethers with some. Perhaps the
most un-rockstar-like example was when he invited die-hard fans to
come camp out on his property in Hawaii. Rundgren's comments about
the event warrant inclusion.
"We had an event here last June because it was my 60th birthday," he
says. "We have a fairly large empty tract of land next to the
house. ... We decided to make an open invitation to any of the fans
who had the wherewithal to get to Kaui and could pay a food
allowance. And we had about 250 people come here and set up tents and
camp out and we called it Toddstock. I got a chance to get a more or
less intimate view of a great cross section of my fans. ... The one
thing they share in common is that they're willing to take on an
adventure like that and they were willing to do it with a certain
degree of good humor. And so I have to think that my fans are people
who — at this point — would have to be comfortable with change."
He continues, "I don't see the fans as being a whole lot different
from myself. I think the reason I stay connected with them is not
because I try to stay connected with them and read their minds and
write music about what they're thinking about. I just continue to
write music about what I'm thinking about, and odds are it will find
some kind of resonance in them."¦
Concert Announcement : DC Washington Examiner
Todd Rundgren returns with new tricks in 'Arena'
By Nancy Dunham
Special to The Examiner 12/17/08
ALEXANDRIA – Todd Rundgren is the Merlin of musicians.
Just when you think his last musical trick — either as a performer, recording artist or producer — has been played, he pulls another metaphoric rabbit out of the hat. This time it's a double shot — his new stadium rock album "Arena," and the announcement that he will produce the next New York Dolls album.
Todd Rundgren takes the stage at Birchmere tonight. -- Courtesy Photo "I don't see a producer's hat as that different from an artist's hat," Rundgren said. "The vast majority of artists have some commercial concerns about their records. I often have had the luxury of not thinking in those terms because I produce records for others."
That meant that despite his worldwide acclaim as an artist in the 1970s and 1980s, he could walk away from stadium rock when he grew weary, leaving classic songs including "Hello, It's Me" and "Bang the Drum All Day" as his vinyl calling cards.
Rundgren packed up his expertise and moved it behind the scenes. His video for "Time Heals" was one of the first to be shown on MTV, and his Web site, PatroNet, was one of the first to allow subscribers to access music directly from the site.
Yet he's perhaps best known for his production chops on classics such as Grand Funk Railroad's "American Band" album.
"Todd Rundgren is a genius, and I don't use that word a lot," said composer Jim Steinman, who has spoken publicly of his awe at Rundgren's production work on Meatloaf's "Bat Out of Hell."
No wonder he was tapped to produce the eagerly awaited Dolls album, which has received a huge boost of publicity now that Rundgren signed on.
A stint that began in 2006, when Ric Ocasek began fronting the "The New Cars," brought Rundgren back to audiences and rekindled an enthusiasm that ultimately became "Arena."
The album's full of the big hooks and catchy lyrics you expect from Rundgren, the type of music that gets its messages across — in this case a call to arms to bear up under unbearable burdens — while still allowing the listener some fun.
The great news for fans is that Rundgren is touring in support of "Arena." Grab tickets quickly because many shows have sold out quickly and Rundgren might not tour extensively.
"It's always a joy to play for my audience," he said of his limited touring. "But I don't want to take too much advantage of them."
If you go
Todd Rundgren
Venue: The Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria
When: 7:30 tonight
Details: $35; 202-397-SEAT; ticketmaster.com
By Nancy Dunham
Special to The Examiner 12/17/08
ALEXANDRIA – Todd Rundgren is the Merlin of musicians.
Just when you think his last musical trick — either as a performer, recording artist or producer — has been played, he pulls another metaphoric rabbit out of the hat. This time it's a double shot — his new stadium rock album "Arena," and the announcement that he will produce the next New York Dolls album.
Todd Rundgren takes the stage at Birchmere tonight. -- Courtesy Photo "I don't see a producer's hat as that different from an artist's hat," Rundgren said. "The vast majority of artists have some commercial concerns about their records. I often have had the luxury of not thinking in those terms because I produce records for others."
That meant that despite his worldwide acclaim as an artist in the 1970s and 1980s, he could walk away from stadium rock when he grew weary, leaving classic songs including "Hello, It's Me" and "Bang the Drum All Day" as his vinyl calling cards.
Rundgren packed up his expertise and moved it behind the scenes. His video for "Time Heals" was one of the first to be shown on MTV, and his Web site, PatroNet, was one of the first to allow subscribers to access music directly from the site.
Yet he's perhaps best known for his production chops on classics such as Grand Funk Railroad's "American Band" album.
"Todd Rundgren is a genius, and I don't use that word a lot," said composer Jim Steinman, who has spoken publicly of his awe at Rundgren's production work on Meatloaf's "Bat Out of Hell."
No wonder he was tapped to produce the eagerly awaited Dolls album, which has received a huge boost of publicity now that Rundgren signed on.
A stint that began in 2006, when Ric Ocasek began fronting the "The New Cars," brought Rundgren back to audiences and rekindled an enthusiasm that ultimately became "Arena."
The album's full of the big hooks and catchy lyrics you expect from Rundgren, the type of music that gets its messages across — in this case a call to arms to bear up under unbearable burdens — while still allowing the listener some fun.
The great news for fans is that Rundgren is touring in support of "Arena." Grab tickets quickly because many shows have sold out quickly and Rundgren might not tour extensively.
"It's always a joy to play for my audience," he said of his limited touring. "But I don't want to take too much advantage of them."
If you go
Todd Rundgren
Venue: The Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria
When: 7:30 tonight
Details: $35; 202-397-SEAT; ticketmaster.com
Monday, December 15, 2008
Sneak peak at Kasim video release on DVD
The DVD from the Kasim show in Atlanta is finally ready and available
for you to purchase at www. KasimStore. com. To celebrate the release
of this DVD, Kasim will be on RundgrenRadio. com tomorrow night
starting at 8:30pm ET!
Jesse Gress and Doug Kennedy are in the video as well.
A little background on this DVD for those who don't know ...
This DVD is quite unique because every part of it is fan-based (some
Groker's by the way) with the exception of the performers of course.
The show was put together by RundgrenRadio. com and GroupieGear. com
and marketed on fan forums like this one. The DVD taping was done by
DaveK and Jen Salyer. The sound for the show and the DVD was mastered
by Grady Moates. The DVD cover was done by a Kasim fan. The photo on
the event t-shirt was taken by trs. The interview on the DVD was done
by CruiserMel. Obviously, all of the attendees were hardcore fans.
The list goes on and on.
I think this speaks volumes for the power of the
Kasim/Todd/Utopia community as a whole. Lots of different fans from
all over the country, and even the UK, got together and played a role
in making this DVD happen. That is cool as it gets IMO. The folks who
couldn't get involved or attend this gig will still get to play a
role by getting to enjoy this DVD.
In short --- it's all good!
Here's a sneak peak on youtube for your viewing pleasure ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0x6Vr6MFJ8
for you to purchase at www. KasimStore. com. To celebrate the release
of this DVD, Kasim will be on RundgrenRadio. com tomorrow night
starting at 8:30pm ET!
Jesse Gress and Doug Kennedy are in the video as well.
A little background on this DVD for those who don't know ...
This DVD is quite unique because every part of it is fan-based (some
Groker's by the way) with the exception of the performers of course.
The show was put together by RundgrenRadio. com and GroupieGear. com
and marketed on fan forums like this one. The DVD taping was done by
DaveK and Jen Salyer. The sound for the show and the DVD was mastered
by Grady Moates. The DVD cover was done by a Kasim fan. The photo on
the event t-shirt was taken by trs. The interview on the DVD was done
by CruiserMel. Obviously, all of the attendees were hardcore fans.
The list goes on and on.
I think this speaks volumes for the power of the
Kasim/Todd/Utopia community as a whole. Lots of different fans from
all over the country, and even the UK, got together and played a role
in making this DVD happen. That is cool as it gets IMO. The folks who
couldn't get involved or attend this gig will still get to play a
role by getting to enjoy this DVD.
In short --- it's all good!
Here's a sneak peak on youtube for your viewing pleasure ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0x6Vr6MFJ8
concert advertisement The New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/arts/events/nightlife/2008/12/22/081222goni_GOAT_nightlife
BLENDER THEATRE AT GRAMERCY
127 E. 23rd St. (212-307-7171)—Dec. 26-27: Todd Rundgren returns to the pump-your-fist rock of the late seventies and early eighties on his new album, “Arena,” his first release in four years.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
review: washington post
TODD RUNDGREN "Arena" Hi Fi Recordings
-- Alexander F. Remington
Friday, December 12, 2008; Page WE08
TODD RUNDGREN always had a knack for a hook, an instrumental
proficiency to rival Prince and an ego to match. Forty years
since "Open My Eyes" and 60 years old, he's back to what he does
best: simple hard-rock pop songs.
His latest album, "Arena," is a concept album for '70s AOR (album
only radio), like a Who "Sell Out" for the classic-rock era, minus
the fake commercials. Even the song titles are
archetypes: "Courage," "Weakness," "Panic."
They're a lot of fun. Opener "Mad" segues into "Afraid," and the
whole sonic palette is immediately apparent: multitracked singalong
choruses, occasional synthesizer, straightforward drums, mixed-down
bass and, of course, guitar riffs everywhere, every note played by
Rundgren.
The pace slows on the second half, as up-tempo slows to mid-tempo,
and the chunky riffs become less prominent: Anthems have to give way
to ballads, after all. The best is "Today," which opens with an
arpeggiated synth reminiscent of Pete Townshend, and builds strum by
strum to a shouted, reverbed repetition of "Today's the day!"
The album isn't quite classic. It does a noble effort evoking a now-
maligned era, playing its tropes with reverence rather than a smirk,
but it's a little too historically accurate for anything timeless.
It's a vanity project that works, but a vanity project nonetheless.
Appearing Wednesday at the Birchmere (703-549-7500,
http://www.birchmere.com). Show starts at 7:30.
-- Alexander F. Remington
Friday, December 12, 2008; Page WE08
TODD RUNDGREN always had a knack for a hook, an instrumental
proficiency to rival Prince and an ego to match. Forty years
since "Open My Eyes" and 60 years old, he's back to what he does
best: simple hard-rock pop songs.
His latest album, "Arena," is a concept album for '70s AOR (album
only radio), like a Who "Sell Out" for the classic-rock era, minus
the fake commercials. Even the song titles are
archetypes: "Courage," "Weakness," "Panic."
They're a lot of fun. Opener "Mad" segues into "Afraid," and the
whole sonic palette is immediately apparent: multitracked singalong
choruses, occasional synthesizer, straightforward drums, mixed-down
bass and, of course, guitar riffs everywhere, every note played by
Rundgren.
The pace slows on the second half, as up-tempo slows to mid-tempo,
and the chunky riffs become less prominent: Anthems have to give way
to ballads, after all. The best is "Today," which opens with an
arpeggiated synth reminiscent of Pete Townshend, and builds strum by
strum to a shouted, reverbed repetition of "Today's the day!"
The album isn't quite classic. It does a noble effort evoking a now-
maligned era, playing its tropes with reverence rather than a smirk,
but it's a little too historically accurate for anything timeless.
It's a vanity project that works, but a vanity project nonetheless.
Appearing Wednesday at the Birchmere (703-549-7500,
http://www.birchmere.com). Show starts at 7:30.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Friday, December 5, 2008
REMINDER. LIMITED SEATS LEFT FOR TODD's NEW YEARS EVE PRIVATE SHOW.
www.ToddNYE.info
GO TO THIS SITE TO GET INFORMATION. LOOKS TO BE AN AMAZING SHOW.
GO TO THIS SITE TO GET INFORMATION. LOOKS TO BE AN AMAZING SHOW.
NAME TODD AND MICHELE'S NEW DOG !!!
JUST GOT THIS IN AN EMAIL FROM DOUG AT www.RUNDGRENRADIO.com
I was e-mailing Michele about being on RR this month and she shared
some dog info with me. Check this out ...
"Todd and I rescued 2 dogs from the Kauai Humane Society to live out
their lives at our house. Alex (Moondoggie) is taking care of them
when we are gone. You can tell people we named one Scuzzy but can't
figure the other one out yet to name her. I'll send bad iPhone
photos. They were bolters so we've had to capture them often. The un-
named black one kept diving into the pond to swim to freedom. Todd
was always on the other side to bring her back. We finally gave up
and they come home."
Cool story indeed!
So, without further ado, I present the new Rundgren dogs ...
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3151/3081023255_097e515c68.jpg
That is Scuzzy.
Here's the story on the next one's name:
"Formerly known as Dolly. We haven't figured out her name yet. Dolly
was just what the pound gave her. She hates it."
I mentioned to Michele we should have a name the dog contest and she
said,
"Yep...go for it...we can use all the name dropping we can get. No
promises but maybe we'll be inspired."
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3285/3081023383_65f2a7c3a4.jpg
Name TBD
Post your name ideas AT MY EMAIL MA4UTOPIA@GMAIL.COM AND WE can send them to her
when we get a bunch. I know you could e-mail her yourself but I
gotta think it would be easier on Michele if it was sent in one list
versus dozens of e-mails.
IF YOUR NOT A MEMEBER OF THE TODDRUNDGREN-GROKNROLLUTOPIA GROUP PLEASE JOIN AND LEAVE THE DOGS NAME ON IT ALSO .
ToddRundgren-GroknRollUtopia@yahoogroups.com
I was e-mailing Michele about being on RR this month and she shared
some dog info with me. Check this out ...
"Todd and I rescued 2 dogs from the Kauai Humane Society to live out
their lives at our house. Alex (Moondoggie) is taking care of them
when we are gone. You can tell people we named one Scuzzy but can't
figure the other one out yet to name her. I'll send bad iPhone
photos. They were bolters so we've had to capture them often. The un-
named black one kept diving into the pond to swim to freedom. Todd
was always on the other side to bring her back. We finally gave up
and they come home."
Cool story indeed!
So, without further ado, I present the new Rundgren dogs ...
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3151/3081023255_097e515c68.jpg
That is Scuzzy.
Here's the story on the next one's name:
"Formerly known as Dolly. We haven't figured out her name yet. Dolly
was just what the pound gave her. She hates it."
I mentioned to Michele we should have a name the dog contest and she
said,
"Yep...go for it...we can use all the name dropping we can get. No
promises but maybe we'll be inspired."
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3285/3081023383_65f2a7c3a4.jpg
Name TBD
Post your name ideas AT MY EMAIL MA4UTOPIA@GMAIL.COM AND WE can send them to her
when we get a bunch. I know you could e-mail her yourself but I
gotta think it would be easier on Michele if it was sent in one list
versus dozens of e-mails.
IF YOUR NOT A MEMEBER OF THE TODDRUNDGREN-GROKNROLLUTOPIA GROUP PLEASE JOIN AND LEAVE THE DOGS NAME ON IT ALSO .
ToddRundgren-GroknRollUtopia@yahoogroups.com
NYC after show party Dec 26th
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=314135669&blogID=454126916
this was sent out by lyn on todd rundgren's blog from myspace.
Friday, December 05, 2008
Dec 26th aftershow party
Are you going to the NYC show @ the Blender on Dec 26th? If you are you can be one of the lucky people who can attend an after show party that we will be holding at Beauty Bar NY. Todd and the boys and of course lovely Rachel will be mingling. It will be a great time for a photo op or maybe to ask TR a question that you have been dying to have him answer. I am starting to compile a guest list. You must be attending the show to get on the list.I will give more details as soon as I work out the details.
this was sent out by lyn on todd rundgren's blog from myspace.
Friday, December 05, 2008
Dec 26th aftershow party
Are you going to the NYC show @ the Blender on Dec 26th? If you are you can be one of the lucky people who can attend an after show party that we will be holding at Beauty Bar NY. Todd and the boys and of course lovely Rachel will be mingling. It will be a great time for a photo op or maybe to ask TR a question that you have been dying to have him answer. I am starting to compile a guest list. You must be attending the show to get on the list.I will give more details as soon as I work out the details.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
MEDIA ALERT FROM TODDS PUBLICIST HDnet DATE
Media Alert from our Publicist
Rundgren's HDNet special to premiere Sunday, January 11, 2009 at 8 pm EST
US Tour Dates Announced for December
Legendary performer, songwriter and producer Todd Rundgren will be featured in a one-hour syndicated HDNet special premiering in January 2009 performing songs from Arena, his first studio album in four years. The special has been cleared in over 50 markets with a cumulative audience of over 5 million. Todd will be appearing on many nationally syndicated radio shows in conjunction with the upcoming tour dates and the album continues to be warmly received at radio.
HDNet is the exclusive, high definition home for popular, critically acclaimed original programming. Their Concert Series has featured such leading artists and bands as Coldplay, Gwen Stefani, John Mayer and more. In addition, Rundgren recently announced his appearance on Late Night with David Letterman on Monday, Dec. 22 and new tour dates.
Dates and Cities for Todd Rundgren's Tour are as follows:
Wed 12/17/08 Alexandria VA @ Birchmere Music Hall
Fri 12/19/08 Bayshore, LI @ Boulton Center for Perf Arts
Sat 12/20/08 Norfolk CT @ Infinity Hall
Mon 12/22/08 Sellersville, PA @ Sellersville Theater
Tue 12/23/08 Bearsville NY @ Bearsville Theater
Fri 12/26/08 New York, NY @ Blender Theatre at Gramercy
Sat 12/27/08 New York, NY Blender Theatre at Gramercy
Tue 12/30/08 Annapolis, MD @ Rams Head
Rundgren's HDNet special to premiere Sunday, January 11, 2009 at 8 pm EST
US Tour Dates Announced for December
Legendary performer, songwriter and producer Todd Rundgren will be featured in a one-hour syndicated HDNet special premiering in January 2009 performing songs from Arena, his first studio album in four years. The special has been cleared in over 50 markets with a cumulative audience of over 5 million. Todd will be appearing on many nationally syndicated radio shows in conjunction with the upcoming tour dates and the album continues to be warmly received at radio.
HDNet is the exclusive, high definition home for popular, critically acclaimed original programming. Their Concert Series has featured such leading artists and bands as Coldplay, Gwen Stefani, John Mayer and more. In addition, Rundgren recently announced his appearance on Late Night with David Letterman on Monday, Dec. 22 and new tour dates.
Dates and Cities for Todd Rundgren's Tour are as follows:
Wed 12/17/08 Alexandria VA @ Birchmere Music Hall
Fri 12/19/08 Bayshore, LI @ Boulton Center for Perf Arts
Sat 12/20/08 Norfolk CT @ Infinity Hall
Mon 12/22/08 Sellersville, PA @ Sellersville Theater
Tue 12/23/08 Bearsville NY @ Bearsville Theater
Fri 12/26/08 New York, NY @ Blender Theatre at Gramercy
Sat 12/27/08 New York, NY Blender Theatre at Gramercy
Tue 12/30/08 Annapolis, MD @ Rams Head
Monday, December 1, 2008
Video; HD NET PREVIEW LIVE BROADCAST
blog spot wont allow the full screen check it out here at the origianl site.
http://blip.tv/file/1526201
http://blip.tv/file/1526201
Sunday, November 30, 2008
videos The Arena Tour, The Waterfront, Norwich, 22 november 2008
upped by PhotoBartVersteeg
mad and afraid
i saw the light
gun
mad and afraid
i saw the light
gun
video:Todd Rundgren - Surprise! & Couldn't I just tell you, Norwich UK, 08/11/22
upped by PhotoBartVersteeg
Friday, November 28, 2008
Todd Rundgren - Perthshire Advertiser (gig review and interview)
click to view full size
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday, November 27, 2008
YAHOO NEWS:Todd Rundgren, pop genius and studio magician
http://ph.news.yahoo.com/afp/20081127/ten-entertainment-music-pop-us-1dc2b55.html
PARIS (AFP) - - His name may not be mainstream in the music world, but to die-hard pop lovers Todd Rundgren is a genius. Driven by a thirst for experimentation, the American technophile is known as a studio magician who has conjured up eclectic sounds for over 40 years.
ADVERTISEMENT
The 60-year-old pop rocker has constantly crossed genres and pushed boundaries in his artistic journey, but in an interview said this was not groundbreaking and was surprised people expected him to recreate past successes.
"I had never thought about music in that way," Rundgren, in Paris for a concert, told AFP, adding that he was influenced by the experimentalism of the Beatles.
In three years, "they evolved from a straight ahead sort of rock 'n roll band into this highly experimental studio band", said the Fab Four fan, who in 1974 had a war of words with John Lennon, who he said at the time was no longer "revolutionary" enough.
Armed with a cult standing, Rundgren recently released his umpteenth album "Arena", in the genre of stadium rock. His previous albums -- whether solo or with groups The Nazz and Utopia -- ventured into an infinite variety of other styles, from pop to soul to experimental electronic music.
In the charts, Rundgren's biggest success was the 1972 double album "Something/Anything?", adorned with studio sound effects. It contained the hits "Hello It's Me", already played by The Nazz, and "I Saw The Light".
Instead of capitalizing on this success, Rundgren chose a new direction and the following year released "A Wizard, A True Star", a psychedelic and influential album thought to be his true masterpiece.
Unlike many prolific musicians, Rundgren treats success as something to be leveraged into completely new projects and discoveries.
"You use it to give yourself the freedom to try new things," said the tall strapping musician who in the 70s raised actress Liv Tyler (daughter of Aerosmith rocker Steven Tyler) when he was living with her mother, model Bebe Buell.
While his once lanky silhouette is now sturdier, Rundgren has kept his long mane, his multicoloured highlights of past days replaced with a mix of jet-black and platinum blonde streaks.
Artistically, the Philadelphia native is from the same family as the Beatles post-1966, Brian Wilson and, more recently, Radiohead, all perfectionist musicians who think of the recording studio as an instrument for creating experimental sounds.
"When I built my first studio, it was a fairly unusual thing for an artist to have his own personal recording space," said Rundgren, who adopted the approach that the musical creation process was something that happens in the studio while recording.
"I really didn't ever go back to the other way again; looking at the composition and conceptualisation as separate from recording," he said.
His love for the studio has made him a talented producer, working with the likes of Patti Smith, Meat Loaf and the Sparks.
His greatest success as a producer, however, remains the 1986 XTC album "Skylarking", one of the biggest albums of the 80s.
The creative process was anything but easy though, as Rundgren was at daggers drawn with frontman Andy Partridge, also renowned as a magician in the studio.
Today living in Hawaii, away from the cutting edge of musical innovation, Rundgren shakes off the description "technophile".
While he is not afraid of change, neither does he embrace all inventions over the past four decades.
"I don't use all technologies. I don't use a cell phone, I've made the evaluation that I like my privacy more than I like the idea of being connected all the time!" said the sexagenarian rocker with a laugh.
PARIS (AFP) - - His name may not be mainstream in the music world, but to die-hard pop lovers Todd Rundgren is a genius. Driven by a thirst for experimentation, the American technophile is known as a studio magician who has conjured up eclectic sounds for over 40 years.
ADVERTISEMENT
The 60-year-old pop rocker has constantly crossed genres and pushed boundaries in his artistic journey, but in an interview said this was not groundbreaking and was surprised people expected him to recreate past successes.
"I had never thought about music in that way," Rundgren, in Paris for a concert, told AFP, adding that he was influenced by the experimentalism of the Beatles.
In three years, "they evolved from a straight ahead sort of rock 'n roll band into this highly experimental studio band", said the Fab Four fan, who in 1974 had a war of words with John Lennon, who he said at the time was no longer "revolutionary" enough.
Armed with a cult standing, Rundgren recently released his umpteenth album "Arena", in the genre of stadium rock. His previous albums -- whether solo or with groups The Nazz and Utopia -- ventured into an infinite variety of other styles, from pop to soul to experimental electronic music.
In the charts, Rundgren's biggest success was the 1972 double album "Something/Anything?", adorned with studio sound effects. It contained the hits "Hello It's Me", already played by The Nazz, and "I Saw The Light".
Instead of capitalizing on this success, Rundgren chose a new direction and the following year released "A Wizard, A True Star", a psychedelic and influential album thought to be his true masterpiece.
Unlike many prolific musicians, Rundgren treats success as something to be leveraged into completely new projects and discoveries.
"You use it to give yourself the freedom to try new things," said the tall strapping musician who in the 70s raised actress Liv Tyler (daughter of Aerosmith rocker Steven Tyler) when he was living with her mother, model Bebe Buell.
While his once lanky silhouette is now sturdier, Rundgren has kept his long mane, his multicoloured highlights of past days replaced with a mix of jet-black and platinum blonde streaks.
Artistically, the Philadelphia native is from the same family as the Beatles post-1966, Brian Wilson and, more recently, Radiohead, all perfectionist musicians who think of the recording studio as an instrument for creating experimental sounds.
"When I built my first studio, it was a fairly unusual thing for an artist to have his own personal recording space," said Rundgren, who adopted the approach that the musical creation process was something that happens in the studio while recording.
"I really didn't ever go back to the other way again; looking at the composition and conceptualisation as separate from recording," he said.
His love for the studio has made him a talented producer, working with the likes of Patti Smith, Meat Loaf and the Sparks.
His greatest success as a producer, however, remains the 1986 XTC album "Skylarking", one of the biggest albums of the 80s.
The creative process was anything but easy though, as Rundgren was at daggers drawn with frontman Andy Partridge, also renowned as a magician in the studio.
Today living in Hawaii, away from the cutting edge of musical innovation, Rundgren shakes off the description "technophile".
While he is not afraid of change, neither does he embrace all inventions over the past four decades.
"I don't use all technologies. I don't use a cell phone, I've made the evaluation that I like my privacy more than I like the idea of being connected all the time!" said the sexagenarian rocker with a laugh.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
special announcement from todd's myspace
Europe and beyond....
Well the European tour as a whole went rather well. The timing of the new NY Dolls project couldnt have come at a better time for TR as well. Its been getting some serious international coverage which can do nothing by help Todd. It will also spill over into exposure for Arena as well. All good things.
Onward to the east coast shows. They are all selling quite well. I think the only shows that have the possibility of not selling out are the Blender shows in NYC. Tell your friends and youre friends friends and maybe we CAN sell out the shows. I think I am going to the NYC dates so maybe I will see some of you there.
Ive been receiving occasional emails regarding the New Years Eve show in Philidelphia. You would need to make contact with Doug at Rundgren Radio regard the purchase of tickets for that event. It sounds like its going to be a great show. All intimate and hip. Rumor has it that a couple of Todd fans are going to tie the knot there before the gig. Proof that marriage is not a completely dead concept yet. good times.
Hope everyone has a lovely holiday weekend! Im cutting out early today and have a jam packed weekend of fun lined up. Waaaaahooo!!
xxlynn
Well the European tour as a whole went rather well. The timing of the new NY Dolls project couldnt have come at a better time for TR as well. Its been getting some serious international coverage which can do nothing by help Todd. It will also spill over into exposure for Arena as well. All good things.
Onward to the east coast shows. They are all selling quite well. I think the only shows that have the possibility of not selling out are the Blender shows in NYC. Tell your friends and youre friends friends and maybe we CAN sell out the shows. I think I am going to the NYC dates so maybe I will see some of you there.
Ive been receiving occasional emails regarding the New Years Eve show in Philidelphia. You would need to make contact with Doug at Rundgren Radio regard the purchase of tickets for that event. It sounds like its going to be a great show. All intimate and hip. Rumor has it that a couple of Todd fans are going to tie the knot there before the gig. Proof that marriage is not a completely dead concept yet. good times.
Hope everyone has a lovely holiday weekend! Im cutting out early today and have a jam packed weekend of fun lined up. Waaaaahooo!!
xxlynn
special offer for NYE show.
Spend NYE in Philly
with Todd. Get a FREE
MUSICIAN T-shirt.
In support of the RundgrenRadio.com special New Year’s Eve with Todd Rundgren gig, Toddata.com is offering a FREE MUSICIAN T-SHIRT to the first 25 fans who mention this email when purchasing tickets.
Just go to www.toddnye.info and make your claim. First come, first served for 25 lucky fans only!
Thanks for supporting Toddata.com and RundgrenRadio.com.
Ring in the New Year with Todd!
with Todd. Get a FREE
MUSICIAN T-shirt.
In support of the RundgrenRadio.com special New Year’s Eve with Todd Rundgren gig, Toddata.com is offering a FREE MUSICIAN T-SHIRT to the first 25 fans who mention this email when purchasing tickets.
Just go to www.toddnye.info and make your claim. First come, first served for 25 lucky fans only!
Thanks for supporting Toddata.com and RundgrenRadio.com.
Ring in the New Year with Todd!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
TODD AND THE LIARS
TODD AND THE LIARS ARE DONE WITH THE EUROPE LEG OF THIS TOUR. SEEMS ALL HIS FANS WERE AMAZED WITH HIS PERFORMACE.
A LITTLE BREAK TO CATCH HIS WIND AND OFF TO THE WINTER LEG.
CANT WAIT FOR HIS NY AREA SHOWS.. ROCK ON TODD.....
A LITTLE BREAK TO CATCH HIS WIND AND OFF TO THE WINTER LEG.
CANT WAIT FOR HIS NY AREA SHOWS.. ROCK ON TODD.....
Monday, November 24, 2008
Rundgren Radio: Randy the Rhodie
Show starts 11/25/08 at 8:30pm ET as usual. http://www.rundgrenradio.com/
Randy Brown is currently working as the Keyboard and Computer Tech for Meat Loaf and handling all Backline and Monitors for Todd Rundgren. He has also recently starred in many of Kasim Sulton's "Backstage Pass" youtube.com videos. Most importantly, he is an avid fan of Rundgren Radio :-).
Randy Brown is currently working as the Keyboard and Computer Tech for Meat Loaf and handling all Backline and Monitors for Todd Rundgren. He has also recently starred in many of Kasim Sulton's "Backstage Pass" youtube.com videos. Most importantly, he is an avid fan of Rundgren Radio :-).
Saturday, November 22, 2008
video interview something anything / a wiz / deface / dolls / xtc
click on link to see great video interview : todd discussing s/a and awiz / deface /dolls /xtc
THIS IS A GREAT INTERVIEW SOMETHING I HAVENT SEEN TODD EVER DO...
http://mfile.akamai.com/37666/wmv/arte7.download.akamai.com/37666/permanent/u2/arteculture/autres/todd-rundgren.asx
THIS IS A GREAT INTERVIEW SOMETHING I HAVENT SEEN TODD EVER DO...
http://mfile.akamai.com/37666/wmv/arte7.download.akamai.com/37666/permanent/u2/arteculture/autres/todd-rundgren.asx
Friday, November 21, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Todd and ethal at the tromp...
ETHEL just returned from a week in The Netherlands, where we performed opening night at the Tromp Festival. What a thrill it was to reunite with our old friend Todd Rundgren!!! We had so much fun revisiting old favorites like Soul Brother, Pretending to Care, and Black Maria... it was also exhilarating to play songs from Todd's latest album, Arena, for the first time. Many, many thanks to the brilliant Paul Brantley for his arrangements of Flamingo, Zen Archer, and Courage. It was wonderful to feel the enthusiasm and love coming from Todd's fans... great vibes all around!
NEW YEARS EVE CONCERT T SHIRT
this came from doug ford via rundgrenradio
Can't resist showing this one off. Another fine job by Bill Bricker!
I asked him to swap out Rocky with Todd and he made it happen and it
looks fabulous IMO.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3061/3043037844_5d9144cc95_b.jpg
It's not too late to join us at the gig
www.ToddNYE.info
click on image to enlarge
Can't resist showing this one off. Another fine job by Bill Bricker!
I asked him to swap out Rocky with Todd and he made it happen and it
looks fabulous IMO.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3061/3043037844_5d9144cc95_b.jpg
It's not too late to join us at the gig
www.ToddNYE.info
click on image to enlarge
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Rundgren radio tonight : Jill Sobule
Jill Sobule is a singer best known for the 1995 single "I Kissed a
Girl", and "Supermodel" from the soundtrack of the 1995
film "Clueless". Her folk-inflected compositions alternate between
ironic, story-driven character studies and emotive ballads.
Autobiographical elements, including Sobule's Jewish heritage and her
adolescent battles with anorexia and depression, frequently occur in
Sobule's writing. An appreciable percentage of her work is also
dedicated to detailed accounts of both her own fictional female
creations and such troubled but celebrated women as Joey Heatherton and
Mary Kay Letourneau, whose stories are usually used to make ironic
comments about fame and celebrity.
Sobule's debut album "Things Here Are Different" was released in 1990
and was produced by pop legend Todd Rundgren.
Check out Jill's official site: http://www.jillsobule.com/home.html
Show starts at 8:30pm ET on http://www.rundgrenradio.com/ !
Girl", and "Supermodel" from the soundtrack of the 1995
film "Clueless". Her folk-inflected compositions alternate between
ironic, story-driven character studies and emotive ballads.
Autobiographical elements, including Sobule's Jewish heritage and her
adolescent battles with anorexia and depression, frequently occur in
Sobule's writing. An appreciable percentage of her work is also
dedicated to detailed accounts of both her own fictional female
creations and such troubled but celebrated women as Joey Heatherton and
Mary Kay Letourneau, whose stories are usually used to make ironic
comments about fame and celebrity.
Sobule's debut album "Things Here Are Different" was released in 1990
and was produced by pop legend Todd Rundgren.
Check out Jill's official site: http://www.jillsobule.com/home.html
Show starts at 8:30pm ET on http://www.rundgrenradio.com/ !
Monday, November 17, 2008
TODD NAMES HIS BACK UP BAND.
SEE THE ARTCLE BELOW TO SEE IT IN PRINT.
HE CALLS HIS BACK UP BAND THE LIARS ...
HE CALLS HIS BACK UP BAND THE LIARS ...
Interview : Norwich evening news
interview with Todd Rundgren to promote his concert at the Norwich Waterfront on Saturday November 22nd.
The piece was published in the Norwich Evening News on Friday 14th November 2008.
click on image to enlarge
The piece was published in the Norwich Evening News on Friday 14th November 2008.
click on image to enlarge
Friday, November 14, 2008
Todd to produce next NEW YORK DOLLS Album
The New York Dolls and legendary record producer Todd Rundgren have
been reunited for the first time in 36 years. Rundgren will produce
the Dolls' new album at his studio on the island of Kauai.
Production is scheduled to start in January 2009.
This is the first time in 36 years since Rundgren originally produced
the New York Dolls eponymous debut album "The New York Dolls" which
included the classic songs "Personality Crisis", "Trash", "Jet Boy"
and "Private World". Rundgren will be reunited with original Dolls
founding members, David Johansen (vocals) and Sylvain Sylvain
(guitar, vocals).
"We're really excited to be working with Todd again," says David
Johansen. "We're hoping to recapture the same magic on the
forthcoming album."
The album, which is yet untitled, will be released on the Atco label
through Warner Brothers. The Atco label has been specially re-
launched. The New York Dolls are one of the first signings to the
label. The Dolls will follow the release of the new album with a
world tour in 2009.
Click here for the full story and brand new photo of the NY Dolls
reunited with Rundgren -
http://www.noblepr.co.uk/Press_Releases/todd_rundgren/toddrundgren.htm
Rundgren is currently touring Europe with his new album "Arena", and
will play Norwich Waterfront (Saturday November 22) and London
Kentish Town Forum (Sunday November 23).
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Concert Review : Edinburgh Dunfermlinepress
http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/articles/6/30688
Published: Thursday, 13th November, 2008 10:15
Todd Rundgren at the Edinburgh Picture House
By Matt Meade
TODD RUNDGREN
Edinburgh Picture House, Friday 7th November, 2008
I've never punched the air before at a gig and I never will. But I came pretty close tonight.
If rock'n'roll is about balls out belting hits, tight leather pants and an obligatory towering timbre, Todd's your man.
And for those just about to skip this review to read instead about the fleeting flavour of the month, cool your jets.
Todd's work as a solo artist also extends to producing post-punk favourites XTC's classic Skylarking album as well as pioneering multimedia CD releases long before the likes of the Super Furries and Flaming Lips.
Tonight, there's unashamed audience participation (for new release 'Strike'), exaggerated claims of inventing the blues ("We called it Fuchsia, but somewhere it got lost in translation") and swooning in the aisles over 1972 hit 'I Saw The Light'.
The appeal is in songs that appear straightforward rock, yet retain a thoughtfulness that manages to stay away from the self indulgence of 'prog'.
And this is in spite of ubiquitous power chords and often ridiculous noodling.
He may be 60, but Rundgren retains a remarkably lithe body, like a taller Iggy Pop without the steroids, to give an energetic two-hour performance.
If it wasn't for my British reserve I'd have been giving it laldy with the rest of the crowd. At least I air drummed a bit.
Published: Thursday, 13th November, 2008 10:15
Todd Rundgren at the Edinburgh Picture House
By Matt Meade
TODD RUNDGREN
Edinburgh Picture House, Friday 7th November, 2008
I've never punched the air before at a gig and I never will. But I came pretty close tonight.
If rock'n'roll is about balls out belting hits, tight leather pants and an obligatory towering timbre, Todd's your man.
And for those just about to skip this review to read instead about the fleeting flavour of the month, cool your jets.
Todd's work as a solo artist also extends to producing post-punk favourites XTC's classic Skylarking album as well as pioneering multimedia CD releases long before the likes of the Super Furries and Flaming Lips.
Tonight, there's unashamed audience participation (for new release 'Strike'), exaggerated claims of inventing the blues ("We called it Fuchsia, but somewhere it got lost in translation") and swooning in the aisles over 1972 hit 'I Saw The Light'.
The appeal is in songs that appear straightforward rock, yet retain a thoughtfulness that manages to stay away from the self indulgence of 'prog'.
And this is in spite of ubiquitous power chords and often ridiculous noodling.
He may be 60, but Rundgren retains a remarkably lithe body, like a taller Iggy Pop without the steroids, to give an energetic two-hour performance.
If it wasn't for my British reserve I'd have been giving it laldy with the rest of the crowd. At least I air drummed a bit.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Rundgren radio tonight / New Years Eve venue to be officially announced.
Special guests Rachel Culp and Danny O'Connor.
Danny has guaranteed us some Todd road stories .
www.RundgrenRadio.com
Philly venue for NYE is now a lock ---
Painted Bride Arts Center
www.paintedbride.org
Danny has guaranteed us some Todd road stories .
www.RundgrenRadio.com
Philly venue for NYE is now a lock ---
Painted Bride Arts Center
www.paintedbride.org
Monday, November 10, 2008
MORE REVIEWS: EUROPE TOUR
Rave reviews of Todd Rundgren’s recent shows in Manchester and Edinburgh gigs:
Edinburgh Evening News – Todd Rundgren: Edinburgh Picture House review (Nov 10)
http://news.scotsman.com/entertainment/Todd-Rundgren-review-Star-wows.4676682.jp
The Herald (Scotland) – Todd Rundgren: Edinburgh Picture House review (Nov 10)
http://www.theherald.co.uk/features/featurespopandjazz/display.var.2466740.0.Todd_Rundgren_Picture_House_Edinburgh.php
The Independent on Sunday – Todd Rundgren: Why I Love Oozy Rice (Nov 9)
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/why-i-love-oozy-rice-997461.html
Manchester Evening News – Todd Rundgren: Manchester concert review (Nov 7)
http://www.citylife.co.uk/music/rock_pop/event_review/28717_todd_rundgren
Todd returns to the UK to play Norwich Waterfront (Nov 22) and London Kentish Town Forum (Nov 23)
Edinburgh Evening News – Todd Rundgren: Edinburgh Picture House review (Nov 10)
http://news.scotsman.com/entertainment/Todd-Rundgren-review-Star-wows.4676682.jp
The Herald (Scotland) – Todd Rundgren: Edinburgh Picture House review (Nov 10)
http://www.theherald.co.uk/features/featurespopandjazz/display.var.2466740.0.Todd_Rundgren_Picture_House_Edinburgh.php
The Independent on Sunday – Todd Rundgren: Why I Love Oozy Rice (Nov 9)
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/why-i-love-oozy-rice-997461.html
Manchester Evening News – Todd Rundgren: Manchester concert review (Nov 7)
http://www.citylife.co.uk/music/rock_pop/event_review/28717_todd_rundgren
Todd returns to the UK to play Norwich Waterfront (Nov 22) and London Kentish Town Forum (Nov 23)
The Herald newspaper (Scotland) – Neil Cooper reviews Todd’s Edinburgh Picture House gig (Nov 10)
http://www.theherald.co.uk/features/featurespopandjazz/display.var.2466740.0.Todd_Rundgren_Picture_House_Edinburgh.php
Todd Rundgren, Picture House, EdinburghNEIL COOPER November 10 2008
Star rating ****
There's a 60-year-old man on stage wearing regulation rock star shades and the tightest leather trousers this side of Iggy Pop. Flanking him are three other big-haired men in sunglasses. Only bassist Rachel Haden (daughter of jazz composer Charlie), looking somewhere between Tank Girl and Tinkerbell, offers a visual counterpoint to what could be a very macho scene.
It's Todd Rundgren's voice that really stands out, though. After 40 years of practice, Rundgren's vocal cords have matured into a guttural roar from Hades. Accompanied by a blistering melange of glam-metal, as demonstrated on his new album Arena, Rundgren sounds invigorated.
Arena works even better live, as proved when it's played from start to finish as the centre-piece of Rundgren's current show, which stopped off in Edinburgh as one of only four UK dates. Rundgren remains something of a tease, however, and for the first half hour the material dates back as far as the Who-influenced 1968 B-side, Open My Eyes. This may make sense of the target T-shirt Rundgren is sporting, but it's heartening when he says we "deserve some pudding". It comes in the sticky flavours of the Carole King homage and bona fide hit, I Saw The Light, which is just dessert enough.
After that, it's time to get serious, harder and heavier. With a three-guitar line-up, the short, sharp shocks of each song bridge the tasteful side of 1970s soft rock, with AC/DC-style fist-in-the-air anthems and also something more foreboding. Not that there's any angst on show. There's a sprite-like playfulness to proceedings that even sees the band throwing sweeties out into the audience. Unlike Iggy, though, this isn't pantomime.
Todd Rundgren, Picture House, EdinburghNEIL COOPER November 10 2008
Star rating ****
There's a 60-year-old man on stage wearing regulation rock star shades and the tightest leather trousers this side of Iggy Pop. Flanking him are three other big-haired men in sunglasses. Only bassist Rachel Haden (daughter of jazz composer Charlie), looking somewhere between Tank Girl and Tinkerbell, offers a visual counterpoint to what could be a very macho scene.
It's Todd Rundgren's voice that really stands out, though. After 40 years of practice, Rundgren's vocal cords have matured into a guttural roar from Hades. Accompanied by a blistering melange of glam-metal, as demonstrated on his new album Arena, Rundgren sounds invigorated.
Arena works even better live, as proved when it's played from start to finish as the centre-piece of Rundgren's current show, which stopped off in Edinburgh as one of only four UK dates. Rundgren remains something of a tease, however, and for the first half hour the material dates back as far as the Who-influenced 1968 B-side, Open My Eyes. This may make sense of the target T-shirt Rundgren is sporting, but it's heartening when he says we "deserve some pudding". It comes in the sticky flavours of the Carole King homage and bona fide hit, I Saw The Light, which is just dessert enough.
After that, it's time to get serious, harder and heavier. With a three-guitar line-up, the short, sharp shocks of each song bridge the tasteful side of 1970s soft rock, with AC/DC-style fist-in-the-air anthems and also something more foreboding. Not that there's any angst on show. There's a sprite-like playfulness to proceedings that even sees the band throwing sweeties out into the audience. Unlike Iggy, though, this isn't pantomime.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Video of Todd at rock and roll camp
http://www.rockcamp.com/stream/london.php
half way down the page is two videos of TODD,,, a Q & A and a Jam
half way down the page is two videos of TODD,,, a Q & A and a Jam
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Reivews of Manchaster gig and more
* Please find the online reviews for Todd’s Manchester Academy 2 gig on Thursday 6th November:
Get Ready To Rock - Todd Rundgren: Manchester gig review (Nov 7)
http://www.getreadytorock.com/reviews2008/todd_rundgren_gig3.htm
Manchester Evening News – Rundgren: Manchester gig review by Dan Stubbs (Nov 7)
http://www.citylife.co.uk/music/review/15378_rundgren_s_rock_defies_fashion
Six Tame Sides – Rundgren: Manchester gig review (Nov 7)
http://sixtamesides.blogspot.com/2008/11/todd-rundgren-manchester-academy.html
The Scotsman – Rundgren gig preview (Nov 7)
http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/features/What39s-on-today.4670909.jp
Sunday Mail (Scotland) – Rundgren news story (Nov 2)
http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/opinion/columnists/billy-sloan/2008/11/02/guitar-hero-s-apollo-terror-78057-20862127/
Get Ready To Rock - Todd Rundgren: Manchester gig review (Nov 7)
http://www.getreadytorock.com/reviews2008/todd_rundgren_gig3.htm
Manchester Evening News – Rundgren: Manchester gig review by Dan Stubbs (Nov 7)
http://www.citylife.co.uk/music/review/15378_rundgren_s_rock_defies_fashion
Six Tame Sides – Rundgren: Manchester gig review (Nov 7)
http://sixtamesides.blogspot.com/2008/11/todd-rundgren-manchester-academy.html
The Scotsman – Rundgren gig preview (Nov 7)
http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/features/What39s-on-today.4670909.jp
Sunday Mail (Scotland) – Rundgren news story (Nov 2)
http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/opinion/columnists/billy-sloan/2008/11/02/guitar-hero-s-apollo-terror-78057-20862127/
Concert Review: Citylife.co.uk
http://www.citylife.co.uk/music/review/15378_rundgren_s_rock_defies_fashion
Todd Rundgren By Dan Stubbs
"THIS is a very small venue for an Arena show," said Todd Rundgren at one point during Thursday night's gig.
It didn't stop him turning the amps up and letting the vocal chords shred like he was at Wembley.
Rundgren's a veteran rocker whose career dates back to '60s noiseniks Nazz.
Going solo in the '70s, he made his name as a singer, songwriter and producer, and recently, he's been touring with a new line-up of new wave rockers The Cars. This tour sees him defaulting back to his all-riffing, all-soloing, heavy rocking best.
Dispatch
But when the first handful of tracks saw Rundgren dispatch with most of his best-known tracks, including a half-hearted breeze through his greatest hit, the lovely, lilting I Saw The Light, alarm bells started to ring as loudly as his twiddly-diddly, flange-filled guitar playing.
Rundgren introduced I Saw The Light saying he'd "toss us a bon bon" ahead of "something special" he had planned.
The special something turned out to be a track-by-track run through his whole new album, aptly titled Arena.
The fans put a brave face on and allowed Rundgren his hour-long indulgence, which he joked they could record on their mobiles and save themselves the price of a download.
And to be fair, the new material sounded much like his more familiar material, an occasionally exciting, often gruelling hour of chugging blues, "sports rock", boogie woogie and power anthems.
At a time when most performers seems bent on reinvention and relevance in their golden years, be it Tony Christie covering Arctic Monkeys or Glen Campbell doing Green Day, it's refreshing to see one who's sticking with his guns.
To hell with fashion, Rundgren's got rock and that was enough for this joss stick-scented room.
Todd Rundgren By Dan Stubbs
"THIS is a very small venue for an Arena show," said Todd Rundgren at one point during Thursday night's gig.
It didn't stop him turning the amps up and letting the vocal chords shred like he was at Wembley.
Rundgren's a veteran rocker whose career dates back to '60s noiseniks Nazz.
Going solo in the '70s, he made his name as a singer, songwriter and producer, and recently, he's been touring with a new line-up of new wave rockers The Cars. This tour sees him defaulting back to his all-riffing, all-soloing, heavy rocking best.
Dispatch
But when the first handful of tracks saw Rundgren dispatch with most of his best-known tracks, including a half-hearted breeze through his greatest hit, the lovely, lilting I Saw The Light, alarm bells started to ring as loudly as his twiddly-diddly, flange-filled guitar playing.
Rundgren introduced I Saw The Light saying he'd "toss us a bon bon" ahead of "something special" he had planned.
The special something turned out to be a track-by-track run through his whole new album, aptly titled Arena.
The fans put a brave face on and allowed Rundgren his hour-long indulgence, which he joked they could record on their mobiles and save themselves the price of a download.
And to be fair, the new material sounded much like his more familiar material, an occasionally exciting, often gruelling hour of chugging blues, "sports rock", boogie woogie and power anthems.
At a time when most performers seems bent on reinvention and relevance in their golden years, be it Tony Christie covering Arctic Monkeys or Glen Campbell doing Green Day, it's refreshing to see one who's sticking with his guns.
To hell with fashion, Rundgren's got rock and that was enough for this joss stick-scented room.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Todd : Europes rock and roll fantasy camp
todd attended the rock and roll fantasy camp in the Uk this weekend
Phone Interview List magazine Scotland
The List magazine in Edinburgh recently conducted a phone interview with Todd Rundgren when TR was in Hawaii a few weeks ago. The result is a fascinating insight into the mind of one of rock’s true innovators.
The List – Todd Rundgren interview: Full Transcript (Scotland, November 6th)
http://www.list.co.uk/article/14145-todd-rundgren-interview-full-transcript/#comments
The interview dovetails TR’s concert at the Edinburgh Picture House on Friday November 7th.
The List – Todd Rundgren interview: Full Transcript (Scotland, November 6th)
http://www.list.co.uk/article/14145-todd-rundgren-interview-full-transcript/#comments
The interview dovetails TR’s concert at the Edinburgh Picture House on Friday November 7th.
Todd kicks off European tour
http://www.antimusic.com/news/08/nov/06Todd_Rundgren_Kicks_Off_Tour.shtml
(PR) Todd Rundgren's highly anticipated UK tour kicks off this Thursday in Manchester.Rundgren will be touring the UK to promote his critically acclaimed new album "Arena".
On Monday 3rd November, Rundgren attended this year's Classic Rock Magazine Awards in London, and presented the Tommy Vance Lifetime Achievement Award in honour of this year's recipient, the late Syd Barrett.
When Rundgren's UK tour kicks off this Thursday, the legendary rock innovator and record producer will be joined on stage by bassist Rachel Haden (daughter of the renowned jazz bassist Charlie Haden), former Tubes drummer Prairie Prince, Jesse Gress (guitar) and 'Kasim Sulton' (guitar, keyboards, vocals).
Rundgren will also perform music from his new album on The David Letterman Show on Monday 22nd December.
* Manchester Academy 2 - Thursday 6th November
* Edinburgh Picture House – Friday 7th November
* Norwich Waterfront - Saturday 22nd November
* London Kentish Town Forum - Sunday 23rd November
(PR) Todd Rundgren's highly anticipated UK tour kicks off this Thursday in Manchester.Rundgren will be touring the UK to promote his critically acclaimed new album "Arena".
On Monday 3rd November, Rundgren attended this year's Classic Rock Magazine Awards in London, and presented the Tommy Vance Lifetime Achievement Award in honour of this year's recipient, the late Syd Barrett.
When Rundgren's UK tour kicks off this Thursday, the legendary rock innovator and record producer will be joined on stage by bassist Rachel Haden (daughter of the renowned jazz bassist Charlie Haden), former Tubes drummer Prairie Prince, Jesse Gress (guitar) and 'Kasim Sulton' (guitar, keyboards, vocals).
Rundgren will also perform music from his new album on The David Letterman Show on Monday 22nd December.
* Manchester Academy 2 - Thursday 6th November
* Edinburgh Picture House – Friday 7th November
* Norwich Waterfront - Saturday 22nd November
* London Kentish Town Forum - Sunday 23rd November
Todd Presenter at Londons Classic Music Awards
On Monday November 3rd, Todd Rundgren attended the Classic Rock Magazine Awards in London. Todd presented the Tommy Vance Inspiration Award to the late Syd Barrett of Pink Floyd. Todd presented the Award to Syd’s sister, Rosemary Green.
http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/page/classicrock?entry=classic_rock_roll_of_honour
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
HDNet tv broadcast of ARENA SHOW
News about HDNet
This just in—the HDNet special premieres Sunday Night December 14 at 8PM EST.
taken from lynn at todd's myspace page.
This just in—the HDNet special premieres Sunday Night December 14 at 8PM EST.
taken from lynn at todd's myspace page.
interview goldmine magazine
http://www.goldminemag.com/goldmine-radio/
click on link to listen to interview
click on link to listen to interview
Guardian.co.uk todds playlist >>>>>>>>
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/nov/03/popandrock
Todd Rundgren The polymathically peverse singer-songwriter and studio wizard reveals the tunes that opened up his third earAs told to Joe Stannard guardian.co.uk, Monday November 03 2008 16.14 GMT Article history
Todd Rundgren ... a wizard and a true star. Photograph: Mark Mawston
James Cotton Blues Band - The Sky Is Falling
James Cotton is a famous blues harp player. We had a lot of great players on the Taking Care of Business album, like Johnny Winter and the late Michael Bloomfield. It was an attempt to bring him a little bit into the ... I don't know, I guess he'd be an artist of the 50s and we were trying to bring him not necessarily into the 70s, but into the early 60s if we were lucky (laughs). We had a great opportunity to work with some people who really admired him, like Johnny, Michael and myself. There are some fond memories there.
Grand Funk Railroad - We're An American Band
The first and probably last time I'll ever see the music business operating like a well-oiled machine, a time when when you could expect a certain number of record sales and you could assume the record would chart no matter what it sounded like, because of the band's previous history. We were not so much trying to challenge commercial assumptions as artistic assumptions. Everyone had a very low opinion of the band, mostly because of terrible prior productions. Their manager produced their records and he wasn't very good at it (laughs). So we did We're An American Band and then a follow-up production called Shine It On and it was just amazing to me to see how everything fell into place once we got a decent record made. It didn't take long to make and actually, before we had completed the album itself, we had a record already in the Top 20.
Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell
This wasn't a record in which I saw any great commercial success. I looked at it as a Bruce Springsteen spoof, as he was the biggest thing happening then. The songs were all too long and too dramatic, but still depended on a rudimentary, roots-oriented view of rock. The changes were all simple with straightforward chord structures, which we made rock'n'roll-y in terms of bombast and arrangement tricks. Meat Loaf didn't even have a band when he first auditioned for me, it was just him, Jim Steinman on the piano and two backing singers. They acted out the whole record with nothing but a piano! None of us really expected that it would become the huge commercial success that it was.
Cheap Trick - You Say Jump
The singer, Robin Zander and the guitarist, Rick Nielsen, and maybe one of the other guys, had been in a band with members of the Nazz before they became Cheap Trick, so we had a pre-connection. I had always thought that they were one of the best performing bands ever, and that Rick was one of the great rock/pop songwriters, so I always thought it would be good for us to work together. And it turned out to be a pretty good fit except for the fact that the record label was still hung up on trying to find a follow-up to I Want You to Want Me. Every record had to have a version of I Want You to Want Me somehow (laughs). The original song was on a previous album, In Color, but it was the live version on their At Budokan album that was the giant radio hit.
XTC - Dying
Every other act that I'd worked with could be expected to go and play the record live, or already had played some parts of the record before we began to record it. But lead singer Andy Partridge had acute stage fright, which meant that the band never performed live and that their musical life revolved around their studio recordings. For me to become as involved as I did in the making of this record was almost like me barging my way into the band (laughs) and there was some reaction to that, especially from Andy, because he was used to being rewarded from the record-making process with no expectation that it would ever be played anywhere. Andy's style is cerebral, whereas Colin Moulding writes about things that seem like they are important and integral to him. Dying is a good example, it's an extremely simple song and the lyric is just deadpan, straightforward. It's not trying to be clever in any way - it's all about a feeling.
The Pursuit of Happiness - I'm An Adult Now
I did two records with this band in the early 90s, and this was one of the lost gems of music to me, the fact that this band could not seem to find their audience and succeed, where other bands with much less talent and character had. It was kind of a disappointment. They were both great records, both comparatively effortless. The first was called Love Junk, and I'm An Adult Now was something of a white rap (laughs), all about the responsibilities of growing up.
Todd Rundgren - Courage
My new album Arena was produced in a bizarre way. When I first got into my workspace and into the recording process, I booted up my Pro Tools system but no sound was coming out because I live in Hawaii and the air is so humid that it can eat away at a computer's insides. I got fed up and decided I had to make progress without messing around with this equipment. So I did a tiny bit of research about what there was out there and discovered that with just an audio interface, a laptop and a couple of software tools, I could make a record that sounded as if I had done it in a studio. Having the flexibility to just carry my laptop into the linen closet to do some vocals or into another room because this room isn't sound-isolated enough, gave me a whole new perspective. This new-found freedom to my working day is one of the reasons why I don't have the healthy production schedule I used to.
Todd Rundgren November tour dates:
Manchester Academy 2 (Nov 6)
Edinburgh Picture House (Nov 7)
Norwich Waterfront (Nov 22)
London Kentish Town Forum (Nov 23)
Tickets: 08700 603 777 www.seetickets.com.
Todd's new album Arena is available on Cooking Vinyl
Todd Rundgren The polymathically peverse singer-songwriter and studio wizard reveals the tunes that opened up his third earAs told to Joe Stannard guardian.co.uk, Monday November 03 2008 16.14 GMT Article history
Todd Rundgren ... a wizard and a true star. Photograph: Mark Mawston
James Cotton Blues Band - The Sky Is Falling
James Cotton is a famous blues harp player. We had a lot of great players on the Taking Care of Business album, like Johnny Winter and the late Michael Bloomfield. It was an attempt to bring him a little bit into the ... I don't know, I guess he'd be an artist of the 50s and we were trying to bring him not necessarily into the 70s, but into the early 60s if we were lucky (laughs). We had a great opportunity to work with some people who really admired him, like Johnny, Michael and myself. There are some fond memories there.
Grand Funk Railroad - We're An American Band
The first and probably last time I'll ever see the music business operating like a well-oiled machine, a time when when you could expect a certain number of record sales and you could assume the record would chart no matter what it sounded like, because of the band's previous history. We were not so much trying to challenge commercial assumptions as artistic assumptions. Everyone had a very low opinion of the band, mostly because of terrible prior productions. Their manager produced their records and he wasn't very good at it (laughs). So we did We're An American Band and then a follow-up production called Shine It On and it was just amazing to me to see how everything fell into place once we got a decent record made. It didn't take long to make and actually, before we had completed the album itself, we had a record already in the Top 20.
Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell
This wasn't a record in which I saw any great commercial success. I looked at it as a Bruce Springsteen spoof, as he was the biggest thing happening then. The songs were all too long and too dramatic, but still depended on a rudimentary, roots-oriented view of rock. The changes were all simple with straightforward chord structures, which we made rock'n'roll-y in terms of bombast and arrangement tricks. Meat Loaf didn't even have a band when he first auditioned for me, it was just him, Jim Steinman on the piano and two backing singers. They acted out the whole record with nothing but a piano! None of us really expected that it would become the huge commercial success that it was.
Cheap Trick - You Say Jump
The singer, Robin Zander and the guitarist, Rick Nielsen, and maybe one of the other guys, had been in a band with members of the Nazz before they became Cheap Trick, so we had a pre-connection. I had always thought that they were one of the best performing bands ever, and that Rick was one of the great rock/pop songwriters, so I always thought it would be good for us to work together. And it turned out to be a pretty good fit except for the fact that the record label was still hung up on trying to find a follow-up to I Want You to Want Me. Every record had to have a version of I Want You to Want Me somehow (laughs). The original song was on a previous album, In Color, but it was the live version on their At Budokan album that was the giant radio hit.
XTC - Dying
Every other act that I'd worked with could be expected to go and play the record live, or already had played some parts of the record before we began to record it. But lead singer Andy Partridge had acute stage fright, which meant that the band never performed live and that their musical life revolved around their studio recordings. For me to become as involved as I did in the making of this record was almost like me barging my way into the band (laughs) and there was some reaction to that, especially from Andy, because he was used to being rewarded from the record-making process with no expectation that it would ever be played anywhere. Andy's style is cerebral, whereas Colin Moulding writes about things that seem like they are important and integral to him. Dying is a good example, it's an extremely simple song and the lyric is just deadpan, straightforward. It's not trying to be clever in any way - it's all about a feeling.
The Pursuit of Happiness - I'm An Adult Now
I did two records with this band in the early 90s, and this was one of the lost gems of music to me, the fact that this band could not seem to find their audience and succeed, where other bands with much less talent and character had. It was kind of a disappointment. They were both great records, both comparatively effortless. The first was called Love Junk, and I'm An Adult Now was something of a white rap (laughs), all about the responsibilities of growing up.
Todd Rundgren - Courage
My new album Arena was produced in a bizarre way. When I first got into my workspace and into the recording process, I booted up my Pro Tools system but no sound was coming out because I live in Hawaii and the air is so humid that it can eat away at a computer's insides. I got fed up and decided I had to make progress without messing around with this equipment. So I did a tiny bit of research about what there was out there and discovered that with just an audio interface, a laptop and a couple of software tools, I could make a record that sounded as if I had done it in a studio. Having the flexibility to just carry my laptop into the linen closet to do some vocals or into another room because this room isn't sound-isolated enough, gave me a whole new perspective. This new-found freedom to my working day is one of the reasons why I don't have the healthy production schedule I used to.
Todd Rundgren November tour dates:
Manchester Academy 2 (Nov 6)
Edinburgh Picture House (Nov 7)
Norwich Waterfront (Nov 22)
London Kentish Town Forum (Nov 23)
Tickets: 08700 603 777 www.seetickets.com.
Todd's new album Arena is available on Cooking Vinyl
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Monday, November 3, 2008
TODD TO SPEAK @ conference offering inspiration and solutions for bold executives....
Jack Myers Posted November 3, 2008 | 06:50 AM (EST) huffington post
Todd to speak @ A Conference Offering Inspiration and Solutions for Bold Executives
On December 11, an extraordinary group of hundreds of thought leaders, brimming with MacArthurs, Oscars, Emmys, Tonys, Kennedy honors, Nobels and more, will convene at the Monterey Conference Center for eg: the entertainment gathering (www.the-eg.com).
The conference, founded by TED impresario Richard Saul Wurman and now directed by Michael Hawley, is worlds away from typical industry conferences. "It's organized around one thing," says Hawley. "It is simply about bringing together the best of the best in our most creative enterprises." Hawley is well-calibrated to know. His technology career has included pioneering work in digital cinema at Lucasfilm, computer music at IRCAM in France, degrees from Yale and MIT, and leading research for more than a decade at the Media Lab where he became one of the world's most visible and active researchers and innovators. He also plays the piano (and won the Cliburn competition in 2002). This is the kind of event where speakers go to meet the audience, which includes presenters (and past "alums"), captains of industry. Folks like Matt Groening, Amy Tan, Jeff Bezos, John Markoff, Herbie Hancock, Steve Wozniak and HEROES creator Tim Kring all attend. The typical audience snapshot: roughly 40% President / "CxO" level execs; 30% are Founder/Director/Chairman/General Partner; 10% Professor/Dean/Educator. "And the rest? God knows. But everyone is exceptional," says Hawley. "Some are billionaires and some are rising stars. Some are national treasures and some are yet to be discovered."
As a long time TED attendee and previous eg participant, I can attest that both are exceptionally engaging, motivating, stirring, emotional, provocative, fun and relevant. TED has expanded in recent years, but eg in many ways recaptures TED's original freshness and intent. "Expansion is a cooling process. eg is still small, intimate, bubbly and it's in a cozy setting where you can probably meet everyone. In a conference, size does matter and eg strikes the right balance between critical mass and intimacy" Hawley commented in an interview with Jack Myers Media Business Report.
Hawley acknowledges the $4,000 fee may seem pricey, but in fact, it is considerably less than many other premium affairs. "We all hunger for inspiration and in business, you can't afford to be without a good idea. Life has to move forward: the future is for the bold. This is a conference of, and for, bold people. The people who come are among the most talented in their organizations. For them, attending eg is a serious commitment because they know it is a font of ideas and connections that will stick with them for years. You often forge new lifelong friendships. It's like panning for gold – new ideas and new people of this caliber simply do not surface from traditional markets and conferences."
The focus of eg is emphatically on the live event, advises Hawley. "The conference is limited to the capacity of the room. There is no overflow. There is no webcast. Seats are not refundable or transferable. You are either there, or you are not. To be part of a great event means breathing the same air, and more important, it means immersing yourself in moments that you will remember vividly for the rest of your lives. Last year, Jonathan Winters told his life story: the audience was laughing and crying at the same time. It was unforgettable. That kind of thing simply does not happen through a screen. A typical reaction from Jeff Hayzlett, the Chief Marketing Officer of Kodak: 'Damn, I wish my wife were here!' When was the last time you were part of an event that transcends industry and becomes something so humanly valuable, yet recharges all of your business batteries?"
Hawley adds "A lot of people have felt stuck this year --- wedged between global economic horrors and a paralyzing presidential campaign. One school of thought says that mass digital media swamps people with massive amounts of the same brain-constipating garbage, causing everyone to think the same stuff and talk about the same gossip --- it gums up the works, like a LaBrea tarpit of the mind. There's some truth to that, but at the same time, it also surfaces more solutions and good ideas than ever before. After a year of crippling, public handwringing, the world is simply starving for fresh ideas, great communicators, and inspiring people who slice through the nonsense." Without a doubt, eg brings the best and brightest thinkers, performers, inventors, executives and creators into an energetic, idea-driven environment.
Speakers at the December 11 to 13 event include: rock star Todd Rundgren, Oscar & Tony winner Marshall Brickman, MIT professor Nicholas Negroponte, New York Times columnists David Pogue and Mark Bittman, urban explorer Miru Kim, portrait photographer Dana Gluckstein, inventor Bran Ferren, game designer Scott Kim, MacArthur laureate dancer Jacques D'Amboise and many others. It is a staggeringly good lineup. Presentations are limited to 20-minutes each and must be original and never presented before.
For the current slate of speakers, visit www.the-eg.com/latest
and to register: visit www.the-eg.com
To communicate with or to be contacted by the executives and/or companies mentioned in this column, link to the JackMyers Connection Hotline.
Todd to speak @ A Conference Offering Inspiration and Solutions for Bold Executives
On December 11, an extraordinary group of hundreds of thought leaders, brimming with MacArthurs, Oscars, Emmys, Tonys, Kennedy honors, Nobels and more, will convene at the Monterey Conference Center for eg: the entertainment gathering (www.the-eg.com).
The conference, founded by TED impresario Richard Saul Wurman and now directed by Michael Hawley, is worlds away from typical industry conferences. "It's organized around one thing," says Hawley. "It is simply about bringing together the best of the best in our most creative enterprises." Hawley is well-calibrated to know. His technology career has included pioneering work in digital cinema at Lucasfilm, computer music at IRCAM in France, degrees from Yale and MIT, and leading research for more than a decade at the Media Lab where he became one of the world's most visible and active researchers and innovators. He also plays the piano (and won the Cliburn competition in 2002). This is the kind of event where speakers go to meet the audience, which includes presenters (and past "alums"), captains of industry. Folks like Matt Groening, Amy Tan, Jeff Bezos, John Markoff, Herbie Hancock, Steve Wozniak and HEROES creator Tim Kring all attend. The typical audience snapshot: roughly 40% President / "CxO" level execs; 30% are Founder/Director/Chairman/General Partner; 10% Professor/Dean/Educator. "And the rest? God knows. But everyone is exceptional," says Hawley. "Some are billionaires and some are rising stars. Some are national treasures and some are yet to be discovered."
As a long time TED attendee and previous eg participant, I can attest that both are exceptionally engaging, motivating, stirring, emotional, provocative, fun and relevant. TED has expanded in recent years, but eg in many ways recaptures TED's original freshness and intent. "Expansion is a cooling process. eg is still small, intimate, bubbly and it's in a cozy setting where you can probably meet everyone. In a conference, size does matter and eg strikes the right balance between critical mass and intimacy" Hawley commented in an interview with Jack Myers Media Business Report.
Hawley acknowledges the $4,000 fee may seem pricey, but in fact, it is considerably less than many other premium affairs. "We all hunger for inspiration and in business, you can't afford to be without a good idea. Life has to move forward: the future is for the bold. This is a conference of, and for, bold people. The people who come are among the most talented in their organizations. For them, attending eg is a serious commitment because they know it is a font of ideas and connections that will stick with them for years. You often forge new lifelong friendships. It's like panning for gold – new ideas and new people of this caliber simply do not surface from traditional markets and conferences."
The focus of eg is emphatically on the live event, advises Hawley. "The conference is limited to the capacity of the room. There is no overflow. There is no webcast. Seats are not refundable or transferable. You are either there, or you are not. To be part of a great event means breathing the same air, and more important, it means immersing yourself in moments that you will remember vividly for the rest of your lives. Last year, Jonathan Winters told his life story: the audience was laughing and crying at the same time. It was unforgettable. That kind of thing simply does not happen through a screen. A typical reaction from Jeff Hayzlett, the Chief Marketing Officer of Kodak: 'Damn, I wish my wife were here!' When was the last time you were part of an event that transcends industry and becomes something so humanly valuable, yet recharges all of your business batteries?"
Hawley adds "A lot of people have felt stuck this year --- wedged between global economic horrors and a paralyzing presidential campaign. One school of thought says that mass digital media swamps people with massive amounts of the same brain-constipating garbage, causing everyone to think the same stuff and talk about the same gossip --- it gums up the works, like a LaBrea tarpit of the mind. There's some truth to that, but at the same time, it also surfaces more solutions and good ideas than ever before. After a year of crippling, public handwringing, the world is simply starving for fresh ideas, great communicators, and inspiring people who slice through the nonsense." Without a doubt, eg brings the best and brightest thinkers, performers, inventors, executives and creators into an energetic, idea-driven environment.
Speakers at the December 11 to 13 event include: rock star Todd Rundgren, Oscar & Tony winner Marshall Brickman, MIT professor Nicholas Negroponte, New York Times columnists David Pogue and Mark Bittman, urban explorer Miru Kim, portrait photographer Dana Gluckstein, inventor Bran Ferren, game designer Scott Kim, MacArthur laureate dancer Jacques D'Amboise and many others. It is a staggeringly good lineup. Presentations are limited to 20-minutes each and must be original and never presented before.
For the current slate of speakers, visit www.the-eg.com/latest
and to register: visit www.the-eg.com
To communicate with or to be contacted by the executives and/or companies mentioned in this column, link to the JackMyers Connection Hotline.
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