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Saturday, February 6, 2010
Friday, February 5, 2010
interview: The Quietus.com >Todd Rundgren: A Wizard, A True Star Preview
http://thequietus.com/articles/03686-news-todd-rundgren-british-premiere-of-a-wizard-a-true-star-february-6-hmv-hammersmith-apollo
Todd Rundgren: A Wizard, A True Star Preview
The Quietus , February 5th, 2010 11:11
Dino Gollnick catches up with Todd Rundgren to talk about the UK premiere of his A Wizard, A True Star show
Tomorrow’s a very special day indeed – Todd Rundgren, one of the world’s finest and most underrated musicians, will premiere his seminal masterpiece A Wizard, A True Star to a UK audience in its entirety. The album that arguably forever destroyed Rundgren’s chances of mainstream success was light years ahead of the record buying public’s tastes in 1973 and initially sold poorly. Fast forward 37 years and Wizard’s intensely amusing and sometimes confusing mixture of totally out there tunes sits easily next to all time classics like Pet Sounds and The White Album, and continues to inspire legions of contemporaries from Hot Chip via Daft Punk to Simian Mobile Disco.
Prior to his London engagement, Rundgren’s been kind enough to answer some pressing questions...
What can we expect from the British premier of A Wizard, A True Star at the Hammersmith Apollo tomorrow?
Todd Rundgren: Well, actually the Hammersmith gig was supposed to be the world premiere as opposed to the British premiere. We’ve done the show, which is a theatricalisation rather than a note-perfect performance of the show, 11 times already in various cities in the US which works out to British fans’ benefit because we’re pretty confident in our ability to put it on now.
So did things go wrong initially?
TR: Oh, of course [laughs]! During our first seven shows there wasn’t a single night that went without any kinks - I remember the first night we got a little over-excited and swapped a couple of costume changes and I’m standing on the side of the stage ready to go on and suddenly realise I’m wearing the wrong thing. Fortunately the band is professional enough to vamp for the next two minutes so I can change into the costume I’m supposed to wear.
How did your US audiences generally react to the show?
TR: For me it’s a little hard to describe. I know that they’re paying attention to the music but there’s this other thing happening – many of them haven’t seen each other in decades and so it’s more than just a concert presentation, it takes on a quality of a reunion in a way.
Who’s in the band right now?
TR: We were fortunate enough to get Ralph Schuckett on keyboards; he played on the original album. We also have an incredible line-up of musicians on all of the other positions. The second keyboard player is Greg Hawkes, who of course was in The Cars. The reason why he fits in so well is that he actually owns a lot of the instruments that we used on the record, rare old synthesizers and things that would’ve been difficult to track down. But he just happens to have them and knows how to play them so he’s covered a lot of the textural stuff.
And then I’ve got my rhythm section, Prairie Prince on drums who originally played with The Tubes and nearly everyone else, and Kasim Sulton from Utopia. Jessie Gress is on guitar; he’s someone I’ve played with for probably 25 years now. And then we have our jack-of-all-trades, Bobby Strickland, who’s played with me during my big band revue era. He plays all the wind instruments and additional keyboards and sings and riles up the audience. He’s an incredible asset because I’m only on stage for half the show; for the other half I’m off-stage changing into another costume for the next song.
Who’s opening the show for you?
TR: The opening act will be me in some configuration or another. I’m my own opening act [laughs].
Why should anyone that doesn’t yet have a ticket for tomorrow's show rush out and get one?
TR: It’s probably too damn late now [laughs]. If you rush out tomorrow there won’t be a ticket. But maybe if you rush out in the next five minutes there will be a few left. Otherwise you’ll have to prepare for the next time we might possibly bring the show around.
Todd Rundgren: A Wizard, A True Star Preview
The Quietus , February 5th, 2010 11:11
Dino Gollnick catches up with Todd Rundgren to talk about the UK premiere of his A Wizard, A True Star show
Tomorrow’s a very special day indeed – Todd Rundgren, one of the world’s finest and most underrated musicians, will premiere his seminal masterpiece A Wizard, A True Star to a UK audience in its entirety. The album that arguably forever destroyed Rundgren’s chances of mainstream success was light years ahead of the record buying public’s tastes in 1973 and initially sold poorly. Fast forward 37 years and Wizard’s intensely amusing and sometimes confusing mixture of totally out there tunes sits easily next to all time classics like Pet Sounds and The White Album, and continues to inspire legions of contemporaries from Hot Chip via Daft Punk to Simian Mobile Disco.
Prior to his London engagement, Rundgren’s been kind enough to answer some pressing questions...
What can we expect from the British premier of A Wizard, A True Star at the Hammersmith Apollo tomorrow?
Todd Rundgren: Well, actually the Hammersmith gig was supposed to be the world premiere as opposed to the British premiere. We’ve done the show, which is a theatricalisation rather than a note-perfect performance of the show, 11 times already in various cities in the US which works out to British fans’ benefit because we’re pretty confident in our ability to put it on now.
So did things go wrong initially?
TR: Oh, of course [laughs]! During our first seven shows there wasn’t a single night that went without any kinks - I remember the first night we got a little over-excited and swapped a couple of costume changes and I’m standing on the side of the stage ready to go on and suddenly realise I’m wearing the wrong thing. Fortunately the band is professional enough to vamp for the next two minutes so I can change into the costume I’m supposed to wear.
How did your US audiences generally react to the show?
TR: For me it’s a little hard to describe. I know that they’re paying attention to the music but there’s this other thing happening – many of them haven’t seen each other in decades and so it’s more than just a concert presentation, it takes on a quality of a reunion in a way.
Who’s in the band right now?
TR: We were fortunate enough to get Ralph Schuckett on keyboards; he played on the original album. We also have an incredible line-up of musicians on all of the other positions. The second keyboard player is Greg Hawkes, who of course was in The Cars. The reason why he fits in so well is that he actually owns a lot of the instruments that we used on the record, rare old synthesizers and things that would’ve been difficult to track down. But he just happens to have them and knows how to play them so he’s covered a lot of the textural stuff.
And then I’ve got my rhythm section, Prairie Prince on drums who originally played with The Tubes and nearly everyone else, and Kasim Sulton from Utopia. Jessie Gress is on guitar; he’s someone I’ve played with for probably 25 years now. And then we have our jack-of-all-trades, Bobby Strickland, who’s played with me during my big band revue era. He plays all the wind instruments and additional keyboards and sings and riles up the audience. He’s an incredible asset because I’m only on stage for half the show; for the other half I’m off-stage changing into another costume for the next song.
Who’s opening the show for you?
TR: The opening act will be me in some configuration or another. I’m my own opening act [laughs].
Why should anyone that doesn’t yet have a ticket for tomorrow's show rush out and get one?
TR: It’s probably too damn late now [laughs]. If you rush out tomorrow there won’t be a ticket. But maybe if you rush out in the next five minutes there will be a few left. Otherwise you’ll have to prepare for the next time we might possibly bring the show around.
Interview: BBC Danny Baker show
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0065x8j/Danny_Baker_04_02_2010/
The radio genius with great guests, calls and music from the "Radio DJ of the Year". Broadcast on:BBC London, 3:00pm
Thursday 4th February 2010
Duration: 120 minutes
Available until: 5:02pm Thursday 11th February 2010
The radio genius with great guests, calls and music from the "Radio DJ of the Year". Broadcast on:BBC London, 3:00pm
Thursday 4th February 2010
Duration: 120 minutes
Available until: 5:02pm Thursday 11th February 2010
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
leaving on a jet plane
members of the AWATS band are taking a very early flight tomorrow morning to europe.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
listen to a mp 3 studio version of todd new song crossroad from Tr's Johnson album
http://blogger.xs4all.nl/werksman/archive/2010/02/02/538019.aspx
Here Comes The Flood proudly presents Crossroads, a track from the forthcoming new Todd Rundgen album Todd Rundgren's Johnson, reinterpretating the songs of legendary blues man Robert Johnson (1911-1938).
MP3: Todd Rundgren's Johnson - Crossroads
The world premiere of Todd Rundgren's Johnson was at the Palace of Fine Arts Theater, San Francisco, December 1, 2009. Rundgren played a 45 minute set of Robert Johnson songs, with Prairie Prince on drums, Jesse Gress on guitar, and Kasim Sulton on bass. It was the opener for a complete rendition of his A Wizard, A True Star album, Rundgren doing a Pink Floyd thing by playing two albums in full. It will be done again at the final (for now) AWATS shows in London (Feb 6) and Amsterdam (Feb 8).
Todd Rundgren's Johnson will be released later this year. Release date to be decided. He mentioned the album in an interview with The Examiner in November 2009:
I'm currently finishing up an album of Robert Johnson's songs. Delivering them to my label in about a week. Little difficult because everyone's covered him, so I'm trying to make sure my take isn't pedantic. I'm not a blues singer, I've done R&B. There's a difference. Blues is straight ahead. I do tend to move straight ahead, though, in the way that I work, and try not to run into a wall!
Tentative setlist for Todd Rundgen's Johnson:
Dust My Broom
Stop Breakin' Down
Walkin' Blues
Love in Vain
Sweet Home Chicago
(Hot Tamales) They're Red Hot
Come On in My Kitchen
Hellhound On My Trail
Traveling Riverside Blues
Crossroads
Video: Todd Rundgren - Crossroads
Video: Todd Rundgren - Hellhound On My Trail
Video: Todd Rundgren - Love in Vain
(live at the Orpheum Theater, Los Angeles, CA - 2009/12/04)
A Todd Rundgren's Johnson tour is currently planned. Confirmed dates:
04/02 Engelwood, NJ @ Bergen County PAC
04/03 Salisbury, MA @ Tupelo Music Hall
04/07 Newark, OH @ Midland Theater
04/09 Pittsburgh, PA @ Palace Theater
04/10 Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun - Wolf Den
04/11 Ridgefield, CT @ Ridgefield Playhouse
04/13 Alexandria, VA @ The Birchmere
04/14 Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Tavern
» todd-rundgren.com
» myspace.com/toddrundgrenmusic
» awatslive.com
Here Comes The Flood proudly presents Crossroads, a track from the forthcoming new Todd Rundgen album Todd Rundgren's Johnson, reinterpretating the songs of legendary blues man Robert Johnson (1911-1938).
MP3: Todd Rundgren's Johnson - Crossroads
The world premiere of Todd Rundgren's Johnson was at the Palace of Fine Arts Theater, San Francisco, December 1, 2009. Rundgren played a 45 minute set of Robert Johnson songs, with Prairie Prince on drums, Jesse Gress on guitar, and Kasim Sulton on bass. It was the opener for a complete rendition of his A Wizard, A True Star album, Rundgren doing a Pink Floyd thing by playing two albums in full. It will be done again at the final (for now) AWATS shows in London (Feb 6) and Amsterdam (Feb 8).
Todd Rundgren's Johnson will be released later this year. Release date to be decided. He mentioned the album in an interview with The Examiner in November 2009:
I'm currently finishing up an album of Robert Johnson's songs. Delivering them to my label in about a week. Little difficult because everyone's covered him, so I'm trying to make sure my take isn't pedantic. I'm not a blues singer, I've done R&B. There's a difference. Blues is straight ahead. I do tend to move straight ahead, though, in the way that I work, and try not to run into a wall!
Tentative setlist for Todd Rundgen's Johnson:
Dust My Broom
Stop Breakin' Down
Walkin' Blues
Love in Vain
Sweet Home Chicago
(Hot Tamales) They're Red Hot
Come On in My Kitchen
Hellhound On My Trail
Traveling Riverside Blues
Crossroads
Video: Todd Rundgren - Crossroads
Video: Todd Rundgren - Hellhound On My Trail
Video: Todd Rundgren - Love in Vain
(live at the Orpheum Theater, Los Angeles, CA - 2009/12/04)
A Todd Rundgren's Johnson tour is currently planned. Confirmed dates:
04/02 Engelwood, NJ @ Bergen County PAC
04/03 Salisbury, MA @ Tupelo Music Hall
04/07 Newark, OH @ Midland Theater
04/09 Pittsburgh, PA @ Palace Theater
04/10 Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun - Wolf Den
04/11 Ridgefield, CT @ Ridgefield Playhouse
04/13 Alexandria, VA @ The Birchmere
04/14 Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Tavern
» todd-rundgren.com
» myspace.com/toddrundgrenmusic
» awatslive.com
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