The "almost" official blog for everything Todd Rundgren Related........................................................................................................................................................................... Please visit the sister facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Ma4utopia?ref=hl
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Video: MyRecordFantasy Camp Love in Action & Lysistrata
This is a jam session with a group a campers from the "MyRecordFantasy Camp with Todd Rundgren" which took place at the TrackShack Studios in Sacramento, CA. (Jan 17-19, 2011)
There was no rehearsal in advance. This is what happens when you bring together a great group of devoted fans and musicians!
There was no rehearsal in advance. This is what happens when you bring together a great group of devoted fans and musicians!
Friday, January 21, 2011
Video: "Rain" Encore from record fantasy week
Encore! Todd Rundgren & Happy Campers @ Strikes Entertainment Center - Coaches! Featuring Mickey Thomas, David Johanssen & Prairie Prince.
Video: Todd Rundgren - myRecord Fantasy - The Track Shack
Here's a glimpse of the opening and closing days of Todd Rundgren's myRecord Fantasy event, sponsored by Gigatone Entertainment LLC, held January 17-19, 2011, at The Track Shack Studios in Sacramento, California.
In addition to myRecord Fantasy 'campers,' artists also participating in the three-day event included, Todd Rundgren, Kasim Sulton, Jesse Gress, Prairie Prince, Brent Bourgeois , Larry Tagg, Mickey Thomas, David Johansen, Jeff Tamelier, Bobby Vega, Phil Bennett, and Ealliot Easton.
In addition to myRecord Fantasy 'campers,' artists also participating in the three-day event included, Todd Rundgren, Kasim Sulton, Jesse Gress, Prairie Prince, Brent Bourgeois , Larry Tagg, Mickey Thomas, David Johansen, Jeff Tamelier, Bobby Vega, Phil Bennett, and Ealliot Easton.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Article: Why Todd Rundgren is not more Famous
http://www.suite101.com/content/why-todd-rundgren-is-not-more-famous-a335309
Why Todd Rundgren is not more Famous
Jan 20, 2011 John Marsh
Todd Rundgren possesses a solid status as a songwriter and a producer but in spite of his great talent commercial success and fame have eluded him.
An ability to write and produce great pop songs is not enough to confer fame on a recording artist. Over a career spanning forty years or more Rundgren has consistently demonstrated that he possesses talent as well as application but a combination of circumstances have prevented him from becoming a household name. This is not to say that Rundgren is not famous. He can still sell out concerts and he is held in great respect by the musical cognoscenti but he remains one of those artists for whom musical integrity has not translated into album sales.
The Young Tyro on the Brink of Fame
Born in Philadelphia in 1948 the young Todd Rundgren was a great fan of the British pop invasion of the 1960s and idolised bands such as the Yardbirds and the Who. He joined his first band, Money, in 1965, and enjoyed some measure of fame as a member of the band called Nazz who produced three albums between 1967 and 1969. Band rivalries emerged as it became apparent that Rundgren's creativity could not be confined within a team format and he left to produce his first solo album Runt in 1970. A companion album Runt: The Ballad of Todd Rundgren appeared the following year (1971). It was these albums that established Rundgren's growing reputation as the 'pop wunderkind`. He possessed a McCartneyesque ability to handle all the production and arrangements as well as playing most of the instruments and multi-tracking his voice. Songs from this period such as 'Believe in Me` and 'Wailing Wall` are beautifully crafted pieces of pop magic that merited the wider audience of an Elton John but lacking good management and a reluctance to promote himself Rundgren threw himself further into his work.
Commercial fame was proving elusive but Rundgren enjoyed considerable critical acclaim and respect from his musical peers and he was one of the first artists signed up to a new record company, Bearsville, whose proprietor, Albert Grossman, was such a fan that he indulged Rundgren in the studio. The result of this indulgence were the two classic albums of 1972 and 1973 Something/Anything and A Wizard, a True Star . It is these two albums containing chart-friendly classics such as 'I Saw the Light` and 'Hello it's Me` as well as the anthemic 'Just One Victory that should have propelled Rundgren to fame and fortune but these albums reveal the other side of his creativity. Alongside the pop classics there were for the average punter bewildering departures into broadway musicals, heavy rock guitar solos and songs that seemed half-finished. This apparent perversity made it difficult to market Rundgren. He was more of an artist to admire rather than a seller of products. On Todd (1974) these traits were amplified still further including nods toward Gilbert and Sullivan on 'The Lord High Executioner's Song` so that even his erstwhile fans began to have doubts. Rundgren's increasingly bizarre appearance and his alleged drug intake suggested that he might be heading for commercial suicide. Although Todd did boast one bona fide Rundgren ballad classic in the form of 'A Dream goes on Forever` there was a feeling that he was losing his talent for songwriting. However rather like Prince in more recent years Rundgren's mastery of the recording studio and his early adoption of computer technology had made put him in demand as a record producer and it is this parallel career that has helped to secure Rundgren a degree of fame in rock's annals.
Credibility and Status without the Fame
Rundgren's technical expertise was brought to the notice of The Band then enjoying considerable success and the twenty-two year old was drafted in to produce their third studio album 'Stagefright` (1970). His success with this project led to regular studio work with a variety of high profile acts including, The New York Dolls, Badfinger, Hall and Oates, Patti Smith, XTC, Cheap Trick and the Psychedelic Furs. Probably his most famous engineering role was for the mega-selling 'Bat Out of Hell` for Meatloaf. The scale and scope of this album suited the excessive Rundgren style.
Whilst enhancing his credibility and status as a studio engineer Todd Rundgren's recording career was beginning to lose focus. All his energy was directed towards his band 'Utopia` who, in an age when punk rock, in the UK at least, was carrying all before it, dedicated themselves to prog-rock. Impressive and elaborate stage sets guaranteed a spectacle for their audiences but record sales began to slow. Albums such as 'Initiation`(1975) proved too difficult for some although 'Oops Wrong Planet`(1977) did contain another exquisite Rundgren anthem 'Love is the Answer`. 'The Hermit of Mink Hollow`(1978) represented an attempt to return to the more commercial sound of the 'Runt` era and 'Can We Still Be Friends?` from the album was a minor hit. A series of albums in the early 80s failed to set the musical world alight and it was only Rundgren's least favourite album 'The Ever Tortured Artist Effect` (1982) with its novelty hit single 'Bang the Drum All Day` that kept his profile alive. His band 'Utopia` retained their cult following largely as a result of their stage shows and for Rundgren the lack of fame did not seem to matter a jot.
The Famous Elder Statesman
From the mid-80s to the present time Rundgren has largely eschewed traditional recording formats. Always innovative he was an early adopter of video technology and one of the first artists to offer music direct to subscribers via a website. He continues to perform live and much interest was generated in 2009/10 when he toured with a performance of 'A Wizard, a True Star` album in its entirety. The making of the album itself forms the subject of a recent book by Paul Myers. For those new to Rundgren's music a good place to start would be the 1999 compilation for Essential Records entitled characteristically 'Go Ahead, Ignore Me`. This double CD confirms Rundgren's musical brilliance.
Rundgren has been described as 'a musical scientist in the studio` and he combines this with perceptive and witty lyrics. This pioneer of multi-media productions and interactive music certainly deserves to be more famous but this icon of innovation has always possed the capacity to sow the seeds of his own destruction as the Billy James book confirms. His very diversity makes him frustrating for the marketing men. The singles from the albums fail to offer an accurate of what the remainder of the album sounds like thus severely curtailing his mass appeal. Reluctant to explain himself to his audiences he maintains his creative flow by never repeating himself and whenever fame has started to threaten his instinct is to run away. If you have ever loved the music of Brian Wilson or 10CC you would love the multiple harmonies of Todd Rundgren's work. Hell the guy is even good at Philly soul but don't expect easy listening.
Read more at Suite101: Why Todd Rundgren is not more Famous http://www.suite101.com/content/why-todd-rundgren-is-not-more-famous-a335309#ixzz1BcVkDvD7
Why Todd Rundgren is not more Famous
Jan 20, 2011 John Marsh
Todd Rundgren possesses a solid status as a songwriter and a producer but in spite of his great talent commercial success and fame have eluded him.
An ability to write and produce great pop songs is not enough to confer fame on a recording artist. Over a career spanning forty years or more Rundgren has consistently demonstrated that he possesses talent as well as application but a combination of circumstances have prevented him from becoming a household name. This is not to say that Rundgren is not famous. He can still sell out concerts and he is held in great respect by the musical cognoscenti but he remains one of those artists for whom musical integrity has not translated into album sales.
The Young Tyro on the Brink of Fame
Born in Philadelphia in 1948 the young Todd Rundgren was a great fan of the British pop invasion of the 1960s and idolised bands such as the Yardbirds and the Who. He joined his first band, Money, in 1965, and enjoyed some measure of fame as a member of the band called Nazz who produced three albums between 1967 and 1969. Band rivalries emerged as it became apparent that Rundgren's creativity could not be confined within a team format and he left to produce his first solo album Runt in 1970. A companion album Runt: The Ballad of Todd Rundgren appeared the following year (1971). It was these albums that established Rundgren's growing reputation as the 'pop wunderkind`. He possessed a McCartneyesque ability to handle all the production and arrangements as well as playing most of the instruments and multi-tracking his voice. Songs from this period such as 'Believe in Me` and 'Wailing Wall` are beautifully crafted pieces of pop magic that merited the wider audience of an Elton John but lacking good management and a reluctance to promote himself Rundgren threw himself further into his work.
Commercial fame was proving elusive but Rundgren enjoyed considerable critical acclaim and respect from his musical peers and he was one of the first artists signed up to a new record company, Bearsville, whose proprietor, Albert Grossman, was such a fan that he indulged Rundgren in the studio. The result of this indulgence were the two classic albums of 1972 and 1973 Something/Anything and A Wizard, a True Star . It is these two albums containing chart-friendly classics such as 'I Saw the Light` and 'Hello it's Me` as well as the anthemic 'Just One Victory that should have propelled Rundgren to fame and fortune but these albums reveal the other side of his creativity. Alongside the pop classics there were for the average punter bewildering departures into broadway musicals, heavy rock guitar solos and songs that seemed half-finished. This apparent perversity made it difficult to market Rundgren. He was more of an artist to admire rather than a seller of products. On Todd (1974) these traits were amplified still further including nods toward Gilbert and Sullivan on 'The Lord High Executioner's Song` so that even his erstwhile fans began to have doubts. Rundgren's increasingly bizarre appearance and his alleged drug intake suggested that he might be heading for commercial suicide. Although Todd did boast one bona fide Rundgren ballad classic in the form of 'A Dream goes on Forever` there was a feeling that he was losing his talent for songwriting. However rather like Prince in more recent years Rundgren's mastery of the recording studio and his early adoption of computer technology had made put him in demand as a record producer and it is this parallel career that has helped to secure Rundgren a degree of fame in rock's annals.
Credibility and Status without the Fame
Rundgren's technical expertise was brought to the notice of The Band then enjoying considerable success and the twenty-two year old was drafted in to produce their third studio album 'Stagefright` (1970). His success with this project led to regular studio work with a variety of high profile acts including, The New York Dolls, Badfinger, Hall and Oates, Patti Smith, XTC, Cheap Trick and the Psychedelic Furs. Probably his most famous engineering role was for the mega-selling 'Bat Out of Hell` for Meatloaf. The scale and scope of this album suited the excessive Rundgren style.
Whilst enhancing his credibility and status as a studio engineer Todd Rundgren's recording career was beginning to lose focus. All his energy was directed towards his band 'Utopia` who, in an age when punk rock, in the UK at least, was carrying all before it, dedicated themselves to prog-rock. Impressive and elaborate stage sets guaranteed a spectacle for their audiences but record sales began to slow. Albums such as 'Initiation`(1975) proved too difficult for some although 'Oops Wrong Planet`(1977) did contain another exquisite Rundgren anthem 'Love is the Answer`. 'The Hermit of Mink Hollow`(1978) represented an attempt to return to the more commercial sound of the 'Runt` era and 'Can We Still Be Friends?` from the album was a minor hit. A series of albums in the early 80s failed to set the musical world alight and it was only Rundgren's least favourite album 'The Ever Tortured Artist Effect` (1982) with its novelty hit single 'Bang the Drum All Day` that kept his profile alive. His band 'Utopia` retained their cult following largely as a result of their stage shows and for Rundgren the lack of fame did not seem to matter a jot.
The Famous Elder Statesman
From the mid-80s to the present time Rundgren has largely eschewed traditional recording formats. Always innovative he was an early adopter of video technology and one of the first artists to offer music direct to subscribers via a website. He continues to perform live and much interest was generated in 2009/10 when he toured with a performance of 'A Wizard, a True Star` album in its entirety. The making of the album itself forms the subject of a recent book by Paul Myers. For those new to Rundgren's music a good place to start would be the 1999 compilation for Essential Records entitled characteristically 'Go Ahead, Ignore Me`. This double CD confirms Rundgren's musical brilliance.
Rundgren has been described as 'a musical scientist in the studio` and he combines this with perceptive and witty lyrics. This pioneer of multi-media productions and interactive music certainly deserves to be more famous but this icon of innovation has always possed the capacity to sow the seeds of his own destruction as the Billy James book confirms. His very diversity makes him frustrating for the marketing men. The singles from the albums fail to offer an accurate of what the remainder of the album sounds like thus severely curtailing his mass appeal. Reluctant to explain himself to his audiences he maintains his creative flow by never repeating himself and whenever fame has started to threaten his instinct is to run away. If you have ever loved the music of Brian Wilson or 10CC you would love the multiple harmonies of Todd Rundgren's work. Hell the guy is even good at Philly soul but don't expect easy listening.
Read more at Suite101: Why Todd Rundgren is not more Famous http://www.suite101.com/content/why-todd-rundgren-is-not-more-famous-a335309#ixzz1BcVkDvD7
Group Hotel rates for upcoming Todd Healing tour
Group rate rooms for the Todd/Healing tour are limited so don't procrastinate if you want to take advantage of our deals.
Hartford, CT
Free internet is included for our group and rooms are refundable up until the day of arrival. You can beat this price right now at hotels.com but it's non-refundable and no free internet. They have limited rooms too so if you want one from them you need to snag it pretty quickly. The Priceline and Hilton sites have rooms at $179 and up. If you want to book through us:
Our rate is under the group name "Rundgren Radio": $129 + tax
Hilton Hartford, 315 Trumball Street, Hartford CT 06103, 860-728-5151
Toledo, OH
Hotel group rate under the name "TRR"or "Rundgren Radio": $85 + tax. Hotels.com's and Hitlon.com's best deal for this hotel is $107.
Hilton Toledo & Dana Conference Center
3100 Glendale Ave. Toledo, OH 43614
Hotel Main #419-381-6800
We are working on securing hotels for the other cities for all you travelers. We'll send that information out once it's available and you can stay updated at SonsOf1984.com.
Pricing for these shows will typically be from $25 to $95. The two smaller venues, Hartford and Columbus shows, will likely start at $55 and the pit seats may be over $100 because they are extremely scarce. We have to price the smaller venues a bit higher because we are limited on how many tickets we can sell. We are aware these prices exceed normal Todd gig prices in some cases but they are also less in some cases such as the $25 seats. These shows are an extremely expensive production compared to plug-n-play type shows like Todd Rundgren's Johnson. For the travelers, our group rates typically save you $20 or more a night which should help offset the higher ticket prices.
We are working on ticket sales dates and will announce those as soon as we can. It looks like the Red Bank, NJ show will go on sale next week and maybe Toledo as well. You will get an e-mail once those dates and times are set in stone.
Please help spread the word about the Todd/Healing tour! The success or failure of this tour will have major implications for the future. We want Todd and the band to see packed houses when the curtain goes up!
See you on the road to Utopia,
Doug & Cruisermel
RundgrenRadio.com
Hartford, CT
Free internet is included for our group and rooms are refundable up until the day of arrival. You can beat this price right now at hotels.com but it's non-refundable and no free internet. They have limited rooms too so if you want one from them you need to snag it pretty quickly. The Priceline and Hilton sites have rooms at $179 and up. If you want to book through us:
Our rate is under the group name "Rundgren Radio": $129 + tax
Hilton Hartford, 315 Trumball Street, Hartford CT 06103, 860-728-5151
Toledo, OH
Hotel group rate under the name "TRR"or "Rundgren Radio": $85 + tax. Hotels.com's and Hitlon.com's best deal for this hotel is $107.
Hilton Toledo & Dana Conference Center
3100 Glendale Ave. Toledo, OH 43614
Hotel Main #419-381-6800
We are working on securing hotels for the other cities for all you travelers. We'll send that information out once it's available and you can stay updated at SonsOf1984.com.
Pricing for these shows will typically be from $25 to $95. The two smaller venues, Hartford and Columbus shows, will likely start at $55 and the pit seats may be over $100 because they are extremely scarce. We have to price the smaller venues a bit higher because we are limited on how many tickets we can sell. We are aware these prices exceed normal Todd gig prices in some cases but they are also less in some cases such as the $25 seats. These shows are an extremely expensive production compared to plug-n-play type shows like Todd Rundgren's Johnson. For the travelers, our group rates typically save you $20 or more a night which should help offset the higher ticket prices.
We are working on ticket sales dates and will announce those as soon as we can. It looks like the Red Bank, NJ show will go on sale next week and maybe Toledo as well. You will get an e-mail once those dates and times are set in stone.
Please help spread the word about the Todd/Healing tour! The success or failure of this tour will have major implications for the future. We want Todd and the band to see packed houses when the curtain goes up!
See you on the road to Utopia,
Doug & Cruisermel
RundgrenRadio.com
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Photos : Rock Fantasy Camp
click on images to enlarge
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/18/3333766/todd-rundgren-and-fans.html?mi_rss=Photo%20Galleries
photos by Renee C Byer
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/18/3333766/todd-rundgren-and-fans.html?mi_rss=Photo%20Galleries
photos by Renee C Byer
Rock Fantasy news: Rock n roll get real
Rock 'n' roll dreams get real
By Carla Meyer
cmeyer@sacbee.com
Published: Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2011 -
Rock 'n' roll dreams never die. They just get more expensive.
At Sacramento's myRecordFantasy camp, which started Monday, rock fans can jam with, audition for and potentially make a record with Todd Rundgren, the "Hello It's Me" singer and record producer. The price of the three-day event is $5,000.
"It is not a trivial amount of money," said Joan Carlson, 50, a camper and singer from Sausalito. "It is (equivalent to) a good trip to Italy."
Rather than lounge in a Tuscan villa, the 30 myRecordFantasy campers – from Northern California, Chicago, Dallas, Brazil and elsewhere – pound on drums, noodle on guitar and shoot the breeze with Rundgren at the deluxe Track Shack Studios off Arden Way.
The building itself fulfills rock 'n' roll fantasies, with its open bar and walls lined with memorabilia including the red neon "Tower" sign from the former Watt Avenue store.
"I tried to resist, but finally, my inner child screeched, 'I want to do this!' " Carlson, owner of a design firm, said of signing up for the camp.
Now in its third session – previous events focused on the Monkees' Micky Dolenz and Starship's Mickey Thomas – myRecordFantasy is the brainchild of Mitch Koulouris, 50, a longtime Tower Records employee turned digital-music entrepreneur.
Koulouris' current venture, Gigatone Entertainment, puts on myRecordFantasy camp, produces records and a Web series related to the camp – and taps the significant market of baby boomers who were teenagers when first captivated by Rundgren's or Dolenz's music.
The same kids who learned to play guitar by listening to Rundgren's records in their bedrooms now play alongside him in a state-of-the-art studio.
The camp "brings back a moment in time in people's lives, regardless of their age – from a prom, a wedding or a (particular) summer – associated with a particular artist," Koulouris said. "If you fast-forward, we are all a bit older and working in our daily lives, and to be on a record with someone associated with fond memories of the past – it is an awesome thing."
Most campers are boomers
Wannabe rock stars at the Rundgren event include 31-year-old camper Daniel Iasbeck, a guitar whiz on his first trip abroad from his native Sao Paulo, Brazil. But the majority of campers are boomers in their late 40s and their 50s who bring disposable income along with an unwavering interest in rock 'n' roll.
"Boomers have held onto things that once were considered youth-oriented for longer," said Mark Beach, a spokesman for the AARP. "This is the first generation in which the parents and kids like the same music – the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix."
"You are talking about rock 'n' roll, and by definition, a lot of us made a conscious decision never to grow up," said Bruce Whetstone, 58, of San Francisco, who has a very grown-up job as vice president of IT operations for the Sephora cosmetics chain. "And that other piece of it is 'Hey, look at Mick Jagger.' As long as you can do it, and do it well … "
Whetstone, who played bass in rock bands in his teens and 20s, long ago decided to focus on his straight job. But he always tried to keep up on his instrument, which he brought along for his audition with Rundgren.
The rock camp encourages participants to audition but also welcomes fans who mostly want to observe.
David Mobley, 57, came to Sacramento from his home in the Dallas-Fort Worth area "just to take it all in," he said, after pouring himself a glass of red wine in the Track Shack's kitchen.
It was 10 a.m. in Sacramento, but noon in Texas and 5 o'clock somewhere. Moreover it was rock 'n' roll.
Mobley wanted a few days away from the responsibility of running the company he started with his wife, Cheryl – Wonder Wafers International, maker of those auto air fresheners that are placed under seats at carwashes.
Mobley said music always has been his "getaway."
Camper skill level high
A gigging musician in his youth, he turned producer after hearing the innovative "ear candy" of Rundgren's "Hello It's Me," and "I Saw the Light," he said. He hoped to join Rundgren behind the mixing board during the camp.
Rock fans' maturation from '70s teenagers to corporate bigwigs, along with veteran artists' reliance on older fans to stay relevant, has narrowed the gap between star and audience, with bands frequently playing corporate gigs or inviting fans to special meet-and-greet events. The modern record industry, weakened by the Internet and therefore less likely to offer contracts to older artists, leveled things further.
"It is hard enough to get a record deal, let alone a good budget" for a project, said Rundgren, 62, after downing a quick sandwich in between Monday's auditions. Rundgren said he viewed the camp as another chance to interact with fans, and also a legitimate recording opportunity.
He was surprised and pleased by the campers' skill level, he said.
"I just wish more people sucked, so it could make the selection process easier," he said with a laugh.
Rundgren threw the campers a curve Monday by announcing that the songs they'd record on the Gigatone album – remakes of hits he produced for other artists such as the Psychedelic Furs' "Love My Way" and Meat Loaf's "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad" – would be set to a dance beat to reflect contemporary radio.
"I probably put in a solid 40 hard hours practicing (the original versions), and that isn't going to help me at all," said Whetstone, visibly tense before entering the studio to perform the Tubes' "Prime Time" with Rundgren and his band, which includes the actual former Tubes drummer Prairie Prince.
Once in the studio, Whetstone handled the bass line to "Prime Time" as deftly as he would a network slowdown at Sephora's stores.
"I admire someone who can play with calm confidence," Rundgren said.
Whetstone made the cut to play on the album, and on Monday night jammed with Rundgren and company at Pearl on the River in one of the three evening shows put on during the camp. (Tonight's Rundgren show at Rocklin's Strikes Entertainment Center is open to the public).
Joining Rundgren and Whetstone at Pearl on the River, on tambourine, was Mobley, the Texan. It was only the camp's first day, but Mobley already had met his goal of hanging with Rundgren – and then some.
He had dinner at Pearl on the River with Rundgren and Brent Bourgeois, the Sacramento musician from the group Bourgeois Tagg, once produced by Rundgren. Bourgeois also jammed with the band Monday night.
"We talked the whole time like we had known each other forever," Mobley said.
3 Exciting "New" Items To Be Released on 1/31/11 Oblivion CD/DVD...POV CD W/Bonus....Redux '92: Live In Japan cd /dvd
go to http://www.trbazaar.com/ to preorder
The album oblivion saw Todd Rundgren, Kasim Sulton, Roger Powell & Willie Wilcox strike out on their own, funding the recording themselves and in the process producing an album of startling originality. Featuring such classic tracks as Itch In My Brain, Cry Baby, Love With A Thinker And Winston Smith Takes It On The Jaw,Oblivion Was One Of Utopia’s Finest Later Albums.
The concert video Live At The Royal Oak was shot in Detroit towards the end of utopia’s tenure with Bearsville records and saw the band in fine form. The DVD includes superb renditions of Utopia classics such as One World, Caravan, Love In Action And Lysistrada.
In this set the DVD element is completed by the inclusion of the 1983 promotional video for the single release of Cry Baby from the album Oblivion.
Itch In My Brain / Love With A Thinker / Bring Me My Longbow / Ifididnttry / Too Much Water / Maybe I Could Change / Cry Baby / Welcome To My Revolution / Winston Smith Takes It On The Jaw / I Will Wait
Pov was the final studio album by Todd Rundgren, Kasim Sulton, Roger Powell & Willie Wilcox. Following on the heels of Oblivion, the album retained the usual qurikyness & musical excellence associated with Utopia. Featuring classics such as Zen Machine, Mystified and Play This Game, this new edition includes three bonus tracks taken from a rare single b-side and two songs recorded in 1986 for the utopia compilation trivia. The reissue also includes an essay with an exclusive interview with Todd Rundgren.
Play This Game / Style / Stand For Something / Secret Society / Zen Machine / Mated / Wildlife / Mimi Gets Mad / Mystified / More Light / Bonus Tracks : Man Of Action / Fix Your Gaze / Monument
Following the release of the album Pov in 1985, Todd Rundgren, Kasim Sulton, Roger Powell and Willie Wilcox disbanded Utopia. Seven years later the group were coaxed out of mothballs to undertake a tour of Japan, during which the band recorded a live album at a concert in Tokyo on 10th may 1992. The concert was also captured by a video crew resulting in a live DVD release which accompanied the live album the following year. Despite a seven year hiatus, Utopia was in fine form.
The album and DVD include fine renditions of classics such as the Ikon, Swing To The Right, Love In Action, Hiroshima, Caravan, One World, Fix Your Gaze and The Last Of The New Wave Riders.
Fix Your Gaze / Zen Machine / Trapped / Princess Of The Universe / Abandon City / Hammer In My Heart / Swing To The Right / The Ikon / Hiroshima / Back On The Street / Only Human / Love In Action / Caravan / Last Of The New Wave Riders / One World / Love Is The Answer
Behind The Scenes / Fix Your Gaze / Princess Of The Universe / Hammer In My Heart / Back On The Street / Hiroshima / Love In Action / Caravan / Last Of The New Wave Riders / One World / Love Is The Answer / Just One Victory
The album oblivion saw Todd Rundgren, Kasim Sulton, Roger Powell & Willie Wilcox strike out on their own, funding the recording themselves and in the process producing an album of startling originality. Featuring such classic tracks as Itch In My Brain, Cry Baby, Love With A Thinker And Winston Smith Takes It On The Jaw,Oblivion Was One Of Utopia’s Finest Later Albums.
The concert video Live At The Royal Oak was shot in Detroit towards the end of utopia’s tenure with Bearsville records and saw the band in fine form. The DVD includes superb renditions of Utopia classics such as One World, Caravan, Love In Action And Lysistrada.
In this set the DVD element is completed by the inclusion of the 1983 promotional video for the single release of Cry Baby from the album Oblivion.
Itch In My Brain / Love With A Thinker / Bring Me My Longbow / Ifididnttry / Too Much Water / Maybe I Could Change / Cry Baby / Welcome To My Revolution / Winston Smith Takes It On The Jaw / I Will Wait
Pov was the final studio album by Todd Rundgren, Kasim Sulton, Roger Powell & Willie Wilcox. Following on the heels of Oblivion, the album retained the usual qurikyness & musical excellence associated with Utopia. Featuring classics such as Zen Machine, Mystified and Play This Game, this new edition includes three bonus tracks taken from a rare single b-side and two songs recorded in 1986 for the utopia compilation trivia. The reissue also includes an essay with an exclusive interview with Todd Rundgren.
Play This Game / Style / Stand For Something / Secret Society / Zen Machine / Mated / Wildlife / Mimi Gets Mad / Mystified / More Light / Bonus Tracks : Man Of Action / Fix Your Gaze / Monument
Following the release of the album Pov in 1985, Todd Rundgren, Kasim Sulton, Roger Powell and Willie Wilcox disbanded Utopia. Seven years later the group were coaxed out of mothballs to undertake a tour of Japan, during which the band recorded a live album at a concert in Tokyo on 10th may 1992. The concert was also captured by a video crew resulting in a live DVD release which accompanied the live album the following year. Despite a seven year hiatus, Utopia was in fine form.
The album and DVD include fine renditions of classics such as the Ikon, Swing To The Right, Love In Action, Hiroshima, Caravan, One World, Fix Your Gaze and The Last Of The New Wave Riders.
Fix Your Gaze / Zen Machine / Trapped / Princess Of The Universe / Abandon City / Hammer In My Heart / Swing To The Right / The Ikon / Hiroshima / Back On The Street / Only Human / Love In Action / Caravan / Last Of The New Wave Riders / One World / Love Is The Answer
Behind The Scenes / Fix Your Gaze / Princess Of The Universe / Hammer In My Heart / Back On The Street / Hiroshima / Love In Action / Caravan / Last Of The New Wave Riders / One World / Love Is The Answer / Just One Victory
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
RundgrenRadio tonight ... record fantasy guests
RundgrenRadio.com airs TONIGHT, Tuesday 1/18/2011, at 8:30pm ET with exclusive interviews from My Record Fantasy campers and some music from there too!
highline ballrom releases a few tix for 1/29 and 1/30 show NYC
go to the venue site if you need tix. hurry up !!!
Article: In Praise of Todd Rundgren: Pioneer, Pop Star, Fabulously Weird
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=74039
By Something Else Reviews
Perhaps Todd Rungren's own restive muse—he's dabbled in every major rock subgenre over the past four decades—simply makes him too difficult to categorize. Maybe Rundgren never stuck with one thing long enough. Somehow, this pop music maverick hasn't consistently found the wider fame he so richly deserves. At least outside of our crowded listening stations at the SER Towers. We love us some Rundgren. Let's count the ways ...
“WE GOTTA GET YOU A WOMAN" (RUST, 1970)
The light blue Bearsville label read “We Gotta Get You Woman" on Side A with the word RUNT below it. It's funny the details you can recall on a single from forty years ago and I couldn't even tell you what I ate for breakfast yesterday. But even more memorable was the music that poured out when I cued it up on my cheap plastic portable record player.
At the time I thought the song was pretty catchy and soulful, and the melody seemed to keep shifting gears but in a reasonably sensible way. I played it a good number of times; it was a little bit similar to the Beatles to me.
Today, I know a lot more about it: the song was by Todd Rundgren who began his solo career then under the name “Runt," which was just him and a rhythm section who both called Soupy Sales “Dad." It also took a while before I noticed the connection to the Fifth Dimension, Three Dog Night and Blood Sweat & Tears songs I was listening to at around the same time: Rundgren had constructed this piano based tune like a Laura Nyro song (the B side “Baby Let's Swing" even called Laura by name, and is nearly as good as the A side).
A straightforward tale about the narrator coaxing his buddy to remedy his blues by scoring some tail, Rundgren already had much of the pieces in place that led to his Something/Anything? breakout album a couple of years later, and yet “Woman" still reached the top 20 on the Hot 100 chart. It never attained the staying power of “Hello It's Me" or “I Saw The Light," though, as you don't hear this song on classic rock radio stations like those two hits from Something/Anything?. Maybe in a way, that's not so bad; hearing it infrequently keeps it fresh every time I listen to it and I'm immediately taken back to sitting on the floor next to my little plastic record player with the light blue label 45 spinning around it.
“HELLO IT'S ME," SOMETHING/ANYTHING? (1972)
By Nick DeRiso
It's tempting to think of this as a time before Todd Rundgren got all weird. After all, “Hello It's Me" was one of a string of AM radio staples—beginning with “I Saw The Light" and continuing with “Couldn't I Just Tell You"—that made the U.S. Top 100 over the course of 1972. In fact, “Hello It's Me," the first song Rundgren ever wrote, went all the way to No. 5. Anyone who bought the album (a four-sided explosion of ideas from a guy who's rightly been called an insanely gifted obsessive) looking for more of the same—like, er, me—was in for a hefty surprise.
“Hello It's Me," with its pull-you-in opening stanza, comfy McCartney-esque ambiance, and soaring chorus, simply sets the stage for a record where Rundgren starts furiously shoving the boundaries of music making. Turns out, he was always weird. Fabulously weird. “Hello" was actually tucked into a fourth-side mock pop operetta reportedly done live with whomever happened to be in the studio. The song right before it? “Piss Aaron." Right after it? “Some Folks Is Even Whiter Than Me." The album ends with a delicately shaded lament over contracting VD.
Side one had been called “A Bouquet of Ear-Catching Melodies," and appropriately included as its opening track the Carole King-inspired “I Saw The Light." Side two: “The Cerebral Side," with some of Rundgren's initial forays into fusion and progressive rock. Side three: “The Kid Gets Heavy," with “Couldn't I Just Tell You," as well as grittier fare that recalls Jimi Hendrix and Carlos Santana.
Leaven this swirling blizzard of musical invention with as many hit songs as you like, and Something/Anything? still blows the top of your (er, my) head off. Even “Hello It's Me" offers more than its first-blush Fab Four pretentions. I hear Philly soul, jazz organist Jimmy Smith and, of course, his now-obscure predecessor group called the Nazz, too—since they did the original (very dirgey) version.
The truth is, Rundgren arrived fully formed for a career that would move into every permutation of art rock, into techno with his early-1990s TR-i offerings and even new-wave redux with a 2000s-era version of the Cars. Along the way, he also became an in-demand engineer and producer, working across a similarly intriguing landscape—from The Band's Stage Fright to Hall and Oates' War Babies to XTC's Skylarking, among many others.
“Hello It's Me," a timeless piece of throwback power-pop, might just be the perfect introduction. It was for me.
“LOVE IN ACTION" (BACK TO THE BARS, 1978)
By Mark Saleski
Here's the order of my Todd Rundgren purchases: Back To The Bars, The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect, Arena, Something/Anything?. Weird, I know. There are some artists I've ignored over the years and Rundgren is one of them. (For some reason, David Bowie is on that list too.) In fact, I only bought Something/Anything? about a year ago, after reading Bebe Buell's memoir Rebel Heart. I had sort of forgotten what a huge figure Rundgren was (and still is) in the rock world.
Buell (note: I saw Bebe Buell play a show at the University of Maine way back in the early 1980's. Bebe Buell & the B-Sides was the opening act, followed by Syl Sylvain & the Teardrops, both of whom were in support of the legendary Bill Chinnock) reminded me that maybe I needed to start filling in the holes in my Rundgren collection.
So yes, I've owned Back To The Bars longer than any of the other albums. The thing is, it feels new. That's because I bought it from a cutout bin and man, that sucker is warped like you wouldn't believe. I was never able to play the whole thing. The warp is so bad that it launched the cartridge right off the record's surface. It was possible to listen to some of the songs if you skipped the first two tracks from each side. Years later, I bought a linear-tracking turntable that could play nearly anything—except this album.
Things changed when I acquired a nice VPI turntable for my “holy-crap-i'm-turning-forty" present to myself. The 'table has a record clamp that pulls the vinyl right down to the platter's surface.
What struck me about this recording was the power and flexibility of Rungren's voice. If you consider the sequence of “The Verb 'To Love'" into “Love In Action," you'll first hear Rungren at his most soulful, followed by the full-on roar of “Love In Action." I noticed this contrast only this morning, though the arena rock of “Love In Action" resonated on first listen many years ago. I guess I must have made it through that first side. Oh, my poor turntable.
By Something Else Reviews
Perhaps Todd Rungren's own restive muse—he's dabbled in every major rock subgenre over the past four decades—simply makes him too difficult to categorize. Maybe Rundgren never stuck with one thing long enough. Somehow, this pop music maverick hasn't consistently found the wider fame he so richly deserves. At least outside of our crowded listening stations at the SER Towers. We love us some Rundgren. Let's count the ways ...
“WE GOTTA GET YOU A WOMAN" (RUST, 1970)
The light blue Bearsville label read “We Gotta Get You Woman" on Side A with the word RUNT below it. It's funny the details you can recall on a single from forty years ago and I couldn't even tell you what I ate for breakfast yesterday. But even more memorable was the music that poured out when I cued it up on my cheap plastic portable record player.
At the time I thought the song was pretty catchy and soulful, and the melody seemed to keep shifting gears but in a reasonably sensible way. I played it a good number of times; it was a little bit similar to the Beatles to me.
Today, I know a lot more about it: the song was by Todd Rundgren who began his solo career then under the name “Runt," which was just him and a rhythm section who both called Soupy Sales “Dad." It also took a while before I noticed the connection to the Fifth Dimension, Three Dog Night and Blood Sweat & Tears songs I was listening to at around the same time: Rundgren had constructed this piano based tune like a Laura Nyro song (the B side “Baby Let's Swing" even called Laura by name, and is nearly as good as the A side).
A straightforward tale about the narrator coaxing his buddy to remedy his blues by scoring some tail, Rundgren already had much of the pieces in place that led to his Something/Anything? breakout album a couple of years later, and yet “Woman" still reached the top 20 on the Hot 100 chart. It never attained the staying power of “Hello It's Me" or “I Saw The Light," though, as you don't hear this song on classic rock radio stations like those two hits from Something/Anything?. Maybe in a way, that's not so bad; hearing it infrequently keeps it fresh every time I listen to it and I'm immediately taken back to sitting on the floor next to my little plastic record player with the light blue label 45 spinning around it.
“HELLO IT'S ME," SOMETHING/ANYTHING? (1972)
By Nick DeRiso
It's tempting to think of this as a time before Todd Rundgren got all weird. After all, “Hello It's Me" was one of a string of AM radio staples—beginning with “I Saw The Light" and continuing with “Couldn't I Just Tell You"—that made the U.S. Top 100 over the course of 1972. In fact, “Hello It's Me," the first song Rundgren ever wrote, went all the way to No. 5. Anyone who bought the album (a four-sided explosion of ideas from a guy who's rightly been called an insanely gifted obsessive) looking for more of the same—like, er, me—was in for a hefty surprise.
“Hello It's Me," with its pull-you-in opening stanza, comfy McCartney-esque ambiance, and soaring chorus, simply sets the stage for a record where Rundgren starts furiously shoving the boundaries of music making. Turns out, he was always weird. Fabulously weird. “Hello" was actually tucked into a fourth-side mock pop operetta reportedly done live with whomever happened to be in the studio. The song right before it? “Piss Aaron." Right after it? “Some Folks Is Even Whiter Than Me." The album ends with a delicately shaded lament over contracting VD.
Side one had been called “A Bouquet of Ear-Catching Melodies," and appropriately included as its opening track the Carole King-inspired “I Saw The Light." Side two: “The Cerebral Side," with some of Rundgren's initial forays into fusion and progressive rock. Side three: “The Kid Gets Heavy," with “Couldn't I Just Tell You," as well as grittier fare that recalls Jimi Hendrix and Carlos Santana.
Leaven this swirling blizzard of musical invention with as many hit songs as you like, and Something/Anything? still blows the top of your (er, my) head off. Even “Hello It's Me" offers more than its first-blush Fab Four pretentions. I hear Philly soul, jazz organist Jimmy Smith and, of course, his now-obscure predecessor group called the Nazz, too—since they did the original (very dirgey) version.
The truth is, Rundgren arrived fully formed for a career that would move into every permutation of art rock, into techno with his early-1990s TR-i offerings and even new-wave redux with a 2000s-era version of the Cars. Along the way, he also became an in-demand engineer and producer, working across a similarly intriguing landscape—from The Band's Stage Fright to Hall and Oates' War Babies to XTC's Skylarking, among many others.
“Hello It's Me," a timeless piece of throwback power-pop, might just be the perfect introduction. It was for me.
“LOVE IN ACTION" (BACK TO THE BARS, 1978)
By Mark Saleski
Here's the order of my Todd Rundgren purchases: Back To The Bars, The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect, Arena, Something/Anything?. Weird, I know. There are some artists I've ignored over the years and Rundgren is one of them. (For some reason, David Bowie is on that list too.) In fact, I only bought Something/Anything? about a year ago, after reading Bebe Buell's memoir Rebel Heart. I had sort of forgotten what a huge figure Rundgren was (and still is) in the rock world.
Buell (note: I saw Bebe Buell play a show at the University of Maine way back in the early 1980's. Bebe Buell & the B-Sides was the opening act, followed by Syl Sylvain & the Teardrops, both of whom were in support of the legendary Bill Chinnock) reminded me that maybe I needed to start filling in the holes in my Rundgren collection.
So yes, I've owned Back To The Bars longer than any of the other albums. The thing is, it feels new. That's because I bought it from a cutout bin and man, that sucker is warped like you wouldn't believe. I was never able to play the whole thing. The warp is so bad that it launched the cartridge right off the record's surface. It was possible to listen to some of the songs if you skipped the first two tracks from each side. Years later, I bought a linear-tracking turntable that could play nearly anything—except this album.
Things changed when I acquired a nice VPI turntable for my “holy-crap-i'm-turning-forty" present to myself. The 'table has a record clamp that pulls the vinyl right down to the platter's surface.
What struck me about this recording was the power and flexibility of Rungren's voice. If you consider the sequence of “The Verb 'To Love'" into “Love In Action," you'll first hear Rungren at his most soulful, followed by the full-on roar of “Love In Action." I noticed this contrast only this morning, though the arena rock of “Love In Action" resonated on first listen many years ago. I guess I must have made it through that first side. Oh, my poor turntable.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Video Test kit 1978
ive posted this before, long ago. So here is a repost of the 1978 Video press kit. Todd created this to show off his new Video studio. todd built the studio with the money he earned from the Meatloaf album Bat out of hell.
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