Friday, June 1, 2012

Rundgren To Spend Summer On Tour With Starr

   
Musician Todd Rundgren is viewed as a legend by his own fans. He will team up with another legend this summer when he tours with Ringo Starr's All-Starr Band. NY1's Stephanie Simon filed the following report.
Fans say "Todd is God."
Todd Rundgren has been making music since the 60s and his loyal, nearly cult-like following has never diminished.
Amidst a prolific songwriting and producing catalog, Rundgren is best known for his hits "Hello it's Me," “I Saw the Light” and his arena anthem "Bang on the Drum."
Although Rundgren now calls Hawaii home, he’s not without his visits to the city, like a recent residency at City Winery.
This summer he's once again touring with Ringo Starr's All-Starr Band. And in between gigs, his diehard fans can spend a few day with him "Todd Rundgren's Musical Revival Camp" in the Catskills, as close to Utopia as possible.
"Music can break out spontaneously at any moment," Rundgren says "There are really no noise restrictions there. So it’s not like we’re disturbing the neighbors. The resort has its own road house there, its own bar road house with its own stage and everything. We occupy that place until the wee hours."
Rundgren started out in Philadelphia as a straight-ahead singer-songwriter and rock-and-roller. But he's experimented with countless musical styles over the years.
Rundgren and fellow Philadelphian Daryl Hall of Hall and Oates, who he has produced, have also played together in recent years. They may still do some kind of gig together.
In the meantime, Rundgren is gearing up to hit the road with Ringo.
"If a Beatle calls, you must answer because most of us owe our musical careers to the Beatles," he said. "If it hadn’t been for that formula that the Beatles came up with, a lot of us never would have succeeded."
Rundgren wrote the music for a production at the Public Theater. He says he wouldn't mind doing something on Broadway, not just composing but performing as well.
"Based around a character, so that over time you sort of develop it and inhabit it," he said. "And you also have the advantage of making it part of your daily routine, which is so hard when you are on the road.

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