The "almost" official blog for everything Todd Rundgren Related........................................................................................................................................................................... Please visit the sister facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Ma4utopia?ref=hl
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
RundgrenRadio show tonight Up Against It
RundgrenRadio.com 
8:30pm ET at RundgrenRadio.com
We will be playing the only-released-in-Japan "Up Against It" CD by Todd Rundgren. Rumor has it the Metropole Orchestra in Amsterdam may be performing this music with Todd next year!
Also, special guest Doug Katsaros will be calling in after we play the CD to discuss his role of orchestrating "Up Against It" for Todd! Doug is the piano player you can't miss seeing in this video lol ...
http://youtu.be/-28Gg9I2dJk
He has worked with plenty of famous musicians (Rod Stewart, Donny Osmond, Dee Snider, Marlo Thomas, and many more) and is a GRAMMY AWARD WINNER.
Sunday, September 15, 2013
interesting tech article on Todd
http://www.fohonline.com/current-issue/21-production-profile/9389-an-evening-with-todd-rundgren.html
If anything’s predictable about Todd Rundgren, it’s to expect the unexpected. A brilliant songwriter/guitarist/synthesist with talents both onstage and in the studio, Rundgren’s career (solo or with his band Utopia) has spanned just about every musical genre, ranging from rock to pop to smooth soul to edgy electronica and most recently, EDM. And even at 65, he shows no signs of slowing down, hopping from continent to continent to promote State — his 24th studio album, as well as a series of “An Evening with Todd Rundgren” shows to stay in touch with the legions of fans of his catalog standards such as “Hello, It’s Me” and “I Saw the Light.”
The Monitor Angle
The Mix Side
eptember 2013 Issue
Production ProfileAn Evening with Todd Rundgren
If anything’s predictable about Todd Rundgren, it’s to expect the unexpected. A brilliant songwriter/guitarist/synthesist with talents both onstage and in the studio, Rundgren’s career (solo or with his band Utopia) has spanned just about every musical genre, ranging from rock to pop to smooth soul to edgy electronica and most recently, EDM. And even at 65, he shows no signs of slowing down, hopping from continent to continent to promote State — his 24th studio album, as well as a series of “An Evening with Todd Rundgren” shows to stay in touch with the legions of fans of his catalog standards such as “Hello, It’s Me” and “I Saw the Light.”
Rundgren has also never shied away from technology, being one of the first supporters of the original Fairlight CMI (computer musical instrument) sampling keyboard, or presenting some of his early live shows in quadraphonic 4-channel surround, incorporating computer-based graphics into his productions (back as far as 1981) and being an early adopter of LED stage lighting, long before it was fashionable — or widely available. Perhaps of more interest to FRONT of HOUSE readers, Rundgren worked with Future Sonics founder Marty Garcia in 1985 co-developing prototypes of the first Ear Monitors® and even used Future Sonics products on his Utopia tour, the first “wedgeless stage” with all band members wearing Garcia’s Ear Monitors.
We recently chatted with Paul Froula, Rundgren’s long-time engineer who most recently has been mixing monitors and recording the artist’s live outings. Froula, who toured extensively back in the 1980s, put his tour jacket aside while he worked with companies such as Altec-Lansing and beyerdynamic, where he was involved with marketing, sales, and product development, using his practical road and studio experiences to work on the manufacturer side of things. More recently, Froula returned to the production side, to mix monitors for Joe Jackson and the Bigger Band world tour (also recording and archiving shows the entire time), again paired with Joe’s long-time FOH engineer, George Cowan. Just before press time, we caught up with Froula as he was wrapping up the domestic leg of Rundgren’s “An Evening with Todd Rundgren” shows.
Most of the Rundgren shows on this tour have been in smaller venues. “We’re only carrying our own desks, mics and backline — racks and stacks are provided, as per the rider,” says Froula. “It’s mostly been theaters, although we also did the Philly Folk Fest a few days ago and Canalside in Buffalo (about 10,000 people) and had nice rigs out front and on the stage for those.”
The Monitor Angle
“We’ve been using the Roland M-480 desk for three or four years now and on this last outing,” Froula explains. “Todd had a new record come out this year called State, which is essentially EDM — electronic dance music — and to perform it live, he has the usual complement of required electronic wizardry, but that tour is just him and two other players — Jesse Gress on guitar and Prairie Prince on electronic drums. The need arose to introduce personal monitoring to make it easier with that smaller crew. On this ‘An Evening with...’ — basically, a two-hour show with Todd and a full band doing kind of a greatest hits tour — we had the option of Roland’s M-48 personal mixing should the need arise, particularly during the special performance with the Akron Symphony over Labor Day.”
Despite his long history with IEMs, Rundgren’s monitor needs aren’t quite what you might expect. “Todd doesn’t use in-ears; he prefers sidefills, and Jesse Gress uses just a wedge, so we have a mix of IEMs and wedges on the stage,” notes Froula. “It’s kind of ironic, because the genesis of ear monitoring took place with Todd. That was way back [in 1985] when Utopia did the first tour with the
‘wedgeless stage’ — there were no monitors on the stage. Marty’s sound company was doing Todd’s shows at the time and they were experimenting with earbuds and dental gel and came up with the in-ear monitor concept. Todd has since moved on from this notion and doesn’t require much in the sidefills, either — it’s really mostly for his guitars, some keyboards and every now and then, a little drums. Most of what he needs, he gets from front of house — he hears it coming back. That also applies to his vocals — I generally don’t put any of his vocals in the sidefills. He’s very unique in that regard. It’s the same even in a large outdoor festival, like at the Philly Folk Fest.”
‘wedgeless stage’ — there were no monitors on the stage. Marty’s sound company was doing Todd’s shows at the time and they were experimenting with earbuds and dental gel and came up with the in-ear monitor concept. Todd has since moved on from this notion and doesn’t require much in the sidefills, either — it’s really mostly for his guitars, some keyboards and every now and then, a little drums. Most of what he needs, he gets from front of house — he hears it coming back. That also applies to his vocals — I generally don’t put any of his vocals in the sidefills. He’s very unique in that regard. It’s the same even in a large outdoor festival, like at the Philly Folk Fest.”
Mics, Mics, Mics
Given Froula’s 12-plus year career with beyerdynamic, it’s not too surprising to see a good selection of their gear on the tour. “I came along in 2000 with some beyerdynamic product and Todd gave me the liberty to find the appropriate mic for the appropriate application and he’s been implementing them since then. In fact, all the mics on the input list are beyer, except for a Sennheiser 602, which [FOH mixer] George Cowan wanted. He was right — the 602 was ideal for the big 26-inch kick drum in Prairie’s kit. George was also open to the use of all the beyer product, mainly because it gave him what he was looking for at FOH. He has the last word on what he needs in his world.”
The Mix Side
On this particular tour, FOH engineer George Cowan mixes on a Yamaha DM2000. “We also had a lot of success with the Roland M-series,” Froula explains. “Roland was at the forefront of providing the small format digital console that actually sounded good. We’ve had this relationship with Roland products for years, with the M-480 and now the R-1000 recording unit. Initially I used that same package for the Joe Jackson tour and it’s a great combination that allows us to record all the show, play multitracks for a virtual sound check, listen-backs for the band and then mix and post the shows.”
With a tight production pack, there’s little room for traditional outboard gear — whether for effects or a “money channel” processor. “For monitors, we’re using all on-board effects — dynamics processing, effects and EQ embedded in the M-480,” Froula adds. “With the Yamaha DM2000 at front of house, we’re using a combination of some external Universal Audio plug-ins and some onboard processing.”
One great element about the Rundgren band and crew is that they are all seasoned pros who have worked together for years and operate as a well-oiled machine. “Most of these guys have been doing this for a long time, so there’s not a lot of drama,” Froula notes, adding “sometimes when dealing with the house, we might schedule a sound check for 5:30. The question invariably comes up as to running right up until doors with the check. My response is usually: ‘Gosh, we hope not!’ I explain that sound checks are usually only one song, and sometimes we don’t even need to do a sound check. Or it might be the band tweaking for a while, and then Todd comes out and we do the appointed sound check song. If George [Cowan] is happy in the house, and I’m happy on monitors, then we’re done. If a sound check lasts more than four minutes and 36 seconds, then it’s only because we’re having a little more trouble out front or on stage than we usually do. We might have some issue because we’re using a different P.A. rig every day, but that’s all settled well before the band arrives. And we’re loving every minute out there when the tour meshes with the locals.”
So far, everything seems pretty simple, but isn’t Rundgren one of those “rah, rah, technology” guys, with a lot of complicated gear? “Todd does have a certain legacy and reputation for those kinds of things, but at the end of the day, it’s all about what works and what gets the job done. On one leg of the State [EDM] tour, he had some pretty complicated synchronization things going on and operated them all himself. I was only on a few of those dates, but it was quite the major technical undertaking that was probably lost on the audience — though certainly not lost on the crew! But on this tour, it’s pretty straightforward — two guitars, bass, drums and keys. There’s no wizardry here — it’s just taking care of the audience and delighting his fans night after night. Sometimes talent, vocals and songwriting are enough.”
An Evening with Todd Rundgren
BAND
Todd Rundgren: Guitar, Vocals
Jesse Gress: Guitar, Vocals
Kasim Sulton: Bass, Vocals
Prairie Prince: Drums
John Ferenzik: Keyboards, vocals
CREW
FOH Engineer: George Cowan
Monitors, RF and Recording Engineer: Paul Froula
Stage Manager, Drum Tech: Randy Brown
Backline Tech: Jim Gould
CHANNEL
|
INPUT SOURCE
|
MIC
|
1
|
Kick
|
Sennheiser 602
|
2
|
Snare top
|
beyer Opus 88
|
3
|
Snare bot
|
beyer Opus 88
|
4
|
Hi-hat
|
beyer MC 930
|
5
|
Tom 1
|
beyer Opus 88
|
6
|
Floor tom 1
|
beyer Opus 88
|
7
|
Floor tom 2
|
beyer Opus 88
|
8
|
OH SR
|
beyer MC 930
|
9
|
Ride
|
beyer MC 930
|
10
|
OH SL
|
beyer MC 930
|
11
|
Bass DI
|
amp built-in DI
|
12
|
Bass mic
|
beyer Opus 99
|
13
|
Jesse Gtr 1
|
beyer TGX-47
|
14
|
Jesse Gtr 2
|
beyer M160
|
15
|
Todd AC Gtr
|
DI box
|
16
|
Todd Gtr L
|
beyer Opus 87
|
17
|
Todd Gtr R
|
beyer Opus 87
|
18
|
Vox Kassim
|
beyer Opus 69
|
19
|
Vox Jessie
|
beyer Opus 69
|
20
|
Vox John
|
beyer Opus 69
|
21
|
Vox Todd
|
beyer Opus 69
|
22
|
Vox wired spare
|
beyer TGX 47
|
23
|
Keys PC2X L
|
DI box
|
24
|
Keys PC2X R
|
DI box
|
25
|
Keys P3 61 L
|
DI box
|
26
|
Keys P3 61 R
|
DI box
|
Video: Part 2 of a 4 hr Documentary on Todd Rundgren
TODD is a 4 hour documentary edited, produced & directed by musician and artist JSK (aka Jason Stuart Kamasz) chronicling the life of Todd Rundgren. The film is an entirely home-made project and is a non-profit work. The film is narrated by Todd himself having utilized audio from interviews spanning 40 years. I hope you enjoy it. Regards JSK
Parts 3 & 4 will be made available September 22nd
View Part 1 @
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z11BDg...
JASON STUART KAMASZ
https://www.facebook.com/jasonstuartk...
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Video: 4 hr documentary chronicling the life of Todd Rundgren
part 1 of 4
TODD is a 4 hour documentary edited, produced & directed by musician and artist JSK (aka Jason Stuart Kamasz) chronicling the life of Todd Rundgren. The film is an entirely home-made project and is a non-profit work. The film is narrated by Todd himself having utilized audio from interviews spanning 40 years. I hope you enjoy it. Regards JSK
Parts 2, 3 & 4 will be made available in weekly uploads.
Part 2 September 17th
Part 3 September 24th
Part 4 October 1st
Monday, September 9, 2013
Todd Rundgren anchoring Grills & Guitars, a festival kickoff event set for Friday, October 25.
The latest news from the upcoming Life Is Beautiful Festival has 16 celebrity chefs and musical performances by Dawes and Todd Rundgren anchoring Grills & Guitars, a festival kickoff event set for Friday, October 25.
Dawes is also slated to perform during the two-day inaugural festival. The food at Grills & Guitars will be “a celebration of the beloved backyard barbecue combining creative open flame cookery with craft brews, artisanal wines and original cocktails,” according to a statement. Participating chefs are Clayton Arakawa, Bruce & Eric Bromberg, Kim Canteenwalla, Scott Conant, Cat Cora, Rick Moonen, David Myers, Aaron Sanchez, Jet Tila, Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken. Special appearances will be made by Tom Colicchio, Nancy Silverton and Michael Symon, and chef Jonathan Waxman will be honored with a special award.
The exclusive kickoff party will start at 8 p.m. at a yet-to-be-revealed outdoor venue in Downtown Las Vegas within the LIB footprint. Tickets for the single event are $175 or $225 for VIP, which allows early entry and a meet-and-greet.
Tickets for Grills & Guitars, other individual events and the entire two-day Life Is Beautiful festival are available at lifeisbeautifulfestival.com.
Dawes is also slated to perform during the two-day inaugural festival. The food at Grills & Guitars will be “a celebration of the beloved backyard barbecue combining creative open flame cookery with craft brews, artisanal wines and original cocktails,” according to a statement. Participating chefs are Clayton Arakawa, Bruce & Eric Bromberg, Kim Canteenwalla, Scott Conant, Cat Cora, Rick Moonen, David Myers, Aaron Sanchez, Jet Tila, Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken. Special appearances will be made by Tom Colicchio, Nancy Silverton and Michael Symon, and chef Jonathan Waxman will be honored with a special award.
The exclusive kickoff party will start at 8 p.m. at a yet-to-be-revealed outdoor venue in Downtown Las Vegas within the LIB footprint. Tickets for the single event are $175 or $225 for VIP, which allows early entry and a meet-and-greet.
Tickets for Grills & Guitars, other individual events and the entire two-day Life Is Beautiful festival are available at lifeisbeautifulfestival.com.
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Todd's self portrait... Mojo Mag.
apparently from Mojo Magazine - the one with Johnny Cash on the cover and a part called Self Portrait.
Todd's self portrait.
I would describe myself as... like a ripening cheese. The older I get, the more complex in flavour and aroma I become. While a new cheese has a certain freshness about it, it doesn't bring out the qualities of its accompaniments as satisfyingly. Pair me with fresh fruit or quince paste and see how well I perform.
Music changed me... It's like asking "How is the oxygen working for ya?" I don't remember a time without music. Take the music away and there would be a change. Music and I have been inseparable since birth.
When I'm not making music... I like to cook. I find mise en place very relaxing. There is something Zen about trying to get all the meat out of a Dungeness crab. The end result is a service to others, as well as yourself, and ideally a transportive experience not unlike a Tony Bennett performance.
My biggest vice... is procrastination. Although at times I find it a useful protective mechanism and often a creative incubator. You can't address every issue immediately or you feel like a slave to the whims of others. Still, things never go away, they just pile up and have to be dealt with eventually. There's actually a little endorphin rush after I finally get current.
The last time I was embarrassed was... I got lost in Osaka a couple months ago. I'm notorious for my sense of direction, but it doesn't work as well underground. I led a couple of friends with great confidence onto a train that took us in the opposite direction from our destination. Mr Smarty Pants had some explaining to do.
My formal qualifications are... Honoraria only. I like to call myself a professor because I made it through 10 days of student interaction at Indiana University under an "endowed professorship". In reality, I barely made it out of high school and for all the good it did me, I may as well have dropped out.
The last time I cried was when... my dog died a few months ago. 'Nuff said.
Vinyl, CD or MP3... What, no AAC? I am format agnostic. I leave it up to the audience to decide how they want to play it and try to adjust. I believe that people always love a good song and could care less about how it gets into their ears. The fact that the majors never understood this is why most of them are gone.
My most treasured possession is... at this moment, my passport. I recently lost a second one in three years and if I don't hang on to this one for at least a year I am in big trouble. I've had a pouch in my skin surgically created as a precaution.
The best book I've read is... Magister Ludi [aka The Glass Bead Game] by Herman Hesse. I always thopught it would make a great film. I even cast Max Von Sydow in my head. Instead we got some mess called Cloud Atlas... rip off.
Is the glass half-full or half-empty?... I've learned to plan ahead so that the glass is maximally full by the time I get there. Believe me, the glass does not remain at the halfway point for long.
My biggest regret is... there are feelings that I do not acknowledge, even as I am tempted to feel them. Amongst these are pride, rage, melancholy, spite and certainly regret. There is no 'greatest' of any of them - I feel regretful indulging any of them.
When we die... we rot, unless we're cremated. Could possibly be a meal for something.
I'd like to be remembered... like The Day The Earth Stood Still, or something like that? All the electricity would go out except on airplanes and in hospitals. I dunno, imagining your own eulogy is really about the most vain thing I can think of - how about, "He was the humblest person I ever met..."
Todd's self portrait.
I would describe myself as... like a ripening cheese. The older I get, the more complex in flavour and aroma I become. While a new cheese has a certain freshness about it, it doesn't bring out the qualities of its accompaniments as satisfyingly. Pair me with fresh fruit or quince paste and see how well I perform.
Music changed me... It's like asking "How is the oxygen working for ya?" I don't remember a time without music. Take the music away and there would be a change. Music and I have been inseparable since birth.
When I'm not making music... I like to cook. I find mise en place very relaxing. There is something Zen about trying to get all the meat out of a Dungeness crab. The end result is a service to others, as well as yourself, and ideally a transportive experience not unlike a Tony Bennett performance.
My biggest vice... is procrastination. Although at times I find it a useful protective mechanism and often a creative incubator. You can't address every issue immediately or you feel like a slave to the whims of others. Still, things never go away, they just pile up and have to be dealt with eventually. There's actually a little endorphin rush after I finally get current.
The last time I was embarrassed was... I got lost in Osaka a couple months ago. I'm notorious for my sense of direction, but it doesn't work as well underground. I led a couple of friends with great confidence onto a train that took us in the opposite direction from our destination. Mr Smarty Pants had some explaining to do.
My formal qualifications are... Honoraria only. I like to call myself a professor because I made it through 10 days of student interaction at Indiana University under an "endowed professorship". In reality, I barely made it out of high school and for all the good it did me, I may as well have dropped out.
The last time I cried was when... my dog died a few months ago. 'Nuff said.
Vinyl, CD or MP3... What, no AAC? I am format agnostic. I leave it up to the audience to decide how they want to play it and try to adjust. I believe that people always love a good song and could care less about how it gets into their ears. The fact that the majors never understood this is why most of them are gone.
My most treasured possession is... at this moment, my passport. I recently lost a second one in three years and if I don't hang on to this one for at least a year I am in big trouble. I've had a pouch in my skin surgically created as a precaution.
The best book I've read is... Magister Ludi [aka The Glass Bead Game] by Herman Hesse. I always thopught it would make a great film. I even cast Max Von Sydow in my head. Instead we got some mess called Cloud Atlas... rip off.
Is the glass half-full or half-empty?... I've learned to plan ahead so that the glass is maximally full by the time I get there. Believe me, the glass does not remain at the halfway point for long.
My biggest regret is... there are feelings that I do not acknowledge, even as I am tempted to feel them. Amongst these are pride, rage, melancholy, spite and certainly regret. There is no 'greatest' of any of them - I feel regretful indulging any of them.
When we die... we rot, unless we're cremated. Could possibly be a meal for something.
I'd like to be remembered... like The Day The Earth Stood Still, or something like that? All the electricity would go out except on airplanes and in hospitals. I dunno, imagining your own eulogy is really about the most vain thing I can think of - how about, "He was the humblest person I ever met..."
Todd and Michele on vacation
Our last night in Barcelona. "Carpe Diem" restaurant. Dining in one of their beds, on the beach under the stars….
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Monday, September 2, 2013
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Friday, August 30, 2013
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Nin inch nail song remixed by Todd
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Xwhq-ZoTFQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player
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