The "almost" official blog for everything Todd Rundgren Related........................................................................................................................................................................... Please visit the sister facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Ma4utopia?ref=hl
Friday, April 8, 2011
Todd Rundgren on American Idol - Tuesday, April 12 *** CANCELED ***
TR's Johnson CD delayed till June
Todd Rundgren "Todd Rundgren's Johnson"
... Estimated arrival date: June 13 2011 - June 17 2011
... Estimated arrival date: June 13 2011 - June 17 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Fans Get To Design Todd Rundgren's New Album Cover
Fans Get To Design Todd Rundgren's New Album Cover
.by RundgrenRadio Doug on Tuesday, April 5, 2011 at 11:56pm. SACRAMENTO, CA (April 5, 2011) –
Gigatone Entertainment, a next-generation entertainment company, has announced it will stage a contest giving fans the chance to design the cover of (re)Production, the forthcoming release by Rock superstar Todd Rundgren from Gigatone Entertainment.
(re)Production, scheduled for a Summer 2011 release, will feature Rundgren covering songs he’s produced for other artists over the course of a brilliant four decade-plus career as one of pop music’s most innovative figures. Included on the new album are such hits as the Psychedelic Furs’ “Love My Way,” Meat Loaf’s “Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad,” Grand Funk Railroad’s “Walk Like A Man,” XTC’s “Dear God,” Cheap Trick’s “I Can’t Take It,” as well as songs by The Tubes, Patti Smith, Hall and Oates, The New York Dolls, Rick Derringer, Badfinger and Bourgeois Tagg, among others.
Rundgren was the featured artist at Gigatone’s myRecordFantasy event at Sacramento’s Track Shack Studios in January, where 30 fans from all over the world were treated to a once-in-a-lifetime experience of participating in the recording of (re)Production and jamming with Rundgren and guest artists over the course of the three day extravaganza. It was the third in an ongoing series of myRecordFantasy events produced by Gigatone, following events headlined by Monkees lead singer Micky Dolenz and Starship frontman Mickey Thomas. Details for the next star-studded myRecordFantasy are forthcoming with updates at www.myRecordFantasy.com.
Rundgren is known for his active and devoted fan base, and the (re)Production cover design contest will give them a chance to show off their creative side while paying tribute to their hero. The winning artwork will be selected by a panel of judges that will include Gigatone executives, musicians and artists as well as Rundgren himself. Besides the cover design, submitted artwork will also be picked for use throughout the inner sleeve design. Full details of the contest will be announced in the coming weeks.
“This is a chance for Todd’s fans to once again become a part of this incredible project,” said Mitchell Koulouris, CEO and founder of Gigatone Entertainment. “We saw how creative and talented the attendees of myRecordFantasy were in their musical contributions to the new record. We anticipate the same artistic flair from fans participating in this contest. The final stages of (re)Production brings the record’s unique creation process full circle. It is the first album project by a major artist incorporating a direct-to-fan process, funded by the same fans that contributed their musical chops while attending the Rundgren myRecordFantasy event.”
Rundgren broke onto the music scene in the late 60s fronting Nazz, with the psychedelic power pop hit "Open My Eyes". Upon the release of Rundgren's third solo album, the 1972 masterwork Something/Anything? and its melodic hit singles "I Saw the Light" and "Hello It's Me," the rock press promptly dubbed him "Rock's Wunderkind Renaissance Man," and forever solidified his status as a gifted pop craftsman. His follow-up, A Wizard, A True Star, was a sonic kaleidoscope of progressive rock, serving notice that Rundgren was not going to walk a straight pop line. The universally acknowledged godfather of the marriage of music and multimedia, his production, recording, touring, technological trailblazing throughout his solo career has taken him through a broad swath of creative stylings.
More Information and Details:
www.gigatone.net
www.myRecordFantasy.com
Press Contact:
Mike Martis/Gigatone Entertainment
Phone: 916 281-4275
eMail: mike@gigatone.net
.
.by RundgrenRadio Doug on Tuesday, April 5, 2011 at 11:56pm. SACRAMENTO, CA (April 5, 2011) –
Gigatone Entertainment, a next-generation entertainment company, has announced it will stage a contest giving fans the chance to design the cover of (re)Production, the forthcoming release by Rock superstar Todd Rundgren from Gigatone Entertainment.
(re)Production, scheduled for a Summer 2011 release, will feature Rundgren covering songs he’s produced for other artists over the course of a brilliant four decade-plus career as one of pop music’s most innovative figures. Included on the new album are such hits as the Psychedelic Furs’ “Love My Way,” Meat Loaf’s “Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad,” Grand Funk Railroad’s “Walk Like A Man,” XTC’s “Dear God,” Cheap Trick’s “I Can’t Take It,” as well as songs by The Tubes, Patti Smith, Hall and Oates, The New York Dolls, Rick Derringer, Badfinger and Bourgeois Tagg, among others.
Rundgren was the featured artist at Gigatone’s myRecordFantasy event at Sacramento’s Track Shack Studios in January, where 30 fans from all over the world were treated to a once-in-a-lifetime experience of participating in the recording of (re)Production and jamming with Rundgren and guest artists over the course of the three day extravaganza. It was the third in an ongoing series of myRecordFantasy events produced by Gigatone, following events headlined by Monkees lead singer Micky Dolenz and Starship frontman Mickey Thomas. Details for the next star-studded myRecordFantasy are forthcoming with updates at www.myRecordFantasy.com.
Rundgren is known for his active and devoted fan base, and the (re)Production cover design contest will give them a chance to show off their creative side while paying tribute to their hero. The winning artwork will be selected by a panel of judges that will include Gigatone executives, musicians and artists as well as Rundgren himself. Besides the cover design, submitted artwork will also be picked for use throughout the inner sleeve design. Full details of the contest will be announced in the coming weeks.
“This is a chance for Todd’s fans to once again become a part of this incredible project,” said Mitchell Koulouris, CEO and founder of Gigatone Entertainment. “We saw how creative and talented the attendees of myRecordFantasy were in their musical contributions to the new record. We anticipate the same artistic flair from fans participating in this contest. The final stages of (re)Production brings the record’s unique creation process full circle. It is the first album project by a major artist incorporating a direct-to-fan process, funded by the same fans that contributed their musical chops while attending the Rundgren myRecordFantasy event.”
Rundgren broke onto the music scene in the late 60s fronting Nazz, with the psychedelic power pop hit "Open My Eyes". Upon the release of Rundgren's third solo album, the 1972 masterwork Something/Anything? and its melodic hit singles "I Saw the Light" and "Hello It's Me," the rock press promptly dubbed him "Rock's Wunderkind Renaissance Man," and forever solidified his status as a gifted pop craftsman. His follow-up, A Wizard, A True Star, was a sonic kaleidoscope of progressive rock, serving notice that Rundgren was not going to walk a straight pop line. The universally acknowledged godfather of the marriage of music and multimedia, his production, recording, touring, technological trailblazing throughout his solo career has taken him through a broad swath of creative stylings.
More Information and Details:
www.gigatone.net
www.myRecordFantasy.com
Press Contact:
Mike Martis/Gigatone Entertainment
Phone: 916 281-4275
eMail: mike@gigatone.net
.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
rundgren radio tonight ... announcements...
Time Tuesday, April 5 · 8:30pm - 10:30pm
Location RundgrenRadio.com
More Info Plenty of new announcements plus T+H concert discussion.
Location RundgrenRadio.com
More Info Plenty of new announcements plus T+H concert discussion.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Todd with Daryl Hall Live May 27 NJ
May 27 Fri MUSIC BOX AT THE BORGATA
Atlantic City, NJ
09:00 PM Live From Daryl's House: Daryl Hall and Special Guest Todd Rundgren
tickets available here http://www.ticketmaster.com/Daryl-Hall-tickets/artist/745482
Atlantic City, NJ
09:00 PM Live From Daryl's House: Daryl Hall and Special Guest Todd Rundgren
tickets available here http://www.ticketmaster.com/Daryl-Hall-tickets/artist/745482
info: TODDFEST WEST 2011
ToddFest/West 2011 is scheduled for Saturday, August 20, 2011 in Concord, California. Mark your calendars and plan to be there!
We'll be accepting RSVPs and more information will be available in the near future.
Up to date information can also be found at http://toddfestwest.com/
Roger D. Linder, The TR-i Fan Formerly known as RDL22
We'll be accepting RSVPs and more information will be available in the near future.
Up to date information can also be found at http://toddfestwest.com/
Roger D. Linder, The TR-i Fan Formerly known as RDL22
Sunday, April 3, 2011
summer tour update "greatest hits" with orchestras
We heard that Todd's summer tour will be a "Greatest Hits" tour and that local orchestras will be performing with him in each city
Video: Everyone is going to heaven / king kong... last ride 4/1/11 columbus
upped by roger steel thanks roger ..nice videos
Saturday, April 2, 2011
breaking news: Todd to appear on AMERICAN IDOL
in 2 weeks Todd will appear on American Idol in a producer role.
Finally he is being recognized for his incredible work.
Finally he is being recognized for his incredible work.
Review: Todd Rundgren hits mark revisiting classics
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/04/01/rundgren_review.html?sid=101&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
Review: Todd Rundgren hits mark revisiting classics
Saturday, April 2, 2011 12:54 AM
By Curtis Schieber
For The Columbus Dispatch
Todd Rundgren revealed more than a little of the trials of making rock 'n' roll for more than 40 years to an adoring crowd in the Southern Theatre last night by revisiting two old records, 1974's Todd and 1981's Healing in their entirety.
The first found the multi-instrumentalist, studio wiz, songwriter and singer beginning to ponder the traps and illusions of nearly a decade of hit-making, examining what Joni Mitchell called the "star-maker machinery behind the popular song."
Healing displayed not only the length of Rundgren's musical reach but his probing spirituality. The oddball Golden Goose provided brief comic relief to the message of self-determination, introspection and spiritual enlightenment that permeated the second half of the night.
Both albums found renewed resonance last night. The first, because the album originally about the composer's commercial and artistic ascent offers perspective on a career more recently on a plateau; the second, because there is more than enough international suffering today to provoke deep personal introspection.
Although Rundgren seemed to glean more meaning from Healing, Todd was an unbridled pleasure. An Elpee's Worth of Toons lampooned his role in the pop-music factory, although a younger audience might have missed the "LP" reference. A Dream Goes on Forever not only celebrated innocence lost but highlighted the paucity of such indelible melodies in today's charts. Surprisingly, the singer seemed to recall the hilarious, rapid-fire lyrics of Gilbert and Sullivan's Lord Chancellor's Nightmare Song, accurately 37 years-on.
A couple more songs showed Rundgren and his band's ability to jam hard on the composer's twist of '60s blues-rock vital as ever. Rundgren matched guitarist Jesse Gress on screaming solos injected throughout the show.
Healing displayed not only the length of Rundgren's musical reach but his probing spirituality.
The persistence of the message occasionally wore its welcome thin: Accompaniment from the fresh-faced Hocking College chorus elicited a near-Up With People moment during the Healing suite; Rundgren's free-range pacing while singing with head-set and no instrument suggested a motivational speaker.
Thankfully, the complexity of his music, the passion in its delivery and the sincerity of his performance eclipsed such criticism. In fact the Healing suite and its choral accompaniment provided the evening's most-powerful passages and best evidence for the program's wisdom
Review: Todd Rundgren hits mark revisiting classics
Saturday, April 2, 2011 12:54 AM
By Curtis Schieber
For The Columbus Dispatch
Todd Rundgren revealed more than a little of the trials of making rock 'n' roll for more than 40 years to an adoring crowd in the Southern Theatre last night by revisiting two old records, 1974's Todd and 1981's Healing in their entirety.
The first found the multi-instrumentalist, studio wiz, songwriter and singer beginning to ponder the traps and illusions of nearly a decade of hit-making, examining what Joni Mitchell called the "star-maker machinery behind the popular song."
Healing displayed not only the length of Rundgren's musical reach but his probing spirituality. The oddball Golden Goose provided brief comic relief to the message of self-determination, introspection and spiritual enlightenment that permeated the second half of the night.
Both albums found renewed resonance last night. The first, because the album originally about the composer's commercial and artistic ascent offers perspective on a career more recently on a plateau; the second, because there is more than enough international suffering today to provoke deep personal introspection.
Although Rundgren seemed to glean more meaning from Healing, Todd was an unbridled pleasure. An Elpee's Worth of Toons lampooned his role in the pop-music factory, although a younger audience might have missed the "LP" reference. A Dream Goes on Forever not only celebrated innocence lost but highlighted the paucity of such indelible melodies in today's charts. Surprisingly, the singer seemed to recall the hilarious, rapid-fire lyrics of Gilbert and Sullivan's Lord Chancellor's Nightmare Song, accurately 37 years-on.
A couple more songs showed Rundgren and his band's ability to jam hard on the composer's twist of '60s blues-rock vital as ever. Rundgren matched guitarist Jesse Gress on screaming solos injected throughout the show.
Healing displayed not only the length of Rundgren's musical reach but his probing spirituality.
The persistence of the message occasionally wore its welcome thin: Accompaniment from the fresh-faced Hocking College chorus elicited a near-Up With People moment during the Healing suite; Rundgren's free-range pacing while singing with head-set and no instrument suggested a motivational speaker.
Thankfully, the complexity of his music, the passion in its delivery and the sincerity of his performance eclipsed such criticism. In fact the Healing suite and its choral accompaniment provided the evening's most-powerful passages and best evidence for the program's wisdom
Useless Begging, Sidewalk Cafe, and Izzat Love & A Dream Goes on Forever from the Boston show at Berklee Performance Center, March 27, 2011
upped on youtube by DanstykMusic
Useless Begging, Sidewalk Cafe, and Izzat Love from the Boston show at Berklee Performance Center, March 27, 2011.
Useless Begging, Sidewalk Cafe, and Izzat Love from the Boston show at Berklee Performance Center, March 27, 2011.
Friday, April 1, 2011
ebay "Toddlehead" bobblehead
http://cgi.ebay.com/330545669844
All proceeds go to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society North Florida Chapter - Pensacola, FL - MS Walk April 9, 2011
Approx 7" tall, resin figurine
Original packaging, It has not removed it completely from the styrofoam, only the top to take this picture. The person who organized the effort to make these did inspect them, I understand.
All proceeds go to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society North Florida Chapter - Pensacola, FL - MS Walk April 9, 2011
Approx 7" tall, resin figurine
Original packaging, It has not removed it completely from the styrofoam, only the top to take this picture. The person who organized the effort to make these did inspect them, I understand.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Todd Rundgren delivers psychedelic gem
http://toledoblade.com/Music-Theater-Dance/2011/03/30/Todd-Rundgren-Toledo-Healing-Stanahan.html
Only Todd Rundgren could pull this off:
Band members decked out in what looked like pajamas made in an orange mescaline factory.
Four synthesizers playing at once, a full choir, a drummer who was wheeled on and off the stage behind his kit when needed. And when Prairie Prince wasn’t playing drums, he offered up a strangely effective tap dance that managed to be comical and still make musical sense.
There was unabashed theater at the Stranahan Wednesday night for Rundgren’s rock show, featuring a massive light display and music that veered from bombastic metal to spiritual meditations on the healing power of compassion.
All delivered by what appeared to be the coolest preacher on the planet.
In short, it was an aural and visual feast thanks to Rundgren and his exceptional five-piece band that kept the vast majority of the small but enthusiastic 614-person audience beaming.
The concert also was a reminder of his unique ability to balance between obscure eclecticism and commercial accessibility. Along with Frank Zappa and Sparks, Rundgren is one of the original prog rock jesters. And he’s also one of the great pop balladeers of his generation.
But he never repeats himself and he pays his core audience the ultimate tribute by not pandering to them.
So, no, he didn’t play “Hello It’s Me” or “Bang The Drum All Day” and while there were a few murmurs from folks who wanted to hear those pop hits, the expectation was that if you came to the show you would get the “Todd” album from 1974 and “Healing” from 1981 and that’s all. Promoted by Rundgren fans, this mini-tour is about paying back the devotees with some nostalgic weirdness that sounds surprisingly contemporary.
You can’t help but listen to much of this music in the context of what would come about seven years later via new wave and conclude that Rundgren was far more interesting as a composer than the folks he influenced. New Order versus Todd Rundgren? No contest.
Wearing a strange Sgt. Pepper-type outfit for the first set that featured the “Todd” album and an ensemble that featured a long white jacket and cream colored pants for the “Healing” portion of the show, Rundgren also brandished a technicolor Gibson SG that he used to remind everyone of just how overlooked he is as a guitarist.
The “Todd” album is a strange collection of songs that zig and zag from spare piano ballads to balls-to-the-wall rockers. There’s the short, lovely pop of “A Dream Goes on Forever” and the psychedelic soul of “The Last Ride,” which featured a blistering guitar solo. Rundgren worked the stage on all of them, using a cordless microphone and acting out many of the songs with hand gestures and strange dances when he wasn’t playing an instrument.
He botched the piano part on “Drunken Blue Rooster” and at times his voice was a bit ragged, but in a show filled with moving parts, the lack of mistakes and Spinal Tap-type errors was minimal.
The “Healing” songs were a revelation to anyone unfamiliar with that fairly obscure album. Its themes of compassion and forgiveness are delivered in a warm wash of synths and many of the songs feature a choir, resulting an uplifting and joyous vibe.
Rundgren hopped around the stage like the Easter Bunny gone mad on “Golden Goose.” And on the ruminative “Pulse” you could hear his bare feet going across the stage as he sang “step by step.” “Compassion” was a beautiful ballad and it was followed by the chaotic “Shine” with Rundgren’s guitar and the choir locked in an intense coda that built to a long climax.
His band featured long-time collaborators Prairie Prince, Greg Hawkes, Kasim Sulton, Jesse Gress, and Bobby Strickland and they played as a tight ensemble, occasionally clowning around and adding to the theatricality without ever showing up the music.
The opening act was the Psychodots out of Cincinnati. The band of Sylvania area transplants — Bob Nyswonger, Rob Fetters, and Chris Arduser — played a tight, 30-minute set that left you wanting another hour’s worth of their music.
The ‘dots have been working together for decades and they play in a tight power trio format that always sounds like a vintage sports car veering around hairpin curves without ever losing control. Arduser plays drums with a rare mix of power and finesse and Nyswonger on bass and Fetters on guitar seem to have a telepathic connection melodically.
With three strong songwriters, they managed to showcase each during the six song set. Highlights were Arduser’s “Keep Your Counsel,” Nyswonger’s “Veneer,” and Fetters’ “Heaven.” In a perfect universe, the Psychodots would be millionaires and you’d know all their songs and Justin Bieber would just be some cute kid trying to date your daughter.
Only Todd Rundgren could pull this off:
Band members decked out in what looked like pajamas made in an orange mescaline factory.
Four synthesizers playing at once, a full choir, a drummer who was wheeled on and off the stage behind his kit when needed. And when Prairie Prince wasn’t playing drums, he offered up a strangely effective tap dance that managed to be comical and still make musical sense.
There was unabashed theater at the Stranahan Wednesday night for Rundgren’s rock show, featuring a massive light display and music that veered from bombastic metal to spiritual meditations on the healing power of compassion.
All delivered by what appeared to be the coolest preacher on the planet.
In short, it was an aural and visual feast thanks to Rundgren and his exceptional five-piece band that kept the vast majority of the small but enthusiastic 614-person audience beaming.
The concert also was a reminder of his unique ability to balance between obscure eclecticism and commercial accessibility. Along with Frank Zappa and Sparks, Rundgren is one of the original prog rock jesters. And he’s also one of the great pop balladeers of his generation.
But he never repeats himself and he pays his core audience the ultimate tribute by not pandering to them.
So, no, he didn’t play “Hello It’s Me” or “Bang The Drum All Day” and while there were a few murmurs from folks who wanted to hear those pop hits, the expectation was that if you came to the show you would get the “Todd” album from 1974 and “Healing” from 1981 and that’s all. Promoted by Rundgren fans, this mini-tour is about paying back the devotees with some nostalgic weirdness that sounds surprisingly contemporary.
You can’t help but listen to much of this music in the context of what would come about seven years later via new wave and conclude that Rundgren was far more interesting as a composer than the folks he influenced. New Order versus Todd Rundgren? No contest.
Wearing a strange Sgt. Pepper-type outfit for the first set that featured the “Todd” album and an ensemble that featured a long white jacket and cream colored pants for the “Healing” portion of the show, Rundgren also brandished a technicolor Gibson SG that he used to remind everyone of just how overlooked he is as a guitarist.
The “Todd” album is a strange collection of songs that zig and zag from spare piano ballads to balls-to-the-wall rockers. There’s the short, lovely pop of “A Dream Goes on Forever” and the psychedelic soul of “The Last Ride,” which featured a blistering guitar solo. Rundgren worked the stage on all of them, using a cordless microphone and acting out many of the songs with hand gestures and strange dances when he wasn’t playing an instrument.
He botched the piano part on “Drunken Blue Rooster” and at times his voice was a bit ragged, but in a show filled with moving parts, the lack of mistakes and Spinal Tap-type errors was minimal.
The “Healing” songs were a revelation to anyone unfamiliar with that fairly obscure album. Its themes of compassion and forgiveness are delivered in a warm wash of synths and many of the songs feature a choir, resulting an uplifting and joyous vibe.
Rundgren hopped around the stage like the Easter Bunny gone mad on “Golden Goose.” And on the ruminative “Pulse” you could hear his bare feet going across the stage as he sang “step by step.” “Compassion” was a beautiful ballad and it was followed by the chaotic “Shine” with Rundgren’s guitar and the choir locked in an intense coda that built to a long climax.
His band featured long-time collaborators Prairie Prince, Greg Hawkes, Kasim Sulton, Jesse Gress, and Bobby Strickland and they played as a tight ensemble, occasionally clowning around and adding to the theatricality without ever showing up the music.
The opening act was the Psychodots out of Cincinnati. The band of Sylvania area transplants — Bob Nyswonger, Rob Fetters, and Chris Arduser — played a tight, 30-minute set that left you wanting another hour’s worth of their music.
The ‘dots have been working together for decades and they play in a tight power trio format that always sounds like a vintage sports car veering around hairpin curves without ever losing control. Arduser plays drums with a rare mix of power and finesse and Nyswonger on bass and Fetters on guitar seem to have a telepathic connection melodically.
With three strong songwriters, they managed to showcase each during the six song set. Highlights were Arduser’s “Keep Your Counsel,” Nyswonger’s “Veneer,” and Fetters’ “Heaven.” In a perfect universe, the Psychodots would be millionaires and you’d know all their songs and Justin Bieber would just be some cute kid trying to date your daughter.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
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