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Monday, February 8, 2010
Review > Hammersmith show by the UK's Telegraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/live-music-reviews/7188130/Todd-Rundgren-at-the-Hammersmith-Apollo-review.html
Todd Rundgren at the Hammersmith Apollo, review
The Todd-heads, at least, were not disappointed by this meticulously planned show. Rating: * * *
By Tim Burrows
Published: 12:50PM GMT 08 Feb 2010
Crowd-pleasing stuff: Todd Rundgren at the Hammersmith Apollo Photo: JOHN RAHIM
Around the time of his 1973 album A Wizard, a True Star, Todd Rundgren was all set for superstardom. He dated the supermodel Bebe Buell, and frequented the New York hangout Max’s Kansas City, where he met the New York Dolls, whose debut album he produced, and Patti Smith, who wrote the album’s sleeve notes.
Yet the outlandish experimentation of AWATS might have been what prevented Rundgren becoming the American Bowie. While not a small fish by any means, Rundgren never hit those heights. Yet today he still commands an obsessive global following of fans, known as “Todd-heads”.
For them he ensured this Hammersmith show, in which the whole of AWATS was played live for the first time since the Seventies, was a meticulously planned affair. His white-tuxedoed six-piece band, didn’t miss a time-signature change. Yet, while the music was as faithful to the LP as possible, the most thought-out aspect of the show was his outfits.
This was crowd-pleasing stuff – Liberace meets Lady Gaga — with Rundgren jogging back and forth to change into sparkling spandex, a yellow tuxedo, or the glittering indigo robe he threw on before performing a quite touching rendition of I Don’t Want to Tie You Down.
AWATS is still a gorgeous fusion of styles that follows its own dream-logic. Yet here its effervescence was squeezed into a rigorous routine that resembled a West End musical.
Rundgren had started the set in a space suit for the cosmic International Feel. For Hungry For Love, he came out sporting a chef’s outfit, throwing sweets into the audience from his apron like a pantomime character. For those who adored the album for its feeling of limitless possibilities, the stream of consciousness had become an irritating fairground ride.
In recent years, the album has become a major influence on groups such as Daft Punk and Hot Chip, and any crate-digging hip-hop DJ worth his salt. As if stood in opposition to such hip appropriation, some Todd-heads had painted their faces and wore jackets covered in DIY messages to their hero.
As the set approached the finale, Rundgren wore his most risqué outfit of the night, a gold dress with a gap to air his small belly. As he span in a circle, his dress pluming furiously as he played a lengthy guitar solo, one Todd-head in the audience, who had danced evangelically throughout, was reaching a transformative state. In Todd they still trust.
Videos> london show AWATS recorded by Thierry from France
upped on youtube by long time fan PRTALL "Thierry from France "
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Review: review of london show
from fellow bloggers site http://cleardaynebraska.blogspot.com/2010/02/todd-rundgren-triumphs-with-wizard-true.html
Sunday, February 07, 2010
Todd Rundgren triumphs with A Wizard, A True Star at the London Hammersmith Apollo
Todd Rundgren and his all-star band rolled into London last night for what will be remembered as a career defining concert - the British concert premiere of his 1973 epic album "A Wizard, A True Star."
The concert has been highly anticipated for a year now. Rundgren opened the show with a 30 minute set entitled Todd Rundgren's "Johnson." Todd (vocals, guitar), Kasim Sultan (bass), Jesse Gress (guitar) and Prairie Prince (drums)performed their own renditions of bluesman Robert Johnson. An album's worth of material is to follow in the coming months.
I was very sceptical about how Rundgren would pull off re-creating the music from Wizard and how he would keep the audience's attention. But like some outerspace theatrical glam rock, tongue and cheeck rock concert, the minute Todd walked on stage dressed in NASA astronaut's suit, you new this show was going to be on par with David Bowie's famous farewell Ziggy Stardust gig (at the same Hammersmith Apollo venue).
But this was Rundgren's defining moment. There were rock star moments in a rock and roll circus spetacle that was chaotic, fun and emotionally uplifting, and at times, heartfelt and poignant. Wizard was the album that defined a generation, and although it was originally panned by critics when it was released in 1973, it has since been namechecked by tons of young British bands.
Not only did the album combine several music genres and styles, but it also told the rollercoaster story of a psychedelic trip as driven by one of pop's greatest DIY wonders.
The costume changes brought back the theatricality of when rock and roll shows were an event. I don't know if Rundgren did this concsiously, but I haven't witnessed something theatrical like this since David Bowie stunned audiences with his memorable Diamond Dogs tour.
Vocally, Todd sounded impeccable. His Philly soul stylings touched a nerve, particularly when he sang the soul medly I'm So Proud / Ooh Baby Baby / La La Means I Love You / Cool Jerk.
When Bobby Strickland told everyone to get up on their feet during Cool Jerk, suddenly the gig skyrocketed into orbit with Hungry for Love, I Don't Want To Tie You Down, Is It My Name? and the encore One Last Victory.
As the concert drew to a close, the sold out 3,500 strong crowd, stood on their toes with wild applause. Todd Rundgren conquered London. It will be interesting to see what the 'True Star' will do next.
As we left the venue, there was a stall selling the entire concert on USB stick. The USB is available to order online from http://concert-online.com/en/artist/25886/Todd-Rundgren.html
Sunday, February 07, 2010
Todd Rundgren triumphs with A Wizard, A True Star at the London Hammersmith Apollo
Todd Rundgren and his all-star band rolled into London last night for what will be remembered as a career defining concert - the British concert premiere of his 1973 epic album "A Wizard, A True Star."
The concert has been highly anticipated for a year now. Rundgren opened the show with a 30 minute set entitled Todd Rundgren's "Johnson." Todd (vocals, guitar), Kasim Sultan (bass), Jesse Gress (guitar) and Prairie Prince (drums)performed their own renditions of bluesman Robert Johnson. An album's worth of material is to follow in the coming months.
I was very sceptical about how Rundgren would pull off re-creating the music from Wizard and how he would keep the audience's attention. But like some outerspace theatrical glam rock, tongue and cheeck rock concert, the minute Todd walked on stage dressed in NASA astronaut's suit, you new this show was going to be on par with David Bowie's famous farewell Ziggy Stardust gig (at the same Hammersmith Apollo venue).
But this was Rundgren's defining moment. There were rock star moments in a rock and roll circus spetacle that was chaotic, fun and emotionally uplifting, and at times, heartfelt and poignant. Wizard was the album that defined a generation, and although it was originally panned by critics when it was released in 1973, it has since been namechecked by tons of young British bands.
Not only did the album combine several music genres and styles, but it also told the rollercoaster story of a psychedelic trip as driven by one of pop's greatest DIY wonders.
The costume changes brought back the theatricality of when rock and roll shows were an event. I don't know if Rundgren did this concsiously, but I haven't witnessed something theatrical like this since David Bowie stunned audiences with his memorable Diamond Dogs tour.
Vocally, Todd sounded impeccable. His Philly soul stylings touched a nerve, particularly when he sang the soul medly I'm So Proud / Ooh Baby Baby / La La Means I Love You / Cool Jerk.
When Bobby Strickland told everyone to get up on their feet during Cool Jerk, suddenly the gig skyrocketed into orbit with Hungry for Love, I Don't Want To Tie You Down, Is It My Name? and the encore One Last Victory.
As the concert drew to a close, the sold out 3,500 strong crowd, stood on their toes with wild applause. Todd Rundgren conquered London. It will be interesting to see what the 'True Star' will do next.
As we left the venue, there was a stall selling the entire concert on USB stick. The USB is available to order online from http://concert-online.com/en/artist/25886/Todd-Rundgren.html
photos Uk show AWATS
Photo Credit: (c) John Rahim
click on images to see larger size
Photo Credit: (c) John Rahim
click on images to see larger size
Photo Credit: (c) John Rahim
Video>Todd Rundgren Live. London 06.02.2010....Le Feel Internacionale and just one victory
upped on youtube by mick10n
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Friday, February 5, 2010
interview: The Quietus.com >Todd Rundgren: A Wizard, A True Star Preview
http://thequietus.com/articles/03686-news-todd-rundgren-british-premiere-of-a-wizard-a-true-star-february-6-hmv-hammersmith-apollo
Todd Rundgren: A Wizard, A True Star Preview
The Quietus , February 5th, 2010 11:11
Dino Gollnick catches up with Todd Rundgren to talk about the UK premiere of his A Wizard, A True Star show
Tomorrow’s a very special day indeed – Todd Rundgren, one of the world’s finest and most underrated musicians, will premiere his seminal masterpiece A Wizard, A True Star to a UK audience in its entirety. The album that arguably forever destroyed Rundgren’s chances of mainstream success was light years ahead of the record buying public’s tastes in 1973 and initially sold poorly. Fast forward 37 years and Wizard’s intensely amusing and sometimes confusing mixture of totally out there tunes sits easily next to all time classics like Pet Sounds and The White Album, and continues to inspire legions of contemporaries from Hot Chip via Daft Punk to Simian Mobile Disco.
Prior to his London engagement, Rundgren’s been kind enough to answer some pressing questions...
What can we expect from the British premier of A Wizard, A True Star at the Hammersmith Apollo tomorrow?
Todd Rundgren: Well, actually the Hammersmith gig was supposed to be the world premiere as opposed to the British premiere. We’ve done the show, which is a theatricalisation rather than a note-perfect performance of the show, 11 times already in various cities in the US which works out to British fans’ benefit because we’re pretty confident in our ability to put it on now.
So did things go wrong initially?
TR: Oh, of course [laughs]! During our first seven shows there wasn’t a single night that went without any kinks - I remember the first night we got a little over-excited and swapped a couple of costume changes and I’m standing on the side of the stage ready to go on and suddenly realise I’m wearing the wrong thing. Fortunately the band is professional enough to vamp for the next two minutes so I can change into the costume I’m supposed to wear.
How did your US audiences generally react to the show?
TR: For me it’s a little hard to describe. I know that they’re paying attention to the music but there’s this other thing happening – many of them haven’t seen each other in decades and so it’s more than just a concert presentation, it takes on a quality of a reunion in a way.
Who’s in the band right now?
TR: We were fortunate enough to get Ralph Schuckett on keyboards; he played on the original album. We also have an incredible line-up of musicians on all of the other positions. The second keyboard player is Greg Hawkes, who of course was in The Cars. The reason why he fits in so well is that he actually owns a lot of the instruments that we used on the record, rare old synthesizers and things that would’ve been difficult to track down. But he just happens to have them and knows how to play them so he’s covered a lot of the textural stuff.
And then I’ve got my rhythm section, Prairie Prince on drums who originally played with The Tubes and nearly everyone else, and Kasim Sulton from Utopia. Jessie Gress is on guitar; he’s someone I’ve played with for probably 25 years now. And then we have our jack-of-all-trades, Bobby Strickland, who’s played with me during my big band revue era. He plays all the wind instruments and additional keyboards and sings and riles up the audience. He’s an incredible asset because I’m only on stage for half the show; for the other half I’m off-stage changing into another costume for the next song.
Who’s opening the show for you?
TR: The opening act will be me in some configuration or another. I’m my own opening act [laughs].
Why should anyone that doesn’t yet have a ticket for tomorrow's show rush out and get one?
TR: It’s probably too damn late now [laughs]. If you rush out tomorrow there won’t be a ticket. But maybe if you rush out in the next five minutes there will be a few left. Otherwise you’ll have to prepare for the next time we might possibly bring the show around.
Todd Rundgren: A Wizard, A True Star Preview
The Quietus , February 5th, 2010 11:11
Dino Gollnick catches up with Todd Rundgren to talk about the UK premiere of his A Wizard, A True Star show
Tomorrow’s a very special day indeed – Todd Rundgren, one of the world’s finest and most underrated musicians, will premiere his seminal masterpiece A Wizard, A True Star to a UK audience in its entirety. The album that arguably forever destroyed Rundgren’s chances of mainstream success was light years ahead of the record buying public’s tastes in 1973 and initially sold poorly. Fast forward 37 years and Wizard’s intensely amusing and sometimes confusing mixture of totally out there tunes sits easily next to all time classics like Pet Sounds and The White Album, and continues to inspire legions of contemporaries from Hot Chip via Daft Punk to Simian Mobile Disco.
Prior to his London engagement, Rundgren’s been kind enough to answer some pressing questions...
What can we expect from the British premier of A Wizard, A True Star at the Hammersmith Apollo tomorrow?
Todd Rundgren: Well, actually the Hammersmith gig was supposed to be the world premiere as opposed to the British premiere. We’ve done the show, which is a theatricalisation rather than a note-perfect performance of the show, 11 times already in various cities in the US which works out to British fans’ benefit because we’re pretty confident in our ability to put it on now.
So did things go wrong initially?
TR: Oh, of course [laughs]! During our first seven shows there wasn’t a single night that went without any kinks - I remember the first night we got a little over-excited and swapped a couple of costume changes and I’m standing on the side of the stage ready to go on and suddenly realise I’m wearing the wrong thing. Fortunately the band is professional enough to vamp for the next two minutes so I can change into the costume I’m supposed to wear.
How did your US audiences generally react to the show?
TR: For me it’s a little hard to describe. I know that they’re paying attention to the music but there’s this other thing happening – many of them haven’t seen each other in decades and so it’s more than just a concert presentation, it takes on a quality of a reunion in a way.
Who’s in the band right now?
TR: We were fortunate enough to get Ralph Schuckett on keyboards; he played on the original album. We also have an incredible line-up of musicians on all of the other positions. The second keyboard player is Greg Hawkes, who of course was in The Cars. The reason why he fits in so well is that he actually owns a lot of the instruments that we used on the record, rare old synthesizers and things that would’ve been difficult to track down. But he just happens to have them and knows how to play them so he’s covered a lot of the textural stuff.
And then I’ve got my rhythm section, Prairie Prince on drums who originally played with The Tubes and nearly everyone else, and Kasim Sulton from Utopia. Jessie Gress is on guitar; he’s someone I’ve played with for probably 25 years now. And then we have our jack-of-all-trades, Bobby Strickland, who’s played with me during my big band revue era. He plays all the wind instruments and additional keyboards and sings and riles up the audience. He’s an incredible asset because I’m only on stage for half the show; for the other half I’m off-stage changing into another costume for the next song.
Who’s opening the show for you?
TR: The opening act will be me in some configuration or another. I’m my own opening act [laughs].
Why should anyone that doesn’t yet have a ticket for tomorrow's show rush out and get one?
TR: It’s probably too damn late now [laughs]. If you rush out tomorrow there won’t be a ticket. But maybe if you rush out in the next five minutes there will be a few left. Otherwise you’ll have to prepare for the next time we might possibly bring the show around.
Interview: BBC Danny Baker show
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0065x8j/Danny_Baker_04_02_2010/
The radio genius with great guests, calls and music from the "Radio DJ of the Year". Broadcast on:BBC London, 3:00pm
Thursday 4th February 2010
Duration: 120 minutes
Available until: 5:02pm Thursday 11th February 2010
The radio genius with great guests, calls and music from the "Radio DJ of the Year". Broadcast on:BBC London, 3:00pm
Thursday 4th February 2010
Duration: 120 minutes
Available until: 5:02pm Thursday 11th February 2010
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
leaving on a jet plane
members of the AWATS band are taking a very early flight tomorrow morning to europe.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
listen to a mp 3 studio version of todd new song crossroad from Tr's Johnson album
http://blogger.xs4all.nl/werksman/archive/2010/02/02/538019.aspx
Here Comes The Flood proudly presents Crossroads, a track from the forthcoming new Todd Rundgen album Todd Rundgren's Johnson, reinterpretating the songs of legendary blues man Robert Johnson (1911-1938).
MP3: Todd Rundgren's Johnson - Crossroads
The world premiere of Todd Rundgren's Johnson was at the Palace of Fine Arts Theater, San Francisco, December 1, 2009. Rundgren played a 45 minute set of Robert Johnson songs, with Prairie Prince on drums, Jesse Gress on guitar, and Kasim Sulton on bass. It was the opener for a complete rendition of his A Wizard, A True Star album, Rundgren doing a Pink Floyd thing by playing two albums in full. It will be done again at the final (for now) AWATS shows in London (Feb 6) and Amsterdam (Feb 8).
Todd Rundgren's Johnson will be released later this year. Release date to be decided. He mentioned the album in an interview with The Examiner in November 2009:
I'm currently finishing up an album of Robert Johnson's songs. Delivering them to my label in about a week. Little difficult because everyone's covered him, so I'm trying to make sure my take isn't pedantic. I'm not a blues singer, I've done R&B. There's a difference. Blues is straight ahead. I do tend to move straight ahead, though, in the way that I work, and try not to run into a wall!
Tentative setlist for Todd Rundgen's Johnson:
Dust My Broom
Stop Breakin' Down
Walkin' Blues
Love in Vain
Sweet Home Chicago
(Hot Tamales) They're Red Hot
Come On in My Kitchen
Hellhound On My Trail
Traveling Riverside Blues
Crossroads
Video: Todd Rundgren - Crossroads
Video: Todd Rundgren - Hellhound On My Trail
Video: Todd Rundgren - Love in Vain
(live at the Orpheum Theater, Los Angeles, CA - 2009/12/04)
A Todd Rundgren's Johnson tour is currently planned. Confirmed dates:
04/02 Engelwood, NJ @ Bergen County PAC
04/03 Salisbury, MA @ Tupelo Music Hall
04/07 Newark, OH @ Midland Theater
04/09 Pittsburgh, PA @ Palace Theater
04/10 Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun - Wolf Den
04/11 Ridgefield, CT @ Ridgefield Playhouse
04/13 Alexandria, VA @ The Birchmere
04/14 Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Tavern
» todd-rundgren.com
» myspace.com/toddrundgrenmusic
» awatslive.com
Here Comes The Flood proudly presents Crossroads, a track from the forthcoming new Todd Rundgen album Todd Rundgren's Johnson, reinterpretating the songs of legendary blues man Robert Johnson (1911-1938).
MP3: Todd Rundgren's Johnson - Crossroads
The world premiere of Todd Rundgren's Johnson was at the Palace of Fine Arts Theater, San Francisco, December 1, 2009. Rundgren played a 45 minute set of Robert Johnson songs, with Prairie Prince on drums, Jesse Gress on guitar, and Kasim Sulton on bass. It was the opener for a complete rendition of his A Wizard, A True Star album, Rundgren doing a Pink Floyd thing by playing two albums in full. It will be done again at the final (for now) AWATS shows in London (Feb 6) and Amsterdam (Feb 8).
Todd Rundgren's Johnson will be released later this year. Release date to be decided. He mentioned the album in an interview with The Examiner in November 2009:
I'm currently finishing up an album of Robert Johnson's songs. Delivering them to my label in about a week. Little difficult because everyone's covered him, so I'm trying to make sure my take isn't pedantic. I'm not a blues singer, I've done R&B. There's a difference. Blues is straight ahead. I do tend to move straight ahead, though, in the way that I work, and try not to run into a wall!
Tentative setlist for Todd Rundgen's Johnson:
Dust My Broom
Stop Breakin' Down
Walkin' Blues
Love in Vain
Sweet Home Chicago
(Hot Tamales) They're Red Hot
Come On in My Kitchen
Hellhound On My Trail
Traveling Riverside Blues
Crossroads
Video: Todd Rundgren - Crossroads
Video: Todd Rundgren - Hellhound On My Trail
Video: Todd Rundgren - Love in Vain
(live at the Orpheum Theater, Los Angeles, CA - 2009/12/04)
A Todd Rundgren's Johnson tour is currently planned. Confirmed dates:
04/02 Engelwood, NJ @ Bergen County PAC
04/03 Salisbury, MA @ Tupelo Music Hall
04/07 Newark, OH @ Midland Theater
04/09 Pittsburgh, PA @ Palace Theater
04/10 Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun - Wolf Den
04/11 Ridgefield, CT @ Ridgefield Playhouse
04/13 Alexandria, VA @ The Birchmere
04/14 Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Tavern
» todd-rundgren.com
» myspace.com/toddrundgrenmusic
» awatslive.com
Saturday, January 30, 2010
REVIEW : BILLY JAMES BOOK FROM MUSOSCRIBE.COM
http://www.musoscribe.com/essays/a_dream_goes_on_forever2.shtml
Review by Bill Kopp
Covering the life and career of Todd Rundgren is a serious, sprawling undertaking (trust me!). The prolific multi-instrumentalist has recorded and released several dozens albums, first as a member of proto-powerpop sixties group Nazz, then as both a solo artist and member of Utopia. He's been at the forefront of technology (sometimes too far out in front) and has made important contributions in the fields of recording, internet content delivery, interactive media, video and computer software. As a producer for hire, he's worked the boards on some of the most popular and/or critically acclaimed recordings of the rock era.
Along the way, he's had some hits and some misses, but his career has never made for less than a compelling story. His legion of fans (relatively small in number, but as dedicated in their own way as Deadheads) follow his every move. Past age sixty, Rundgren is still turning out new and interesting material.
That said, and despite a few high-profile hits ("We Gotta Get you a Woman" in 1970, "Hello, It's Me" in 1972 and "Bang the Drum All Day" in 1983) Rundgren's iconoclastic approach guarantees that he'll remain a cult artist. He's revered by those who know his work, but unknown to most in the mainstream.
For the former, Billy James' work is a gift. Musician/author James has tackled musician bios before: he has written books about Captain Beefheart, Grand Funk (Railroad) and others. But Rundgren's oeuvre requires a detailed and lengthy approach. So it was that James published the first volume of A Dream Goes on Forever: The Continuing Story of Todd Rundgren in 2002. That book covered Rundgren's life and career up to 1976. The thick volume was full of interviews with many who had worked with Todd over the years; review and article reprints; and the author's own perspective.
In the mid 1990s, Rundgren himself was reported to have begun work on an autobiography; there's been no update since then. And no autobiography has appeared. So those interested in delving deeper into Rundgren's history are left with James' books (Rundgren was not involved on any level with the project).
The second volume was published in late 2009. Subtitled The Utopia Years, Volume 2 picks up where the previous volume left off and runs through the group's dissolution in 1988.
James uses the same approach (interview quotes, article and review reprints etc.) in this latest volume. In many ways it's a superior book; perhaps because it covers a more recent time period than the first volume, many of the quotes are first-hand (rather than sourced from the previous work of other writers). The book charts the rise and fall of the four-piece version of Utopia, with equal weight given to coverage and discussion of Rundgren's solo work during that period.
Plenty of ink is used covering the internal and external tensions that ultimately derailed the band, but while Volume 1 relied greatly on interviews with personalities who, shall we say, had an axe to grind (Moogy Klingman, for example), most of those involved in the period covered by Volume 2 have, on balance, a positive outlook about the period.
Some of the book's extensive research was conducted by noted Rundgren collector Tony Rogers; in Rogers' afterword, he makes slightly petulant remarks in response to reader complaints about the first volume. Specficially he dismisses concerns about editing and binding of the volume. In truth, both were serious issues in Volume One; while well-written and organized, the book was rife with errors. And the binding did fall apart readily. But neither of those kept that book from being an essential read for anyone with more than a passing interest in Rundgren's career.
Both of those problems have been addressed (to some degree) in Volume Two, and the result is an even better book. Those hardcore fans will want both, but since James helpfully starts out Vol. 2 with a capsule summary of the first book, Vol. 2 is the one to get.
At the rate he's going, James will likely need two more books to bring the story up to date. And since Todd's as busy as ever, depending on how long that takes, who knows -- we may some day see Volume 5.
Review by Bill Kopp
Covering the life and career of Todd Rundgren is a serious, sprawling undertaking (trust me!). The prolific multi-instrumentalist has recorded and released several dozens albums, first as a member of proto-powerpop sixties group Nazz, then as both a solo artist and member of Utopia. He's been at the forefront of technology (sometimes too far out in front) and has made important contributions in the fields of recording, internet content delivery, interactive media, video and computer software. As a producer for hire, he's worked the boards on some of the most popular and/or critically acclaimed recordings of the rock era.
Along the way, he's had some hits and some misses, but his career has never made for less than a compelling story. His legion of fans (relatively small in number, but as dedicated in their own way as Deadheads) follow his every move. Past age sixty, Rundgren is still turning out new and interesting material.
That said, and despite a few high-profile hits ("We Gotta Get you a Woman" in 1970, "Hello, It's Me" in 1972 and "Bang the Drum All Day" in 1983) Rundgren's iconoclastic approach guarantees that he'll remain a cult artist. He's revered by those who know his work, but unknown to most in the mainstream.
For the former, Billy James' work is a gift. Musician/author James has tackled musician bios before: he has written books about Captain Beefheart, Grand Funk (Railroad) and others. But Rundgren's oeuvre requires a detailed and lengthy approach. So it was that James published the first volume of A Dream Goes on Forever: The Continuing Story of Todd Rundgren in 2002. That book covered Rundgren's life and career up to 1976. The thick volume was full of interviews with many who had worked with Todd over the years; review and article reprints; and the author's own perspective.
In the mid 1990s, Rundgren himself was reported to have begun work on an autobiography; there's been no update since then. And no autobiography has appeared. So those interested in delving deeper into Rundgren's history are left with James' books (Rundgren was not involved on any level with the project).
The second volume was published in late 2009. Subtitled The Utopia Years, Volume 2 picks up where the previous volume left off and runs through the group's dissolution in 1988.
James uses the same approach (interview quotes, article and review reprints etc.) in this latest volume. In many ways it's a superior book; perhaps because it covers a more recent time period than the first volume, many of the quotes are first-hand (rather than sourced from the previous work of other writers). The book charts the rise and fall of the four-piece version of Utopia, with equal weight given to coverage and discussion of Rundgren's solo work during that period.
Plenty of ink is used covering the internal and external tensions that ultimately derailed the band, but while Volume 1 relied greatly on interviews with personalities who, shall we say, had an axe to grind (Moogy Klingman, for example), most of those involved in the period covered by Volume 2 have, on balance, a positive outlook about the period.
Some of the book's extensive research was conducted by noted Rundgren collector Tony Rogers; in Rogers' afterword, he makes slightly petulant remarks in response to reader complaints about the first volume. Specficially he dismisses concerns about editing and binding of the volume. In truth, both were serious issues in Volume One; while well-written and organized, the book was rife with errors. And the binding did fall apart readily. But neither of those kept that book from being an essential read for anyone with more than a passing interest in Rundgren's career.
Both of those problems have been addressed (to some degree) in Volume Two, and the result is an even better book. Those hardcore fans will want both, but since James helpfully starts out Vol. 2 with a capsule summary of the first book, Vol. 2 is the one to get.
At the rate he's going, James will likely need two more books to bring the story up to date. And since Todd's as busy as ever, depending on how long that takes, who knows -- we may some day see Volume 5.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Todd Rundgrens' Johnson tour dates
FRI 4/2/10 Engelwood, NJ Bergen County PAC
SAT 4/3/10 Salisbury, MA Tupelo Music Hall
WED 4/7/10 Newark, OH Midland Theater
FRI 4/9/10 Pittsburgh, PA Palace Theater
SAT 4/10/10 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun - Wolf Den
SUN 4/11/10 Ridgefield, CT Ridgefield Playhouse presale 2/1 onsale 2/5
TUE 4/13/10 Alexandria,VA The Birchmere
WED 4/14/10 Baltimore, MD Rams Head Tavern
more to come
SAT 4/3/10 Salisbury, MA Tupelo Music Hall
WED 4/7/10 Newark, OH Midland Theater
FRI 4/9/10 Pittsburgh, PA Palace Theater
SAT 4/10/10 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun - Wolf Den
SUN 4/11/10 Ridgefield, CT Ridgefield Playhouse presale 2/1 onsale 2/5
TUE 4/13/10 Alexandria,VA The Birchmere
WED 4/14/10 Baltimore, MD Rams Head Tavern
more to come
Thursday, January 28, 2010
rumors has it .............
April might just be the beginning of the tour for the Todd Rundgren's Johnson material
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