Todd Rundgren

[Polypet]

So glad you got to take in a live Todd show! He was in really good voice and the band was kickin!

Great to meet you as well!!

Here's a bit of the show-

You lucky guys. That would be a dream scenario for me, to meet Sean AT a Todd show. Damn. Nicely done, man

Was Todd performing any of his recent singles? Have to say I haven’t enjoyed them, but wondering if they work better live.

I've seen him play a lot of his new stuff - a lot of which is better than may seem at first blush - live he kills it. Seriously. I had a new appreciation for those albums after seeing the tour right before STATE came out. Some beautiful and rocking stuff.

With the tour name having "The Individualist" in the title, I was expecting to hear some tunes from that album -- would've been happy if they played some, but honestly I'd have been happy with just about anything. The set list was really enjoyable, and had some inclusions I did not expect at all.

That latter half of AWATS was so much fun.

The Individualist is one my favourites of his, actually. It's excellent. And, all kidding aside, his rap has serious flow. It's uniquely his. As one who does appreciate good rap, his is pretty good. YMMV, of course

But all of his albums have something to recommend on them. The Arena tour was so loud i couldn't appreciate the tunes, largely pastiches. But when i got the album, the song Courage knocked me out. So beautiful. i couldn't hear it live I've come to really like that one too.

Always on the lookout for something new and original. I love that about him.

[Sunlight Caller]

Glad that you still have your LP collection though! That helps a lot, not having to try tracking down stuff that might be hard to find now. I'm still working on building up my Todd/Utopia vinyl collection (even though I've got them all on CD already and should probably be more wise with my money...)

I moved house a week ago and I finally have my vinyl all in the same room as me again, and pulling out those 70’s Todd albums has been a joy. Yes I too have them all on CD, but it’s like meeting old friends after a long layoff.

Your Todd gig looked so great, I think it’s the same backing band as I saw him with in London a few years back, which was a great show too. I hope he comes back here again.

I found the coloured vinyl box set of his collected singles, the one with your avatar image, I had forgotten I bought that a few record store days ago.

[aith01]

The Individualist is one my favourites of his, actually. It's excellent. And, all kidding aside, his rap has serious flow. It's uniquely his. As one who does appreciate good rap, his is pretty good. YMMV, of course

But all of his albums have something to recommend on them. The Arena tour was so loud i couldn't appreciate the tunes, largely pastiches. But when i got the album, the song Courage knocked me out. So beautiful. i couldn't hear it live I've come to really like that one too.

I absolutely love The Individualist. I even like his rapping. Like you said, it's uniquely his and it flows. I think the songs "Beloved Infidel" and "Temporary Sanity" are brilliant, but it's really a solid album front-to-back.

Arena is another album of his that I really liked -- in fact it helped reintroduce me to his music. "Courage" is a beautiful tune, though I can imagine it might have been harder to appreciate live if it was played really loud.

Always on the lookout for something new and original. I love that about him.

Same here.

I moved house a week ago and I finally have my vinyl all in the same room as me again, and pulling out those 70’s Todd albums has been a joy. Yes I too have them all on CD, but it’s like meeting old friends after a long layoff.

Your Todd gig looked so great, I think it’s the same backing band as I saw him with in London a few years back, which was a great show too. I hope he comes back here again.

It can be a great feeling to get reacquainted with old favorites.

His backing band was fantastic; I'm glad you got to see him with such a good group of musicians too. Really put on a great show and the sound quality was just top-notch. Hopefully we'll get to catch another Todd show in the future. He seems to rarely sit still for long.

I found the coloured vinyl box set of his collected singles, the one with your avatar image, I had forgotten I bought that a few record store days ago.

I've got that one too! It's a pretty nice set, and it's cool to have so many of those songs all together in one box. Until now, I'd never realized that there was a version of "Wolfman Jack" that actually had Wolfman Jack on it. I prefer the original, but it's still cool to hear the alternate version too.

[JAMOOL]

I've seen him play a lot of his new stuff - a lot of which is better than may seem at first blush - live he kills it. Seriously. I had a new appreciation for those albums after seeing the tour right before STATE came out. Some beautiful and rocking stuff.

That's what's so frustrating about 21st Century Todd to me. His new material is actually quite good, and he's obviously still in fine form vocally and musically. But he needs to bring in some outside help!!

[Polypet]

It's just a synth freak out. It's a test of patience, though some folks like it. Todd was beyond worrying about proving anything at that point. He's a guy that seemed to deliberateley sabotage his career at every turn by doing what he pleased instead of looking at the previous album's success and trying to do more of the same. Had he done that after Something/Anything he could have been a household name, but he had other plans and I am glad he did.

Give Marlene some time, it's a beatiful little tune....

One of my favourites - "i'm depending on you now, Marlene....." - simple, direct and lovely

[carlmarx38]

This may be posted already, but Todd's Rock Hall Induction from last week :

[carlmarx38]

Love the ending to the video with his comment...."If nominated, I will not Run, and if Elected I will not serve !"

[carlmarx38]

[Victorian Squid]

You lucky guys. That would be a dream scenario for me, to meet Sean AT a Todd show. Damn. Nicely done, man

I've seen him play a lot of his new stuff - a lot of which is better than may seem at first blush - live he kills it. Seriously. I had a new appreciation for those albums after seeing the tour right before STATE came out. Some beautiful and rocking stuff.

TBH, that's sort of summed Todd up for decades. Similar to the way people said you gotta see the Dead live, their studio efforts don't cut it, (IMO they didn't impress me live - ever). In Todd's case it actually seemed to be the truth. I think a lot of it was he got so meticulous and disciplined in the studio, he would tend to overthink his own work after Todd, and that of Utopia. Some of it comes off as even a bit sterile. When I finally got to see them live it was already 1977, and it was the Ra tour. I was absolutely blown away by the band's prowess, they took that album - which honestly even comes off as a bit anemic - to the stratosphere. They were having an absolute blast, no doubt the chemistry made a huge difference. I came away with an entirely new respect for Ra and and Utopia in general. Even Singring was a different song live. You can also tell a band's chops when everything is falling apart around them - which it was. By the time they hit Freedom fighters, the crowd was berserk. I never thought the original Utopia could have been improved on - I was so wrong. Just 4 guys making all that racket.

I think the comment about outside help is a good one, but I just don't see Todd ever letting somebody else produce his stuff. And TBH, I can't think of who he'd work with that would "get it". He's brought the best out countless bands, but never captures the excitement of his own full potential. Just see him live and enjoy it while you still can. BTW, Prairie Prince is one of the best drummers working today, and he's still got it. I was a fan from the first time I saw the Tubes in 1975, I can see why Todd tapped his services after Remote Control.

[edit] Oh, and back then, I expected to see banks of keyboards to be impressed (pun intended). I wasn't the only person who sniggered when Powell came out with just that one keyboard hanging around his neck. Yeah, that lasted all of about a minute.

[Sunlight Caller]

I found an old Utopia DVD when I was unpacking boxes the other day (I’ve just moved house). It was live at The Royal Oak Detroit in ‘81. It’s pretty dated visually and only short, but it was great to see the four piece band looking young and fresh. I would love to see a Ra show, if such exists on DVD. It was Ra that really converted me back in the day, I remember a slot on OGWT, they showed some live footage with the pyramid, and I was sold. The BBC broadcast a Ra show on the radio, and I taped it and listened for years until the tape came to a chewed up end, very sad!

I don’t have a lot of visual Todd in my collection, so please share any of your favourite DVD’s for me to explore.

[aith01]

TBH, that's sort of summed Todd up for decades. Similar to the way people said you gotta see the Dead live, their studio efforts don't cut it, (IMO they didn't impress me live - ever). In Todd's case it actually seemed to be the truth. I think a lot of it was he got so meticulous and disciplined in the studio, he would tend to overthink his own work after Todd, and that of Utopia.

Hmm... I never had a problem with his studio work, nor felt that it didn't represent his full potential. Since I didn't even get to see him live until over 15 years after discovering his music and listening to him. The studio stuff is what made me into a fan; seeing him in concert was just the icing on the cake for me.

[markwoll]

His lives shows surprised me with their energy and quality.
He's not coasting.

[aith01]

His lives shows surprised me with their energy and quality.
He's not coasting.

Definitely.

The man has a huge back catalog of his own music to draw from, and he still delivers in concert. He and the whole band impressed the heck out of me when I saw them.

[Polypet]

Hmm... I never had a problem with his studio work, nor felt that it didn't represent his full potential. Since I didn't even get to see him live until over 15 years after discovering his music and listening to him. The studio stuff is what made me into a fan; seeing him in concert was just the icing on the cake for me.

Yeah, i've seen him live since early days and he was always fun but really his recordings are my favourite things. He just has a wonderful way with record making, imho ymmy etc.

[JKL2000]

I too have always enjoyed Todd's studio albums a lot. I think his studio output has been somewhat similar to Neil Young's in that Todd has a lot of very solid and popular studio albums, and then a bunch or more experimental albums, BUT Todd's experimental albums are generally more successful than Neil's. As a couple of examples, A Capella and No World Order - both experimental albums very different from all others, but both great albums, IMO.

[Polypet]

I too have always enjoyed Todd's studio albums a lot. I think his studio output has been somewhat similar to Neil Young's in that Todd has a lot of very solid and popular studio albums, and then a bunch or more experimental albums, BUT Todd's experimental albums are generally more successful than Neil's. As a couple of examples, A Capella and No World Order - both experimental albums very different from all others, but both great albums, IMO.

Yep, good analogy. I love Neil for at least doing that even when things are less successful, the effort is worthy, i think

[unclemeat]

Touch of Ra

[JKL2000]

^ With Steve Vai. Pretty cool.

[JAMOOL]

not really sure what to make of the album, since it's mostly outtakes from other artists it's no surprise that some of the songs just kinda suck. but there are definitely some real great ones on there as well. so I guess it's kinda like all of Todd's albums after Nearly Human.

[JKL2000]

not really sure what to make of the album, since it's mostly outtakes from other artists it's no surprise that some of the songs just kinda suck. but there are definitely some real great ones on there as well. so I guess it's kinda like all of Todd's albums after Nearly Human.

When you say 'outtakes,' what do you mean? Collaborations with, right? That's what I assumed they are. I agree, it seems to be a mixed bag. I haven't listened to all the songs yet, or at all in sequence, which I need to do. But I listened to the singles as they were released, and I really don't like the song with Sparks, so there's that.

I'm sporadic with my Todd fandom - there are whole albums I've never listened to, but most of his catalog I know really well.

[aith01]

not really sure what to make of the album, since it's mostly outtakes from other artists it's no surprise that some of the songs just kinda suck. but there are definitely some real great ones on there as well. so I guess it's kinda like all of Todd's albums after Nearly Human.

They're not "outtakes", they're just song ideas or demos that other artists had not finished yet. The one from Neil Finn was just a barebones demo (with vocals and a synth, nothing else) that he sent to Rundgren, who then finished it out and arranged it into the final form. Whereas the Lemon Twigs song (one of the best on the record IMO) was one that was almost a complete song by the time they sent it to Todd, and they wrote it with him in mind. Rivers Cuomo sent Rundgren several song ideas he had been working on, and Rundgren finally picked the one that turned into "Down With the Ship".

When you say 'outtakes,' what do you mean? Collaborations with, right? That's what I assumed they are. I agree, it seems to be a mixed bag. I haven't listened to all the songs yet, or at all in sequence, which I need to do. But I listened to the singles as they were released, and I really don't like the song with Sparks, so there's that.

I'm sporadic with my Todd fandom - there are whole albums I've never listened to, but most of his catalog I know really well.

In essence, Space Force is like a combination of a Todd solo album and his work as a producer for other musicians. I think it's his best since Liars. There are some songs where he contributed more than on others, but on the whole it sounds a lot more fresh than any of his work in the past decade or more IMO. One of the reasons he said he did it this way (with focus on actual collaboration using the songwriting ideas of other artists) was because he felt like he had been in an echo chamber by only working on his own for the last several years. I'm paraphrasing of course.

I don't think any of the songs outright "suck" though. The only one that doesn't move me much still is "Espionage", which was originally intended for White Knight but Narcy had not finished his part in time to make it onto that record.

And I actually really like "Your Fandango", I think it's great. It's goofy in the same vein as things like "Frogs" or "Emperor of the Highway" -- I like it much more than the latter, but not as much as the former.

[Enidi]

For many years Todd Rundgren was influenced by Laura Nyro. Although she is considered a influential writer of Pop Music..she was weird or a bit different than other writers of her time. "Captain For Dark Mornings " was an unusual song and the essence of that style of writing can be spotted throughout several Todd Rundgren albums.

Even on the more Space Rock Progressive music of Rundgren such as "Treatise On Cosmic Fire" from Initiation her Nyro's style of chord voicing can be heard at the intro of that strange piece and throughout...however Rundgren was taking her ideas and doing something else with them. Perhaps fitting her ideas more into a Prog style.

I've been listening to Laura Nyro since the 60s. I don't expect Prog fans to be particularly interested in her music. The concept was that she was unusual and influenced artists to expand further with her dark and depressing melancholy ideas. The similarities between Nyro and Rundgren are ridiculous, but nevertheless interesting.

[mkeneally]

Todd even sang a song to Laura on his debut album. She was certainly an influence on him, understandably (she was fantastic).

[aith01]

Todd even sang a song to Laura on his debut album. She was certainly an influence on him, understandably (she was fantastic).

Yeah, she was! I've got her album Eli and the Thirteenth Confession, which has some excellent stuff on it. I need to hear more of her music.

[Progbear]

When you say 'outtakes,' what do you mean? Collaborations with, right? That's what I assumed they are. I agree, it seems to be a mixed bag. I haven't listened to all the songs yet, or at all in sequence, which I need to do. But I listened to the singles as they were released, and I really don't like the song with Sparks, so there's that.

I'm sporadic with my Todd fandom - there are whole albums I've never listened to, but most of his catalog I know really well.

I jumped ship when he did With a Twist, which suggested he was totally bereft of fresh ideas. Hearing him do "I Hate My Frickin' ISP" sort of cemented that perception. But people really seem to like Liars, so maybe I should give Todd after the whole Patronet debacle a second chance.