An Apprication of Todd Rundgren

mike65

(this could become a series!)

Todd Rundgren is a possible/probable musical genius who has arguably suffered from his magpie mentality which has meant its been hard to really nail him down to any style, resulting in a foggy public image insofar as he has one at all. A multi-instrumentalist, singer, engineer/producer (most famously on Bat Out of Hell) who has spent 45 years doing what pleased him first and foremost.

Rundgren started out with now highly regarded 60s garage band "Nazz" who wore their UK invasion influence strongly. This is from the second album NazzNazz "Not Wrong Long"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZ0UcyFKgbA

The band lasted just two albums when active (one member continued under the name with a third LP arriving in 1971) Rundgren was up and running under his own name in 1970 with his debut Runt (actually the original release was under the band name of the same name, still...) The single from it proved to be a modest hit and would give a strong clue as to what would follow as he hit his stride.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll4Y2LegHaI

Rundgren deciding to take charge of the engineering aspect of his music came after being unhappy with how Nazz records sounded. The lush, detailed sound that would become his trade mark found its early peak with his second and still most popular release "Something/Anything?" a double album which encompasses a broad range of styles, from blue eyed soul to hard rock within a signature sound.

"Hello, its me" was the third single and became his sole top 10 hit.

*lighters in the air*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLeCB7Kn-VE

and in heavy rocking mode.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh8NE-5FVLs

Despite the quality and 2 top 20 singles Something/Anything only just scraped into the Top 30 of the album chart possibly the fact it was a double album therefore more expensive from a "new kid" didn't help and it would take three years to reach its Gold certificate (500,000 sales).

Whatever traction Rundgren had built his quickly lost (or maybe gave away) with the follow up an album that pushing near the edge of what was physical possible with vinyl "A Wizard, a True Star" was 56 minutes long over 2 sides. The contents were tricky for a casual listen and clearly AM radio unfriendly, the first side being a medley of short diverse songs and snippets/ideas that sound like they might become fully worked up at some point (think side one of Bowies Low mixed with The Who Sell Out and bits of Beatles off the studio floor) side two was more traditional with several proper songs.

A Wizard, a True Star just managed to find a top 100 peak spot for a week or two and yes Rundgren was on soft drugs by this point.

the next two albums - Todd and Initiation saw him mine prog rock and electronics and synths. The former a double the latter a v-e-r-y long single LP somehow lasting 68 minutes to achieve this the sound was compressed and the cut of the playing groove incredibly fine (anyone who had a copy would have been advised to transfer it to tape on the first play). Its very hard to know why Rundgren did this sort of thing as it sure didn't help his sales.

A couple of the tracks from this period have become live staples - notably "Heavy Metal Kids" from Todd - which sounds like Ted Nugent meets Alice Cooper to me!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5STxJDn26E

Part Two tomorrow

He produced Meat Loaf's 'Bat Out of Hell', playing the guitar solo and using his guitar to create the motorbike sounds on the track, and was the engineer on The Band's 'Stage Fright'...among other things.

Something/Anything is class album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXq81-cGJr4

Trick of the Tail

I hear a good few Rundgren and/or Utopia tracks on Zenith Classic Rock.

Makes a nice change!

A.

Gotta love this carry on supporting Utopia's Ra album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej9xzLCyiWE