Summing up Todd Rundgren’s career in a few pithy paragraphs is so beyond this fan’s capabilities. Todd’s life seems more like 3 or 4 careers all lived at once. Describing them, synthesizing them is daunting, impossible in the few hours given to the task. Still, Todd Rundgren is a force in rock and pop music, and homage needs to be paid.
Todd is from the Philly suburb of Upper Darby, PA. He’s a self-taught guitar player (at 15) in the Pete Townshend mold, astonishingly good. And, terribly underrated, probably because his best known songs are piano/keyboard-driven ballads: “Hello It’s Me” “I Saw the Light” “Can We Still Be Friends” “We Gotta Get You a Woman” “A Dream Goes On Forever” “Couldn’t I Just Tell You” “Just One Victory” “Bang the Drum All Day”.
NazzI don’t know much about Todd’s early bands, Money and Woody’s Truck Stop. There is one album out there by the latter. Todd first came to my attention with Nazz, formed in 1967. The group was an American British Invasion band. One listen to “Open My Eyes” illustrates that description. Nazz only lasted a few years; and Todd only 2 of those. “Hello It’s Me” was their big hit, one Todd revised as an up-tempo version on a later solo album.
By 1969, Todd was already at work as a soloist with backing band Runt, and had also embarked on a lifelong career as recording engineer and producer, learning at the soundboard of Bob Dylan’s former manager, Albert Grossman. Todd’s production credits are impressive, including some of the best albums by The Band, Patti Smith, New York Dolls, Badfinger, Grand Funk, Hall & Oates, Meat Loaf, The Tubes, Cheap Trick and the Psychedelic Furs. Todd’s production work started in NYC, moved to LA, and finally settled in Woodstock, NY. Todd is an early adopter of modern audio, video and computer technologies, used in record and music video production, as well as concert performances.
Meanwhile, Todd left Runt behind and released solo albums including Something/Anything? and A Wizard, a True Star (1973). Backed by the band that would morph into Utopia, along with session work by the Brecker Brothers on horns and Rick Derringer on guitar, Wizard, a True Star is an amazing trip through eclectic styles ranging from electronica to Motown. The Motown medley is especially cool.
Todd and Utopia recorded and toured regularly until the mid-80s. He has continued to created solo albums ever since, and his discography numbers 25 albums. Todd has also toured with Ringo Starr’s All Star Band and is currently on tour with Ringo for the fourth time. His other collaborations include Bonnie Tyler, The New Cars, A Walk Down Abbey Road, and Joe Jackson.
Todd is dad to Liv Tyler, the daughter of Steven Tyler and Todd’s companion Bebe Buell.
Happy Birthday to Todd Rundgren!
