Todd is God

Decided to try and write a 'rock' song over the last month, and this is what I came up with. It's called, "Goodbye Hello" and features my nod to Jan Hammer in the Miami Vice influenced Synth on the Chorus [ see him and Al Di Meola playing my fav Jan tune Cruisin' here ]

What records have caught my attention so far 2011?? The Decemberists - The King Is Dead Going for a more folk/REM sound on this record (with a couple of blatant REM rip off tunes – but at least they get Peter Buck to help play them!). A string set of songs and an album that is a grower. Good vocal support from Gillian Welsh. [ Visual Companion piece to album video ] Go! Team - Rolling Blackouts This is their third album (and last if the band are to be believed). It sticks to the musical formula that the band created on their first album taking parts of hip-hop, 60s pop, brass bands and stage musicals and mixes it all up to make infectious pop music. Whilst it could be argued the trick is wearing thin, I think this is one of the more uplifting records of the year thus far. [ Secretary Song video ] The Civil Wars - Barton Hollow The Civil Wars are Joy Williams and John Paul White, and they make simple voice and guitar music that it at times quite beautiful. If you like the stripped dow...

Hello It’s Me is on the soundtrack to the new Simon Pegg/Nick Frost film – Paul. Meanwhile, US band, TV Girl sample this on their song 'If You Want It'

Utopia (Mark II) Reunion that is scheduled to take place at the Highline Ballroom this Saturday and Sunday (January 29th and 30th) will get a webcast. Nevessa Productions announced that they’ll be broadcasting the concert (the Jan. 30th show) via todocast starting February 2nd, on-demand for 30 days. So, get your credit cards out and order for $19.95.

UK band The Mummers have a new EP out entitled 'Mink Hollow Road' which features a cover of Todd's Fade Away.

According to this article in the Sacremento Bee, those auditioning to be on the new Todd album will be helping him record versions of songs by artists he's previously produced ... with a dance beat... 'Rundgren threw the campers a curve Monday by announcing that the songs they'd record on the Gigatone album – remakes of hits he produced for other artists such as the Psychedelic Furs' "Love My Way" and Meat Loaf's "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad" – would be set to a dance beat to reflect contemporary radio.'

The Hold Steady release Live (acoustic) at Soho iTunes Session on January 18th. They also contributed a new song "Just Saying" to the soundtrack of the The Dilemma.

First Listen: The Decemberists, 'The King Is Dead' The band returns with a stripped-down record featuring Gillian Welch and R.E.M.'s Peter Buck [Calamity Song is pure Murmur period R.E.M], and the whole album can be listened to at NPR .

Thanks to my regular reader - you know who you are! - for keeping an eye on the blog and anyone else who has dropped by over the last year. If you can't get enough of me then I do a music podcast (reviewing new albums) with a friend - Come Taste The Band , and I also do my own music that can be found on my Myspace site and also my own music site where tunes can be downloaded. I will also continue to post Todd related and occasional "other" stuff in this new year, such as my views on Paul Myers' book - A Wizard a True Star.

Apparently, Todd Rundgren's Utopia - i.e. the original 1974 lineup: Rundgren, Klingman, Siegler, Schuckett and Ellman (plus Kasim) are doing a couple of gigs at the Highline Ballroom in New York City on January 29th and 30th.

One of my projects for 2010 was to record some more of my music/songs and as a result there are now 12 songs on my MySpace site. It’s a mixed bag musically (including a couple of instrumentals), but it has, for the most part, been fun playing around and putting them online. In the words of a wise man – don’t quit your day job. More songs are planned for 2011 and maybe some better production values as I get a bit more savvy with the software I use. But until then, if you’d like to experience my ‘unique’ vocal styling’s and musicianship, then you can have a listen here . [Oh that’s such a bit of bad Internet-ing there, having a click here link essentially. ]

To be honest, I don’t think 2010 will be remembered as a ‘great’ year music-wise, although some good stuff did get released. It was a year when the hip and happening people told me I should be listening to Tame Impala, Gold Panda, Deerhunter, Beach House and others. And, I did. All were perfectly fine, but none really grabbed me, and I can’t help feeling that tame Impala sounded much better in the context of a Soundtrack album than they did on a full album of their own. So leaving those aside, was there one album that stood head and shoulders above all else this year? Not for me. There were several albums that held my attention at different parts of the year but only a few which didn’t fall away, and less still that made last gasp dashes to improve with time. So, what follows are 20 albums I have enjoyed for various reasons during 2010. If I were doing it another week, maybe O Children, She and Him, Warpaint, Pull in Emergency, Thea Gilmore, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Liz Phair may hav...

This was the fourth time I have seen Jesse live, but the first with a band. Previously it had been acoustic only shows (He excels at this being a natural raconteur and someone who truly engaging with the audience). Whilst the full on band experience meant less chat with the crowd he still found time for repeating a trick I have seen him do before where he jumps down into the crowd mid-song, wanders around, sits down on the floor and gets the rest of those present to follow suit. He then tells a story before heading to the bar, climbing up and finishing off the song. For me he is one of those artists who I'd never tire of seeing live because he is such a natural performer with just natural stage presence and an attitude that means he looks like he is enjoying being on stage (Craig Finn of the Hold Steady has the same thing) The current iteration of the St Marks Social was put together by guitarist Todd Youth – who he played with back in his D-Generation days, and who was also in Agn...

Whether you are veteran player or an avid music consumer, this 5 day inter-disciplinary romp with one of the 'industry's' most notorious survivors will open your mind and prepare you for the future. The man behind the 5th all time best-selling album Bat Out Of Hell, the 8th video played on MTV, the 1st interactive music disk, and predictor of the current demise of the music business has assembled a stellar staff of counselors and guest speakers (see COUNSELORS link above) and a curriculum of activities that will leave you informed and energized to face the challenges of making and consuming music. A typical day at camp includes 3 meals, morning and afternoon counselor-led activities, free time and one-on-one counselor sessions, evening entertainment and late night jams. All this set within the beautiful Catskill Mountains Full Moon Resort grounds, just a stone's throw from Woodstock NY. The curriculum includes not just the mechanics of music making, but the full range ...

Rightly indentified by the BBC as an artist to watch in 2010, I was looking forward to seeing Marina play her debut album – one of the year's best pop records – live. I and her other fans in the audience were not disappointed as she rattled through the album, plus a new tune – Jealousy - (a bit too La Roux for my liking), managing a couple of costume changes along the way. Kicking off with The Family Jewels and The Outsider, and rolling through the show stopper Hollywood 75 minutes later the band: Drummer, bass players and two Keyboard/Synth players immediately rose to the task, as Marina herself strutted the stage like a woman born to perform. Oh, and the voice, just sounded great live, especially in quieter moments – such as first encore song Numb - when she could really showed off her inner Amanda Palmer/Lena Lovich quality. Indeed it all sounded great. An therein lay the problem for me. Maybe it's due to my age, I don't know, but I couldn't help being disappointed...

Have posted another new tune to my Myspace site, called Moon's a Balloon http://www.myspace.com/thevineland

myRecordFantasy with Todd Rundgren January 17-19, 2011 The Track Shack Studios, Sacramento, CA EARLY BIRD PRICING AVAILABLE! LIMITED SEATING SO REGISTER NOW! No Experience Necessary! Up-close, hands-on, behind-the-scenes look into the recording of Todd's new album. Receive credit on his new album. Audition for me Todd expert judges to play and perform on the album. Go out with Todd on outings and "field trips" full of hijinx and fun. Co-star with Todd in a Web-based reality show documenting myRecordFantasy with Todd Rundgren. Enjoy an intimate, exclusive, VIP-only finale concert with the band playing selections from the new album along with classic Rundgren songs. Surprise guest appearances by Todd's rock star friends. Jam with Todd and his rock star friends each night. Meals, drinks, and fun! Swag bag including cool limited-edition, autographed collectables. Top secret surprises that Todd don't even know about! LIMITED SPACE so REGISTER TODAY ! And much, much mor...

I like to get out and see new and up and coming bands and last night I went along to the album launch for a Band called Pull in Emergency. As is the case most times for these types of gigs, there were also 3 other bands on the bill, and I have to say that all had something to offer. Hella Better Dancer http://www.myspace.com/hellabetterdancer The night began with a bunch of 16 year olds, fronted by Tilly Scantlebury. They are a band that mange to fuse elements of early Cure, and PJ Harvey in a pleasing manor. I really liked the guitar work by Soph Nathan. Like all good guitarist she adds colour where it is needed without over powering the songs. Of the songs they played I really liked 'The City Sea' and new rocky song 'Say it' ? This is certainly a group worth keeping an eye on. They don't quite have the stage presence mastered yet, but time will bring that, and I'm already looking forward to what they'll sound like in a few years, but don't wait until t...

Just a week after I posted my last new song, I have been at it again. This side of the Morning is now on my MySpace site. Song dates back to around 1987/88. I liked it back then, and I still do now, so thought why not let it out for people to hear.