Todd is God

Todd at the Royston gig as reported by Fox News As for Rundgren, we did talk about his exclusion so far from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. "I wouldn't go even if they inducted me," he insisted. "I loved what the Sex Pistols did this year." Rundgren has every right to be bitter. Apart from hits like "Hello It's Me" and "I Saw the Light," he has also been a seminal producer for Grand Funk Railroad, Badfinger, XTC and other groups. After a while he said, "Let me know if I get in. I could come and not be happy about it."

Todd showed up - along with Bebe Buell, Stephen Tyler, and Liv Tyler to the performance by Arckid, Liv's husband Royston's (ex Spacehog) latest band. David Bowie was also at the gig in New york for the Hugo Boss and Interview Private Rooftop Concert.

So, went to see the Weakerthans on Wednesday evening at the mean fiddler. This was the same place I saw them for the first time back in 2004. There were a few more people in the audience this time around I must say. They had two support acts, but only arrived in time to see Tomte, a German band (who perform in German - aside from links to the songs in English). It seems they and the Weakerthans are sharing headline staus on this European tour, swapping to suit popularity in a given country. As such both played for around an hour. Tomte weren't too bad actually, can see why they have supported Cold Play in the past. But to the main event. John K Samson walked on his own and got things rolling with One Great City (aka I hate Winnepeg) It was good to see John K is still parting with money when he fucks up songs - this time it was £7.20 (i think) for forgetting a couple of words during a rip-rawing rendition of Aside . Surprisngly the set was quite light on the quieter more intro...

Harp has a review of It's Alive . Generally the reviewer seem to think it sound pretty good, although he's not as keen on the new tracks Warm and More

Meatloaf's Bat Out of Hell III is due out in the next couple of months. This time around it is produced by Desmond Child but as with BOOH II Todd once again maintains his connection with the original project by once again providing additional vocal arrangements. Interestingly, the new album contains songs penned by both Nikki Sixx (Motley Crue) and John 5 (Marilyn Manson/Rob Zombie) as well as the usual Steinman numbers

A few weeks back I set myself a challenge to come up with 101 tracks - classic tracks - that don't get played endlessly on the radio, MTV, and the like, but in my mind should do. I didn't sit down with pen and paper but instead posted off the top nof my head in 10 posts on a family and friends blog. As such some of these probably shouldn't be in here, and some of the links to youtube are to versions that in some cases plane suck, but ... I still like to think I've put a few interesting and overlooked gems in here (also I tried not to put too mant todd/utopia tracks in - only 4 ... maybe the 101 todd tunes is next??? 1. The Dream Academy - Life in a Northern Town . 2. The Swimming Pool Q's - Some New Highway. 3. Guadalcanal Diary - Always Saturday. 4. Lucinda Williams - Essence. 5. Bob Dylan - Not Dark Yet. 6. Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - The Ship Song. 7. Kathyrn Tickell - Mr Nelson's Birthday Waltz. 8. Frank Zappa - Whippin' Post. 9. Liz Phai...

Interesting interview with Todd on Amazon, where Todd talks of some things we should be listening too. Great to see Tricky, KLF, and PE.

In no particular order ... 1. Dresden Dolls - Yes Virginia 2. The Flaming Lips - At War with the Mystics 3. The Like - Are you Thinking what I'm Thinking 4. Neil Diamond - 12 Songs 5. The New Cars - It's Alive 6. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show your Bones 7. Jewel - Goodbye Alice in Wonderland 8. Bruce Springstein - We Shall Overcome 9. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium 10. Giant Drag - Hearts & Unicorns

We have conflicting view at the Boston Herald Larry Katz “It's pathetic seeing these Cars remnants and Todd Rundgren shamelessly exploiting fan nostalgia. Looks to me that Todd has admitted he's washed up” and ... Brett Milano “What makes it for me is the new song "Not Tonight." Here's where Rundgren's skills come in: The song's a good-natured sendup of Ocasek's style,but it's also catchy enough to be a classic Cars single. I'd probably be jumping less to defend this project if the three new songs weren't as solid as they are". "It sounded OK. But it just felt wrong" according to the Plain Dealer’s John Soeder on their Blossom Music Center gig. A ‘Get Well Soon’ to Elliot who fractured his left collar bone whilst en route to Washington DC, after the band's show in Cuyahoga Falls on 4 June, when he fell out of his bed when the tour bus swerved to avoid an accident. "It's Alive," The New Cars (Eleven Seven...

I was sorry to read of the passing of Tubes keyboard player Vince Welnick - that's what happens when you joing the Grateful Dead as a keyboard player. Welnick, aside from being a Tube, also appeared - and toured - on several Todd albums, Nearly Human, and Second Wind in particular. RIP Vince.

"This was no New Coke or Faux Queen. It was, as Bono once sang, even better than the real thing". Someone like the New Cars

Went to see The Like tonight at the 100 Club on oxford street. Good gog. Sean Na Na suppoting (aka Har mar superstar) His band were pretty good, and he was standing selling The like T-shirts and stuff at the end of the gig - and was open to a chat and agreed that not being tied down to one kind of music was important. He is also a star. Also big thank you ( BIG THANK YOU) to charlotte who kindly agreed to this photo. I made a bit of a pratt of myself by not being able to remember 'The Key of Cool' when i said i was a fan of her father's work, and sounded like i just knew he produced crowded house and richard thompson.

The Fort Worth Star Telegram has a review of the Blondie/New Cars gig and say of the Cars: "The New Cars is a reincarnation of the Cars (do we now call the old version the Used Cars?) with Ric Ocasek's spot in the band taken by studio wizard Todd Rundgren. Since this was only the second performance by this new lineup, it was not surprising that the group hasn't yet jelled as a band. On the whole, it was pretty easy to kick a couple of the tires on this model and just walk away".

Todd's Testimony at the Hearing on "Parity, Platforms and Protection: The Future of the Music Industry in the Digital Radio Revolution" before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary 26 April, 2006. In it he says: "The behavior of the majors has been that of a mindless parasite, contributing nothing yet trying to get its snout into the bloodstream of any new development. The knee-jerk justification is 'protection of artists,' which would more accurately be represented as the interests of highly bankable artists still under contract. For every one of those, there are a hundred with a lifelong bad taste in their mouths over the way they were treated when their sales began to lag ... The fantasy that this type of legislation helps music or musicians should be summarily exposed for what it is: yet another futile attempt to turn back the clock to the days when they were the sole gatekeepers to an artist's future"

Jam! Music has an interview with the NewCars

I spent last night seeing Giant Drag live, and have to say what a great gig. Support act good (who were you?) and then Annie took over. She is a bit mad, but also sweet and makes a connection with the audience that many could only dream of. A touch of humour helps to make her the ideal front woman, crisps (chips) an' all. 'This isn't it' , 'YFMLD', ' Wicked Game' and 'My Dick sux' all sounded brilliant. A band to watch.

I went to see Depeche Mode on the final date (Wembley Arena 3rd April) of the European leg of their World Tour last Monday. Pretty good gig, with the band it good form and looking like they were still ejoying being on the road together. A nicely balanced set saw them play about half the current album - A Pain That I'm Used To, John The Revelator, Macro, Precious, Suffer Well etc mixed with some old classics - Personal Jesus, Enjoy The Silence, I Feel You, Never Let Me Down Again, Policy of Truth, Just Can't Get Enough etc. Highlights for me were Personal Jesus, I Feel You and an excellent Shake the Disease.

Their excellent new single is now out - World Wide Suicide. The flip side Unemployable is also great. The new album Pearl Jam is out 2 May. They announce a date at the London Astoria for the 20 April, which sadly sold out in minutes yesterday morning before I knew about it.

The Flaming Lips have by now explored so many avenues that anything goes. At various points, you might be reminded of Black Sabbath, Bill Withers, Frank Zappa, Prince and Yes. While Mr Ambulance Driver is wistful, rippling soul, the colossal Pompeii Am Gotterdammerung could be a late addition to Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds. It's fitting that Coyne and musical linchpin Steven Drozd first bonded over a Todd Rundgren song; Rundgren's marriage of sweet pop-soul and lysergic freakery on his 1973 album, A Wizard, A True Star is the closest point of comparison

The Full live performance of the NewCars peforming 'Not Tonight' is available on rehearsals.com The first review of the album is also online at Get Ready to Rock . They also have interviews with Todd and Greg .