Have to agree, wouldn't have thought it but they were ideally matched.
Did Todd issue that compilation or did Rhino do it with or without his approval? It doesn't show up on his own discographies, so I have to wonder.But thanks for mentioning it here as it is a good compilation for those who want a collection of his production work.
Rhino owns the catalogue rights to the Bearsville label archives, so by default they own most of Todd's solo recordings and have reissued them on CD; the outside productions for other labels were likely licensed. I can't imagine they would have issued it without his involvement, since they are not a company that does underhanded stuff like that.
Todd's in good company, though- the only other compilations I have seen for producers rather than artists have been by Quincy Jones and Phil Spector.
That makes sense. And to your original point, it says something that he's one of the few producers whose productions have appeared in a compilation, in the company of production legends Quincy and Phil.
Great column on Todd Rundgren here. My favorite thing he’s done is the Utopia album, Deface the Music. It’s a Beatles album The Beatles never made.
I'm trying to make my way through his catalog (he's done so much!) and I'll have to move that to the top of the list. He seems to be a huge Beatles fan, so not surprising he's been influenced by them. Looking forward to listening to it and thanks for the rec.
Ellen, I've had very little exposure to Todd Rundgren (my loss), though my first long term girlfriend (Michele) idolized him (one rung down from Linda Ronstadt, who she considered family). Her love affair with T.R. probably emerged as a bit of defiance on my part, and I would surely pay a penance. We could say if we don't like what's on the cover, well, there's always a flip side. Lessons learned.
I didn't know his stuff past his early 70s hits either, and wouldn't have looked into him except a subscriber, John, had asked me to do a post on why Todd's band The Nazz fell apart. I got Todd's autobiography and ended up becoming intrigued with how he forged his own approach to music and the industry. He's quite an interesting character.
I'm not surprised if dudes get jealous of their girlfriend's rock star crushes. Some crushes are harmless, but some I'm not so sure. And rock stars are not that hard to get to. I had a friend who had a 'thing' with a couple of them. So maybe your antenna were twitching!
But idolizing Linda I can certainly see. She was absolutely huge in the 70s. I have a post on her in process.
You are right, of course. Sadly, this young woman’s impulses led her into a bad crowd (couldn’t save her) and we separated, ending with a fatal drug overdose and leaving her children behind. So yes, my antennae were twitching. Sign of the times.
That is so sad, David, and I'm so sorry for her, the kids, and you. Drugs have taken so many lives. It's absolutely tragic. But at least you listened to your intuition and got out of it.
I hear you. As you said, maybe the best approach is to be here now. Learn, keep going, try to do better, make amends as best we can, try to keep an open heart. That's more than many people do.
"Want Of A Nail" is a brilliant R&B recording- Rundgren and Womack were ideally matched.
Rundgren is one of the few producers to have issued a compilation of his career, in the form of the CD "An Elpee's Worth Of Productions".
Have to agree, wouldn't have thought it but they were ideally matched.
Did Todd issue that compilation or did Rhino do it with or without his approval? It doesn't show up on his own discographies, so I have to wonder.But thanks for mentioning it here as it is a good compilation for those who want a collection of his production work.
Rhino owns the catalogue rights to the Bearsville label archives, so by default they own most of Todd's solo recordings and have reissued them on CD; the outside productions for other labels were likely licensed. I can't imagine they would have issued it without his involvement, since they are not a company that does underhanded stuff like that.
Todd's in good company, though- the only other compilations I have seen for producers rather than artists have been by Quincy Jones and Phil Spector.
That makes sense. And to your original point, it says something that he's one of the few producers whose productions have appeared in a compilation, in the company of production legends Quincy and Phil.
Great column on Todd Rundgren here. My favorite thing he’s done is the Utopia album, Deface the Music. It’s a Beatles album The Beatles never made.
Thanks so much, Gerry.
I'm trying to make my way through his catalog (he's done so much!) and I'll have to move that to the top of the list. He seems to be a huge Beatles fan, so not surprising he's been influenced by them. Looking forward to listening to it and thanks for the rec.
Ellen, I've had very little exposure to Todd Rundgren (my loss), though my first long term girlfriend (Michele) idolized him (one rung down from Linda Ronstadt, who she considered family). Her love affair with T.R. probably emerged as a bit of defiance on my part, and I would surely pay a penance. We could say if we don't like what's on the cover, well, there's always a flip side. Lessons learned.
I didn't know his stuff past his early 70s hits either, and wouldn't have looked into him except a subscriber, John, had asked me to do a post on why Todd's band The Nazz fell apart. I got Todd's autobiography and ended up becoming intrigued with how he forged his own approach to music and the industry. He's quite an interesting character.
I'm not surprised if dudes get jealous of their girlfriend's rock star crushes. Some crushes are harmless, but some I'm not so sure. And rock stars are not that hard to get to. I had a friend who had a 'thing' with a couple of them. So maybe your antenna were twitching!
But idolizing Linda I can certainly see. She was absolutely huge in the 70s. I have a post on her in process.
You are right, of course. Sadly, this young woman’s impulses led her into a bad crowd (couldn’t save her) and we separated, ending with a fatal drug overdose and leaving her children behind. So yes, my antennae were twitching. Sign of the times.
That is so sad, David, and I'm so sorry for her, the kids, and you. Drugs have taken so many lives. It's absolutely tragic. But at least you listened to your intuition and got out of it.
My penance, Karma is a bitch.
I hear you. As you said, maybe the best approach is to be here now. Learn, keep going, try to do better, make amends as best we can, try to keep an open heart. That's more than many people do.
And on it goes...