A Wizard, a True Star: 6 Reasons to Worship Todd Rundgren

Gavin Todd and friend.

Gavin Bond’s Todd Who? anchors one of the two shorts programs at this month’s Chicago International Movies & Music Festival (of which MusicFilmWeb is a media partner). In his short music documentary, which he’s in the process of expanding into a feature, Bond – the biggest Todd Rundgren fan in Australia, and maybe anywhere – details his obsession and endeavors to prove to the world why the Runt is rock’s great under-appreciated genius. As part of our CIMMfest coverage, we asked Gavin to give us 5+1 reasons why the name Todd Rundgren should mean much more to music fans than “that guy who did ‘Hello It’s Me.’”

Don’t know who Todd Rundgren is? Well, you should. Not only is Todd a songwriter of the highest order but he is also an instrumental prodigy, ace producer, philosopher, visionary, and renaissance man. Here are six of the best reasons to discover him.

1. He’s a one-man band

On his classic 1972 double album Something/Anything, the precociously talented then-24-year-old crafted a collection of power pop, soulful ballads, hard rock tunes, and catchy ditties, playing every instrument on three of the four sides years before Prince did. Something/Anything would become Rundgren’s only gold record and spawned the evergreen hits “I Saw the Light” and “Hello It’s Me.” A must have!

2. He’s a studio wizard

Todd was one of the most sought-after record producers of the ’70s and ’80s, masterminding more than 50 albums by an incredibly diverse assortment of bands and solo artists. Among the highlights are the New York Dolls’ punk-defining 1973 debut album; Meat Loaf’s brilliant, bombastic, and bestselling 1977 party album Bat Out of Hell; and XTC’s 1986 masterpiece Skylarking.

3. He’s a guitar god

Todd showed off his guitar licks fronting the prog rock/power pop band Utopia for more than a decade. What other guitar hero had the onstage cojones to scale a 22-foot pyramid, bust out a shredding solo, then bungee-jump, ax in hand, to the ground.

4. He’s a technological pioneer

This hyperactive whiz kid was at the forefront of cutting-edge technology, dabbling in music video, interactive recordings, sampling, and online distribution years before they all became part of popular culture and industry practice.

5. Concept albums!

Throughout his career Rundgren has loved to taunt critics and confound listeners with his audaciously conceptual releases. These include trippy 1973 opus A Wizard, a True Star; pitch-perfect 1976 covers album Faithful; 1981′s cathartic Healing; 1985′s no-instruments A Cappella; and his 1989 live in the studio/no overdubs album Nearly Human.

and … he’s got rabid fans

TR has an adoring cult fan base who bravely follow their hero’s indulgent recordings and unpredictable career moves. Todd even invited them to camp out at his home in Hawaii for his 60th birthday.

CIMMfest’s Shorts Program 2, featuring Todd Who? and seven other short music films and videos, screens at noon on April 19.