Prog rock innovator, guitar genius, interactive progenitor, consummate singer/songwriter and record producer Todd Rundgren, will perform his paradigm shifting 1973 album, A Wizard, a True Star (known to the cognoscenti as AWATS) in its entirety for the first time ever in Britain on Saturday February 6th 2010 at the London HMV Hammersmith Apollo.
This is Todd's only UK performance of the seminal album which is hailed as an influential masterpiece from Daft Punk to Hot Chip. Tickets for this historic concert will go on sale at 9am on Wednesday May 27th.
This rare British premiere will be Rundgren's first and only UK concert since last year's Arena album tour. In addition to his being a multi-talented musician and singer/songwriter and performer, Rundgren is also regarded as one of the best record producers of all time (XTC, Meat Loaf, Patti Smith Group, XTC, Grand Funk Railroad). His most recent critically acclaimed album production, 'Cause I Sez So, reunited him for the first time in 36 years with the legendary New York Dolls.
Although Rundgren's breakthrough 1972 album, Something/Anything? is considered by many to be his masterpiece, the psychedelic impact and bordering-on-disturbing innovation of the follow-up, AWATS,is arguably Rundgren's most experimental and influential album. Stand-out tracks include the International Feel, Rock & Roll Pussy, You Don't Have To Camp Around, Sometimes I Don't Know What To Feel, Zen Archer and Just Another Onionhead.
The album's closer, Just One Victory, has been included as an encore favorite in both Rundgren's and Utopia's live sets over the decades, but this will be the first time in Britain that he will perform the whole record live onstage, from start to finish. The first half of the concert will feature a selection of Rundgren's songs throughout his career, while the second half of the show will consist of the entirety of A Wizard, a True Star.
A Wizard, A True Star is hailed as one of the most influential and pioneering progressive rock album recordings of all time. Originally released in 1973 (the longest running album on vinyl, clocking in at nearly one hour of running time: 55:56), much of the album is an extended medley after the fashion of The Beatles' late recordings. The effect of the songs merging one into another was immediate, infectious and dazzling; the lyrical content was often at once both tongue in cheek and hallucinogenic.
Side One of the album includes a cover version of Never Never Land from the Broadway version of Peter Pan. Side Two features a legendary medley of covers of doo-wop and pop soul hits, including I'm So Proud, Ooh Baby, Baby, La La Means I Love You and Cool Jerk. Arthur Wood illustrated the psychedelic cover painting that graced the original packaging.
First editions of the vinyl LP were die-cut and included a "band aid" poem written by the punk poet Pattie Smith, and a short bio about the album, as well as a postcard encouraging purchasers to send their name to be included on a poster in Rundgren's next album; the eponymous Todd.
/PAlogo_v2.gif "Progarchives.com Homepage")
Todd Rundgren revisits A Wizard, A True Star
Topic Options
