Todd Rundgren

dropForge wrote: The first three Utopia albums (TR's Utopia, Another Live, Ra) are fantastic, classics of '70s American prog. I haven't heard Todd's Initiation, but I hear that cooks, too. Todd is certainly a musical wunderkind, but aside from these albums, I don't see myself owning anything else of his.

I greatly enjoyed Todd Rundgren solo work prior to the release of  Utopia, because I was attracted to the one of the great one-man musicians i.e somebody who put a whole album together: production, played most if not all the instruments, following in the steps of Paul McCartney as critics at the time put it - was an Emitt Rhodes another of those solo artists at the beginning of the 70's? The double Something/Anything? was seen as a minor landmark during the hopeful early days of 70's rock, but there is really little to associate that album with prog, with its fine mix of pop, rock, blues and some silliness.

Utopia was the ear opener - in many respects the first obvious US prog album, (I haven't  forgotten my beloved Touch), with it Yes-type line-up but playing far more aggressive rock and with those prog changes. At first this record was a shock, having become used to the Englishness of prog, and perhaps started to grew tired of the metaphysical lyrics of Anderson, here was American brashness pushing/progressing rock. And the bonus, this was the longest single LP ever. Initiation followed with the distinction of being longer still (and the very unusual instruction on the back cover : tape this album now because of the finest of the micro-grooving of the pressing it will wear quickly with loss of hi fidelty), and over the last 30 years has  retained my strong interest/continual playing because of at least two songs there being in my top ten tunes. Edgar Winter guests with some wonderful electric sax. Side Two lasting over 30 minutes is not everybody's cuppa tea but you have to find that time to sit and listen properly to a man contemplating his beliefs. RA has its moments (the album came with a cardboard cut out model of the Pyramid of Cheops - cut it out and it was claimed you could re-sharpen razorblades!!!) "Hiroshima" is another of those all time favourites and possibly the best anti-bomb song of all times. Live is also excellent, with West Side Story and ELO covers - my brother nicked my copy and I eventually had to buy the CD (when those were invented).

Anybody care to comment about Nazz?

And don't forget Rundgren's major contributions to Meatloaf's Bat Out Of hell.

Jim Garten wrote:   can you guys recommend a good, pure prog album of Rudgren/Utopia to begin with?

The first: Todd Rundgren's Utopia. Check out the MP3. The whole disc is incredible, though in need of re-mastering. Beats the hell out of Par Lindh Projects; Gothic Impressions. IMHO