Any fans? I own this album: And I think it is a chef-d'oeuvre like we say in my country. I mean he's playing all the instruments exept on the live part, the music is really diverse, and I love his voice... It's a double album, divided in 4 parts, each different musically. The first part is hit-material, really nice pop songs, the second part is more experimental, more bizarre, the 3rd part, well, how could I describe it? It's called "the kids get heavy" and it's just as good as the rest, but I don't really see much of a difference, and the last part is live - but also a mockery of rock-operas and concept albums and all that... I'd like to get more albums by Todd, he's really talented and I love his style.
Very interesting guy, good music most of the time. Though all the recent interviews I have heard/read with him it seems likes hes half talking out his ass. Oh well, he is an aging rock star! hehe
Todd Rundgren released some brilliant work during the early part of his solo career, following his stint with the Nazz in the late 60's. My personal favorite Rundgren album is the one which follows Something/Anything?, titled A Wizard, A True Star. This is one of the whackiest, most ingeniously constructed pop albums I've heard. This may or may not be because it was written and recorded under the influence of massive doses of magic mushrooms. The album maintains a pop structure throughout, though it features some incredibly weird interludes, and even weirder lyrics. The production is amazing. Todd Rundgren is definitely one of the top craftsmen in the history of pop/rock music, for sure.
One of the few times I'll agree with Pressed Rat on music. Todd Rundgren WAS such a wizard to me in my teens. He absolutely ruled. My friends and I listened to those LP's til they were practically transparent. Once when he was in town for a show my friend somehow got into his hotel room (he wasn't there) and left him a rose on his pillow. At age 15 I thought that was so cool (too old to think much of it now except I remember that), but at any rate... I still love his music.
But don't ever listen to that piece of sexist crap "We Gotta Get you a Woman". Example of lyrics "they may be stupid but they sure are fun" not representative at all, I guess every genius has to have one Waterloo.
I didn't know that he had a band in the 60's! I'm happy to know that... what kind of music did they play, pop? I actually discovered Todd Rundgren with the Almost Famous soundtrack, with the song "It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference" - then watching Vanilla Sky, there's the song "We Can Still Be Friends" that I loved the first time I heard it, but I didn't know it was him until someone else told me... that's when I decided to get an album, and I got Something/Anything because I had heard it was one of his best. Maybe I'll get the one right after it next, it sounds interesting!
The Nazz were a rock band with slightly poppy, sometimes bluesy, psychedelic undertones. In terms of what they sound like, think Cream meets the Kinks - kind of like that. The Nazz scored a minor hit in the US in 1968 with the song 'Open My Eyes.' The B-side to this single was the original version of 'Hello, It's Me,' which also appears on the band's self-titled 1968 debut (seen below).
