2015/08/06 08:47:19
bitflipper
I've been slowly reading A Wizard a True Star: Todd Rundgren in the Studio over the summer.
 
Slowly, because I am unfamiliar with so much of the music discussed within it, such that after each chapter I turned to YouTube and listened to what I'd been reading about. Psychedelic Furs? Not on my playlist. Still not, but it's interesting that Rundgren played marimba on their one hit record, and that Flo and Eddie sang BGVs.
 
This book is biographical but it isn't a biography. Unlike most rockumentaries, it's more concerned with studio gear and recording techniques than whose drinking spun out of control. We learn, for example, that the lead singer of the above-mentioned group thought he was singing into a handheld SM58 when in fact that channel was muted and his vocal was actually being captured by a U87. And that Todd had covered the windows with black plastic because the singer could only perform at night, while Todd did not like to work past 8:00 PM.
 
I realize this kind of geekery doesn't appeal to everybody. But I enjoyed it, and I suspect there are plenty of kindred spirits here who'd dig it, too.
 
2015/08/06 08:51:48
craigb
Heh, just listened to some Psychedelic Furs last night (and I have too many Rundgren albums).  May have to check this out! 
2015/08/06 08:57:32
Moshkito
Hi,
 
I like Todd's early stuff but after The Icon (Eyecon), I think it all went down hill, and his fame got to be rather boring. Always found it stupid of him, even talking in concert about his fights with Ted Nugent. It's just so childish, pathetic and boring! You can't be serious and concentrate on the right part of your life? Maybe he doesn't know the difference. The star stinks and is boring. The wizard can be fun, at least on one side of an album ... that still is one of the best "progressive" and "psychedelic" thing done ...
 
His producing record is very long, but him trying to mess up with XTC went south really quick ... I think that Todd thought no one else could be smart in music and know what they were doing!
 
Btw, a friend of ours in the 90's used to work on Cakewalk and write/fix a few things for Todd. Apparently there were a long list of programmers and geeks that he kept friendly with ... and Todd, is probably one of the first to work on DAW's diligently.
2015/08/06 10:54:35
batsbrew
read this a year or so back,
very interesting read.
 
some cool backstory on Utopia,
and the meatloaf story is pretty funny as well.....
 
2015/08/06 11:36:48
yorolpal
Thanks for the FYI Bit!  As a longtime fan of ol Toddster, I'm interested to know about such stuff.
 
2015/08/06 11:57:25
jamesg1213
Yep, thanks Bit, I need a new geeky book!
2015/08/06 14:56:47
Rain
Added to my wish list. Thanks Bit.
2015/08/06 18:24:01
yorolpal
Seems I can sample it on my iPad Kindle app but not purchase it as a digital download. Weird.



Turns out you can't purchase it for download from an iPad app anymore. You've got to use your browser. Then it's sent to your pad/kindle/whatever as usual. Wonder why?
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