Well now you're talking my sort of language with Tim Buckley and Todd Rundgren. As you may know, I'm a Rundgren obsessive, which is how I know that's a solo show without checking it out. There are some funny clips of him on youtube doing a solo show completely drunk.
Blimey, Ken we seem to have a number of favourites in common.
Court and Spark and Hejira are my Joni favourites.
BTW have you seen there is a feature on your hero Rory in this months Record Collector mag?
Did you ever Spotify my Todd Rundgren suggestions, Six-a-bag?
Haven't found time to give them all a listen yet, but fully intend to when time allows.
Played the first two on your list a couple of weeks ago; from memory the first one rocked a bit and I quite enjoyed it.
The 2nd one needs more than one listen; I was quite enjoying it but found myself easily distracted when I spotted Elvis Costello's "Two Little Hitlers" listed on the same album.
Have to say Todd's version was very good, but I couldn't resist switching to Elvis's "Armed Forces" album, which I then listened to in it's entirety.
First impressions with Todd are that he is a lot more interesting and enjoyable than I expected, but probably doesn't have that certain spark that will click with me.
Still, early days and I WILL get around to all the songs on your list.
Yes Hawksmoor I thought you might pick it up....... he is one of those artists that I had really not heard a lot of, and was pleasantly surprissed.
reminded me very much of Hall and Oats, which is as pop as I get, but has a more musical appeal, and less of the pop appeal that the duo got stuck with, 'rich girl' etc.
I am also a late convert to Tim , my friend arranged the Tim Buckley tribute concert in London about three years ago, having attended the Nick Drake tribute night which had some great contemporary musicians, Nick is such a gem of English folk music, people just seemed transfixed by his death, which although important seems to dominate the poor guy's legacy.
The Floyd, well to me one of the founders of the English progressive rock scene, and having attended several of the concerts in the early 70s there music just seems to get better.
Some great concerts on Wolfgangs vault, and free which always makes it a joy
Funny you should say that about Hall and Oates, Ken, because Rundgren produced their 1974 War Babies album, which I'd really recommend (nothing like their later stuff). He also played lead guitar and sang backing vocals, and the band on the album was Utopia, so basically it's a Rundgren album with Hall and Oates singing (although all the songs are H&O originals). The thing is, Atlantic hated the album so much, they kicked Hall and Oates off it! Then H&O blamed Todd, although they've since patched things up. Todd's appeared twice on Daryl Hall's web series, Live From Daryl's House (I'd recommend that, too; type it into google), and he's touring with Hall next year.
In the Seventies, he would release a solo album, release a Utopia album (his prog band) then produce an album for another artist, which is where he made most of his money. His other production/engineer credits include The Band, Badfinger, The New York Dolls, Patti Smith, The Tubes, XTC, and, unfortunately for his credibility, but not for his bank account, Meatloaf's Bat Out of Hell.
The finest recorded live performance I've heard of Rundgren's is Chicago 1991; his voice is incredible and the band is so damned tight. I'd recommend tracking that down. It was released as part of a box-set called Can't Stop Running, but Wolfang's Vault might have it.
But, yeah, he's had a very varied career stylistically: from the intense experimentation of his third album A Wizard, A True Star and the follow-up Todd (and if you like your prog, I'd recommend those two albums, as well as the first two Utopia albums), playing every instrument on Something/Anything (well, the first three sides, at least) and Hermit Of Mink Hollow, making an album with no instruments at all on A Capella (just his voice layered over and over), through to the blue-eyed soul of Nearly Human, then becoming some kind of virtual/cyber artist on No World Order and The Individualist (warning: there is some rapping on those albums), to the electro soul anthems of Liars (which I love to bits), and beyond. But there's always been a rich vein of humour in his work (in fact there could be a whole compilation album of his 'comedy' tunes); he's never taken himself too seriously.
But enough of Todd/Godd. I'm a huge fan of Buckley and Drake too and have all their albums (which isn't too difficult, really), as well as some grey-market live stuff. Heck, I even like Buckley's Starsailor album.
Blimey, Ken we seem to have a number of favourites in common.
Court and Spark and Hejira are my Joni favourites.
BTW have you seen there is a feature on your hero Rory in this months Record Collector mag?
Did you ever Spotify my Todd Rundgren suggestions, Six-a-bag?
Haven't found time to give them all a listen yet, but fully intend to when time allows.
Played the first two on your list a couple of weeks ago; from memory the first one rocked a bit and I quite enjoyed it.
The 2nd one needs more than one listen; I was quite enjoying it but found myself easily distracted when I spotted Elvis Costello's "Two Little Hitlers" listed on the same album.
Have to say Todd's version was very good, but I couldn't resist switching to Elvis's "Armed Forces" album, which I then listened to in it's entirety.
First impressions with Todd are that he is a lot more interesting and enjoyable than I expected, but probably doesn't have that certain spark that will click with me.
Still, early days and I WILL get around to all the songs on your list.
Fair play, mate, for giving a few of them a listen. Two Little Hitlers was one of his very rare covers at that time, although he's since done an album of Robert Johnson tunes, and his next album (Re)production will be an album of covers of songs he produced, which is fair enough.
Just heard the programme The Twilight World of Syd Barrett on Radio 4 (sadly not available in iPlayer). That's set me up for a bit of a Floyd Fest today.
Comments
A History of Now - Asian Dub Foundation
... best band around :-)
In the Seventies, he would release a solo album, release a Utopia album (his prog band) then produce an album for another artist, which is where he made most of his money. His other production/engineer credits include The Band, Badfinger, The New York Dolls, Patti Smith, The Tubes, XTC, and, unfortunately for his credibility, but not for his bank account, Meatloaf's Bat Out of Hell.
The finest recorded live performance I've heard of Rundgren's is Chicago 1991; his voice is incredible and the band is so damned tight. I'd recommend tracking that down. It was released as part of a box-set called Can't Stop Running, but Wolfang's Vault might have it.
But, yeah, he's had a very varied career stylistically: from the intense experimentation of his third album A Wizard, A True Star and the follow-up Todd (and if you like your prog, I'd recommend those two albums, as well as the first two Utopia albums), playing every instrument on Something/Anything (well, the first three sides, at least) and Hermit Of Mink Hollow, making an album with no instruments at all on A Capella (just his voice layered over and over), through to the blue-eyed soul of Nearly Human, then becoming some kind of virtual/cyber artist on No World Order and The Individualist (warning: there is some rapping on those albums), to the electro soul anthems of Liars (which I love to bits), and beyond. But there's always been a rich vein of humour in his work (in fact there could be a whole compilation album of his 'comedy' tunes); he's never taken himself too seriously.
But enough of Todd/Godd. I'm a huge fan of Buckley and Drake too and have all their albums (which isn't too difficult, really), as well as some grey-market live stuff. Heck, I even like Buckley's Starsailor album.
The Mars Volta-De-loused in the Comatorium
Monster Magnet-Mastermind
I've been rocking The Carpenters, Will Haven and Amon Tobin most of the day
Bombay Bicycle Club - I Had the Blues But I Shook Them Loose