Friday, April 02, 2010

todd rundgren's album, arena

I reviewed this album elsewhere a while ago and now I have to say it's in my top 5 Todd. Now listening to it I can't even remember how I thought it was so extreme when I first heard it. My Todd top 5 is probably: 5. Hermit 4. Wizard true star 3. Arena 2. Runt 1. Something /Anything. I guess it is interesting to me that I can really like the work of someone like Todd while really knowing no-one else who likes his work like I do. I don't know if that's part of the interest. It is also interesting to me that something like the Pixies for christ's sake - a nonsense band of no merit - can fill Festival Hall, but Todd is not popular anymore. Extraordinary.

7 comments:

Francis Xavier Holden said...

All my Todd is on vinyl - I used to play "Can we Still be Friends" over and over. Its still a great song. Not just good. One of the truly great songs the way it goes duh duh duh, duh duh duh ....

I must remedy that - I'll fire up my trusty uTorrent and see whats around.

Thanks for the prompt

David Nichols said...

Most of my Todd is on vinyl too - which suits me fine. I just bid for an old bootleg 'live in the studio' on eBay too.

lucy tartan said...

'nonsense band of no merit' is a bit rough. Festival Hall wasn't that full if it's any comfort, and I got a rather desperate sounding email from ticketek or someone offering me a ticket to a second show for $40. Didn't go.

David Nichols said...

Todd never broke up and reformed to pander to a now-prosperous generation's sentimental first-year-at-uni fantasies.

David Nichols said...

I never hated the Pixies before I just hate the phenomenon of so many people suddenly claiming to have always loved them. They don't deserve so much love.

David Nichols said...

It will all be forgotten next week. Actually it was probably all forgotten last week, I just didn't notice.

bobbym said...

I couldn't find any contact info so I'm leaving this here in hopes it will pop up as a new comment.
I am the bobbym on your When The Shit Hits The Fans chapter of your ebook.
Lots of interesting points for discussion in the book. I have a more positive outlook, I think, because I've been listening since 1972. I've gotten a lot of positive stuff from listening to Todd's music. It's funny how he seems to affect people so deeply.
That post wasn't from 2011 though because I have been to that board for many years

Best wishes,
Bob
bobbym529@gmail.com

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