In the "my God, it's a small world" category, we ran into Todd and Michelle at Costco in Lihue, Kauai 10 days ago.
Costco...........where the elite meet!
Mike Bone
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I might give this a listen - thanks. And thanks for calling out Maron. That needed to be said!
Jeremy Shatan
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Exactly, Bob!
Maron is untouchable with comedians, good with actors, but a mere fanboy with musicians. Forget about Todd; he barely knew who Herb Alpert is and what he's accomplished.
And yes, he takes criticism poorly, speaking from personal experience.
(Also agree the Todd podcast was way too short, but maybe that was all he'd been prepped for by Paul Myers.)
Oy!
Cheers,
Richard Pachter
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Maron should take notes from Howard Stern, who is far and away the best celebrity interviewer around. He (and his staff) do a fantastic job of researching the interviewee and preparing before they ever come into the studio. Dilettantes like Maron should take note and learn from the master.
Wyllys Ingersoll
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You're gonna hate this but…
I really like Marc Maron and Bob Lefsetz is just envious. Bob is an egomaniacal blowhard with an opinion, that's it. I heard the podcast yesterday and it isn't very good because Todd is a bore with long pauses between the bore. I also have never liked anything he has done musically, ever.
Hope all is well with you and the family.
John Cuniberti
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I've got a podcast episode suggestion for you. Kenny Aronoff on the Rock Solid podcast from last week. I was amazed at how articulate, educated, and honest he was. One of the best podcasts I've heard in a long time. The guy has played on everything.I think you'll really enjoy it.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/NNFRock
Dave Livingston
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Right on about Maron. I felt the same way listening to his Dweezil Zappa interview. There's nothing worse then a clueless interviewer who is more interested in hearing his own voice then the person he's interviewing.
Now I'll check out The Rundgren interview and suffer thru Maron.
Brad Hirsch
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one thing I have to differ with is that Popovich made the album a hit.
Having worked for CBS REcords and then Epic in Cleveland at that time, it was the muscle of EPIC
Promotion team along with Poppy that made that album successful.
Gary Wisner
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"Marc Maron is absolutely terrible. He's so uninformed."
I can't do it. I can't listen to this podcast even though I'd love to listen to Rundgren spin his stories. Because I know what'll happen. As much as I enjoy hearing Todd speak, Maron will make my blood pressure will go through the roof. Because it's happened many times before.
I remember watching the King of poorly researched interviews -- Larry King -- interview both Brian Wilson and Olivia Harrison (separately).
King asked Brian who wrote and produced the Beach Boys music — and was genuinely surprised Brian did both. Seriously.
And, in an incredibly awkward exchange, King mentioned to Olivia Harrison that she must have been flattered when George wrote Something for her. Olivia bit her tongue, her face twisted into a smile/grimace, and waited for King to ask his next question.
More class than I would have shown. Both times, I was screaming at my TV.
Finally, to give Andy P credit, he has long conceded that Todd did an amazing job on Skylarking and his approach was the right one (even if Andy still thinks Todd's tact and personal skills had lots to be desired.)
David Veitch
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Hello Bob. The episode was interesting, but you need to read Paul Myers' Wizard A True Star production bio where he spills in great detail about working with the Dolls, Patti Smith, The Band, the Furs...so many more. Best rock nerd bio ever. And Paul Myers is a more than worthy interviewer...
Grant Blaisdell
http://www.amazon.com/Wizard-True-Star-Rundgren-studio/dp/1906002339
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Todd iz Godd...
Randy
St. Louis
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Funny he makes fun of the vinyl craze since a Todd 12" vinyl was released for Record Store Day. 500 copies. I have a great photo of him live with a fan banner in the background. Todd is god.
Pat Kauchick
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Can't wait to hear the Todd interview. I was totally going to pass on it till I read your recommendation.
If you haven't had a chance to catch yet, I highly recommend you listen to the William Friedkin interview of recent... really amazing stuff!
Enjoy !
In solidarity and gratitude ,
Shiva Baum
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if only there were more artists like TR and more listeners who appreciated his genius.
Steven Gietka
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In his defense, Maron is a great interviewer of comedians (but I agree he has gotten a little , but musicians? Good christ, awful. Take your pick...I'm a Replacements and the Tommy Stinson interview angers me.
Keith R. Higgons
_________________________________________
Absolutely nailed it. Maron also blew it recently with Dweezil Zappa, he's lucky these guys have the class to push through his lack of homework.
Chris Chambers
_________________________________________
I like your emails a lot, but I think you are wrong about Marc Maron. I'll admit his interview style can be a little lazy with little research being done. But he's a great interviewer seeing as how he was able to get such a good interview out of Rundgren (and hundreds of other musicians).
And as far as grabbing fame goes, you're way off about Maron there. I don't think you can say that he's all about fame and gaining popularity when he's had over 600 episodes, and he's interviewed people that aren't very recognizable but know a lot about their respective field (e.g. He wanted to interview you).
I'm all for not wanting to kiss ass and all, but come on; don't just talk shit about people for no real reason.
Austin Bourn
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Really, really like Maron, but you are so correct, Bob. Beecause he "luvs" vinyl, has an ol' skool take on his turntable & sound system, and he enjoys bangin blues on his electric guitar, you expect him to be able to have a compelling authentic coversation with his guest(s). I haven't heard his cast with TR, but several months agoI I did bore in on his show with good friend Peter Guralnick, and Marc clearly had done zero homework. Guralnick was patient but direct. On the other hand, I was incredulous, last spring, when he posted the pic of the Prez in his garage...I figured it was a life size "Elvis" type cut out, but was blown away when I locked on the Obama conversation...amazing for Barack, even more so for Maron (even though Maher can't get him).
Call 'em like ya Hear 'em, Bob!
TY
Today Media/SXM Elvis Radio
Memphis
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Dead on.
- Bruce Gow
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Once again, a Bang on assessment BL. Thanks for giving me a breath of hope in this industry I took up at an age when I should be slowing down, not speeding up.
Cheers Robert.
Les Horne
_________________________________________
As a regular Maron WTF listener, I can tell you that his method, while unorthodox (intentionally not doing much research before each interview) is what makes his conversations so compelling. You said it up front, "You must listen to this podcast, you will find out more about record production than any seminar will teach you."
To then criticize him for being uninformed misses the point. It was a real conversation with things being learned along the way, and that is what made it great. I don't think he "blows interviews with musicians" at all. I always end up learning a ton about them in a way that I don't hear anywhere else. You may not be used to hearing it done that way, but I think it's genius.
-Dave Lackey
-Inner Sanctum Audio
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May be my fave ever Bob - THANK YOU - clearly I love TR !! ya know, come to think of it you're a lot like Todd, which is probably why I devour every word of your missives!
I always learn something cool - like the Laura Nyro bit - I know the suite on RUNT - but always wondered more - did they date? Etc..and Albert Grossman is an enigma I would love to know more about!
Anyway thanks again Bob!!
DOUG HAIGHT
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You're not wrong about Maron's ignorance around music, or at least you would know better than I; but his interviews with musicians are great if you don't know anything about the artist. I liked his talk with TR, because he asked all the questions I had. Whereas if I know a lot about a musician or am a big fan, the interviews feel like a litany of major missed opportunities. Trust me, I'm a film guy, his interviews with directors are way worse. But nobody can touch him when it comes to stand-up comedy insight.
Randy Mack
Armak Productions
New Orleans
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Toss is a mensch just ask Liv Tyler whom he raised while her real dad was messed up. She came out pretty OK .
I just wish Marc Maron would make me laugh. I just don't get him.
rspill
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That's funny - Marc also blew the interview with Ira Kaplan from Yo La Tengo. He should definitely stick to comedians...
Jeff Rohe
_________________________________________
Great read; Todd is truly one-of-a-kind. Just one lingering question....
How do you really feel about Marc Maron? :-)
Thanks…
smitty
Jim Smith
_________________________________________
Furthermore, what I adore about Rundgren is his ability to adopt and try new styles and put at least a mild emblem on every decade that he's been around. In the 60s, it was The Nazz; the 70s, his brilliant solo stuff; the 80s, honing his production abilities; the 90s, was a rapper(!); and in this century he has managed to team up with some of the most interesting and relevant electronic producers like Lindstrøm. He's under-appreciated for how prolific he truly is.
Trevor Risk
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Did you see the reply tweets from Partridge?
https://twitter.com/xtcfans
I smell a little bit of sour grapes here. But it's probably not a stretch to say TR can be abrasive too. Three sides to every story.
Bill Seipel
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Of all the decades of revolutionary type of work that Todd had done still my favorite record, oddly enough is "with a twist."
Lavon Pagan
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Tood IS God!!
You nailed it Bob. Always been an adventurer - always aiming for the fences - and not necessarily about sales but about trying to lead an audience to a new interesting place. Not all successful on any level - but innovative.
Also - god damn is he a great musician and singer - check out the Live at Daryls' Place with Todd - on Todd's porch in Hawaii - amazing. Rarely seen Daryl so nervous about getting it right with a guest - Todd brings that out of you!
Peter0987
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...which is why a TR tour with fewer songs (only because of time constraints) and more commentary in between, would be GREAT!!! Refreshingly enlightening, entertaining and loyally attended by all fans and students of the TR way.
Lou Ornelas
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I love this. I adored Nazz in college and became a Todd fan. Later at Network Records with Al Coury, we had the three sided double Utopia album (the fourth side was empty, he did it his way). He was one of only a few artists I remember being nervous about working with or interviewing on the radio; Patti Smith and Zappa were the two others. They were really fucking smart and were fiercely unconventional. Artistic, enigmatic they did not suffer fools lightly. I saw Todd last year in Napa. Still pushing the limits and more cutting edge than artists half his age, he challenged those who came to hear memory lane. He wasn't going to give it up without a fight and that created tension. It was great.
As for XTC, 'Dear God' was what defined them at a key point in their career. I would say that from a radio standpoint it was a conditional success. They were on Geffen when I was running Top 40 promotion and there was a certain apprehension about how it would play nationally. It was a struggle for the most part and airplay came begrudgingly. I knew it would be especially tough in the south. Week after week my promotion guy in Nashville was coming up empty. I understood and said Barry; I know it's tougher for you being in the Bible Belt and all. He came right back and said; "Buddy I'm not in the Bible Belt...I'm in the fucking buckle".
If you've never seen the 'Live at Daryl's House' episode where he and the crew go to Todd's house in Hawaii, it's worth checking out.
John Brodey
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Did you listen to the same interview? More and more you seem like a little troll. Every time I value your opinion you write dumb shit like this. Let me know when you stop sucking the balls of "famous" people who entertain your view.
zacantczak
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Great piece but amazed that you find it surprising that Rundgren is "erudite and articulate". Huh?? That's been clear in interviews for 46 yrs. He's always had the outsider take on the industry, always way ahead on new technology, delivery systems etc. Always talking about stuff in interviews that the rest of the industry gets five years later.
Involved in most of the pioneering video and interactive stuff, and in 2008 gave a great lecture about streaming and how much sense it makes.
Yeah, Todd should write a book JUST about producing the diverse list of classic stuff like Patti Smith, Cheap Trick, Psychedelic Furs,Grand Funk, Hall & Oates, the debut AND the recent New York Dolls, and more.
Andre Cholmondeley
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Todd is God and I still worship his massive catalog of solo and Utopia albums, as well as tons of the hit albums he's produced...but regarding XTC, that's about as far from setting the record straight as possible. Todd is the one dredging up this decades old argument, but of course he spins it in his own megalomaniac style. I guess he needs to do something to fill the last couple decades of forgettable output (including finally giving into this current "Best Of" tour)
Andy is a super talent and one of the friendliest and most sincere people I've ever met, and hasn't discussed this since the 80s, but I guess Todd is desperate for attention. Andy just answered his false allegations (http://ultimateclassicrock.com/andy-partridge-todd-rundgren-dear-god/) but he's probably not famous enough for the media to accept it as truth.
PS I do still think Todd is amazing and he blew my mind at the Saban in January, but too bad he can't write a great song anymore. He just "Trump'd" Andy!
Gary Helsinger
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Thank you for those kind informed words about Todd..He is a genius and a visionary recording artist..I saw him in Toronto at the Island Dream Festival around 1974..He headlined a bill which included Dr. Hook with Wolfman Jack, Rory Gallagher, Status Quo, A Foot In Cold Water among others..It was his first tour with Utopia touring on his just released double album "Todd"..I already had the album being a fan.. It sounded live just like the record...stunning performance...one of the best shows I have ever witnessed..among many great productions he has helmed he also produced a CD for The Pursuit Of Happiness from Toronto in the nineties..it has Todd's stamp all over it....thanks for hipping me to his podcast...great work as usual buddy...All the best!
Randy Dawson
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Good call on Maron, Bob. I love him as a comedian, but as an interviewer, not so much. He did a couple of cheese puff interviews with Mick and Keith and seemed really uninformed .Why not do some research beforehand?
Thank you,
Shawn McKelvey
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You rock, Bob! Todd may not be God but he's pretty damn close. To those of us who've been following his remarkable career since the Sixties, he has always been one of the best and the brightest , a true renaissance man. Check out "The Todd Rundgren Radio Show", a retrospective he conceived, produced and engineered back in 1972 to promote "Something, Anything". Genius!
Paul Kalenak
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Andy ended up putting too much on the records, no one could say no to him.
Psychoacoustically, the records were tough on the listener, they didn't
breathe.
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Really? Go listen to Drums and Wires and then tell me that.
Go listen to Black Sea and tell me that.
(of course, you haven't and you won't. You couldn't name an XTC song).
You're such a douche.
John Monroe
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love it and love Todd...ever since that first Nazz record on my KLH stereo in my bedroom back in high school...
tell it brother bob.
Adrian Rice
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Did you even stop to consider that the comments Rundgren made in this interview were a direct result of Maron's style?
Where the conversation went and what Rundgren ended up revealing would never happen in an interview that had a list of predetermined questions which relied heavily on research. Maron's podcast is meant to be a conversation that goes wherever it may. Sometimes he is familiar with his guest and sometimes he is not, but every conversation provides enlightenment (which you yourself praised). And, not that it matters, but Maron even prefaced this interview with an admission that he wasn't extremely familiar with Rundgren's work.
I highly doubt you've actually listened to a lot of his other interviews with musicians, otherwise you wouldn't have included that asinine post script. When he's a fan of their work, he's extremely knowledgeable of both their catalogue and their history.
And, you actually had the audacity to say he "wasn't there"?!?! You're ability to come across relatable to your audience is evidence of the quality of your writing, but with this comment alone I'm now left feeling the exact opposite. I mean, are you really that much of a snob and a little weaselly prick in real life?
Say it ain't so, Bob.
Usually your right on the money, but when you're off..... well... I can't help but feel second hand embarrassment for you.
Regards,
Kyle Stark
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hey hey hey - I gotta defend Maron here. He probably 'shouldn't' be interviewing musicians, because he doesn't know that much about them - but he LOVES them, and he wants to find out. These aren't 'interviews' anyway - they're conversations. And (I'm sure you skipped it, as many do) in the first ten minutes he admitted he didn't know that much about Todd, didn't even really 'get' him, but knew he was a genius and someone well worth listening to, and talking to.
And (also in the intro) - Todd sought out Maron, wanted to be on the show.
So: how could you give Todd an A+ but say Maron is terrible, when it was in conversation with Maron that you had all those wonderful thoughts about Todd?
And finally: Maron is a total pain, we all know it - but he knows it too, which makes him at least bearable - and very few people are even trying to have honest conversations like this anymore, anywhere - and if you have a problem with Maron, for Godssake, go on his show and talk to him about it!
Seriously, there are a lot of us who love your newsletter who don't know that much about you; we really would love to hear you tell your story, and Maron would be great, because you could be totally honest with him - even about what you don't like about him, and show business, all of it.
Lefsetz on Maron?! Come on, it would put Batman vs Superman in its rightful place. A true clash of the titans. Hamilton V. Burr ain't got nothing on Lefsetz v Maron.
Nick Davis
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The hard part is having to listen to this idiot (Maron or moron?) drone on before he gets to the interview. I don't give a crap buddy.
Brad Steckel
_________________________________________
thanks Bob for the link to the Todd Rungren podcast. I really enjoyed this (I have my Mahavishnu Orchestra albums out and playing loud for the first time in years as I type this…)
Todd was indeed "on" and like you I found this ended way too soon. I also didn't mind Maron in this…I found he used his "unworthiness" at doing the interview with just the right amount of self deprecation. Todd seemed to understand and appreciate this and, for reasons not clear to me but seemingly genuine, proceeded to fully open up into the "story telling" mode that made this so worthy of my time.
Mark from T.O.
Mark Abbott
_________________________________________
dear god is the only xtc song i have ever heard
Robert
_________________________________________
not in the rock n roll hall of fame. another ridiculous, hard to explain oversight.
Michael Leon
_________________________________________
Your're dead on. Todd was excellent. Maron... not so much.
I couldn't believe how often Maron blew it. It pissed 'm'* off. How is this guys podcast so popular? His constant "yeah, yeah" is awful. He gets the guests, so I listen hoping for the goods... like this one, no thanks to Maron.
Todd kept his cool the whole time. And Andy Partridge; have you seen his tweets about the interview? Todd is right. What a prick! I love XTC music. Not Andy.
Sincerely, Tim Schall
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Maron sucks on interviews with musicians and I love his ones with comics. He knows so much less than he thinks, making terrible assumptions and cutting the subjects off because he thinks he can anticipate the next thing they will say. I almost skipped Rundgren, but I knew he would be a gem and worth it.
So glad to see someone write about it! I hope Maron gets the point.
Gregg DeMammos
_________________________________________
Thank you this Bob. Todd is under appreciated and I believe held in the same regard as Bowie. My music fan peers that were raised on the West Coast know little about him. However, in the Northeast his genius has endured. By the way, he remains a terrific live act. As does his brethren, Hall and Oates.
Andrew Paciocco
_________________________________________
11 minutes with this fucking tool WTF and no TR drove me right off the podcast. Is he snorting blow?
From the IFone of CHARLIE HAID
_________________________________________
You sound surprised that Rundgren is "erudite & articulate...willing to tell the truth". Wake the fuck up Bob & get your head out of Henley's ass. You condemn Maron for being uninformed, yet you go on to show how little you know about this man and his past. You knew he's from UD, PA...big fucking whoop.
If ANYONE deserves to be in a Hall of Fame dedicated to Rock n' Roll...it's Todd Rundgren. You've barely scratched the surface.
Bob Reeves
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Nazz at the Boston Tea Party on Berkley St., circa 1968 looked like Revenge Of The Wimps--while girls swooned over them, burly guys who would've been kicking the band's asses in the schoolyard were carrying their gear instead.
lanningpaul
_________________________________________
Hi Bob, in case you missed it. -Scott Lowe
https://storify.com/scatterkeir/andy-partridge-responds-to-todd-rundgren
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Funny, I pulled this up on Monday and punted after 10 min because Maron was terrible. With the knee injury I have a lot of time on my hands so I've been trying to get more into podcasts. I read when I can but it's not easy while I'm on pain meds. Can't believe how much podcast crap is out there. Even the popular shows like Stuff You Should Know are hosted by whiny little babies. Great topics but pathetic hosts. Only one I really love so far is Fresh Air with Terry Gross. Open to suggestions.
Joe Weinstein
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I understand your critique about Maron, and he drives me crazy too. But PLEASE go on there and talk. Because so many more people would benefit from your wisdom than those who now subscribe to your newsletter, because of his reach through the podcast. I've been listening to him for a long time, he can take criticism. Roll it out. It would be a breath of fresh air.
Yours in love of music,
Steven Powell
_________________________________________
Bob you need to be fair to Maron. You can't criticize him for something he admits (not prepping or being fully informed on his interview subject) and it being the angle of his show. He wants to be like what he assumes his audience is, and make the discovery along the way with him. That's been his freely admitted premise; a certain level of wilful ignorance to facilitate conversation.
It's not I don't get frustrated sometimes when he seems uniformed about certain things, but I actually enjoy his reaction as I realize he's learning about the person like most of the audience who are probably not die hard fans of his interview subjects like you or I may be. His goal is conversation.
It's not about kissing ass, it's about understanding his premise. You're free not to like it or criticize it but it's there for the understanding.
Too bad you won't do it/he won't have you anymore. Would've been a hell of a show that I know I'd enjoy.
Michael Moniz
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The funny thing is, Maron's a decent guitarist, and a classic rock fan. I'm shocked he doesn't know Todd, chapter and verse. I'm not shocked he was thin skinned when you called him out. That, for better and worse, is Maron.
Jon Sinton
_________________________________________
All we need is Rundgren on Stern with you in the Artie chair and we'd be all set!
Gregory Mortenson
_________________________________________
Always loved Todd's work on Badfinger's "Straight Up" album. Harrison made a great decision when he handed over the reins to Rundgren. "Perfection", "Flying", Sweet Tuesday Morning", and of course "Baby Blue" all benefited from Todd's touch.
Gregg Schatz
_________________________________________
Bob, you should know as well as anyone that being underprepared is Maron's whole thing. He cops to it all the time, and has been that way since the very pre-fame beginning of the Podcast. But, somehow the interviews turn out great more often than not - just like the one you took the time to write a whole column about today. It's a style and people sure seem to open up in its presence.
-Dan Diaz
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Completely agree that Maron is gratingly unprepared for Rundgren. "How many albums did the Nazz do?" indeed. Good God, what in the hell is Wikipedia for.
However, I don't think it's at all fair for you to broadly parrot what Rundgren says in the interview about XTC. Over the years Partridge has, at the least, acknowledged his own prick (li)ness in the recording of Skylarking, and all XTC fans know the saga of their struggles with Virgin, who utterly shafted them as they did so many other artists. Most of all, Virgin didn't know how to best put the band forward to the public; their multi-layered musical creations did take some time to digest--very few obvious "hits," ill-suited for "greatest hits" collections and the like--but what's that you're always saying about creativity, originality and passion? It's something of a canard to say Todd "saved" them--he sold them a lotta records in the US, for sure, but that's as far as one should go.
Andy Partridge has addressed all this on his twitter feed this week. And go listen to English Settlement (perhaps for the first time...?) and see if it's "psychoacoustically" confusing. Hugh Padgham recorded that one right around the time he did the Police's Ghost in the Machine and Synchronicity, both hits and presumably NOT "psychoacoustically" too dense. I know which record I still listen to after all these years while the others have gathered a fair bit of dust.
Marshall Armintor
_________________________________________
Todd is amazing,always has been from my first into to him in the Nazz at KUCR and later when "I Saw The Light" was played at my wedding reception. Rich Fazekas
_________________________________________
Hi Bob:
Agreed. Todd Rundgren is indeed a hyper-intelligent, perceptive and gifted musician, producer, vocalist and arranger. His depth of knowledge of the writing and recording process is unmatched.
I thoroughly enjoyed your letter until I read the needless (in my opinion) postscript where you slagged Maron for being "absolutely terrible". What is this? High school?
You baked a great cake then took a dump on it. Why bother?
Seems to me – your essay began with you saying; .."you must listen to this podcast".
Sure, Maron sometimes made incorrect assumptions which Rundgren was quick to correct, but the tone of the interview seemed upbeat throughout – with no detectable impatience on Todd's part. I obviously had no idea of the body language, but I wasn't in the room. Were you?
As for your (again…needless) p.p.s. – I've listened intently to number of captivating and informative interviews on WTF, with a wide variety of musicians - and enjoyed every one of them. Maron has an innate curiosity and appreciation of music and musicians - resulting in some compelling interviews.
Your letters are great Bob – but I thought you were better than that.
Cheers,
Ken Stewart
Vancouver
ps. You obviously wouldn't lower yourself to be on Maron's podcast …and after hearing you with Barry Katz on "Industry Standard" (good interview), I'm kinda glad.
You've got a voice that could peel paint and don't think I could stand listening for a full hour.
_________________________________________
AMEN TO THAT BOB!! Truth teller that you are, you nailed it! Thanks for this great post
Buck McWilliams
_________________________________________
Bob you absolutely sold me on this, so I'm tuned in from England as I write this. Who is this Mark Maron irritant, and when oh when will he just STOP TALKING and put Todd on? Not sure I can stand him much more. I may never hear what Todd has to say at this rate.
Mike Allen
P.S. Bob I made it through and you're right. Rundgren was endlessly fascinating. I even wound up thinking Maron's OK too. Thanks for the tip.
_________________________________________
With Maron, it's about an organic conversation, it's not a documentary. It's not for "experts delving into that which they already know" which pretty much defines a waste of time.
The reason he doesn't prep much, as he's explained at least 100 times over the years, is that he wants it to be a real conversation, not an interview or a press op for the guests current project. To my way of thinking, this makes it plausible for anyone to enjoy the talk.
The overwhelming majority of his listeners are likely to be mostly clueless about the average guest going in, but his approach makes it more likely that anyone can enjoy it and learn something. He gets them to show their humanity, not recount their CV in meticulous detail, and that is why people listen to guests they've never even heard of week after week.
As far as him "rushing for fame", he can't be chasing it too hard if he wanted you to come on!
Pete Adams
_________________________________________
Being a lifetime Todd fan, I have to say this is by far his best interview I've heard. He sounds like he's in a very good place, jovial, informative and open. (Maybe he's hanged his medication?!) Big credit to Marc Maron - his admitting he knew so little about Rundgren's music must've put Todd in the mood to share his story so honestly.
Very cool.
Glen Burtnik
_________________________________________
Todd history, he is the cutting edge.
Seeing him in May in Pasadena and Memorial Day in CT, worth the flight
His live shows are never the same, that's a good thing!
David B. Cooper
_________________________________________
Maron basically says he was not familiar with Todd and even rescheduled the interview because he was intimidated...
Tom Clark
Maui
_________________________________________
Recently saw Todd at a local club in San Diego. I was very impressed that he played mostly new music, and it was exceptional.
Unlike most vintage stars, he's not riding his own coattails, he's still very relevant. Check out his latest album, it sounds fresh and has insightful lyrics.
Marc Maron on the other hand is a windbag. Thank God for the speed-up function on the pod casts.
Cliff Keller
_________________________________________
Thanks for this link.
You nailed it: this is great stuff, but a very frustrating listen - you want Maron to just shut up and let Rundgren speak! He is a traniwreck here.
Cheers,
Jason Steidman
_________________________________________
I agree that Maron was a bit clueless, but I wouldn't go so far as to say he was just about the show/building his brand. He seemed genuinely interested in what TR had to say, and honored to have him on. And for what it's worth, I would have loved to hear you on his show.
Tom Gilbert
_________________________________________
Over 12 minutes into this podcast and all I heard was Maron's potty mouth bloviating - so I'm gone.
As you've pointed out many times, if it's not excellent, we don't have time for it.
Sorry Todd, I was interested in what you had to say.
Jim Wills
_________________________________________
Yup. Todd is a rock god. Thanks for the link. I wouldn't have heard it without the heads-up. Todd has more insights on music and the music biz in a one-hour plus interview than many musicians have in a lifetime.
But I can't see a thing till you open my eyes!
Chip Lovitt
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Friday, 25 March 2016
Good To Be Alive (Hallelujah)
"I think I finally found my hallelujah"
That's about the fifth hook in a song that's only three minutes and nine seconds long. There's the "Uh-hah," the handclap/percussion, the keyboard, the staccato singing and and then...we've got this distorted vocal with a ton of other stuff under it, which ends with the track dropping down the roller coaster hill into an explosion of mirth.
And this track is a FAILURE!
Felice is addicted to Sirius XM's Blend. She keeps telling me about the tracks she hears, she's an expert on modern pop, listening to this music station with no commercials.
Terrestrial radio comes last. Unless you're a superstar it could take a year for your track to hit the commercial airwaves, you get started on Spotify on Sirius XM on YouTube...
And all of them are light years ahead of regular radio.
Read how "7 Years" got started on Spotify, how the service peppered it in playlists, this article will be the most informative thing you encounter all day: http://musically.com/2016/03/23/7-years-streaming-lukas-graham/
So, sometime last year Felice starts testifying about this track "Honey, I'm Good" by Andy Grammer. I've heard of neither, the track nor the act. But Felice was right, "Honey, I'm Good" turned into a monster. The official video has 57 million views on YouTube, the lyric video another 28 million and..."Honey, I'm Good" has 91 million streams on Spotify.
You'd think "Good To Be Alive (Hallelujah)" would get an instant pass, go straight to the top of the chart.
But that's not how it works anymore. Sure, Bieber and Beyonce get that kind of treatment, but everybody else isn't as good as their last hit, they're almost starting all over! Needing to prove themselves, that's how tough the competition is.
"Good To Be Alive (Hallelujah)" only lived on the Hot 100 for three weeks, peaked at #62 and is presently off the chart.
But Mediabase is what truly counts, and there we see "Good To Be Alive (Hallelujah)" ensconced at number 24 on AC. Moving down from number 23.
Then again, how much attention do we want to pay to terrestrial radio? Lukas Graham's "7 Years" is still moving up the AC chart, it's at number 20 this week, it's higher on Top 40, but "7 Years" is still at only number 13, despite being number 3 on the Spotify chart with 855,404 daily plays, 240,927,322 cumulative plays and 49,913,742 views of the official clip on YouTube.
Does terrestrial radio still matter?
As the victory lap, as the way to reach those out of touch, who are not really listening, satellite and Spotify and YouTube are where the action is, the revolution is happening, Les Moonves gets it, selling CBS Radio, but the rest of the old farts believe the old format is forever.
They're wrong, it no longer rules.
So I'm driving to dinner Tuesday night and I hear Felice's cut, the Andy Grammer one she can't stop testifying about, "Good To Be Alive (Hallelujah)," and I get it intellectually, but it doesn't penetrate my brain and body completely.
BUT THEN I HEAR IT AGAIN!
Repetition, that's what makes hits, never forget it. And if people can't sit through your track once, never mind want to play it again, you're dead.
Sorry. Andy Grammer gets it, you don't.
And Felice has no desire to hear anything but Andy Grammer's hits. The performer has four tracks on Spotify with double digit million streams and then...the numbers go down, down down, way into the single digit millions. That's the world we live in, one of hits only, that's how cutthroat it is.
"I've been grinding so long, been trying this shit for years
And I got nothing to show, just climbing this rope right here
And if there's a man upstairs, he kept bringing me rain
But I've been sending up prayers and something's changed"
The target audience, young people who still have their optimism intact, are worried things won't work out, but they still believe they will.
"I think I finally found my hallelujah
I've been waiting for this moment all my life
Now all my dreams are coming true, yeah
I've been waiting for this moment"
We've all been here, maybe it's a long anticipated, long desired victory. Maybe it's just a serendipitous moment, when you smile and think things are pretty damn good.
"Feels good to be alive right about now"
These are the moments we all live for, this is how you feel when you hear this song, it's inspirational, it rides shotgun, it squeezes out all the negativity, allows you to be your best self.
And you wonder why people want to dance to this stuff, sing along with it...in a world with so many challenges. The popsters give their audience what they're looking for, hope and inspiration. Sure, there's room for Joni Mitchell introspection, but we haven't got anybody providing that, at least not on a quality level.
"I was dead in the water, nobody wanted me
I was old news, I went cold as cold could be
But I kept throwing on coal, trying to make that fire burn
Sometimes you gotta get scars to get what you deserve"
Come on, you're sitting at home, lying on your bed in your parents' house, feeling down and out, and then you hear this track and you tell yourself...GODDAMN, I CAN WIN!
Now "Good To Be Alive (Hallelujah)" has only 6,246,634 streams on Spotify.
And the official video only has 3,153,311 views on YouTube.
And you wonder why you can't get paid! This guy had a gigantic hit and he's still struggling, and you have five figures of YouTube views, maybe six, and you think you should be rich! Never mind how much money was spent on this video.
Yes, you need money to make it in the pop world.
And you've got to social network up a storm.
And then you just might have a chance.
This is the major league. Too many are playing in the minors and not even realizing it! "Good To Be Alive (Hallelujah)" is a top ten record in every era prior to the internet, where all records are competing against all others, and if it's a second listen track you can't compete with the first.
Still...
If you listen to Sirius XM you'd be convinced "Good To Be Alive (Hallelujah)" is a smash, they play it constantly. I just listened to it twenty times in a row on Spotify, it makes me feel good. Maybe it's got a chart life in its future.
But even if it doesn't, it lives on in the minds of those who heard it.
And Andy Grammer has to go back to the salt mines.
Welcome to 2016.
Spotify: https://goo.gl/310KSKåå
YouTube: https://goo.gl/j7bS5W
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That's about the fifth hook in a song that's only three minutes and nine seconds long. There's the "Uh-hah," the handclap/percussion, the keyboard, the staccato singing and and then...we've got this distorted vocal with a ton of other stuff under it, which ends with the track dropping down the roller coaster hill into an explosion of mirth.
And this track is a FAILURE!
Felice is addicted to Sirius XM's Blend. She keeps telling me about the tracks she hears, she's an expert on modern pop, listening to this music station with no commercials.
Terrestrial radio comes last. Unless you're a superstar it could take a year for your track to hit the commercial airwaves, you get started on Spotify on Sirius XM on YouTube...
And all of them are light years ahead of regular radio.
Read how "7 Years" got started on Spotify, how the service peppered it in playlists, this article will be the most informative thing you encounter all day: http://musically.com/2016/03/23/7-years-streaming-lukas-graham/
So, sometime last year Felice starts testifying about this track "Honey, I'm Good" by Andy Grammer. I've heard of neither, the track nor the act. But Felice was right, "Honey, I'm Good" turned into a monster. The official video has 57 million views on YouTube, the lyric video another 28 million and..."Honey, I'm Good" has 91 million streams on Spotify.
You'd think "Good To Be Alive (Hallelujah)" would get an instant pass, go straight to the top of the chart.
But that's not how it works anymore. Sure, Bieber and Beyonce get that kind of treatment, but everybody else isn't as good as their last hit, they're almost starting all over! Needing to prove themselves, that's how tough the competition is.
"Good To Be Alive (Hallelujah)" only lived on the Hot 100 for three weeks, peaked at #62 and is presently off the chart.
But Mediabase is what truly counts, and there we see "Good To Be Alive (Hallelujah)" ensconced at number 24 on AC. Moving down from number 23.
Then again, how much attention do we want to pay to terrestrial radio? Lukas Graham's "7 Years" is still moving up the AC chart, it's at number 20 this week, it's higher on Top 40, but "7 Years" is still at only number 13, despite being number 3 on the Spotify chart with 855,404 daily plays, 240,927,322 cumulative plays and 49,913,742 views of the official clip on YouTube.
Does terrestrial radio still matter?
As the victory lap, as the way to reach those out of touch, who are not really listening, satellite and Spotify and YouTube are where the action is, the revolution is happening, Les Moonves gets it, selling CBS Radio, but the rest of the old farts believe the old format is forever.
They're wrong, it no longer rules.
So I'm driving to dinner Tuesday night and I hear Felice's cut, the Andy Grammer one she can't stop testifying about, "Good To Be Alive (Hallelujah)," and I get it intellectually, but it doesn't penetrate my brain and body completely.
BUT THEN I HEAR IT AGAIN!
Repetition, that's what makes hits, never forget it. And if people can't sit through your track once, never mind want to play it again, you're dead.
Sorry. Andy Grammer gets it, you don't.
And Felice has no desire to hear anything but Andy Grammer's hits. The performer has four tracks on Spotify with double digit million streams and then...the numbers go down, down down, way into the single digit millions. That's the world we live in, one of hits only, that's how cutthroat it is.
"I've been grinding so long, been trying this shit for years
And I got nothing to show, just climbing this rope right here
And if there's a man upstairs, he kept bringing me rain
But I've been sending up prayers and something's changed"
The target audience, young people who still have their optimism intact, are worried things won't work out, but they still believe they will.
"I think I finally found my hallelujah
I've been waiting for this moment all my life
Now all my dreams are coming true, yeah
I've been waiting for this moment"
We've all been here, maybe it's a long anticipated, long desired victory. Maybe it's just a serendipitous moment, when you smile and think things are pretty damn good.
"Feels good to be alive right about now"
These are the moments we all live for, this is how you feel when you hear this song, it's inspirational, it rides shotgun, it squeezes out all the negativity, allows you to be your best self.
And you wonder why people want to dance to this stuff, sing along with it...in a world with so many challenges. The popsters give their audience what they're looking for, hope and inspiration. Sure, there's room for Joni Mitchell introspection, but we haven't got anybody providing that, at least not on a quality level.
"I was dead in the water, nobody wanted me
I was old news, I went cold as cold could be
But I kept throwing on coal, trying to make that fire burn
Sometimes you gotta get scars to get what you deserve"
Come on, you're sitting at home, lying on your bed in your parents' house, feeling down and out, and then you hear this track and you tell yourself...GODDAMN, I CAN WIN!
Now "Good To Be Alive (Hallelujah)" has only 6,246,634 streams on Spotify.
And the official video only has 3,153,311 views on YouTube.
And you wonder why you can't get paid! This guy had a gigantic hit and he's still struggling, and you have five figures of YouTube views, maybe six, and you think you should be rich! Never mind how much money was spent on this video.
Yes, you need money to make it in the pop world.
And you've got to social network up a storm.
And then you just might have a chance.
This is the major league. Too many are playing in the minors and not even realizing it! "Good To Be Alive (Hallelujah)" is a top ten record in every era prior to the internet, where all records are competing against all others, and if it's a second listen track you can't compete with the first.
Still...
If you listen to Sirius XM you'd be convinced "Good To Be Alive (Hallelujah)" is a smash, they play it constantly. I just listened to it twenty times in a row on Spotify, it makes me feel good. Maybe it's got a chart life in its future.
But even if it doesn't, it lives on in the minds of those who heard it.
And Andy Grammer has to go back to the salt mines.
Welcome to 2016.
Spotify: https://goo.gl/310KSKåå
YouTube: https://goo.gl/j7bS5W
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
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Pop Music
It's a producer's medium.
Howard's on vacation and I've been sampling the Pulse on Sirius XM and what stuns me is how the songs all sound alike. They're peppered with a zillion hooks and the voices are interchangeable.
Welcome to 2016. Wherein the youngsters get it and the oldsters are scratching their heads.
Whilst the oldsters keep bitching that the album must be saved, that music is best heard on vinyl and streaming sucks, the youngsters know it's all about the hit single, it's the only way to break through the noise, because Top Forty has the biggest footprint and the odds of gaining ubiquity elsewhere are nearly nonexistent.
That's why you're broke, no one's listening.
Used to be you got a record deal and some publicity and some fame and people knew who you were and would check you out, and once they got hooked by you they stayed attached.
But now we're bombarded with media all day long. It's nearly impossible to get anybody to check anything out. And despite the oldsters owning the press, traditional media, with reviews about hipsters and statement makers...
The younger generation just doesn't care.
The younger generation might know who Jimi Hendrix is, but they never experienced underground FM radio, they never experienced limited options, they've only known a smorgasbord of opportunity, wherein he who buys insurance and lights himself on fire wins.
It started with MTV. Where you needed to be good-looking and make obvious tracks. Sure, "Thriller" was long, but that was an anomaly, the cut was propelled by a lengthy, intriguing, state of the art, over the top John Landis video, it was a moment in time.
Which quickly passed.
Disco didn't kill rock radio, MTV did.
MTV returned us to a hits format. New Top Forty outlets appeared on the FM dial and their ratings surged. And sure, KROQ had impact in the nineties, but the reason that format was so successful was because Rick Carroll limited the playlist.
So, in a world of unending plentitude, the spigot gets ever tighter, we want ever fewer tracks.
So if you want to be successful...
You don't go into the wilderness and write dirges about your lack of love.
No, you imitate Kelly Clarkson, who went on "American Idol." Today it's about instant fame. And let's not forget, Clarkson had none before she not only got television exposure, but worked with MAX MARTIN!
Listen to Top Forty... The only difference between Taylor Swift's hits and the rest of the dreck is she's got the best tracks and one of the worst voices. Everything she built her career upon, the intimate, melodic, tuneful country stories...that's been eviscerated, it's out the window. The tracks are catchy, but mostly Taylor Swift is a product, known primarily for her fame.
And the wannabes are imitating her.
They not only know no different, they know how hard it is to break through!
The oldsters make a statement without a single and are heard at best on marginal formats. They don't cross over, and usually they don't deserve to, because when the best of the best are mediocre...no one pays attention.
And all the Top Forty stuff... You get on one listen, two at most, or else you're done.
Scream all you want to. The people working in this sphere are not dumb, with blinders on, it's the oldsters who are clueless. The youngsters realize how competitive it is, they're dealing in reality as opposed to being lost in the past.
But how do we wrest popular music from this drivel going down the drain?
First we must have music in the schools, teach people the tools, then we can hope someone can be inspired to do something different.
And I'd like to tell you exactly what different is, but I'll be honest and say every new trend was unforeseeable.
Other than it featured a new sound that was honest and credible and those involved didn't care about anyone else.
All the stories in the "New York Times," the reviews, the analysis, the twenty tracks you have to hear right now... IRRELEVANT!
Daily Pitchfork info goes straight to the dustbin. Oh, a few embrace it and live for it, but the scene is so minor it can't come close to selling out an arena. And then you've got the moribund Conde Nast purchasing the outlet as if it was the future. Hell, the future ain't even GAWKER! Even Nick Denton is in the rearview mirror.
So you may decry the modern pop scene, but everybody involved is damn smart, they get what you don't. It's like they decided to be engineering majors and you decided to get a psychology degree.
But wait you say, we need psychologists!
Of course we do. But not ones bitching they can't get paid who don't help anybody! It's their excellence that must draw people to them.
We live in a Tower of Babel society, We're looking for connection and communion. The popsters have figured out a solution.
It's your turn to learn the lessons and improve upon their work, to do something new, that changes the culture.
Change comes first, money second.
And if you're reversing those, you're never gonna make it.
Some of the pop stuff is astoundingly good.
Most is repetitive.
But despite the wide swath of music being played today, it's only pop that has critical mass, only pop that matters.
P.S. Meanwhile, the greatest threat to the popsters is one Dave Cobb, who produced not only Jason Isbell, but Jamey Johnson before him and Chris Stapleton after him. The history of the music business is the jump from one legendary producer to another, they each come with a new sound and are then buried under the work of another. From Sam Phillips to George Martin to Mike Chapman to Stock Aitken Waterman to Max Martin. Cobb is on to something, he's the opposite of pop, he's about truth and soul. Furthermore, Cobb's work has traction and is making an impact. March into the wilderness and don't complain. And do work that's true to itself. We're counting on you to bring down the pop monolith. And listening to David Lowery complain about Spotify, and believing that vinyl made more profit than free streaming (patently untrue, read a brief analysis here: http://goo.gl/cKqvbk) will just keep you stuck in the mud, living in a past which will never return.
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Howard's on vacation and I've been sampling the Pulse on Sirius XM and what stuns me is how the songs all sound alike. They're peppered with a zillion hooks and the voices are interchangeable.
Welcome to 2016. Wherein the youngsters get it and the oldsters are scratching their heads.
Whilst the oldsters keep bitching that the album must be saved, that music is best heard on vinyl and streaming sucks, the youngsters know it's all about the hit single, it's the only way to break through the noise, because Top Forty has the biggest footprint and the odds of gaining ubiquity elsewhere are nearly nonexistent.
That's why you're broke, no one's listening.
Used to be you got a record deal and some publicity and some fame and people knew who you were and would check you out, and once they got hooked by you they stayed attached.
But now we're bombarded with media all day long. It's nearly impossible to get anybody to check anything out. And despite the oldsters owning the press, traditional media, with reviews about hipsters and statement makers...
The younger generation just doesn't care.
The younger generation might know who Jimi Hendrix is, but they never experienced underground FM radio, they never experienced limited options, they've only known a smorgasbord of opportunity, wherein he who buys insurance and lights himself on fire wins.
It started with MTV. Where you needed to be good-looking and make obvious tracks. Sure, "Thriller" was long, but that was an anomaly, the cut was propelled by a lengthy, intriguing, state of the art, over the top John Landis video, it was a moment in time.
Which quickly passed.
Disco didn't kill rock radio, MTV did.
MTV returned us to a hits format. New Top Forty outlets appeared on the FM dial and their ratings surged. And sure, KROQ had impact in the nineties, but the reason that format was so successful was because Rick Carroll limited the playlist.
So, in a world of unending plentitude, the spigot gets ever tighter, we want ever fewer tracks.
So if you want to be successful...
You don't go into the wilderness and write dirges about your lack of love.
No, you imitate Kelly Clarkson, who went on "American Idol." Today it's about instant fame. And let's not forget, Clarkson had none before she not only got television exposure, but worked with MAX MARTIN!
Listen to Top Forty... The only difference between Taylor Swift's hits and the rest of the dreck is she's got the best tracks and one of the worst voices. Everything she built her career upon, the intimate, melodic, tuneful country stories...that's been eviscerated, it's out the window. The tracks are catchy, but mostly Taylor Swift is a product, known primarily for her fame.
And the wannabes are imitating her.
They not only know no different, they know how hard it is to break through!
The oldsters make a statement without a single and are heard at best on marginal formats. They don't cross over, and usually they don't deserve to, because when the best of the best are mediocre...no one pays attention.
And all the Top Forty stuff... You get on one listen, two at most, or else you're done.
Scream all you want to. The people working in this sphere are not dumb, with blinders on, it's the oldsters who are clueless. The youngsters realize how competitive it is, they're dealing in reality as opposed to being lost in the past.
But how do we wrest popular music from this drivel going down the drain?
First we must have music in the schools, teach people the tools, then we can hope someone can be inspired to do something different.
And I'd like to tell you exactly what different is, but I'll be honest and say every new trend was unforeseeable.
Other than it featured a new sound that was honest and credible and those involved didn't care about anyone else.
All the stories in the "New York Times," the reviews, the analysis, the twenty tracks you have to hear right now... IRRELEVANT!
Daily Pitchfork info goes straight to the dustbin. Oh, a few embrace it and live for it, but the scene is so minor it can't come close to selling out an arena. And then you've got the moribund Conde Nast purchasing the outlet as if it was the future. Hell, the future ain't even GAWKER! Even Nick Denton is in the rearview mirror.
So you may decry the modern pop scene, but everybody involved is damn smart, they get what you don't. It's like they decided to be engineering majors and you decided to get a psychology degree.
But wait you say, we need psychologists!
Of course we do. But not ones bitching they can't get paid who don't help anybody! It's their excellence that must draw people to them.
We live in a Tower of Babel society, We're looking for connection and communion. The popsters have figured out a solution.
It's your turn to learn the lessons and improve upon their work, to do something new, that changes the culture.
Change comes first, money second.
And if you're reversing those, you're never gonna make it.
Some of the pop stuff is astoundingly good.
Most is repetitive.
But despite the wide swath of music being played today, it's only pop that has critical mass, only pop that matters.
P.S. Meanwhile, the greatest threat to the popsters is one Dave Cobb, who produced not only Jason Isbell, but Jamey Johnson before him and Chris Stapleton after him. The history of the music business is the jump from one legendary producer to another, they each come with a new sound and are then buried under the work of another. From Sam Phillips to George Martin to Mike Chapman to Stock Aitken Waterman to Max Martin. Cobb is on to something, he's the opposite of pop, he's about truth and soul. Furthermore, Cobb's work has traction and is making an impact. March into the wilderness and don't complain. And do work that's true to itself. We're counting on you to bring down the pop monolith. And listening to David Lowery complain about Spotify, and believing that vinyl made more profit than free streaming (patently untrue, read a brief analysis here: http://goo.gl/cKqvbk) will just keep you stuck in the mud, living in a past which will never return.
--
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--
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Thursday, 24 March 2016
Todd Rundgren On WTF
http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episodes/episode_691_-_todd_rundgren
He calls Andy Partridge a prick.
You must listen to this podcast, you will find out more about record production than any seminar will teach you. Rundgren is surprisingly erudite and articulate and unlike everybody else in this insider business, especially those in the studio, he's willing to tell the truth.
About Garth Hudson being a narcoleptic, about Richard Manuel's misadventures, about helping to write the lyrics for the Tubes' "Remote Control." It almost makes you want to run out and hire him, if today's music weren't so vapidly constructed of hooks via beats with lyrics so banal no one can be offended.
He came from Upper Darby, PA. His writing changed after meeting with Laura Nyro, he wanted to speak from his soul, as opposed to writing teen jingles on the guitar, he sat behind the piano and the rest of Nazz were unhappy.
He underwrote "Bat Out Of Hell," and when it was finally sold to Steve Popovich's Cleveland International, he ended up with a greater royalty than that of Jim Steinman and Meatloaf combined. Credit a savvy manager, Albert Grossman. The best know how to extract their pound of flesh.
And it was Poppy who made the album successful. Releasing single after single until one hit. You've got to have someone who believes, that's better than employing a name.
And after receiving a $700,000 check for BOOH, Rundgren felt liberated, that he could do whatever he wanted, and he did. He knew how to write pop songs, it was a formula he chose not to repeat, he blew a ton of dough on a video studio and went in search of the cutting edge, following his muse all the way.
Which works best with no interruption, "Bang The Drum All Day" came to him in his sleep, as did "Lost Horizon" and other numbers.
As for that cowbell on "We're An American Band"...yes, it was probably his idea.
But back to XTC... It was Andy Partridge's band, and Andy ended up putting too much on the records, no one could say no to him. Psychoacoustically, the records were tough on the listener, they didn't breathe. So Todd cut an album that captured the essence, around a theme, and Partridge didn't like it and insisted that "Dear God" be removed. It was, but being a throwaway track it was used as a b-side on the first single, which radio then flipped, and it became a hit, and it had to be put back into the album.
And we're not arguing money here, there are few "Skylarking" royalties coming in. But Todd did a solid for the band, resuscitated their career, and all he got from Andy Partridge was tsuris. So, he's setting the record straight.
Like on sales via service.
How can a guy this aged, this experienced, this inured to the old system, know more about the new than those wet behind the ears? He says sales are dead. He makes fun of the vinyl fanatics, relishing their objects, saying it was always about the music, the rest was penumbra, and with streaming the essence flies. And sure, he wants streaming royalties worked out, but mostly on the label end, the acts are being paid bupkes under an old construct, one wherein the label takes the lion's share of the money, almost all the money. Furthermore, Rundgren believes live music is the biggest part of the value chain.
Todd is God. That's what his fans believe. And he's had so many images, so many voices, that even believers have lost track.
You think he's lost the plot and then he drops all this wisdom and you're stunned. Despite being over an hour, this podcast is too short.
But even if you hate him or have no idea who he is, you should check this out. This is a snapshot from the trenches, from someone who was there and is pulling no punches. It's both informative and entertaining.
A+
P.S. Marc Maron is absolutely terrible. He's so uninformed on Todd and his career that he needs to be corrected on a regular basis, you're stunned Todd doesn't lose his temper. I thought the internet was supposed to allow those with expertise to delve into that which they know about. But Maron's too busy rushing for fame...it's about the show, not the interviewee, about building Maron's brand as opposed to being informative. Rundgren is so sharp he needs little leading, he can tell his own story, but it's an insult to have someone so great interviewed by someone so clueless.
P.P.S. Maron asked me to be on his podcast, but once I wrote that he blows interviews with musicians, because he knows so little and wasn't there, he got angry. I can understand that, no one likes to be called out. But I ain't gonna kiss butt and play nice just so I can have a publicity opportunity. That's what's so revelatory about Todd here, that he pulls no punches, unlike the wimps in the industry today.
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He calls Andy Partridge a prick.
You must listen to this podcast, you will find out more about record production than any seminar will teach you. Rundgren is surprisingly erudite and articulate and unlike everybody else in this insider business, especially those in the studio, he's willing to tell the truth.
About Garth Hudson being a narcoleptic, about Richard Manuel's misadventures, about helping to write the lyrics for the Tubes' "Remote Control." It almost makes you want to run out and hire him, if today's music weren't so vapidly constructed of hooks via beats with lyrics so banal no one can be offended.
He came from Upper Darby, PA. His writing changed after meeting with Laura Nyro, he wanted to speak from his soul, as opposed to writing teen jingles on the guitar, he sat behind the piano and the rest of Nazz were unhappy.
He underwrote "Bat Out Of Hell," and when it was finally sold to Steve Popovich's Cleveland International, he ended up with a greater royalty than that of Jim Steinman and Meatloaf combined. Credit a savvy manager, Albert Grossman. The best know how to extract their pound of flesh.
And it was Poppy who made the album successful. Releasing single after single until one hit. You've got to have someone who believes, that's better than employing a name.
And after receiving a $700,000 check for BOOH, Rundgren felt liberated, that he could do whatever he wanted, and he did. He knew how to write pop songs, it was a formula he chose not to repeat, he blew a ton of dough on a video studio and went in search of the cutting edge, following his muse all the way.
Which works best with no interruption, "Bang The Drum All Day" came to him in his sleep, as did "Lost Horizon" and other numbers.
As for that cowbell on "We're An American Band"...yes, it was probably his idea.
But back to XTC... It was Andy Partridge's band, and Andy ended up putting too much on the records, no one could say no to him. Psychoacoustically, the records were tough on the listener, they didn't breathe. So Todd cut an album that captured the essence, around a theme, and Partridge didn't like it and insisted that "Dear God" be removed. It was, but being a throwaway track it was used as a b-side on the first single, which radio then flipped, and it became a hit, and it had to be put back into the album.
And we're not arguing money here, there are few "Skylarking" royalties coming in. But Todd did a solid for the band, resuscitated their career, and all he got from Andy Partridge was tsuris. So, he's setting the record straight.
Like on sales via service.
How can a guy this aged, this experienced, this inured to the old system, know more about the new than those wet behind the ears? He says sales are dead. He makes fun of the vinyl fanatics, relishing their objects, saying it was always about the music, the rest was penumbra, and with streaming the essence flies. And sure, he wants streaming royalties worked out, but mostly on the label end, the acts are being paid bupkes under an old construct, one wherein the label takes the lion's share of the money, almost all the money. Furthermore, Rundgren believes live music is the biggest part of the value chain.
Todd is God. That's what his fans believe. And he's had so many images, so many voices, that even believers have lost track.
You think he's lost the plot and then he drops all this wisdom and you're stunned. Despite being over an hour, this podcast is too short.
But even if you hate him or have no idea who he is, you should check this out. This is a snapshot from the trenches, from someone who was there and is pulling no punches. It's both informative and entertaining.
A+
P.S. Marc Maron is absolutely terrible. He's so uninformed on Todd and his career that he needs to be corrected on a regular basis, you're stunned Todd doesn't lose his temper. I thought the internet was supposed to allow those with expertise to delve into that which they know about. But Maron's too busy rushing for fame...it's about the show, not the interviewee, about building Maron's brand as opposed to being informative. Rundgren is so sharp he needs little leading, he can tell his own story, but it's an insult to have someone so great interviewed by someone so clueless.
P.P.S. Maron asked me to be on his podcast, but once I wrote that he blows interviews with musicians, because he knows so little and wasn't there, he got angry. I can understand that, no one likes to be called out. But I ain't gonna kiss butt and play nice just so I can have a publicity opportunity. That's what's so revelatory about Todd here, that he pulls no punches, unlike the wimps in the industry today.
--
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Wednesday, 23 March 2016
Rainbow Ends
Spotify: https://goo.gl/e3qTta
YouTube: https://goo.gl/Ae9b35
This is the music Brian Wilson is trying to make but cannot.
In an infinite universe that which is not overhyped, that which is not on the pop chart, makes at most a drop in the ocean and then disappears.
But the truth is Emitt Rhodes's new album is the most satisfying artistic project I've encountered all year.
It's got the basics covered, the sounds, the changes, but it's the words that put it over the top. Do you remember when you listened to music for insight? Back before platitudes reigned and "musicians" did their best to tell you how much better their lives were than yours?
Music used to be made by outsiders, who wouldn't even want to hang at the club, they'd feel too uncomfortable. Their goal in playing was to connect, to lay down their truth and hope that someone heard it.
And we did. That's why we clamored around the truth-sayers. From Bob Dylan to Laura Nyro to Emitt Rhodes.
But we were young back then, and optimistic, we hadn't been hurt by life, which happens to us all. You can get plastic surgery, throw down some money and put a smile on your face, but that doesn't cover the rejection, the sickness, all the detours and ditches that encompass life that you rarely hear about anymore in our winner take all society. Be vulnerable, say you have more questions than answers, and you're thrown on the scrapheap and ignored, you're done, there are zillions of bright-eyed kids lined up to take your place who still believe life is lived without reflection, who don't know life is about eddies more than highways, that we all get waylaid, can't be on all the time, forever.
"I wanna be somewhere far away
Somewhere where I won't be afraid"
Paralysis. Scratch a baby boomer and you'll find it. The single won't go on match.com, never mind go on a date. They're afraid they're too imperfect, sans smooth skin, tight body and fat wallet. Better to stay home and watch TV.
"I wanna be sheltered, safe and warm"
It's the men who are weak, they're tired of putting up a good front, schmoozing and trying to get ahead. They want to be taken care of. Wanna win a man's heart? Cover the potholes, guide him and soothe him when you're alone together.
"I wanna be somewhere far from home"
That's what we've lost in the global village, the ability to get away, we're constantly checking our phones, to see if someone is looking for us, if we're missing out, we're sacrificing life to the screen. If only we could get away and live, away from the usual distractions.
"I wanna be somewhere in the sun
Gettin' tan, havin' fun"
Fun, it's the one thing that money can't buy, that we all want but rarely pursue, we're too busy getting ahead.
"I wanna be with the ones I love
Hold them close, give them hugs"
So basic, so pedestrian, but so right. An artist can speak what we all feel and give it the ring of truth we rally around.
"I wanna be loved no matter what
Not just a man 'til better starts"
I'm not sure about that last word, I'm not sure I've got it right. Which is how it was back before the internet, before every album came with words. We'd get closer to the speakers, we'd put on headphones and try to decipher what the gods were saying, sometimes laboring under misimpressions for years.
But we're all looking for acceptance, to be loved for who we are. But the truth is we have to adjust ourselves to be lovable, too many people refuse to do this, they maintain their rough edges and refuse to allow others in. But once you get over the hump, you want a pass, for the faux pas, for your basic identity, you want to be able to be who you are. It's the main problem in each and every relationship... If you're being yourself all the time, beware, your partner is not, you're heading for a breakdown.
"I wanna be someone's only one
Not just a man 'til better comes"
And there you have it. We all want to be number one. I've struggled with this. Oh, believe me, I want to be primary, but there comes a point in each and every relationship where I wonder if I am. And then I wonder if I'm defective, needy, too insecure. Or whether I'm divining the truth and deserve more. I don't have the answer.
But I do know commitment is the essence of relationships, without it there's nothing. A ring can help, but it's far from definitive. People seem to be looking over their shoulder for something better, and if what they're looking at is over your shoulder...
"Always chasin' rainbow ends
Head up in the clouds
Thought my dreams would never end
But my eyes they're open now"
How are you gonna feel about that tattoo twenty years from now?
What are you gonna do when you don't get into the college of your choice?
What are you gonna do when you don't make partner?
What are you gonna do when you get cancer?
What are you gonna do when your spouse leaves you?
It's gonna happens, no one wins forever, no one tops the pop chart and plays stadiums until they die. Athletes retire. Musicians can no longer hit the notes. You can no longer finish a marathon, if you can run at all.
But culture doesn't focus on these maladies. Worse, once you reach a certain age you're discarded, you don't even matter. At school they're paying attention, limiting you. Then they tell you you can't have an abortion. Then you hit menopause and are dry and your guy can't get hard and you feel like you're rolling downhill, fast.
What are you supposed to do?
You can go on a diet, exercise, pretend you're twenty five, even cashier your significant other for someone much younger...but they don't get the references, they don't really get you.
Or you can put on Emitt Rhodes's "Rainbow Ends" and uncover someone who's been there and been thinking about it, and delivering it all via a mellifluous sound that gives you hope.
That's what I get from the truth, honesty, changes and harmonies. The belief that life is worth living. Because there are people pulling themselves up and testifying about what life is really like, so I don't feel so alone, so I can go on.
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YouTube: https://goo.gl/Ae9b35
This is the music Brian Wilson is trying to make but cannot.
In an infinite universe that which is not overhyped, that which is not on the pop chart, makes at most a drop in the ocean and then disappears.
But the truth is Emitt Rhodes's new album is the most satisfying artistic project I've encountered all year.
It's got the basics covered, the sounds, the changes, but it's the words that put it over the top. Do you remember when you listened to music for insight? Back before platitudes reigned and "musicians" did their best to tell you how much better their lives were than yours?
Music used to be made by outsiders, who wouldn't even want to hang at the club, they'd feel too uncomfortable. Their goal in playing was to connect, to lay down their truth and hope that someone heard it.
And we did. That's why we clamored around the truth-sayers. From Bob Dylan to Laura Nyro to Emitt Rhodes.
But we were young back then, and optimistic, we hadn't been hurt by life, which happens to us all. You can get plastic surgery, throw down some money and put a smile on your face, but that doesn't cover the rejection, the sickness, all the detours and ditches that encompass life that you rarely hear about anymore in our winner take all society. Be vulnerable, say you have more questions than answers, and you're thrown on the scrapheap and ignored, you're done, there are zillions of bright-eyed kids lined up to take your place who still believe life is lived without reflection, who don't know life is about eddies more than highways, that we all get waylaid, can't be on all the time, forever.
"I wanna be somewhere far away
Somewhere where I won't be afraid"
Paralysis. Scratch a baby boomer and you'll find it. The single won't go on match.com, never mind go on a date. They're afraid they're too imperfect, sans smooth skin, tight body and fat wallet. Better to stay home and watch TV.
"I wanna be sheltered, safe and warm"
It's the men who are weak, they're tired of putting up a good front, schmoozing and trying to get ahead. They want to be taken care of. Wanna win a man's heart? Cover the potholes, guide him and soothe him when you're alone together.
"I wanna be somewhere far from home"
That's what we've lost in the global village, the ability to get away, we're constantly checking our phones, to see if someone is looking for us, if we're missing out, we're sacrificing life to the screen. If only we could get away and live, away from the usual distractions.
"I wanna be somewhere in the sun
Gettin' tan, havin' fun"
Fun, it's the one thing that money can't buy, that we all want but rarely pursue, we're too busy getting ahead.
"I wanna be with the ones I love
Hold them close, give them hugs"
So basic, so pedestrian, but so right. An artist can speak what we all feel and give it the ring of truth we rally around.
"I wanna be loved no matter what
Not just a man 'til better starts"
I'm not sure about that last word, I'm not sure I've got it right. Which is how it was back before the internet, before every album came with words. We'd get closer to the speakers, we'd put on headphones and try to decipher what the gods were saying, sometimes laboring under misimpressions for years.
But we're all looking for acceptance, to be loved for who we are. But the truth is we have to adjust ourselves to be lovable, too many people refuse to do this, they maintain their rough edges and refuse to allow others in. But once you get over the hump, you want a pass, for the faux pas, for your basic identity, you want to be able to be who you are. It's the main problem in each and every relationship... If you're being yourself all the time, beware, your partner is not, you're heading for a breakdown.
"I wanna be someone's only one
Not just a man 'til better comes"
And there you have it. We all want to be number one. I've struggled with this. Oh, believe me, I want to be primary, but there comes a point in each and every relationship where I wonder if I am. And then I wonder if I'm defective, needy, too insecure. Or whether I'm divining the truth and deserve more. I don't have the answer.
But I do know commitment is the essence of relationships, without it there's nothing. A ring can help, but it's far from definitive. People seem to be looking over their shoulder for something better, and if what they're looking at is over your shoulder...
"Always chasin' rainbow ends
Head up in the clouds
Thought my dreams would never end
But my eyes they're open now"
How are you gonna feel about that tattoo twenty years from now?
What are you gonna do when you don't get into the college of your choice?
What are you gonna do when you don't make partner?
What are you gonna do when you get cancer?
What are you gonna do when your spouse leaves you?
It's gonna happens, no one wins forever, no one tops the pop chart and plays stadiums until they die. Athletes retire. Musicians can no longer hit the notes. You can no longer finish a marathon, if you can run at all.
But culture doesn't focus on these maladies. Worse, once you reach a certain age you're discarded, you don't even matter. At school they're paying attention, limiting you. Then they tell you you can't have an abortion. Then you hit menopause and are dry and your guy can't get hard and you feel like you're rolling downhill, fast.
What are you supposed to do?
You can go on a diet, exercise, pretend you're twenty five, even cashier your significant other for someone much younger...but they don't get the references, they don't really get you.
Or you can put on Emitt Rhodes's "Rainbow Ends" and uncover someone who's been there and been thinking about it, and delivering it all via a mellifluous sound that gives you hope.
That's what I get from the truth, honesty, changes and harmonies. The belief that life is worth living. Because there are people pulling themselves up and testifying about what life is really like, so I don't feel so alone, so I can go on.
--
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Where We Are Now
Do you feel left out? Do you feel like you're working hard but getting nowhere, treading water in the game of life? Do you think the government is telling you how to live whilst providing little in return?
Then you might be supporting Donald Trump or Bernie Sanders.
The owners of this country just don't understand how this happened, how the country at large rejected their leadership, got off the boat and is determined to upset it, if not capsize it.
Credit the internet.
Before the nation was wired and communicating we had no idea what we did not know. We accepted news as truth and put broadcasters upon pedestals.
But not only did the internet allow new information to pour forth, propagated by citizens who were interested in nothing so much as the truth, it allowed a subset of people, usually male, usually quite young, to become extremely rich. And these techies were lauded throughout the land. And those of us working for a living...had to realize, there was no way we could make that kind of money.
Even though we wanted to.
Even though we'd be satisfied with a bite of the carrot, chewing just a bit more than we had before.
But this was not to be. Because the rich had to get tax cuts and the banks had to be saved, even though so many are living from paycheck to paycheck. It's hard to have sympathy for those in the bubble.
And the rich and powerful truly are. They've got no roots. The nation is run by the scions of the already wealthy, from Gates to the Kochs. You just don't have a chance, the American dream is dead.
Furthermore, it's every man for himself. Those you used to be able to count on you can't.
Certainly not the musicians. Musicians kiss the ass of corporations to garner a smidgen of the wealth of the bankers and techies, despite young nincompoops believing in their words, the rest of us have checked out of a pop dominated world. There's no there there.
But you can't nominate Trump, he'll ruin the country!
Give me a break, D.C. is a logjam that no one can break, even if he got elected Trump couldn't do much.
Other than nominate a Supreme Court justice!
How long until the Republican congresspeople blink, realizing their candidate has no chance and Hillary will nominate someone even more liberal than Merrick Garland.
Yes, Hillary is gonna win.
And I'm worried all the protest, all the reaction to what was, will be forgotten.
But the truth is America has changed. Theories have turned into reality. Blacks had no upward mobility, they couldn't pull themselves up by their bootstraps. Now the same thing has happened to whites. Meanwhile, they're both told to just work harder.
So there are bogeymen, immigrants being the number one culprit.
But we all need someone to blame. The musicians blamed streaming, even though the RIAA just said recorded music revenue went up! With streaming being the man generator! Take that all you naysayers!
Yes, everybody's living in an echo chamber, listening to only the news that agrees with them, facts are out the window and truth is irrelevant.
But some truths are undeniable.
We live in a two-tier society. And those on top don't care about those on the bottom. They don't even understand the plight of those on the bottom. Republican wankers believe the rank and file want to give up their entitlements so the rich can rampage.
No, we need something like a guaranteed income, so we can all survive.
Trump understands this anger.
As does Bernie Sanders, who speaks more truth than the rest of the candidates combined.
We are in the midst of a revolution. This is what climate change looks like when it takes hold. You know, the fat cats are denying climate science so they can pollute. But the ice caps will melt so much that there will be chaos.
Right now there's chaos in America.
And it's got nothing to do with terrorism, and nothing to do with immigration, and everything to do with the lack of upward mobility.
If I've got no chance I'm gonna poke you in the eye, make you squirm.
That's the essence of the Trump campaign.
The disaffected rule. Those in power have refused to adjust just like the record companies at the turn of the century, who believed consumers should overpay for a CD with one good track so the industry could shine on.
I'm sick of hedge funders getting better tax rates on their income than the rank and file.
I'm sick of government getting in my business, making abortion nearly illegal. What's the message here, don't screw? But without babies our nation does not survive.
The public is way ahead of the government.
The story of the near future will be either an adjustment by those in power or ultimately a toppling of their reign.
We're mad as hell. And we enjoy upsetting the apple cart.
This primary season is not about nominating candidates, but giving the establishment the middle finger.
Occupy Wall Street was just the beginning.
It's gonna get worse.
And the only question is...
WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?
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Then you might be supporting Donald Trump or Bernie Sanders.
The owners of this country just don't understand how this happened, how the country at large rejected their leadership, got off the boat and is determined to upset it, if not capsize it.
Credit the internet.
Before the nation was wired and communicating we had no idea what we did not know. We accepted news as truth and put broadcasters upon pedestals.
But not only did the internet allow new information to pour forth, propagated by citizens who were interested in nothing so much as the truth, it allowed a subset of people, usually male, usually quite young, to become extremely rich. And these techies were lauded throughout the land. And those of us working for a living...had to realize, there was no way we could make that kind of money.
Even though we wanted to.
Even though we'd be satisfied with a bite of the carrot, chewing just a bit more than we had before.
But this was not to be. Because the rich had to get tax cuts and the banks had to be saved, even though so many are living from paycheck to paycheck. It's hard to have sympathy for those in the bubble.
And the rich and powerful truly are. They've got no roots. The nation is run by the scions of the already wealthy, from Gates to the Kochs. You just don't have a chance, the American dream is dead.
Furthermore, it's every man for himself. Those you used to be able to count on you can't.
Certainly not the musicians. Musicians kiss the ass of corporations to garner a smidgen of the wealth of the bankers and techies, despite young nincompoops believing in their words, the rest of us have checked out of a pop dominated world. There's no there there.
But you can't nominate Trump, he'll ruin the country!
Give me a break, D.C. is a logjam that no one can break, even if he got elected Trump couldn't do much.
Other than nominate a Supreme Court justice!
How long until the Republican congresspeople blink, realizing their candidate has no chance and Hillary will nominate someone even more liberal than Merrick Garland.
Yes, Hillary is gonna win.
And I'm worried all the protest, all the reaction to what was, will be forgotten.
But the truth is America has changed. Theories have turned into reality. Blacks had no upward mobility, they couldn't pull themselves up by their bootstraps. Now the same thing has happened to whites. Meanwhile, they're both told to just work harder.
So there are bogeymen, immigrants being the number one culprit.
But we all need someone to blame. The musicians blamed streaming, even though the RIAA just said recorded music revenue went up! With streaming being the man generator! Take that all you naysayers!
Yes, everybody's living in an echo chamber, listening to only the news that agrees with them, facts are out the window and truth is irrelevant.
But some truths are undeniable.
We live in a two-tier society. And those on top don't care about those on the bottom. They don't even understand the plight of those on the bottom. Republican wankers believe the rank and file want to give up their entitlements so the rich can rampage.
No, we need something like a guaranteed income, so we can all survive.
Trump understands this anger.
As does Bernie Sanders, who speaks more truth than the rest of the candidates combined.
We are in the midst of a revolution. This is what climate change looks like when it takes hold. You know, the fat cats are denying climate science so they can pollute. But the ice caps will melt so much that there will be chaos.
Right now there's chaos in America.
And it's got nothing to do with terrorism, and nothing to do with immigration, and everything to do with the lack of upward mobility.
If I've got no chance I'm gonna poke you in the eye, make you squirm.
That's the essence of the Trump campaign.
The disaffected rule. Those in power have refused to adjust just like the record companies at the turn of the century, who believed consumers should overpay for a CD with one good track so the industry could shine on.
I'm sick of hedge funders getting better tax rates on their income than the rank and file.
I'm sick of government getting in my business, making abortion nearly illegal. What's the message here, don't screw? But without babies our nation does not survive.
The public is way ahead of the government.
The story of the near future will be either an adjustment by those in power or ultimately a toppling of their reign.
We're mad as hell. And we enjoy upsetting the apple cart.
This primary season is not about nominating candidates, but giving the establishment the middle finger.
Occupy Wall Street was just the beginning.
It's gonna get worse.
And the only question is...
WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
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