I keep telling you people, and you just don’t listen to me. Well maybe now, you brave blogites are forging new paths, lighting out for new territories, peering into crevices where few have crept before. Rundgren has returned to his blues-oriented roots and revived 12 of Blues legend Robert Johnson’s (now royalty-free) songs, 3 of them in a downloadable EP, live and hopefully an album!
Rundgren meets Robert Johnson and takes it to the bank! Photo courtesy RundgrenRadio / Doug Ford
And according to Amazon Blues charts, Todd Rundgren is finally getting his due.
Head on over to Amazon.com and look at some various Blues categories, and you just might find Rundgren’s name there. Way on up there. According to Rundgren’s fan site TRConnection.com, he is topping blues charts left and right.
Wait a minute, isn’t this the same guy who sped up and slowed down and hyper effected multi-tracks of himself laughing and sped it up and slowed it down to the ultimate breath, climaxing in the question, “Don’t you think of anything but sex?” ? That guy, the one who bangs on the drum for cruise lines and says hello, it’s me to antacids?
Sure is. Seems Rundgren still can wail the blues. To many people’s liking.
Straight from the camp responsible, RundgrenRadio.com;
“RundgrenRadio.com will be presenting three Todd Rundgren concerts during his “Todd Rundgren’s Johnson” April mini-tour of fifteen concerts. The three concerts presented by RundgrenRadio.com include stops in Texas, Tennessee, and Illinois.
Todd Rundrgren’s new album “Todd Rundgren’s Johnson” features his interpretations of 12 songs originally written and recorded by Delta blues guitar legend Robert Johnson who shaped the course of blues and rock. Drawing heavily from his forthcoming album the show will consist of a combination of Johnson classics and guitar hero Todd staples. In addition to Rundgren, the band lineup for this tour includes Kasim Sulton (a member of Todd’s band Utopia), Jesse Gress (of the Tony Levin Band), and Prairie Prince (a founding member of art-rock band The Tubes).
On April 16th, Rundgren will perform at the Cubby Bear North in Lincolnshire, IL. Tickets are available. The Cubby Bear North venue was named as a reference to the Chicago Cubs baseball franchise, which could be the reason concert attendees might be more attentive when Todd performs his own interpretation of Robert Johnson’s song “Sweet Home Chicago”.
On April 20th, Rundgren will perform at Trees in Dallas, TX. Some of the songs recorded by Robert Johnson that shaped the course of blues and rock ‘n’ roll were recorded in a studio at 508 Park Avenue in Dallas, TX in 1937. The tunes, including “Love in Vain,” “Hellhound on My Trail” and “Me and the Devil Blues,” made a huge impact on countless acts, from Muddy Waters to Eric Clapton/Cream to Led Zeppelin to the Rolling Stones. Tickets for the concert in Dallas are available through a local outlet.
On April 21st, Rundgren will perform at New Daisy Theatre in Memphis, TN. New Daisy is located on Beale Street, which is known as the “Home of the Blues”. It is a significant location in the city’s history, as well as in the history of the blues. Beale Street is the number one tourist attraction in the State of Tennessee and one of the hottest entertainment districts in the country. Tickets for the concert in Memphis are also available.
Robert Johnson’s songs, vocal phrasing and guitar style have influenced a broad range of musicians; Eric Clapton has called Johnson “the most important blues singer that ever lived”. Johnson was among the first musicians to be inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s “early influence” category in 1986. He was ranked fifth in Rolling Stone’s list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.
Todd Rundgren has released over 30 albums either as a solo artist or with his bands Nazz, Utopia, and The New Cars while producing acclaimed, successful records for artists as diverse as Badfinger, Meat Loaf, Grand Funk Railroad, the New York Dolls, and XTC. He is commonly referred to as the godfather of both music video and the marriage of video and multimedia.”
For all you fans of Rundgren’s progressive side, you need not worry that Rundgren will spend his golden years playing solos over 12-bar progressions. In fact his RundgrenRadio Birthday Bash this year is something you Pro-Prog-Rundgren fans will absolutely die to want to go see. I know I do, and I will be doing my best to get there and get you the details. I don’t know if I will be able to get to the Rundgren’s “Johnson” tour, but the Birthday Bash is a must for any die-hard fan.
Once I am given the go-ahead, I will fill you in on the Birthday Bash details. As always, keep checking in right here!
Todd Rundgren Tickets
