RETROKIMMER: LOVES TODD RUNDGREN

Todd Rundgren

You know... I have to say that the coolest thing about creating Retrokimmer.com is the amazing musical education I began receiving and it continues everyday. How lucky I am to meet all these historic musical legends and they feel comfortable sharing their stories with me. From all over the globe I am receiving lessons on rock, classical, jazz, and soul music from fans and musicians alike.

It began when I started working with Dennis "Machinegun" Thompson the legendary drummer of the MC5. Working with Dennis on Machinegun's Blog he began choosing music that influenced him. One of the songs he chose was Todd Rundgren's "Bang the Drum All Day". I knew the song but I had no idea it was Todd's song!! How did I miss that?

My favorite album of Todd's is Something/Anything? My pal Teri and I would play this record over and over driving her parents out of their house!

But my all time favorite Todd Rundgren song is "Can We Still Be Friends" One of the themes of my entire life I suppose.. A lot of people have covered this song. Robert Palmer had a big hit with his cover. Still the original with Todd on vocals is best...

I just love this video with Darryl Hall and Todd together on vocals...

Todd Harry Rundgren (born June 22, 1948) is an American musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. Hailed in the early stage of his career as a new pop-wunderkind, supported by the certified gold solo double LP Something/Anything? in 1972, Todd Rundgren's career has produced a diverse range of recordings as solo artist, and during the seventies and eighties with the band Utopia. He has also been prolific as a producer and engineer on the recorded work of other musicians.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Rundgren engineered and/or produced many notable albums for other acts, including Straight Up by Badfinger, Stage Fright by The Band, We're an American Band by Grand Funk Railroad, Bat Out of Hell by Meat Loaf (now ranked as the fifth biggest-selling album of all time), and Skylarking by XTC. In the 1980s and 1990s his interest in video and computers led to Rundgren's "Time Heals" being the eighth video played on MTV, and "Change Myself" was generated on commercially available Amiga Computers.

His best-known songs include "Hello It's Me" and "I Saw the Light" which have heavy rotation on classic rock radio stations, and "Bang the Drum All Day" featured in many sports arenas, commercials, and movie trailers.