Todd Rundgren: from ‘I Saw the Light’ to a Lifetime of Reinvention
A candid conversation with the prolific musician, producer, and self-described individualist reveals a restless creative spirit driven by experimentation, collaboration, and a healthy disregard for convention.
Todd rundgren has spent over five decades defying categorization. From his early power-pop hits to his groundbreaking production work with artists like Meat Loaf and XTC,Rundgren has consistently pushed boundaries and challenged expectations. A recent interview offered a rare glimpse into the mind of this musical innovator, touching on his songwriting process, his experiences with the psychedelic scene, and his often-fraught collaborations with some of rock’s most iconic figures.
Rundgren’s songwriting journey began with a period of relative simplicity.He recalled the creation of his signature song, “I Saw the Light,†a track featured on his 1972 album Something/Anything? “I moved my hands about the keyboard and 20 minutes later that song was done,†he explained. However,this ease soon led to a sense of creative stagnation. “I was slipping into formula — verse, chorus, bridge and so on, always about the girl or boy who broke your heart.†This realization prompted a radical shift in direction, leading to the experimental and sprawling A Wizard, a True Star in 1973.
The creation of A Wizard, a True Star was, in part, fueled by personal turmoil and experimentation.Rundgren recounted a high school heartbreak stemming from a girl whose father disapproved of his long hair. He also acknowledged the album’s connection to his exploration of psychoactive drugs, beginning around 1970. “I didn’t smoke or drink anything until my first album,†he stated, describing a progression from casual experimentation with friends to more deliberate exploration after a suggestion from a friend studying to be a psychiatrist. “Through psychoactives I discovered there was more going on in my head than that high school relationship.â€
Rundgren’s creative process isn’t always reliant on immediate inspiration. He described a unique method of composition developed during his travels, exemplified by the song “Lost Horizon.†“I was in a little hotel room in Kathmandu and a song started going round in my head,†he said.“The only way I could remember it was to visualise a piano keyboard and practice the piano part on the imaginary keyboard, so when I got back I was able to play it.†He added, “You never know when a song will hit you. I once woke up in the middle of the night with ‘Bang the Drum All Day’ in my head.â€
His career has been marked by collaborations, some more harmonious than others. Rundgren recounted a potentially volatile encounter with Levon Helm during the recording of The Band’s Stage fright. “there may have been an episode,†he admitted, describing himself as a “smart-ass kid†who inadvertently offended Garth Hudson. He painted a picture of a band grappling with newfound success and its accompanying excesses, with Helm struggling with opiate addiction. Despite the initial friction, Rundgren later formed friendships with most of The Band, with the notable exception of Robbie Robertson, whom he described as “kind of a snob.â€
Rundgren’s production work is equally storied. His work on Meat Loaf’s Bat Out of Hell remains a landmark achievement. He characterized Jim Steinman’s songwriting as a deliberate parody of Bruce Springsteen, despite Steinman’s reluctance to admit it. “Everyone they’d played stuff to had said the songs were to long and Meat Loaf was too weird,but I heard it in the context of springsteen’s leather jackets/50s thing — but not a handsome guy from New Jersey,a big sweaty guy.†He noted that the album “unleashed a force upon the world — the brand of excess.â€
The artist also reflected on his collaboration with Laura Nyro, whom he described as a profoundly gifted but underappreciated songwriter. He admired her elegant and passionate music, but noted that her unconventional approach may have limited her mainstream appeal. “Audiences don’t really want people who sound wholly different to everybody else,†he observed. He also alluded to personal discomfort during their sessions, stemming from the influence of Nyro’s girlfriend.
Rundgren’s influence extends to subsequent generations of musicians, notably prince. While he has no specific recollection of a meeting with a young Prince, he acknowledged the impact of his DIY recording approach. “prince took the play-every-instrument thing to another level,†he said, adding that he focused on writing beyond his own instrumental capabilities, while Prince tailored his songs to his skills. He confessed to finding some of Prince’s lyrics perplexing, questioning, “Is it some kind of pollution?â€
He also shared anecdotes about his interactions with John Lennon, recalling a disappointing initial encounter and a subsequent public dispute sparked by an interview.The conflict was eventually resolved with a phone call from Lennon, who suggested they were being manipulated.
Looking back at his production work,Rundgren offered a nuanced outlook on XTC’s Skylarking,a record notoriously marred by difficult recording sessions. He acknowledged that Andy Partridge, the band’s frontman, was resistant to outside input, and described the recording of “Earn Enough for us†as a rare moment of genuine collaboration that ultimately triggered a major conflict. despite Partridge’s initial disdain for the album, Rundgren heard that he has sence conceded it is among XTC’s best.
Rundgren discussed his early work with the New York Dolls, acknowledging the band’s divisive nature. He agreed with a critic who labeled them “mock rock,†noting their deliberate homage to The Rolling Stones. He also pointed out the band’s surprisingly suburban roots, despite their gritty New York City persona.
Rundgren remains remarkably prolific, with recent albums like liars, State, and White Knight demonstrating his continued willingness to experiment. He described Space, his most recent album, as a collaborative effort built around unfinished demos submitted by othre artists. He concluded by emphasizing the importance of live performance, stating that playing for two and a half hours each night is “like an aerobic exercise, or a marathon.â€
Todd Rundgren plays Subscription rooms, Stroud (26 October), Alexandra theater, Birmingham (28) and London Palladium (29).
