The Todd Rundgren Page

Satisfying my hyperfixation on Todd Rundgren as a tech enthusiast and multimedia innovator

It's under construction and I don't have sources or videos or anything yet. Work in progress!!

Table of Contents

  1. Intro
  2. The Tech Stuff
  3. Album "Reviews"

Intro

So, for some reason, outta nowhere, I became hyperfixated on Todd Rundgren's tech stuff. I knew he dabbled in stuff, he had a hand in the Apple Graphics Tablet somehow (I uncover that later), which I thought was cool, but I never really looked into it. Then a few weeks ago I stumbled upon his interactive album No World Order, released under the pseudonym TR-i. I became obsessed with the software and the music. I needed to figure out how it worked. I needed to figure out what else he's been doing. I needed to uncover what this guy got goin' on besides being that classic rock guy my mom likes. I've been reading and watching videos and I've done a few Twitch stream devoted to this guy. I can't stop thinking about it. I'm going to use this page to sort of document what I'm learning. I'm not here to tell a narrative or really write anything, but I want to lay out what is interesting to me. Maybe this page can be of use to you, or maybe you can find something cool inside.

The Tech Stuff

1978 - First Interactice Concert
Not finding a lot of info, but what I gather is that it was a televised concert in which viewers could call in (i'm guessing??) to vote on what songs would be played
Early 80s - Computer Programmer
Learned Applesoft BASIC so he could write Utopia Graphic Tablet System, a paint program for the apple ][.
Released in 1981, attributed to Utopia Software Development
I guess he was trying to replicate a piece of software he used at New York Institute of Technology? I gotta look into that more
80s? - Utopia Grokware
Software company collaboration with David Levine
Developed Flowfazer, Eyelixir, it's Classic Mac stuff, might be able to emulate it eventually
Still around, they got iOS apps
1990 - NUtopia
Animation studio, a collaboration with Newtek, the Video Toaster guys. Because Todd really loved the Video Toaster. There's an hour long talk about this that he gives, I need to listen to it properly.
Created the first fully 3D CG music video, I guess??
I've watched the videos, they're a little interesting but mostly feel like tech demos for the Video Toaster.
1993 - IBM Simon
Developed sounds for what is now called the "first smartophone"
Did his sounds make it to final release? I don't know!
1993 - TR-i - No World Order
Interactive album released for the Philips CD-i, but also Windows and Macintosh
A lot to get into here! I'll do it later!
1994 - TR-i - World (No Order) Tour
Interactive concert tour
1995 - TR-i - The Individualist
An early EnhancedCD
Contains interactive videos and a video game
Haven't got it to work yet so I'll get back to ya!!
Late 90s - Patronet
Online content delivery system
It's basically Patreon but way too soon to succeed
2023 - Global Nation TV
Okay what the fuck is this. It's the reincarnation of Patronet but it's really weird
User made content maybe?? A janky app?? An AI guy is there??

Album "Reviews"

Honestly never really listened to the guy, so this is the first time I've listened to any of his albums. I was so focued on the other stuff that I forgot to listen to anything outside of No World Order, so I'm working my way through his stuff. Here are my thoughts on what I've listned to.

Todd Rundgren's Utopia (1974)
70s prog rock. Didn't get too far into the album, because it's tedious and bad! Maybe I'll give it another try sometime.
A Cappella (1985)
Haven't listened entirely yet but there's some real good stuff. All of the instruments are his voice, a bunch processed through samplers and stuff. Todd Rundgren voice drum set? Hell yeah
2nd Wind (1991)
This one was recorded in front of an audience. Not as a live performance though, but as a studio recording but with a quiet audience present. I'll link a video at some point, it's really interesting. Title track is fantastic. Some real good stuff here. There's three songs from a musical he wrote but. Well I hate listening to musical music outside of the context of a musical so those can go.
No World Order (1993)
The GOAT. The first interactive album. I can't speak highly enough about this. I'm sure I'll detail what the interactive part is in the previous section. I'll talk about the standard CD though. It embrases the random and chaotic nature of the interactive album, it almost simulates the experience you'd get playing with the software, and it jumps around and loops from one song will show up in another all of a sudden and it changes styles on a dime and. UGH it's so good. The album also flows just about the same when you listen on shuffle, which I have done a few times. There is a version called "No World Order Lite" which is just a straightforward song-focused approach, which is still good but it doesn't have the disjointed chaos of the original that I love so much. OH ALSO he starts rapping in this album. And... Well I've grown to love it.
One Long Year (2000)
This one is a compilation of tracks released through TR's Patronet service. It feels like it, too. There's a bunch of real good tracks on here, and some that can go away. That Bang On the Ukulele one is bad and maybe offensive. Mary and the Holy Ghost is fantastic. I Frickin Hate my ISP is about how he hates AOL, love it.
Liars (2004)
Very good it's very good!
Arena (2008)
I got so bored by the third track I couldn't listen any more. It's just Some Rock Music.
Todd Rundgren's Johnson (2011)
Boring! Don't care! It's a Robert Johnson cover album made for Robert Johnson's uhhh hundredth birthday. It's boring! He's not a blues guy! Plus it has a terrible name!
State (2013)
Listening to this as I write this. It's pretty good! More electronic than his other releases. As a bonus track there's "Hello-Light-Friends," which is a weird mashup of his three popularist songs. It's good!