Today has double significance for Todd Rundgren. June 22 is the day he was born in the Philadelphia suburb of Upper Darby, PA. His earliest recording project was the Philly band Woody’s Truck Stop, followed by The Nazz, who first recorded his song “Hello It’s Me,” which similarly became a double event for him. That band’s 1968 version reached #66 on the singles chart. When he redid it on his 1972 solo album Something/Anything? it became his biggest Top 40 hit, reaching #5.
Among his other pop singles: 1972’s “I Saw The Light” reached #16, 1978’s “Can We Still Be Friends” hit #29 and 1983’s memorable “Bang the Drum All Day” which topped out at #63.
His biggest payday? No doubt as the producer of Meat Loaf’s epic Bat Out of Hell album, which has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide.
Related: Our inside story of how “Hello It’s Me” became a huge success
Rundgren’s varied career also includes producing albums for the Band, the Tubes, Patti Smith Group, Hall & Oates, XTC and New York Dolls, among others. He also led the group Utopia concurrent with his solo work, and was a member of the New Cars from 2005-2006. He was also a member of Ringo Starr’s All Starr Band for years.
On his 50th birthday in 1998, Rundgren married dancer and singer Michele Gray. He received honorary doctorates from Berklee School of Music and Depauw University.
In 2016, Rhino released The Complete Bearsville Albums Collection, which collects the 11 albums that built him one of classic rock’s most devoted large cult followings.
Though he had been ignored by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for decades, he was finally selected for induction as part of the Class of 2021. Not surprisingly, he chose not to attend the ceremony in Cleveland, Ohio.
Rundgren continues to tour. Tickets are available here and here. His many recordings are available here.
Related: Our Album Rewind of Rundgren’s A Wizard, A True Star
6 Comments so far
Jump into a conversationThe hit song by the Nazz in 1968 to reach #66 on Billboard, was “Open My Eyes”, “Hello, It’s Me” was the B-side.
He was who released “We Gotta Get You A Woman” as Runt in 1970.
Other significant songs produced by Todd Rundgren in 1970’s were:
– Song “Day After Day” by Welsh band Badfinger
– Song “Locomotion” by Grand Funk (Railroad)
– Song “Future Shock” by Hello People
Runt also included Hunt and Tony Sales both sons of the Comedian Soupy Sales
75 and his voice is as soulful as ever. More so in the last 10 years.
Still don’t have a satisfactory explanation as to why it took a year and a half to release “Hello, It’s Me” off of “Something/Anything” as a single. “A Wizard, A True Star” had been out for several months, and “Todd” was just a very few months away from release. Regardless, any time I play it on my weekend oldies show, I include the intro with the studio banter.
BMac, a link to how “Hello It’s Me” was released is included in the story.
his album NAZZ NAZZ is my favorite by him & band…still listen to it all these years later…