Biography
Todd Harry Rundgren (born June 22, 1948) is an American multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, songwriter, and record producer known for his wide-ranging musical styles both as a solo artist and as part of the band Utopia. Renowned for his sophisticated and often unconventional music, elaborate stage performances, and later ventures into interactive entertainment, Rundgren was also a pioneer in music video production and an early advocate of computer technologies, notably using the Internet for music distribution in the late 1990s.
Born in Philadelphia, Rundgren launched his professional career in the mid-1960s, forming the psychedelic band Nazz in 1967. He departed from Nazz in 1969 to focus on his solo career, quickly achieving his first US top 40 hit with "We Gotta Get You a Woman" (1970). Among his most famous songs are "Hello It's Me" and "I Saw the Light" from the 1972 album Something/Anything?, which remain staples on classic rock radio, as well as the 1983 track "Bang the Drum All Day," widely used in sports venues, commercials, and film trailers. Though less mainstream, "Couldn't I Just Tell You" (1972) has been influential within the power pop genre. His 1973 album A Wizard, a True Star continues to inspire modern bedroom musicians.
Rundgren is regarded as a trailblazer in electronic music, progressive rock, music videos, computer software, and online music distribution. He produced the first interactive television concert in 1978, developed the first color graphics tablet in 1980, and launched the first interactive album, No World Order, in 1994. He was also among the earliest artists to gain recognition as both a performer and producer, with notable production work including Badfinger's Straight Up (1971), Grand Funk Railroad's We're an American Band (1973), the New York Dolls' debut album (1973), Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell (1977), and XTC's Skylarking (1986).
