Comments on: A Wizard, A True Star

By: Lois

Lois — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 11:36:35 +0000

Please join us as Todd Rundgren performs A Wizard A True Star live in Akron, Stamford, Bethesda, Chicago in September 2009 or London and Amsterdam Feb 2010.

Tickets at AWATSlive.com

By: Jack McHugh

Jack McHugh — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:49:59 +0000

Thanks for that correction Alan on July 17th, I was about to do that but you did it for me. As far as the 1st pressing thing, as a long time fan, since I was a teenager, now pushing 50, I never heard about the 1st pressing being a better copy. I guess I can’t disprove it because who the hell knows how many were made and what marker decodes that fact? Is it the “JW on the trail off”comment? I can attest to the vinyl sounding very limp, knowing the warmth that Something Anything has in comparison. Todd even mentions on the sleeve that because so much music was crammed onto the disc and to try recording it onto cassette at a louder volume, then playing it back, you might get a better sound, or something to that effect only to be outdone by his own future release “Initiation” 1975 which he again comments that the record company had to use a process called “Microgroove” pressing, in order to fit over an hours worth of music. Another great TR album. Side 1 has 5 songs with Real Man to start it off, and was also a single with a different mix and heavier phase shift in the middle, anyone with that piece of ear candy has a collectable. I was hoping that the CD release would contain that alternate mix, which I prefer to the album one which is more sanitized if you know what I mean, over polished, or over compressed perhaps.
How about it Todd? If you’re reading, I’ll bet I’m not the only person to have brought this to your attention. Anyways he brings back the reprise at the end of side one of Real Man phase-shifted and fade out. Just like International Feel, and as Todd put it “Le Feel Internationale” reprise of International Feel at the end of side one of Wizard which fans have cramped into the anagram AWATS, which just rubs me the wrong way. I know it cuts down on characters, but something is lost.
Just another onion head, whose opinionated. Peace out.

By: Alan

Alan — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 20:35:24 +0000

Actually there were two solo albums before Something/Anything
1970’s Runt, which featured “We Gotta Get You a Woman” and 1971’s aforementioned Runt: The Ballad of Todd Rundgren.

By: Satisfied '75

Satisfied '75 — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 20:28:11 +0000

absolutely, I like Runt too, but consider S/A to be his first real solo lp – bar the last 3 songs he played every instrument. impressive.

By: Harley

Harley — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:06:59 +0000

I’m not sure how you’re defining ’solo album’ — but ‘Runt: The Ballad of Todd Rundgren’ certainly qualifies, and precedes Something/Anything. And to some — well, okay, me — it’s the best record he ever made.

By: JEFF

JEFF — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:45:55 +0000

oh damn…timing is strange cause I just 2 weeks ago was telling everyone about SOMETHING/ANYTHING…now I need to hear this next album…greatness

By: Three From Todd Rundgren…Including “International Feel” « Rock God Cred

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:46:22 +0000

[...] Click here to go to AD to check three from Todd Rundgren’s “A Wizard, A True Star”…”International Feel”, “Never Never Land”, and “Tic Tic Tic It Wears Off”…a nice little sampling from the follow up to the hit album “Something/ Anything?” [...]

By: Satisfied '75

Satisfied '75 — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 23:47:29 +0000

cool, thanks for the tidbit Perrata2000. pretty interesting.

By: s

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 23:46:17 +0000

“Just One Victory”- my personal mantra for a very long time now.

By: perrata2000

perrata2000 — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 23:43:35 +0000

Actually just checked Wikipedia and they mention it
See below excerpt

“Its length (55:56) pushed the limits of just how much music could fit on a long-player record (LP); as a result, the sound quality of this LP is usually less-than-stellar. The compact disc version was thought to avoid these difficulties. The first issue on vinyl (JW – 1 is written in the trail-off), the only pressing made from the original master, has the best fidelity; finding one in near mint condition is not easy.”

And I agree, my LP sounds really thin!

By: Satisfied '75

Satisfied '75 — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 23:40:03 +0000

No shit? I only have a CD of it. So, is it really distorted sounding on vinyl?

By: perrata2000

perrata2000 — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 23:37:36 +0000

Todd also stretched the limits of the LP cramming more music that could physically be fit into a disc to match his vision so if you own the Lp you’ll notice the sound is not the best. That is due to the shear length of the whole thing where they had to modify the grooves in some way. Not sure about the technicalities. If you want to heat Tic Tic Tic it wears off in a different context, head out to my Blog where I included it as part of a mix alongside Magnum, Bt Express, Brother Jack McDuff and other greats..
Link: http://colmenadehumo.blogspot.com/2009/05/mixtape-6-this-is-tomorrow-meets-la.html#comments
Hope you enjoy