Recently, there was a premier of the concert version of the album "A Wizard, A True Star" -- a classic from the musical mind of Todd Rundgren. It's a nonstop 55 minute performance, just like the 1973 record. However, this production is loaded with lights, lasers, and 12 costume changes.
"Most of the people who are fans have a mental movie that goes along with the record and to simply play it no matter how well we did that wouldn't really satisfy the expectations that go along with it," said Rundgren.
It's very theatrical, which is why he chose the Palace Of Fine Arts. Rundgren recorded an album here during the 10 years he lived in Sausalito and he built his own studio.
"So that I could have the maximum freedom to experiment with sounds," says Rundgren.
And that he did, long before computers made it easy. Rundgren likes to defy convention.
"I've always had this idea of just constantly absorbing new influences," says Rundgren.
He is a record producer for names like Meat Loaf, Hall and Oates, and that 1973 hit, "Glam Rock," he says. But he's written plenty more.
Hi song "I want to bang on the drum all day," is heard on the radio and sporting events and is a classic.
Although this is a limited run of California cities this week, Rundgren says the production has the potential to play Las Vegas or even Broadway.
For more than 40 years, Todd Rundgren has been making music his way. He calls himself a survivor
"People make assumptions it's easy to hold onto a job like this. But so many people have had more meteoric careers than I have. Now they're doing something else, another line of work," says Rundgren.
