Overture/ Communion With The Sun

[justlalalooo]

So talented musicians, the vocals are amazing and... unique. (weird enough, something reminded me of phantom of the paradise in the beginning of the video, can't say what it is... ). This is really excellent, the band is a pure harmony.

[vongruber]

Somebody thumbs downed THIS? Heresy I tell you!

[62849rsm]

this album kicked ass!!!

[Foobishay]

Brilliant - pure genius .....

[gipsy70castle]

que monstruo que es este tipo!!!!....

[jedzxor]

wow didn't know that! Awesome!

[notma53]

the beginning is a piece called Mountaintop Sunrise,which was from Bernard Herrmann's Journey To The Center of the Earth.

[alastairmacmillan128]

Heard this first on vinyl proper hi fi sounds amazing. The essence of the sound is all there and the playing is foreal, live as is the harmonies, oahusheer you are stupid, it is a blistering and melodic composition of the highest order of the genre. Does sound a bit creaky on youtube though but knowing the song I wish I had been there. Mind you I'd be delighted with a buskers bad acoustic version!!!!

[alastairmacmillan128]

Heard this first on vinyl proper hi fi sounds amazing. The essence of the sound is all there and the playing is foreal, live as is the harmonies, oahusheer you are stupid, it is a blistering and melodic composition of the highest order of the genre. Does sound a bit creaky on youtube though but knowing the song I wish I had been there. Mind you I'd be delighted with a buskers bad acoustic version!!!!

[portranet]

Saw this live (as it showed at the start with the pyramid - BEST show I've ever seen/heard. Started out small like a quartet - people actually boo'd after a while (it was suppose to be like that) it rolled into a cheezy movie... just as everyone was really let down, the curtain opened with the metal pyramid and custom custumes, custom guitars that reflected the spot lights like SPOTS THEMSELVES and the best show ever. Todd's the best!

[TheMandragoraBCN]

I remeber what this lot did to Led Zepplin... hahahahaha!!! RA RA RA!!! :0)

[Milan276]

Man they did it and are still doing it Only the true greats last the span of time and He has and they have. It was nice seeing Healer all his shows are great. Milan276

[1STONEDIVISION]

No one nowadays can touch this! You'd have to have been there, I guess- like I was. This is music that only the greatest of musical minds can really appreciate. I couldn't be paid enough to suffer through what the babbling baboons are calling music these days...

[livibutterfly]

oahu sheer is obviously an IDIOT and not at all musical. Todd Rundgren is a genius.

[oahusheer]

What are you guys smoking?

This is absolutely TERRIBLE. Terrible vocals. Terrible playing. Terrible clothes.

I wish I had kept my minimum Rundgren exposure to only "Hello, It's Me" where it was...

Ignorance is indeed bliss.

[livibutterfly]

@oahusheer you are a fucking idiot. I'd like to see YOU do better.HAHA

[russellbvi]

Saw this live in the early 70's at radio City Musc Hall ! Simply amazing ! One of the best live goups ever to this day ! Todd is pure genuios !

[docmontauk]

Love the Ankh/Venus guitar.

[jameshocutt]

This is simply an amazing and too-overlooked band that is one of the most talented ever. They possess the vocal complexity of the Beatles but combine that with mastery of their instruments, along with combining sound structure that is layered and complex and beautiful. I don't know how you bring together such fine musicians and get them to work together so diligently - any true musician knows how much time and effort it takes to make something like this work.

[livibutterfly]

Incredible!!Todd's a genius!

[hihats]

those were the days

[enolaniaga]

If you are a Beatles fan, check out Utopias "DEFACE THE MUSIC" . Pure genius.

[enolaniaga]

wow, these guys will try anything live, even the impossible. Utopia was all about taking risks and breaking new bounds,. Listen to how dry the vocals are , no chorus, no pitch correction , no reverb, etc. They just put it all out there as it is . Very daring and under appreciated.

[bungalowmo]

RA....Holy Synthesizer!  hehe...gotta love it!

[misospecial]

nice mix. great to see this, thanks!

[DovG]

This is superb, I remeber seeing him at Salford University, UK on the Ra tour.

[DizziNY]

OH MY GOD! I LOVE THIS SONG!

[TheArbiter74]

This is off a highly underrated Rock album called "RA", which came out in 1977, folks. I wonder where Prince got his idea for his Q shaped, signature guitar from? I consider Todd to be in the same caliber of artists as Zappa, Bowie, Yes, Joni, Miles, etc. You get the picture. Unfortunately, some of this live footage exposes some intonation issues, at times, which is the ultimate drag for musicians with sensitive ears. They all sound quite in tune on this clip though.

[TedBoyRomarino]

those custom-made instruments are great

[skorn211]

Bernard Hermann Overture

[Saiphofwindurst]

excellent post. Ra was my first Todd concert way back when in the days of my youth. It still stands out as the best concert I ever went to. They played for 4-1/2 hours straight...and every minute of it was great.

[paulwall1981]

Amazing song, amazing prefromance and amazing band. Todd is a true rock king. He sholud be forever in the minds of every rock fan that likes this sort of music. Top marks for all of this.

[TheFungChu]

Say what you will, each of these musicians can play any instrument unlike many of the me-too sync garbage artists today..

[suffiice]

@TheFungChu True that music in general is a lot worse today but even then Utopia were not a mainstream band

[imharpo]

Pretty cool video composition. Good work. Thanks.

[hearNyou]

...yeah.....

[onnomon]

freekin' hell this has got to be one of the hardest-working bands I ever seen. Dig the vocal harmonies and they're jamming on their instruments at the same time. Come on...we haven't this kind of stuff lately have we?

[neorunt]

Beautiful comment onnomon.

Beyond the musicianship, I can't comprehend how Todd studied Egyptology and their religion, got his band synchronized to the same theme.

And then put these incredible words to incredible music.

I guess ' all is one'!

[suffiice]

@onnomon if you listen to power metal then yes

[suffiice]

@onnomon listen to power metal..

[legallucy]

ah well, not everyone can be a jimi or etc.

but his voice is one of the best in rock's

and he is a master of piano voicings

he has amazing musical and creative sensibilities

[IndieMom6]

I am so glad you went to see him back then. Todd is still a great performer, his guitar playing is second to none and with Kasim doing backup vocals its heaven on earth. I've seen him over 30 times. And still go every time I can.

[fezzappa]

hate to be contradictory,but as much as i love todd and I have seen him over 20 times,he is not a great guitar player-

I love his style and the sound he gets- he really is an incredible talent,great writer and producer,but i think todd himself would tell you he isn't a great"guitar" player-

[fezzappa]

i should restate,lead guitar player-again,i like how he plays,but just can't put him on the level of the great players-clapton,hendrix,gallag­her,zappa,alvin lee,joe walsh,leslie west-these guys are guitar players- todd is an entity in himself but wouldn't go play with joe satriani and trade licks with him...thats all i meant and again,i am not trying to be negative,i love the guy

[liverawkstar]

all the players you mention are technically great---

but not so up to snuff in the creative/conceptual department---

Joe Satriani?

please.....

Jean Michel Basquiat cant paint worth a fuck---

but guess what ?

his paintings are awesome

[fezzappa]

what about joe? if you dont like him,fine,but he's a talented guy-

[neorunt]

Heard an interview once and Todd said himself 'I can't get outta the guitar what I want to'.

That being said, I've never seen a more multi-talented artist.

A true Wizard, beyond the musicianship it's the concepts of his lyrics that blows me away.

Where'd he find time to study Egyptology while learning to play pretty well every instrument and produce other bands?

[fezzappa]

there is always time to learn....

peace

[LuneyTune72]

Edgar Winter is equal in talent. I think Todd's a fine musician. Because he doesn't focus on one instrument he can't master it. On the side note this song reminds me of Yes.

[neorunt]

Yup, he plays pretty well everything LuneyTune 72 and that results in knowing 'a little a bit about everything and a lot about nothing'.

That being said he defines the term musician for me.

[JOHNYNOW]

the sound track to my life

[IndieMom6]

I saw this show at Kent State University, this sure brings back lots of memories. God Bless you for sharing. One in all communion with the sun.

[jflinn210]

IndieMom -- Your show was March 12, '77, the Kent St. Memorial Gym; I saw him the very next night, at Hara Arena in Dayton, my first Todd show ever! And I have been hooked ever since.

I remember getting home and trying to describe this show to my brothers. The next time I saw them? The "Oops, Wrong Planet" tour, with the pyramid.

[drunksingsheep]

Unbelievable vocal performance, especially for live!! OMG! can you believe this? They just don't make Rock Musicians like they used to! As the kids are saying (nowadays): Sick! this is SICK!!!

[RoddTundgren]

So, So, So fucking awesome!

Now I know, Roger sings the high notes! Kasim takes the thirds! Goddamn the best there is!!

thank-you so very much, like you will never know!!!

[Darkmaster250]

Lot of memory's

[KopytoGroma]

"Ra! Ra! Ra1 Ra! All is one, communion with the Sun!" So many memories this brings back....

[thefistoftruth]

This is SO Spinal Tap! Great, LOL!

[fnlost]

TODD RUNDGREN & UTOPIA = BRILLIANT

[Nigthtale]

What's the name of that band, I love it! Reminds me of early prog metal bands

[alandhopewell]

I near wore out this album in '77, then I saw them at Muni Stadium, World Series of Rock, what a show!

[XMerlyn03]

Utopia, especially on the Ra album, reminded me of a heavy rock version of Yes,. Great harmonies here for a live band playing not so simple music, but this was from a time when musicians actually were real musicians. Don't you think Roger, the Keyboard player has a slight resemblance to Cliff Richard on this video!! A great performance- Long live the Magic Dragon theatre!!

[funeguy2]

I can't offer you blue sky's i've only got love Eturnal Love

[funeguy2]

in a weird way..this song is old..but on the otherhand..where would you evre hear a song like this full of insperation and excitement..and the Sun on the album cover...wow "Everlating Love"partying all night and you put this record on as the sun is comming up...I lived it>>>

[zenarcher420]

and the memories come flooding back..i miss those times.......WAY COOL!!!!!

[lb1019]

I miss them together - there is only one Utopia - there is only one Todd! Thanks for the memory jedzxor.

[anbreatnach]

Ah....they don't songs like this anymore.

Pyramidtastic!!

[cantsingbutgotsoul]

Todd guitar God!!! & much more!!!

[chod0]

Great! Thanks a lot! Love this song!