Todd Rundgren - Black Maria

[toddrundgren17]

i love how people ''think'' they know what they are talking about!

[lunasoffio]

:) oh Todd........ how I love you...

[lunasoffio]

:) oh Todd........

[ifutureman]

Wow that high background vocal is pitchy as all get-out.  Pretty awesome performance otherwise...

[myname1to9]

Playing Claptons SG from Cream days

The Fool !

[tbop42]

classic..love this era of todd

[gudatine]

I LOVE this song.. and of all the versions, this one is the most FanToddstik!!!♥

[adric137]

very unique

[lalawon]

This Looks like it's from "The Midnight Special" , the late Wolfman Jack use to host.

I love Todd, Talent + so genuine. I have to believe that Ted Nugent stole some of his wardrobe.

[Hermanroovers]

good to see Mark "Moogy" Klingman again on keys!

[PAULisDEADMANnumber9]

Awesome song! That's Eric claptons sg that he used in Cream. I read that it somehow ended up in todds hands

[howlinwolf73]

Hilariously cute is not the phrase I would use????

[holybear]

The backing vocals are hilariously cute xD

[CptUnknown]

Ralph Schuckett, M. Frog Labat, Kevin Ellman, Moogy Klingman, John Seigler and Todd= Awesome line up!!!! Roger Powell made it better though. Kinda wish he kept the line up for a couple more Utopia albums...but then again we would have never had RA and Opps Wrong planet.

[JimmyLeeVanDePutte]

Rough and rowdy Darke county. That is where I met him, and Rick Derringer. Todd rhymes with,,, well, met Rick in church. ;)

[chelababy1]

Aww !! Look at our Moogy Klingman !! This is Always a Favorite of Mine !! <3 Todd Rundgren & Utopia Rocks 4 Ever !! Rock Love, Cherry XO <3 : )

[gudatine]

@chelababy1 Yes, me too.. Moogy and Todd Rock Love Forever!!!! Tinkerbell..never neverland Cheers'em on XO ♥♥♥ **_**

[urheadonastick]

I'm dressing like Todd for my next job interview.

[gudatine]

@urheadonastick  Zen Archer :-)

[whitesoulpatch]

Any idea who the band is?

[dearbornsk8]

@whitesoulpatch Looks like the maybe the Four Tops? The one guy looks like Duke Fakir.

[pallallan]

The best lineup ever!

[bondboy104]

Jam

[TipsterStu]

This man is a genius and gets better with each listen ... jealous of the 13 year old who got to see the Wizard tour

[mazsenior]

The history of that guitar alone makes me dizzy!

[eddyguitar11]

I BELIEVE THATS ERIC CLAPTONS CREAM SG .GIVEN TO TODD ON HIS BIRTHDAY.

[aliensporebomb]

@eddyguitar11 Bought from Jackie Lomax who got it from Clapton.

[yrulooknatme]

@aliensporebomb yep! I seen jackie playin the fool in Louisville KY. He opened for John Kay and Steppinwolf.

I did read that some how George Harrison let Jackie use the guitar. It was like ,"Hey George I got a gig and I need a guitar" , and George said," here, use this old beater, It's been sittin around here collecting dust. "

[mikekadas]

Black Maria - Todd Rundgren [Upper Darby, Pennsylvania] - 1972 - "One of his harder rocking songs that has plenty of guitar HOOKS and drum work." - Something/Anything? (Bearsville/Rhino) [Disc 2]-1990. NOTE: It's good to see a live video of this song. "-)

[DovG]

M. Frog Labat doing bugger all again! Was sacked soon after making way for Roger Powell

[aliensporebomb]

@DovG M. Frog didn't actually play an instrument in Utopia but basically processed the sound of the members of the band thru his various modules. Roger on the other hand is one hell of a player as evidenced by his dueling solos with TR on "Another Live".

[thelastmohican100]

seen him at the cleveland stadium 76 with ted nugent southside johnny what great concerts wow the contact buzz noke cleveland

[iceaxe56]

i think he wore that feather costume at his recent awats concert-fits a little tighter these days

[PAULisDEADMANnumber9]

EH!!! eric clapton's "The Fool" sg, i think he still has it today, correct me if i'm wrong.

[dimsley01]

hey todd what happen to that feather outfit? still got it

[newsy8]

wunderful!

(hugs) TY

[micktheMaag]

no doubt.. moogy had to be replaced for his live singing..... 

[mercmarc]

How high do you have to be to wear that outfit.

[micktheMaag]

@mercmarc and to do it again during the ..recent A wizard a true star .. shows... pretty interesting...lol



[88poppies]

@mercmarc ...you don't- you just have to have balls and a ton of confidence!

[Beatles01able]

Never one of my favorite songs by Todd. Totally different ball game seeing it live like this, though!

[Mrcharliebobo]

To call this cat great would be an understatement!!!

[SandozSaxonWilliams]

this would have been near perfect if it wasn't for 1 moronic backing vocal...

WHO'S GUILTY!

[mobiledrummer]

Is this Utopia? I saw Todd at about this time here in Mobile AL and he had the guy playing the synth or whatever with the big console...that guy also played flute on a couple songs

[mickmaag]

who is the drummer here?

[pdeckder]

@mickmaag, this is the original Utopia with Kevin Ellman on drums. This is rare footage because Jean-Yves "M.Frog" Labat is still "playing" the synthesizer -- he would soon be replaced by Roger Powell. This lineup only appeared on the first Utopia album, and even the tour behind that album featured Powell. Ellman stuck around until 1975, when he left and was replaced by Willie Wilcox.

[micktheMaag]

@pdeckder kevin on drums.. OOOh yeah.. havent seen his face in a long time... ..? ralph schuket on keys, John siegler on bass and moogy on keys.. but i didnt recognize Kevin...thanks... today he is a very successful money manager.... look him up.. pretty amazing what this guy pulled off... 

[4mudski]

dont you mean black obama??

[purplepiggie001]

well rare

[newsy8]

whoa...I just heard the Johnson VOD and he did that perfect (of course)!

words fail me! 2 DAYS!

[bapyou]

M. Frog LaBatt rules the world!

[mojorisen74]

WOW Ralph Shuckett has a terrible falsetto voice! Sounds like a moaning cat!

[UrbanGuerilla88]

@mojorisen74 LOL.

[DLRisVH]

TR is brilliant. Love his gtr playing the most!

[PAULisDEADMANnumber9]

thats eric claptons sg hes playing! COOL!

[smokesimusmaximus]

It's "Black Mariah" not maria,as far as I know!!!! Thanx for posting it,though!!!! It's hard to find much Todd Rundgren on here!!!!!!

\m/(*o*)\m/

[caraphyllis]

@smokesimusmaximus True, Todd pronounces it "Ma-rye-ah" (Mariah). However, on the record he spells it "Maria". It's a Toddism.

By the way, keep looking, because there is a LOT of Todd Rundgren on youtube - much of what he recorded and many of his performances from TV, shows, videos, etc., plus interviews, lectures...

[docgonzales]

Lady Gaga channelling Santana..

[caraphyllis]

Todd Rundgren ... always such a shy, retiring, quiet sort of boy. I think this outfit was his Sunday Go to Meetin' suit.

[tapeguy99]

This was his "you think Bowie is glam?" suit!

[newsy8]

@caraphyllis

teehee good one

[giox725]

I wish it was 1974 so I could get away with wearing that and putting feathers over my eyes.

[sarahstar1005]

I suggest listening to the something anything CD.and P.S. I have seen him do it live without a synth!remember this was back in a time when people actually played their instruments not the bullshit of today!

[ElRegrs]

Boy can play AND wail.

There is just no worthy adjective that can describe how incredibly awesome this performance is. Strange, soulful, and sexy.

[czech698]

all that day and the next his friends and comrades noticed that Rostov, without being dull or angry, was silent, thoughtful, and preoccupied. He drank reluctantly, tried to remain alone, and kept turning something over in his mind

[SupernalOne]

wow, that glam-rock style took over every white rock act for a while didn't it

[stratdaddy89]

Ok folks here goes...Todds guitar is running through the oscillators of the keyboard, Labatte is simply shaping the guitar sound slightly with the filter knobs.

[lmw289]

I'm 41 and NEVER saw a synthesizer like that. I never even HEARD of a synth like that. I guess my age would confirm why. I was only 4 when this video was filmed.

[Schmoomunitions]

The lower left of the custom made rack is the "Synthi A " by EMS. the knobs are the mixer aspect and the keyboard is how you control it. Brian Eno in Roxy Music also has the Synthi A but not in a rack. Look up Synthi A and you;ll see a picture of the small part that is the actual synthesizer.

[lmw289]

What is that gut at the console with all the knobs doing? I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants to know.

[crabshaw]

That`s M. frog Labatte. He was in the Todd Rundgren band Utopia for a short time. He was sort of a Brian Eno Synth guy. He actually had a couple of solo albums which were VERY eclectic.

[lmw289]

Thank you, crabshaw! BUT, I still would like to know EXACTLY what he's doing. He's not playing a keyboard, " just" turning knobs. What are those knobs doing? I get into the technical side of music, not just the obvious. Does anyone know?

[Schmoomunitions]

He is playing the synthesizer.

[MrBlackBrit]

The harmonist is singing a High C.

[angelineHful]

Oh I loved his look back then so different.....

[janv8]

Todd is God!

[pooginmouse]

Does anyone know how Todd acquired Clapton's SG?

[crabshaw]

The story I heard was :

Eric gave it to George Harrison who gave it to a friend (I forget the guys name) Todd loaned the dude cash and the guitar was collateral. They guy never paid Todd back & 9/10th of the law it became Todd`s. The ACTUAL was sold at auction and the one Todd uses now is a VERY well done replica..

[lmw289]

WOW! If all that's true, do you think Todd still has that guitar? I don't disbelieve that at all. BUT, that's a cool story!!!

[lmw289]

Ok! nevermind. I didn't read that right. DUH! Anyway, how did Todd get it? You left that part of the trivia out. I'm sure we ALL want to know!

[lmw289]

Does ANYBODY REALLY know how Todd got Eric's Gibson SG? Please let me know.

[bungalowmo]

@crabshaw You are very close! Full story...google "clapton sg" & the first link is from the Gibson site. They got it right. Todd bought it for $500.

[sansandemans]

haha =) , i thought it was the neighbours cat moaning for a whiskers cookie

[greatsajby]

Todd needs to have a little chat with his harmony vocalist. That guy can peel paint.

[ithastobe]

LOL - "He Looks like he does everything"

[aloeveraqueen]

fantastic acid glam Todd...nice to hear Claptons guitar being played by another master, great tone...oh and the wizard of oz sized synthesizer ha ha ha!

[greeneyefull]

he looked back on this and thought ,WHAT WAS I THINKIN'

[jellyjukebox]

Great playing by Todd on Eric's guitar from the Cream era. Wonderful song from Todd's "Something Anything", what a record.

[HotKit]

Todd Rundgren is wonderful. He's one of my all-time favorite musicians. I loved him and his music since I first heard him at 15. I'm 23 now.

[critchda]

That's great to hear. I fell in love with his music when I was about 15 and I'm now 50.

[GreenSociety42O]

does "Black Maria" refer to what Thomas Edison described as the negative trickle-down effects of brainwashing? just wondering because someone on a different youtube message board said Thomas Edison called the phenomenon "Black Mariah." Since this is how Todd pronounces "Black Maria" I thought there might be a correlation.

[classic7890]

" how we burned in the camps later...the Black Maria sitting out there on the street with one lonely chauffeur..."

 Alexander Solzhenitsyn

[Kashaslove]

The only thing I remember about the "Black Maria" was that it was what people called the hearse that picked up the dead, especially the poor dead. This is connected from a memory from a book about Annie Sullivan (Helen Keller's teacher) when I was young. I have to look this up!

And I LOVE THIS SONG!!!!!!!!!!

[Kashaslove]

I looked it up, and it said it was like a paddy wagon, picking up criminals, not dead people.

[skok65]

I went to my first concert when I was your age. . . in 1977. I saw Kiss. Todd produced a great album by The Tubes called Remote Control you might want to check out. . .

[planbsk8er4421]

im 13 and this is my all time favorite artist, going to see the, a wizard a true star tour in OH in sept...cant wait!

[Joseph03743]

He's old enough to be your Grand Papa but he sure knows how to rock & roll. Have fun kid. :)

[MERCURHILLMANIAC]

@planbsk8er4421 i felt the same when i was 13...im 45 now and nothins changed :D

[newsy8]

@planbsk8er4421

hmmm..you grasshopper must have a really special set of parental units. ;)

good on ya...have the time of your life!

[micktheMaag]

@planbsk8er4421 and did you enjoy? 

[Beadbud5000]

@planbsk8er4421 I was 13 when this was livde on TV!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Outhouse48]

@planbsk8er4421 your lucky I missed that show. Todd is God!

[ricorreze]

fucking solid

[Joseph03743]

I love this video but one thing that bugs me about it is one of the backup singer's voices. I think it's the piano player that has a very weird sounding voice. Would have sounded better if that dude had skipped singing in this song.

[ceeceedeecee]

that's why i loved the todd/kasim/roger/willie version of Utopia...they all can sing...kasim voice, especially,complements todd's vocals

[zapwatt]

Who gave Steven King a green wig and why is he turning knobs?

[RoddTundgren]

M. Frog Labat; adjusting envelope oscillator parameters.. . or he could be just trying to look busy to keep his job.

[critchda]

And he apparently didn't. Utopia went on from there but they are gone too! LOL! Time has it's way! It's all good!!!

[Joseph03743]

Wow! I'm going to have to watch this one aver about 10 times. I'm sold.

[solarflarescock]

Go Ahead  Ignore Me

[farokisking]

how tall is he?? I heard he's pretty tall.

[Thorum13]

Bad as shit sing. Rundgren is really great and so underrated!!

[fvelasqu]

Those were The Four Tops presenting Todd Rundgren!

[bfabian101885]

As a 23 year old, I will proudly say TR is the shit! I love my parents for listening to GOOD music, cause I can now reap the benefits of it.

[Beavoux59]

M Frog on green hair

[paisleybabee]

OMG!!!!!This is absolutely steller!

[ReneeNme]

I heard Wolfman Jack was so small you could wear him up under a New Yorker style hat.

[ReneeNme]

Okay so what is the line up here ? Is that Moogy in the green hair? What the hell were you thinking bro.

Sorry people. It's the beer.

RA RA RA RA

[mrbag60]

If i am not mistaken thats Eric Clapton's psychedelically painted Gibson SG that he used while he was in Cream. Anyways, "Black Maria" was one my 3 favorite Todd Rundgren songs from back in the day along with "I Saw The Light" and "Hello Its Me"

[pablocool159]

I was thinking exactly the same thing. I'd bet money that he's playing Clapton's "Fool" guitar that was used in Cream.

[jm3004]

I think it is...I understand he had another one painted up and used IT in later years and put this one away but being 1973 this is probably the real one.

[ndiorio27]

Yes...that is the Clapton guitar

[ReneeNme]

* If i am not mistaken thats Eric Clapton's psychedelically painted Gibson SG

Uh, no it's not mrbag60. Just kidding. Yes indeed it is. I want me some peacock feather eyebrows.I bet the ladies would melt. Either that or they would pelt me with pieces of driveway gravel.

[snapasaurus1]

Dont forget to go see Todd on tour 3/25/09 Starting in Florida and working his way up the coast bto cleavland

[ReneeNme]

Cleavland snapasaurus1 ? Is that the land of cleavage ? If so I'm so definately there man.

[lfwpro]

In response to a comment by zeets93 concerning the players on the organ I did some checking and it looks like Ralph Schucket and Moogy Klingman musicians from the original Utopia album. Hope this helps!!!!

[zeets93]

unless I'm mistaken, the keyboard player in the purple is Craig Frost from Grand Funk

[wgfb]

It's Moogy Klingman

[cornmashmeanscash]

Wow, I was so into him back then, but now looking at this old video, which I remember, he looks like Sarah Jessica Parker.

[LastTree]

This was my first view of Todd. It was enough to influence me still to this day. Once a Todd fan, always a Todd fan.

[Paulie88]

Too bad Todd was a little sloppy on this in the early bits, this is *easily* one of my fave Todd songs ever... GREAT clip!!!

[1onebastard]

Must have: Runt-The Ballad of Todd Rundgren 1971 Something/Anything 1972 A Wizard a True Star 1973 Todd 1974 Ra 1977 Oops! Wrong Planet 1977 Hermit of Mink Hollow 1978 Healing 1980 Utopia 1980 Adventures in Utopia 1981 Swing to the Right 1982 The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect 1982 Nearly Human 1989 2nd Wind 1990 Liars 2004

[Softale]

That's Eric Clapton's SG! No wonder I like It.

[Cercopithecus47]

Someone who is doing the backing vocals here is REALLY out of key. But of course I'm nitpicking; another great Todd clip.

[charliebronson79]

this guys' arrangement skills kick ass.

[JeanEmmanuelDeluxe]

Vive M Frog with his green hairs and his EMS!

[JohnnyGoliath]

Front row at the Canyon Club last saturday, no lie, Todd played the guitar solo a foot away from me! It was one of those moments, ya know?

Godd indeed.

[Altmuzikchick]

It's been said before, but Todd is Godd. Thanks for this gem.

[rsmko]

HAPPY 60TH, TODD HARRY!

[blefusku]

sounds like r. stevie seventies style.

[evets1968]

Hey!Disco Stu on the bass!

[ohgoodlord]

In my book, no one can play like him, seriously. Debatable or not, I find this an exceptional performance.

[SexySouthernBelle]

Man....He has such a sexy physique!

I love a man who can dress like that ans still be that damn sexy! :D

He is just an ALL AROUND great person! DAMN!

[rrpostalagain]

Really? His "physique" is sexy? It's hard to ask this without sounding like an ass, but I've got to...Do you like chicks? Because he has an absolutely womanly body. He's way cool and I'm hardly Joe tough guy, but c'mon, he looks like a transvestite finch.

He is great though.

[SexySouthernBelle]

HAHA! As a matter of fact I do like chicks :)

You don't sound like an ass....A lot of straight women find him attractive though. :-p

[heartofglass70]

rrpostalagain - I'm with SexySouthernBelle.  Todd is sexy as can be . . . even now. There's just something about him and it goes way deeper than just his body.

[Kashaslove]

I like his mouth. Very kissable looking. Sexy indeed.

[funeguy2]

Oh!..I'm goin down slow! YOU scare me so!lol...Black Maria....how can you not like it?

[najaolhos]

Beautiful!

thanks

[ladiezroom]

great song and play! who´s the drummer?

[Minero61]

The drummer would be Kevin Ellman.

[ladiezroom]

thanx, minero61!

[Bluesmen88]

Wow, Eric Clapton's The Fool SG? Didn't know he gave it to Todd. Seems to still have the great tone.

[peterm3964]

What a gem this is .. Wow Todd and co kickin ass as usual .

[ripisosoi]

I had to listen tot this song more then once to get into it. I realized it is really good. I like the guitar parts. Todd is a nice guy.

[goofyGAguy]

Who's the guy with the green hair?

[magmanaz]

M. Frog LeBat, I think..

[tgmurphy626]

thats kasim later to become his keybord player

[ReneeNme]

And the thing about it is..and this not a load of shit.I read an interview with Toddy before and he referred to his guitar playing pretty much as being half-baked.Sorry Todd..I tend to disagree.Just listen folks!!

[rixta50]

A Dream last forever !!!! been a fan since the Nazz daze I even loved your production on the Hall & Oats LP (sadly an overlooked gem) TODD rocks and i am so pleased to know my name is on your TODD LP poster -it is a Much loved GEM I will never forget searching the poster for my name !! very clever idea Sad that they don't make proper Lp covers like those days - I think they should still release CD's in proper LP jackets !

Rickster

[tbzeee]

that's the same guitar clapton played in cream...i think hendrix gave it to eric who gave it to todd

[tbzeee]

great clip! the green hair guy is jean yves labat(m. frog) and that's a synth that he probably built (analog synths looked pretty cool; good for that mad scientist vibe)but i don't hear any synth in the mix so maybe he is tweaking todd's guitar sound (eno did something similar in roxy). someone turn down that one guy's mike! todd may have gone glam before bebe; i think he kinda liked it (check out the medallion w/todd's face!). iggy screwed everyone.

[nojrevned]

Hey Lonesome Cowboy Bert, Doncha get yer feelings Hurt! I'll Buy you a drinK! Where IS our waitress?

[revolt63]

a Wizard a True Star

[Kashaslove]

What is the green haired guy doing? Does it have to do with how Todd's guitar sounds?

[axeman1009]

Saw Todd play "Maria" with The New Cars a few weeks ago in Shawnee Ok. Al Dimeola is my favorite guitarist. Todd my all time favorite musician. Roger

[evanescencefan20]

thank you, thank you, thank you for posting this!!! you don't know what it means to me.

[Electrice]

i LOVE THE fOOL gUITAR RARE gIBSON sg....

[googoobh]

This is a great workin' tune.

week back ground vocals though. why hasn't some heavey metal group covered this .

[lonesomecowboybert]

NICE! What is this show? I wonder what that crack about "he looks like he does it all too" means? Some sort of bi-sexual reference because of his costume?

[KidVibrascope]

Guess it`s a drug referance, considering the period...and they wouldn`t be far wrong

[Kashaslove]

I think it's Midnight Special. We used to watch that show all the time. We (boomers) had THE BEST music.

[tlm315]

todd did some great work this for example

[dasenuff]

that the fool sg guitar, used to belong to eric clapton !!!!!

[shotdonkey]

THE wizard, THE true star; 40 years of ART and still going strong...if only you were in europe more often, todd!

HEY you know, if you look at TODD and his SIGNITURE GUITAR shaped like the UTOPIA SYMBOL, and the lead , outragous clothes, then 5 years later look at ,PRINCE< I THINK TODD GOT THERE FIRST < Prince is good but todd was the PROTOTYPE..long live the ne