i totally agree with the above guy, every song on this album rocks, completion backward principle too, they hold their own just fine against the first tubes albums.... you know when you meet someone, if they are "Tubes" fans, then they are cool people.... funny how you can sum someone up by the music they love.....
Potatoes, tomatoes... Actually, I was a fan of Todd before the Tubes, even the mass-density Initiation album; but the Tubes' next album seemed (by its choices of songs) like they were trying too hard to appeal to the MTV crowd, which wasn't significant when Remote was released.
I love this song....I tripped onto this song about 5 or 6 years ago when I found the album at a garage sale.I thought I heard they made a vid for this back then....love to see that one lol....is this album on CD?.And I can see Todd singing this with Utopia lol.....its all good.I think a new band could make a hit with this even in 2011...
I bought this album when it came out and around the time I was simultaneously reading Fahrenheit 451. Look at us now. Screen time keeps creeping and creeping and creeping. No doubt soon we'll find a way to lock the screens to our faces not unlike the little kid on the album cover; and meanwhile the powers that be will run roughshod over our unblinking selves.
re: the band - While they were known for their antics and live shows what they never got proper credit for were that they were incredibly talented musicians once you stripped away the flash. One of the most underrated bands ever.
I wore this album out in my little bedroom when I was an ugly spotty git teenager. Enjoying it still now that im an ugly moody argumentative skanky arl git.
my ex-husband played golf with these guys in the late 80's here in Phoenix, and Fee Waybill opened for Jerry Riopelle New Years Eve a few years ago I love them both!
Growing up in the SF Bay Area, the Tubes were so underrated even locally. This shows yet again the brilliance of Todd Rundgren as a producer and the undisputed talent of the Tubes
How do good albums like Remote Control manage to fly under the radar? The Tubes are a far better group than their mainstream popularity would indicate. Their large silent army of fans would easily attest to that.
The album is primarily plugged into the New Wave milieu of course, but many other styles are mingled in to make it a most interesting collection of music to listen to. It's a long time favorite of mine and has never moved from the frontline CD shelf to the CD archive closet.
Fee has said in interviews that they (the Tubes) weren't too thrilled about Todd taking everything over and not listening to them. XTC had the same complaint. I like Todd, and I love the stuff he's done, and I find myself listening to "Remote Control" alot, but some of it sounds just like the Utopia stuff. Fee has also said that Todd sunk them forever on the last album they did with him.
@pazzensutra yeah I remember hearing about how Andy Partridge was just about to strangle Todd Rundgren by the time they (XTC) finished up Skylarking... if, as the saying goes, every band saw their best days under Brian Eno, the opposite can be said for Todd Rundgren (form the band's point of view, that is. I happen to love both of the albums Todd worked with those bands on)
@DarthClam From what I understand the band had more fun recording this album with Rundgren than they did with love bomb, They were having problems completing the writing of this album so Todd stepped in and helped alot with the writing of the album, writing this tune as well as love's a mystery. He was uncredited on alot of the writing of the album because he didn't want to be credited, An example being "Prime Time". A definite Rundgren contribution but not credited.
@DarthClam Alot of critics at the time were starting to criticize Todd's productions as having the "Rundgren Stamp", Since Todd helped write most of the album, he didn't want anyone saying "Remote Control" was a Todd Rundgren album with The Tubes playing backup so he contributed the 2 tunes and helped write the rest uncredited. There's a great book that just came out about TR's production career called "A Wizard A True Star in the studio" . It covers all of his productions to date.
I'll never forget hanging out backstage at the Channel in Boston ,Ma with these guys,they can drink.What was more was the next night 3 of the members were with Todd Rundgren's live Boston broadcast carried by WBCN.That was a great music weekend for me.I could always find the time to "play both sides a one meeting".
Oddly out-of-print.
Andysays 1 month ago
Quirky.
mediattackrecords 1 month ago
This could have been on any Todd/Utopia album...
It has his influence all over it...
onnyang 3 months ago
i just wish they were able to make more albums this good...alas, they couldn't...too bad because Remote Control is a masterpiece!!
MrManfly 4 months ago 2
just love this song
sarahquesada1 5 months ago
he was very witty and in turn payed a Fee
charlesremschel7 6 months ago
i totally agree with the above guy, every song on this album rocks, completion backward principle too, they hold their own just fine against the first tubes albums.... you know when you meet someone, if they are "Tubes" fans, then they are cool people.... funny how you can sum someone up by the music they love.....
milesneedham 6 months ago
Potatoes, tomatoes... Actually, I was a fan of Todd before the Tubes, even the mass-density Initiation album; but the Tubes' next album seemed (by its choices of songs) like they were trying too hard to appeal to the MTV crowd, which wasn't significant when Remote was released.
heubler1 7 months ago
The Tubes...still touring....still kicking ass...let's face it...they rule...see them today!!
buschnic61 8 months ago in playlist bangin 2
Todd and The Tubes are very close. Prarie has drummed for Todd on several tours.
axxeminister 9 months ago
@axxeminister
I love Todd, and the Tubes. But the combination only worked on this album. The next one sucked mud.
heubler1 8 months ago
@heubler1
well....definitly this the best of collab. among todd and the tubes....but the rest was not SO bad as you said!
pontello3 7 months ago
I love this song....I tripped onto this song about 5 or 6 years ago when I found the album at a garage sale.I thought I heard they made a vid for this back then....love to see that one lol....is this album on CD?.And I can see Todd singing this with Utopia lol.....its all good.I think a new band could make a hit with this even in 2011...
psykodj67 10 months ago
T T T T Television...TUBES ARE KING !!!!!
WRTYIO 10 months ago
Todd Rundgren will be regarded as superior to Rembrandt in the future
ZEROTHEHERO1960 11 months ago
I bought this album when it came out and around the time I was simultaneously reading Fahrenheit 451. Look at us now. Screen time keeps creeping and creeping and creeping. No doubt soon we'll find a way to lock the screens to our faces not unlike the little kid on the album cover; and meanwhile the powers that be will run roughshod over our unblinking selves.
lukesoiseth 11 months ago
does this sound like Todd all or the way or what?? Great stuff!
splankhoon 11 months ago
Great talents work together well. Todd and the Tubes were a genius collaberation!
SFCBenny57 11 months ago
The first time I heard this album I hated it...after a few listenings I had to hear it every day...the energy is amazing in this album.
davido53 1 year ago
Great job Dasch
re: the band - While they were known for their antics and live shows what they never got proper credit for were that they were incredibly talented musicians once you stripped away the flash. One of the most underrated bands ever.
cell9song 1 year ago
First heard this as the opening tune on Tommy Vance`s Friday Rock Show in 79
I loved it then as now, if Tommy raved about anything it was good, this one he really gave the big thumbs-up
schanche1965 1 year ago
You got your works in a drawer and your color's on track
You have to break away but you always come back
You make a hundred changes but you're always the same
You make me so excited and you make me so lame
Ain't it the truth
ripcord1022 1 year ago
I wore this album out in my little bedroom when I was an ugly spotty git teenager. Enjoying it still now that im an ugly moody argumentative skanky arl git.
ZEROTHEHERO1960 1 year ago
Great post love the Tubes!!!!!
vintageu 1 year ago
my ex-husband played golf with these guys in the late 80's here in Phoenix, and Fee Waybill opened for Jerry Riopelle New Years Eve a few years ago I love them both!
ravenklaws 1 year ago
love this band
MsLimelighter 1 year ago
"rock and roll...were gonna shove it down your throat"
bloozemc 2 years ago 10
the tubes were one of the greatest rnr band ever!
but they were not understood as other bands of the 70's
pontello3 2 years ago
Way ahead of their time ;-)
nalla3 1 year ago
Growing up in the SF Bay Area, the Tubes were so underrated even locally. This shows yet again the brilliance of Todd Rundgren as a producer and the undisputed talent of the Tubes
trinzeon 2 years ago
How do good albums like Remote Control manage to fly under the radar? The Tubes are a far better group than their mainstream popularity would indicate. Their large silent army of fans would easily attest to that.
The album is primarily plugged into the New Wave milieu of course, but many other styles are mingled in to make it a most interesting collection of music to listen to. It's a long time favorite of mine and has never moved from the frontline CD shelf to the CD archive closet.
MisterEvasion 2 years ago 10
In a league of their own ;-)
nalla3 1 year ago
still has it fee was awesome friday night at pennspeak in jim thorpe but was surprised they didn't do tv is king but still a great show
toothclawandfang 2 years ago
Comment removed
pazzensutra 2 years ago
It means large male genitalia.
slackerdeluxe 2 years ago
.....That's what I thought......
pazzensutra 2 years ago
The satirical album "Remote Control" is a masterpiece. Todd Rundgren and The Tubes always was a winning combination.
bartonone2005 2 years ago
Fee has said in interviews that they (the Tubes) weren't too thrilled about Todd taking everything over and not listening to them. XTC had the same complaint. I like Todd, and I love the stuff he's done, and I find myself listening to "Remote Control" alot, but some of it sounds just like the Utopia stuff. Fee has also said that Todd sunk them forever on the last album they did with him.
pazzensutra 2 years ago
@pazzensutra yeah I remember hearing about how Andy Partridge was just about to strangle Todd Rundgren by the time they (XTC) finished up Skylarking... if, as the saying goes, every band saw their best days under Brian Eno, the opposite can be said for Todd Rundgren (form the band's point of view, that is. I happen to love both of the albums Todd worked with those bands on)
DarthClam 1 year ago
@DarthClam From what I understand the band had more fun recording this album with Rundgren than they did with love bomb, They were having problems completing the writing of this album so Todd stepped in and helped alot with the writing of the album, writing this tune as well as love's a mystery. He was uncredited on alot of the writing of the album because he didn't want to be credited, An example being "Prime Time". A definite Rundgren contribution but not credited.
mojorisen74 1 year ago
@mojorisen74 Interesting. I wonder why he didn't want credit... by pretty much any standards this was a genius album
DarthClam 1 year ago
@DarthClam Alot of critics at the time were starting to criticize Todd's productions as having the "Rundgren Stamp", Since Todd helped write most of the album, he didn't want anyone saying "Remote Control" was a Todd Rundgren album with The Tubes playing backup so he contributed the 2 tunes and helped write the rest uncredited. There's a great book that just came out about TR's production career called "A Wizard A True Star in the studio" . It covers all of his productions to date.
mojorisen74 1 year ago
@mojorisen74 Wow! I gotta check out that book. Thanks!
DarthClam 1 year ago
Vastly underrated band. Oh, how much today's music scene sucks in comparison. This was recorded in 1978, for God's sake! Todd is King!
njonase 2 years ago 2
Had this on 7 inch yellow vinyl.
Top Tubes track for me.
Get them over to the UK again.
CurreZalFlyers 2 years ago
T.V. is my everthing!
BURDGICK14 2 years ago
God, I love this song!
Cielodrive 2 years ago
I'll never forget hanging out backstage at the Channel in Boston ,Ma with these guys,they can drink.What was more was the next night 3 of the members were with Todd Rundgren's live Boston broadcast carried by WBCN.That was a great music weekend for me.I could always find the time to "play both sides a one meeting".
lordmjh 2 years ago
tubes rock
joelikesdogs 2 years ago
This album got me into the Tubes in 1979, I cannot get bored listening to it.
Cant wait to see them again in London this summer...........Bring it on!!!
steffhasajag 2 years ago