Todd Rundgren - Entertainment Tonight about Acapella

[SouthOCmixdown]

So basically it was a cyber B. McFerrin~type thing? W/all the insturments being dun w/mouth &then pitch sampled&effected 2'sound' like insturments? I guess thats pretty kul. I still like TR better, when hes just writing great, inimitable songs w/'normal' insturments&great production. Also, his defiant/irreverent attitude may have played well 2his fans. But now that the late 70's/80's retro chic is in full swing, Todd is conspicuously absent/buried by the same press that he snubbed bak then. Sad.

[imharpo]

Great contribution. I can't believe that I missed this gem.

[rabbitntigger]

great video...todd working his magic and telling how he does it...love todd!!

[MarionBartoliFanBlog]

Todd what's with the girly bunches in that clip. You a tranny in your heyday too?

[u2b4dumeze]

I saw this lineup on the A Capella tour, where the only instrument onstage was a piano that Todd used for some of the ballads. The highlight? Him singing the guitar lead on "I Saw The Light".

[janakayz]

I saw that about the Fairlight thanks. Sending the vid also to their keyboard player/singer who I think would find it interesting hes pretty talented crazy character!

[janakayz]

I am so glad I ran across this by accident--my son was just asking me about this- he and his bandmates are computery much more than I and I could never explain it-but their little minds will gobble it up!

[postingoldtapes]

@janakayz Glad to make it available. By the way, the music video was done with another Fairlight product - the Fairlight Computer Video Instrument.

[MrLCEntertainment]

From 1985----Acapella...Great Great album..... A little insight to Todd's Mind-

:-)

[jayrayinnv]

One of the truly great albums - by anyone - of the last 40 years. Nice little blurb about it, but it still deserves wider acclaim.

[jasonjarvis1988]

Lost Horizon should have charted no 1,what a song!!! Where can I find the album A Capella

[postingoldtapes]

Dang, I just checked prices. I'll have to make sure I don't damage my copy of the wonderful album.

[mandrew81]

some of the most soulful stuff ive ever heard. (last ride)

[wintervannicola]

I couldn't imagine the ET today, discussing Rundgren or someone like Rundgren. I love the Acapella album. Lost Horizon is my favorite song.

[fineagain420]

Just goes to show how much of a leader ,not a follower Todd is. As an old acquaintance once said about Kid Rock(like a few of his tunes, but no big fan), "he (Todd or Kid) doesn't like to be pigeonholed) and i respect him for that". well i think Kid samples where Todd gets sampled. point is,Todd breaks barriers and doesn't care who likes it or him or his music. HE has to like his music and then he's happy.

[ReneeNme]

In short...Innovative.

[mingogo69]

Great clip. But I really don't understand why the Todd fans are always making comments about the hair or clothes...it's a form of self expression. Who cares? Todd never does anything that is currently trendy in style, which makes me love him all the more. I am always inclined to immediately show my friends and go "look what's he's done to his hair. AMAZING!!!!" This is one of the many, many reasons that for me, he is truly Godd.

[ladySEGOVIA]

Didn't Peter Gabriel use one of those like 5 years earlier?

[postingoldtapes]

The Fairlight was new at the time. Todd, Peter, Kate Bush and Landscape were among the first users. Todd did this and other demos in exchange for a discount. He also used a Fairlight CVI for the visual effects in the "Something To Fall Back On" video.

"Peter Gabriel IV" (aka "Security") came out in 1983 and "Acapella" didn't get released until 1985. But it had been on the shelf for several years due to the demise of Bearsville Records, his label at the time.

[ladySEGOVIA]

Gotcha! Thanks for that info! :)

[Brojr]

what about the drums..?XD

[lancethrustworthy]

Wait...never mind. I've figured it out. The tune title is 'Something To Fall Back On'.

[lancethrustworthy]

I'd sure like to know the title of the Acapella cut that part of is shown here in this video. Is it Mighty Love? Lost Horizon? Amazon doesn't offer samples from this album and I haven't found that cut's video here at YT yet. I could use some assistance please. Thanks!

[TopBrassFunk]

Sign of the times!

[NavyMikesMom]

Acapella was the best concert ever, we had no idea what to expect...then we found the tape of the album quite by accident shortly afterwards, now we just got the CD after ruining the tape listening to it over and over.  I didn't know it was all done so simply, I thought the choir was on the album...LOL...I wish there was a video of the show! Anyone know about one??

[JonChristopher999]

Wow, I had no idea that Entertainment Tonight used to do stories on TALENTED people!

[tbzeee]

yeah, anytime todd's on tv is ok with me, even if the show is lame the rest of the time (hello, miami vice!). glad todd lost the pigtails; it's hard to defend your favorite musician when they look like that (hello, Black Maria clip). good thing the music's so awesome.

[jagfug]

Saw the Acapella show at the Beacon in NYC was an awesome B'day present from my then bro-in-law. Really got the audience involved and Todd seemed genuinely happy, before his depression set in with the Liv Tyler fiasco.

[w5cdt]

That looks like a Fairlight...not an Emulator.

[postingoldtapes]

Already discussed in the video description and other comments. Todd used both, but the reporter thought his dumb little joke about "emulating the emulator" was more important than accurately identifying the Fairlight.

[funeguy2]

Acapella was fantastic!!!!!Jonny jingle...pretending to care...I played it to death!! Jim out

[mylegsareswollen]

you mean, Johnny Jingo

[janlee64]

Gotta luv him. GREAT FIND & THANK YOU FOR SHARING!

TR-I fan. :)

[MiMi56J]

This is great! I've never seen it before now.

From a Todd fan

[katnpaulha]

Great post, thanks for sharing...

[smedhed]

GENIUS!

[jaybe52000]

Roger Powell was Todd Rundgren's keyboard player in Utopia...NOT Willie Wilcox...Willie was/is Todd's drummer. Willie had been using Emu products like the Emulators and SP-12/SP-1200 Sampling Percussion drum machines so I believe you are correct that Willie turned Todd onto the Emulator as well.

[jaybe52000]

I worked at Fairlight. I did demos with Todd & his keyboardist Roger Powell.

Todd was the only one to get a free Fairlight. He did trade shows promoting the Fairlight as part of his endorsement deal. This was kept VERY quiet. Many artists wanted one free-the public was led to believe that he bought it. Could be Emulator II on Acapella. After Fairlight I worked at Emu as Emulator III Product Specialist. I had one of the 1st EIII's for demos. Couldn't have been EIII-wasn't made til 1987.

[rofthorax]

Willie Wilcox, Todd's keyboardist from Utopia (Keyboard Mag,'87?), turned him onto the Emulator's. Todd previous to that had never used computers.. Willie used Mac's, so the first computer Todd used was a mac. In 1993, thereabouts, he purchased the first "NewTek Video Toaster" before anyone.. One of his albums he did all the parts.. He's produced (at the mixer) for Hall&Oates, XTC (forced to), Meat Loaf, who else? Worked with Frank Zappa (who didn't?).

[rofthorax]

He is playing a fairlight but he did acapella on a Emulator III. By the time his album sold, he probably bought a Fairlight because it was the weapon of choice back then. Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel, Thompson Twins, Herbie Hancock used Fairlights.. Stevie Wonder used a Kurzweil 250 (same as Paul Schaeffer on David Letterman). Who knows what the heck Thomas Dolby preferred, he used to costruct analog synthesizers from pieces he found in dumpsters before he could afford them.

[rofthorax]

IMHO this was one of todd's best albums, it was the first I listened to and turned me onto purchasing his Anthology. Then I purchased albums like "Healing", then went into Utopia's stuff.. Then purchased albums like "Only Human" and such.. You end up buying everything, even his bad stuff. I think it's better that I don't know why I like his stuff.. A show of hands, who liked "dream goes on forever", here, here.. The best audio equipment doesn't make good music.. It's time and detail..

[SexySouthernBelle]

Okay, I will admit he is a genius and I love him just as much as any other fan, but I am glad he got rid of the mullet. But really, I love him, and he stands to be one of my top favorite musicians.

[welendowd]

TR... always ahead of the rest of the industry.

[Biguns]

what kind of tv was that on the organ

[postingoldtapes]

It's a computer monitor for the Fairlight II, the (at the time) state-of-the-art computer sampler that Todd is demoing.

[Biguns]

heeeeee

no shit

[rdanlord]

At any rate, I've yet to see ANY artist take on the task of doing any sort of project with just their voice...no matter what technology they use

[rofthorax]

Freddie Mercury could..

[pauleyh]

The People AT E.T Are Stupid. And it Clearly Says It On Writing. Its A F%^&*#G Fairlight get It Through Your Heads. I Own A Fairlight CMI II And After Seeing This Video Them Calling It A Emulator Offends me LOL.

[rdanlord]

I would guess they mean he's emulating with the Fairlight...to be fair

[DennyK24]

Stupid? STUPID? Be grateful they did a piece on OH...have you seen any such report since then on TV or even the annals of any music publication? I fault ET for nothing in this case. I was glad to see it.

[Egstrom]

Wow. The strangest thing about this is that once upon a time ET had reports like this - can't imagine they'd get their heads outta the collective Lohan-Spears-Hilton backside long enough these days to do anything like this. We really do live in an idiot age.

[TheElPajero]

Behold the ultimate mullet.

[therezabizarre]

oh dear!! a boob! lmfao!! its a fairlight not an emulator,

[bayou031]

todd is a god ,,,,,,,,,go people

..........mike.............

[gus66]

PR People at Fairlight may be fire after this interview, and their Emu pears sholud be rewarded.

Very nice pice of musicla history.

[VideoSatellite]

I love the Acapella album. Thanks for posting!

[rastro2]

Thanks for posting!

[therealdonm]

Even better was that the Liars show was released on DVD and showed Todd and band in prime form. There is a Godd !

[SynaMax]

IT'S A FAIRLIGHT!!!! LMAO

Nice vid!

[jskarnes]

I don't NOW of any videos of Liars...but I could be wrong

[toddandincharge]

Great stuff -- Todd is Godd. Thanks.

[postingoldtapes]

Todd is demoing the Fairlight Series II CMI (Computer Music Instrument). There's another Fairlight involved - the Fairlight CVS (Computer Video System) which was used to make the video for "Something To Fall Back On".

[jskarnes]

anyone see the video God Said from Liars by Todd R. yet???

[postingoldtapes]

I didn't know that he made any videos for Liars.

[komodoman]

These things are always too damn short. :(

[postingoldtapes]

Two reasons: Todd used both the Emulator II and the Fairlight on Acapella. And even though he was demoing the Fairlight, he might have mentioned the Emulator to the reporter - who then thought of a joke "emulating the Emulator". And in the grand, glorious tradition of reporters everywhere, the joke was more important than the truth (go on...ask me about Al Gore and the invention of the Internet. I dare you!)

[therezabizarre]

fairlight i wonf=der why he keeps bloody calling it an emulator it is a fukin fairlight!!!!

[well1howdy1doo]

cool i have this on vhs somewhere but its nice to have it digitised here-thanks so much!

cheers,

<:+)