BY VANESSA SALVIA
In His Own Words
A Q & A wi t h r oc k’ s
i nf l u e nt i al
m us ic ia n an d
p ro d uc e r
T
the way back to the ’70s and
odd Rundgren has
potentially earlier” with
had lots of hit songs
Todd Rundgren
longtime bandmates Kasim
(“Bang the Drum
8 p m Tu es da y, 9 /1 8
Sulton (bass), Jesse Gress
All Day,” for one), produced
W O W H a l l
(guitar) and Prairie Prince
a gazillion hit albums, pio-
$ 3 2 . 50 ad v . , $ 34 d oo r
(drums). To Rundgren, a
neered multimedia in music
loyal audience is more im-
and consistently used tech-
portant than success. And he likes pepper-
nology in cutting edge ways. (Did you
oni pizza, thin crust please. Here are some
know that in 1980, Rundgren created the
of Rundgren’s (abridged) thoughts on his
first color graphics tablet and licensed it to
creative approach.
Apple? I had no idea.) Rundgren has con-
sistently reinvented himself since his days
with The Nazz, touring with Ringo Starr’s
In today’s world of nothing new
All-Starr Band, recording as TR-i (“Todd
under the sun, how do you remain
Rundgren interactive”) or taking Ric
innovative?
Ocasek’s place in The New Cars.
Rundgren tends to not do the same thing
I don’t know if innovation is the de-
twice — but for fans who may have waited
sired the goal. The goal is to distinguish
years without hearing him do a guitar solo,
yourself. Often it’s the things you don’t
at this week’s WOW Hall show he will per-
adapt to that can characterize or distin-
form his guitar-oriented songs, “going all
guish you from other people. For instance,
At 29th &
Willamette
N
Ser ow
Win ving
Bee e r &
Next to the
Market of Choice
• Espresso • Crepes • Sweet Life Desserts • Panini • Wine
Buy an appetizer
or Sweet Life Dessert
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O F F E R VA L I D W I T H C O U P O N O N LY • E X P I R E S S E P T E M B E R 2 0 , 2 0 0 7 *
38 SEPTEMBER 13, 2007
LIMIT ONE .