Todd Rundgren - Hideaway

Todd Rundgren is a fascinating artist who has crafted a long and diverse career both in front of and behind the microphone.  Rundgren's career began with Nazz in the late 1960s, but really took off with his 1972 double album Something/Anything.  That LP was a huge success, featuring two top 20 hits in "I Saw the Light" and "Hello It's Me."  However, instead of continuing to write pop songs, Rundgren moved into progressive rock and became more involved in production and engineering.

For much of the 1970s and 1980s, Rundgren recorded music, both as a solo artist and with his band, Utopia.  He also worked behind the scenes with artists including Badfinger, The Band, Patti Smith, Meat Loaf, Grand Funk Railroad, the New York Dolls, and XTC, among others.  His work is notable for his craftsmanship, strong technical expertise and varied styles.  As a result, he is favorably viewed by critics and his fellow musicians but he did not achieve significant mainstream success as a performer (although he does have a loyal following as something of a cult artist).

"Hideaway" is from Rundgren's 1982 album The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect.  The album marked something of a low point in his career, as he viewed the release as a legal obligation to his label, Bearsville Records.  As a result, the songs are a bit more pop sounding and less complicated -- there have been rumors that he just wanted to finish the album quickly.  However, his talent still shines through.  The best-known song from this album is "Bang the Drum All Day," which has become something of a pop classic.  Instead of going with that, we opted for "Hideaway," a relatively unknown pop gem with a cool video to go with it.  "Hideaway" never charted (the LP peaked at #66) and received only a modicum of airplay, but is well worth a listen.

Rundgren remains active in the music industry to this day.  Additionally, Rundgren's band Utopia was posted on ERV in March 2014 for "Feet Don't Fail Me Now."