Prairie Prince Pick

It was too easy to call it the Prairie Prince Pick, because of the illiteration, but it could have been Guest Pick or Family Pick just as easily. That doesn't run off the tongue as well, however. The Pririe Prince was mostly known for his work with The Tubes, but he was also a founding member of Journey (but didn't record on any of their albums) was in Jefferson Starship and played on several Todd Rundgren albums. He was in the New Cars and also was a studio musician playing with a bunch of bands. Some of them are on this pick. My favorites outside of those above are the Eno and the Zappa Early Renaissance Orchestra tracks. Tell me which ones you like best.

Prairie Prince Pick

01 Zappa Early Renaissance Orchestra (featuring Craig Steward, Prairie Prince & Sandro Oliva) - Montana Revisited

02 Carl Perkins with Bono, Willie Nelson, Tom Petty, Prairie Prince - Give Me Back My Job

03 Jefferson Starship - Shadowlands

04 Brewer & Shipley - Have A Good Life

05 XTC - Grass

06 Nicky Hopkins - Waiting For The Band

07 Tubes - What Do You Want From Life

08 Chris Isaak - Gone Ridin'

09 Neal Schon - A Girl Like You

10 Bill Spooner - Something In My Eye

11 David Pack - Anywhere You Go

12 Negativland - Failure

13 Brian Eno & David Byrne - The Jezebel Spirit

14 Todd Rundgren with Prairie Prince - This Is Not A Drill

15 Tommy Bolin - Savannah Woman

16 Steve Lukather - Swear Your Love

17 Glenn Frey - It's Your Life

18 Paul Collins - In Another World

19 The New Cars - Not Tonight

20 Tubes - Prime Time

21 Dick Dale - Nitro

Todd Rundgren covers 1

Hard to pick covers from Todd Rundgren, because he's actually done a complete album of covers. But for this one, I included not just his solo work, but also a couple of his covers in Nazz, a brilliant one in Utopia, a couple from his solo work and then several that are not on any of his own albums, but on tribute albums. He's done tributes to the Doors to tributes to Yes. By far not all of his covers (I actually even put on one or two covers a few days ago that I didn't use today.)

Todd Rundgren covers 1

01 Todd Rundgren & Geoff Downes - Alabama Song

02 Nazz - Train Kept A-Rollin'

03 Todd Rundgren & Jeff Beck - Cissy Strut

04 Todd Rundgren & Carmine Appice - Anyway Anyhow Anywhere

05 Todd Rundgren & Robin Holcomb - The House Carpenter

06 Todd Rundgren - While My Guitar Gently Weeps

07 Todd Rundgren, Rick Wakeman, Tony Levin - Welcome To The Machine

08 Todd Rundgren - Dust My Broom

09 Todd Rundgren - 96 Tears

10 Todd Rundgren - Two Out of Three Ain't Bad

11 Utopia - Do Ya (Alternative Mix)

12 Todd Rundgren - Love Of The Common Man

13 Nazz - Kicks

14 Todd Rundgren - Planet Queen

15 Todd Rundgren - Bluebird Is Dead

16 Todd Rundgren - Without You

17 Todd Rundgren, John Wesley, Tony Kaye, Billy Sherwood, Jay Schellen - Roundabout

18 Todd Rundgren - 21st Century Schizoid Man

Todd Rundgren With

I've been listening to a lot of Todd Rundgren recently and I already have a great connection pick of his production work that I called Rundgren Productions. Check it out. This one is a little different, although he did produce some of these songs or albums that they came from. On this pick he had to have played an instrument or sang on the recording. So for some that was easy since he was officially a band member in Nazz, Utopia and The New Cars. So he probably did both. Some he just played guitar (think Meat Loaf and the guitar that sounds like a motorcycle). Or drums and voice like the Ringo Starr All Starr Band. All sorts of combinations. No one is sure how many on the Jules Shear because it leaves it open. The duets, we know he sang. So look it up if you really want to know. I kept some of the "With's" for another playlist of covers because he also has some great covers. It's coming somewhat soon.

Todd Rundgren With

01 Nine Inch Nails - All Time Low (Todd Rundgren Remix)

02 Meat Loaf - Bat Out Of Hell

03 The New Cars - Warm

04 Utopia - Love Is The Answer

05 Todd Rundgren with Bobby Womack - The Want Of A Nail

06 Nazz - Open My Eyes

07 Tubes - Piece By Piece

08 The Residents - The Aging Musician (edit)

09 Utopia - Set Me Free

10 Jules Shear - Whispering Your Name

11 The New Cars - More

12 Utopia - I Just Want To Touch You

13 Hall & Oates - Have I Been Away Too Long

14 The New Cars - Not Tonight

15 Alice Cooper - Road Rats

16 Nazz - Hello It's Me

17 Bonnie Tyler with Todd Rundgren - Loving You's A Dirty Job But Somebody's Gotta Do It

18 Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band - Bang the Drum All Day (Tower Theatre Upper Darby, PA 10-30-15)

Rundgren Productions Connection

Todd Rundgren is an amazing artist. From Nazz to Utopia and all the fun stuff inbetween he just is amazing. Someday, you'll have to ask me about how I trapped him for several hours, but not today. He's one of those guys that when he produces an album, he puts his stamp on it. I noticed that with several producers that when they produced an album of an artist, to me, it was the best album they ever did. It's that way with Todd. The artist might hate Rundgren after working with him, but he pulls out the best of each. This is my "What's The Connection?" list of some productions by Todd Rundgren. 

Rundgren Productions

01 XTC - Dear God
02 Sparks - Wonder Girl
03 Patti Smith Group - Dancing Barefoot
04 What Is This - I'll Be Around
05 Hall & Oates - You're Much Too Soon
06 Badfinger - Baby Blue
07 Psychedelic Furs - Love My Way
08 Lords Of The New Church - Live For Today
09 Grand Funk Railroad - We're an American Band
10 Jules Shear - Whispering Your Name
11 Will Powers - Kissing With Confidence
12 Steve Hillage - Hurdy Gurdy Man
13 Cheap Trick - I Can't Take It
14 Pursuit Of Happiness - I'm An Adult Now
15 The New Cars - Not Tonight
16 Tubes - Prime Time
17 New York Dolls - Personality Crisis
18 Rick Derringer - Guitars And Women
19 Meat Loaf - Bat Out Of Hell