TR-i (The Rundgren-index) No.#8

Fanfares, Anthems & Calls To Action
(Songs Of Inspiration And Affirmation)
No.#8 in a series
Friday, June 17, 2011

fanfare |'fan-fer|
noun

1. a short ceremonial tune or flourish typically played on brass instruments to introduce something or someone important

anthem |'an-thəm|

noun

1. a rousing or uplifting song identified with a particular group, body, or cause
2. a psalm, hymn, or song sung antiphonally or responsively

Todd Rundgren has long been a writer of fanfares and anthems, spirited themes that rally listeners to a higher calling both personally and spiritually. The positive message that informs many of these songs often encourage his audiences to embrace their greater purpose, face their fears and take control of their destiny. Rundgren himself has repeatedly demonstrated his strong belief in self-realization. He's led his professional life with the acumen of an entrepreneur, always keeping one eye trained on the bigger picture. He wisely subsidized his many experimental recordings by first establishing himself as an in-demand producer, allowing him the artistic freedom to then follow his heart, soul, and whimsy to create the music that mattered most to him and direct it towards the audience that he truly hoped to reach, all free from the constraints of commercial pressures. Another form of personal self-empowerment he's often displayed is on those occasions when his musical counterparts have been incapable of meeting his needs. Armed with a belief and reliance in his own abilities, he simply took the reins into his own hands and accomplished the task for himself by way of determination, experimentation, trial and error. Not that he's dismissive of the power in collective energy. His recognizes and readily acknowledges that there can be strength in numbers, but if there's an immediate hole to be filled, he steps up to the plate to achieve a solution to the best of his ability. And if he, or it fails, then he owns the situation and faces the consequences with the grace and resolve of a 'Real Man.' In fact, it is this very theme that informs most of his powerful 2008 recording, ‘Arena.’

What the musician refuses to do however is to act as a mentor and point the way for others to follow. Self-realization after all is just that, an individual exercise, the belief in your own strength to overcome adversity by motivated action, rising to the challenge that confronts you. Rundgren harbors no desire to be a poster child for self-actualization despite his many accomplishments. Rather, I believe that he sees himself as merely an advocate, a cheerleader for our discovering our own destinies. The anthems he pens, particularly in a live setting serve to galvanize his audiences with a sense of community that inspires them to be all that they can be, both collectively and individually. Even within the context of a love song, Rundgren additionally manages to underline the universality of our feelings, emphasizing the capacity of true love to fulfill us and overcome all odds.

Then there are the fanfares. Todd has always had a flair for the dramatic in his work, particularly with Utopia, and therefore he frequently incorporated many introductory flourishes to signal a lyrical missive that he and the band felt needed to be heard. Then of course within the progressive rock genre where Utopia began, an unspoken prerequisite apparently deemed that entire songs to be comprised of nothing but endless variations on fanfares and flourishes for the sake of drama (the group Yes built their entire repertoire around this foundation) and Rundgren's Utopia was no exception. Witness bloated and meandering 30 minute exercises such as 'A Treatise On Cosmic Fire,' The Ikon,' or 'Singring And The Glass Guitar (An Electrified Fairytale)' for proof of that shortfall. And yes, even 'Utopia Theme' too, which is included in the set below. But on occasion, Rundgren was able to reign in that excess and produce more concise declarations of intent to create songs which effectively served to catalyze his audience without the bombast.

The songs in this mix showcase Rundgren’s anthems and fanfares of many colors, primarily underscoring his role as a humanist, and occasionally as that of a spiritualist. Given his interest in Eastern mysticism, it then comes as no surprise that the songwriter believes in the capacity of both himself and his fellow man to recognize their self potential and fulfill their greater good. That may sound naive in today’s world of greed and corruption, but Rundgren is no fool. He addressed this theme in his 2004 release, ‘Liars.’ Rarely penning messages of a negative nature, the songwriter has endeared himself to his legion of fans for his ongoing encouragement that they are as much a ‘star’ in their own right as he, or anyone else who has been bestowed that mantle. Perhaps that’s why years ago, someone, somewhere went as far as to launch a grassroots ‘Todd is Godd' campaign. I don't think I'd go quite that far. 'Todd is Odd' maybe, but I would mean that only in the most flattering sense. It's a compliment. Really, it is.

TR-i Fanfares, Anthems & Calls To Action
(Songs Of Inspiration And Affirmation), Vol.1

1) Real Man
2) Prana
3) Communication With The Sun
4) Song Of The Viking
5) A Long Time, A Long Way To Go
6) Don't You Ever Learn?
7) Intro
8) Mister Triscuits
9) Something's Coming
10) Love Is The Answer
11) Living
12) A Dream Goes On Forever
13) Sons Of 1984
14) How About A Little Fanfare?
15) I Think You Know
16) Freedom Fighters
17) Love Of The Common Man
18) Compassion
19) Initiation
20) Fair Warning/Real Man (Reprise)



TR-i Fanfares, Anthems & Calls To Action
(Songs Of Inspiration And Affirmation), Vol.2

1) Utopia Theme
2) International Feel
3) Never Never Land
4) Le Feel Internacionale
5) Drive
6) One World
7) Today
8) The Want Of A Nail
9) Mated
10) Worldwide Epiphany
11) The Surf Talks
12) The Seven Rays
13) Lucky Guy
14) Forget All About It
15) Courage
16) Just One Victory


PLAY LOUD!


Source material for
'Fanfares, Anthems & Call To Action (Songs Of Inspiration And Affirmation), Vols.1&2'
come from the following:

Nazz Nazz (1969)/Runt. The Ballad Of Todd Rundgren (1971)
Something/Anything? (1972)/A Wizard, A True Star (1973)/Todd (1973)
Todd Rundgren's Utopia (1974)/Another Live (1975)/Initiation (1975)
Faithful (1976)/Ra (1977)/Oops! Wrong Planet (1977)/The Hermit Of Mink Hollow (1978)
Healing (1981)/Swing To The Right (1982)/The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect (1983)
P.O.V. (1985)/Nearly Human (1989)/No World Order (1993)
One Long Year (2000)/Liars (2004)/Arena (2008)