Even the drums & synths are vocals! Todd Rundgren “A Capella” special, Episode 1 

FYI, we are aware of 10cc doing the looping-and-treating-the-console-as-a-keyboard thing. Todd mentions at 15:00: "It’s not only something someone wouldn’t do, but they couldn’t do it because they couldn’t figure out how to do all of that to get that sound." We were aware of it during the interview, too, but there's no reason to challenge the guy on it. He's an innovator. 10cc did it, The Beatles did it, and frankly, that doesn't make a difference to me. If pointing it out in the comments makes you feel better, by all means go for it. I intentionally didn't point it out in the video because, in the grand scheme of anything, it doesn't matter. Todd didn't say he did it first and he didn't say he was the only person who had the idea. I don't go around criticizing Isaac Newton because Leibniz came up with calculus first.

in over 35 years I have never got bored with this extraordinary musical work. Still blows my mind today, pure genius........

Still one of my favourite albums from Todd.

Todd was,is and will always be way ahead of the rest of the music industry.

He’s an ocean of talent

Heck... I’m still not over “Something/Anything”...

I was a young road Musician and recording engineer when this album came out, I immediately purchased two AKAI X7000 samplers, And one S900 rack Mount Akai sampler…! And proceeded to sample everything under the sun Todd is brilliant….!!!! 🙏🏻🎶❤️❤️🎶🙏🏻👍🏻

Hermit of Mink Hollow and Adventures in Utopia are still my favorites of him... wonderful albums, even today.

Honestly to this day its one of my favorites.

I loved how when Todd is playing the Fairlight in that old clip, he effortlessly starts playing chords that are so....Todd. HIs compositional genius shows even when he is merely doodling. Also, nice job in the pointed out the difference between the Emulator and the Fairlight. Not an insignificant detail.

It's a great album. When it came out, I wasn't so much taken by the uniqueness of the technique as the quality of the songs. It's full of great tunes and, as is often the case on a TR album, at least one very well chosen soul cover. Just a great record.

Great content.I've been a Todd fan since the early 70s and The Nazz before that.I saw him in concert many times over the years, most recently last year in Boston.He brought it as he always has and he's still got it! Thanks for this.

So glad this was recommended to me! I love getting Todd talk about these wonderful songs! Now to see part two!

It's incredible the technologies we take for granted now to create music. Genius work by a true artist.

I followed in Todd's footsteps and also sabotaged my career....I forgot to make a name for myself first lol! Love this channel!

Great interview. One of my favorite Todd albums. Thanks for sharing.

16:37 Todd - “manual labor” 😂😂😂 I’m so grateful for this Wizard in my world. ✌🏽❤️🌏

Top shelf album in my library since it was released. As Todd is my witness 😉

Saw the tour he did to promote this album.11 backup singers got to meet Kas at the show also.Incredible show.

Oh man, this was my favourite album in 1985 and it's still in heavy rotation at Chez Meadhbh. And the emotional journey from Miracle in the Bazaar through Mighty Love is amazingly crafted.

First album I truly loved as a kid. And from an Upper Darby hometown hero✊

Todd is incredible. Even if I do not like all he does, he takes chances and goes places previously not known.

thank you. I absolutely love this record.

I bought A capella on the day it was released. 38 years later, it still amazes me. You gotta love "Lockjaw"!

A true high watermark in an artist's career full of high watermarks. As a musician and songwriter, with a keen interest in the art of recording, I remember hearing A Capella in the mid-80s and thinking, "Hoooollly crap... there's no WAY I could ever do that. Never. Nope, not going to happen. Todd's cruising in the stratosphear and look, I just found myself staring up from the gutter." Lol. The caliber of art, craft, and sonic creativity was staggering, to be sure, but when imposed upon the technical hurdles that Todd himself erected and then surmounted, I still marvel at how he successfully melded a supreme musical experience with a recording engineer's greatest challenge. A solo album, written by one man, featuring one instrument (a voice), one musician, recorded by a single engineer, a single note at a time. Sound intimidating? Nah, not if all those roles are filled by Todd Rundgren. And now, after all these years (and hundreds of listenings), I had always believed the E-mu Emulator Todd used on A Capella was polyphonic... Hooooollly crap, mind is blown, and once again I'm getting quite comfortable here in the gutter.

What an amazing interview! Todd is so cool, articulate and funny (FROGS!). There needs to be more discussion about Todd and his decades of music contributions transcending genres and styles and yet it's always Todd!

Wow doing the real work here!! This album is a stand out - thanks for taking the time, eager to see the rest of this series!!

Was at Fenders Long Beach gig for this tour.....he still laughs about it..GREAT SHOW

To this day, it is one of my favorite albums, by Todd or by anyone. I was fortunate enough to see/hear him perform the tune "Lost Horizon" in concert a couple of years back. Coulda knocked me over with a feather.

Really awesome interview of the amazing Todd. This is the kind of stuff (the making of A Capella) I always wanted to know more about. Can't wait for more. I saw Todd's A Capella tour and it was so cool how his singers could accurately replicate the record (with a little audience help).

Saw the A Capella show with choir in Philly at the Walnut St Theatre. Third row, and the music was so powerful I cried.

To see the A Capella show live was special. I was at the INFAMOUS gig in Long Beach ...wish he would repeat it!

It sometimes amazes me that, whether in books, papers, videos or otherwise, Todd's interest in the spiritual, eerie, otherworldly or occult never gets a mention. I don't get it! I feel a bit sheepish to say, but these aspects of his work have had a huge influence on my life and thinking, and I'm very grateful for that. Aside from that I gotta echo the other great things folks have said about his work here. Thanks, Todd!

I saw this show at the McCormick theater in Chicago the year it was released. One of the finest concerts I have ever had the honour of attending. It was 'effin amazing.

The annoying frogs experience reminded me of a couple of wonderful passages from Richard Brautigan's 'A Confederate General From Big Sur.' Very much so enjoyed the interview, interrupting croaks and all: thank you!

Todd! What more can one say.

In believable talent and imagination and work ethic!

Wow one of the most interesting interviews. Loved hearing how he manually accomplished those mind-warping sounds. Love A Capella and Miracle in the Bazaar is one trippy AF track 🎧

"Pretending to Care" on this album is incredible, and "Honest Work" is about as sad as anything you'll ever hear. What he describes on 'Miracle" is similar to what the 10CC boys did on "I'm Not in Love" although the two songs sound nothing alike. Also, "Born to Synthesize" on Todd's 1975 "Initiation" might be totally A Capella, I am not 100% sure. This is a great series. Subscribed. Boom.

One of my favorite albums

There ya go fans!! Everybody wants to know why Todd writes what he does. HE DOESN'T WANT TO SOUND LIKE SOMEBODY ELSE !! FINALLY !! FINALLY !!

I adore "A Cappella". I wore this one out!!!

I think this was the first Todd Rundgren album I bought when it came out - I was only 15 but I started young..

He simply had to do it, because he could. No one had done it quite that way before with the available technology. Because in the end, it’s about ideas, not about what instrument they’re on. That he used his voice just because he could. The amount of time that must’ve taken, with trial and error, making mistakes, starting again…Astonishing. Great video Anthony!!!

Brilliant lp.and Brilliant tour

Todd! A Wizard A True Star!

I bought this cassette sight unseen in '86 (it was Todd!), and wore it out.

Saw the “A Capella” tour at the Boathouse in Norfolk. Fantastic show.

My favorite of his albums. I’ve had the LP since it came out.. Hoja whaa!

The maestro wizard himself. Todd Rundgren

本当の天才はトッドラングレンで有る❤😊トッドラングレンこれからも音楽に革命家として歴史に足跡を残して欲しい❤😊

I actually found this cassette at this open market in Chicago somewhere back in the 80's I knew who Todd was but I didn't know what to expect but it blew me away how could one person have created or better what type of Brain did this come from but the track "Mighty Love" was my favorite Todd's vocals on that song lead and background were incredible!

I'm a huge Todd Rundgren fan and have been since the 1970s. I basically have every release by him both solo and with Utopia. I even love many many of the LPs he produced over the years. XTC Skylarking comes to mind, it almost sounds like a British punk pop version of Utopia and could almost be a Utopia LP. I LOVE A Capella! I remember buying the LP the week it was released and being blown away. While being cutting edge and completely different from other releases at that time the songs covered a wide range of music styles from Avant-Garde to pop to complex vocal arrangements there are also a few songs that are simple but infectious. Johnny Jingo & Hodja comes to mind. I remember years later when my wife and I started having children those 2 songs, Johnny Jingo & Hodja are songs both my kids LOVED and still LOVE today and they ate in their late 20s. I actually told my Daughter about this video earlier this morning and she still has such fond memories of those songs and that LP. Also, I SAW THIS TOUR! I saw this tour in Boston on Lansdowne St. and it was absolutely amazing! I've seen him on other tours but there was something special about this particular tour. Somewhere in my collection I have the King Biscuit Flower Hour recording from this tour that was broadcast on the radio. This was before the Internet so we had to use cassette tapes and relied on the radio for live concerts. As a guitarist I was in several bands throughout the 1980s to the mid 1990s and most of what we played was on the heavier side. Many of my friends and former band mates never got this LP because many of them only listened to one or two genes. I can't do that, I listen to A-Z and have a massive music collection. The one thing that always sticks out to me about Todd Rundgren is after he's an amazing guitar player who is underrated and he's an incredible vocalist with a range of vocals that is almost not human, he is an amazing song writer. Regardless of what style music or genre Todd is pushing the boundaries of with his releases his exceptional song writing skills always shine through. This continues throughout his entire career whether solo, with Utopia or whatever version of his band he is working with this is always a constant thread. Todd is an incredible song writer. I've always though he was underrated in this category as well. I hope he tours again so I can hopefully see him live again. One final note, I'm glad Kasim was in this video. Kasim was always with Todd every time I've ever seen him live and Kasim seems to be on almost every project and touring band Todd has going on. I still remember Todd and Kasim singing together on the A Capella tour and Kasim is an amazing vocalist and musician himself. The other day I saw a video from a 2019 tour and Todd was a 3 piece unit with Kasim and I can't remember the name of the drummer. They were playing the song "Trapped" from the Utopia LP "Oops, Wrong Planet" and I absolutely love the way they go back and forth with their vocals and they sound amazing together. It sort of reminds me of how David Gilmour and Roger Waters & Paul and John do the same thing only Todd and Kasim are severely underrated. I didn't mean to write a novel Lololol this was the first video I saw on your channel the other day and immediately subscribed. I look forward to seeing the videos you will be putting out in the future.

Todd is really something

It is my favorite Todd album

Brecht and Weill. Nice interview.

Goodness me, only now we're asking Todd about this? I remember when this came out and hardly anyone took any real notice!! Very little radio play and, of course, it was hardly a million seller. Years later, up comes some artist called Bjork who makes a vocal album and everyone goes nuts, like it was so novel. Just like Todd getting in on the internet WAY before David Bowie, yet Bowie got all the attention. See a pattern here? Still, it was interesting hearing him talk about getting extended vocal notes of a scale and putting them all together using the console faders as a keyboard. Did he do this before 10cc came up with the same technique, more or less, when they recorded 'I'm Not In Love' in 1975?

10 cc did same fader trick… Brilliant! Im going to try just for fun

there's a great confusion here. there's shows on youtube from 1984 where tr is talking about the fairlight.' i think tr had the fairlight with acapella-they had it with POV.....,its even on oblivion.

I discovered ACappella 25 (?) years ago…it is not whether I like or enjoy the album rather, despite cerebral resistance, what part of my internal is this song from this album going to disturb this time? From my limited perspective without sounding patronising by virtue of comparison, Franz Kafka springs to mind ( I mean in a good way) Those that know, know, those who don’t, don’t. We know that ACapella is a fken great, great album…that stands the test of time and then some. Thank you Mr Rundgren, thank you.

I saw Todd perform this tour in STL at Mississippi Nights...sat and ate hot wings with him later at Show Me's later. Got him to sign my album!!! The All Star Voice group was AMAZING!!! I would love to see a recording of it but I think the licensing for all the stars is too difficult to manage

A Synclavier or Fairlight CMI is definitely an instrument. That being said, it's a great album. I bought it the day it came out.

15:09 I think that was the way 10CC did "I'm Not In Love." 16:38 "Fed-Up things I've ever heard." But in a good way?

Right on….

It's an amazing record which I still enjoy spinning. And with just a monophonic sampler? He must have a very large brain to hold the conception of a piece while putting all the little pieces in place. ...but the "riding the faders" thing on Miracle was also done by Ten CC in 1975. The idea must have been floating in the air.

THIS ALBUM IS GENIUS. MY BAND WOULD HAVE THE SOUNDMAN PLAY THIS ENTIRELY WHILST WE SETUP CLOSING ON SOUNDCHECK...THEN AS THE CLUB FILLED, WE HAD THIS ALBUM PLAYING....IF YOU DONT GET GOOSEBUMPS FROM ANY OF THIS ALBUM......SOMETHING'S WRONG!!!!!

I always thought that since he is clearly a genius that all of sound of music became a little "boring" in a way. It always appears that he is just joking around and playing like a child who has mastered his trike and attempts to show off., (look ma no hands!)Todd's music has progressed over the years, each more advanced musically whether he sees it or not. As a listener, I am truly fascinated and awed. Thanks for all the great music, Todd.

I saw the tour at After The Gold Rush. My wife gave Kasim a rose and we chatted for a few.

First TR album I bought (thanks to Dr. Demento playing "Lockjaw")

Lost Horizon was always my favorite track

Oh... Brecht and Weil. Others have likely commented similarly.

I thought 10CC did that same vocal trick with the mixing board on "I'm Not in Love".

The original Emulator Mk 1 was not monophonic - it could play 8 voices at a time. However, it was not multi-timbral so it could only play one sample at a time (with 8 note polyphony).

Aaron Freeman of Ween celebrates this album in the 33 1/3 book for _Chocolate and Cheese_

10cc also did it on I'm not in love

After this interview I'm rather surprised and a little disappointed Todd didn't make an album comprised of nothing but frog sounds... Frogapella!

For anyone interested, I have a few of TR’s acetates with early mixes of A Cappella as well as several others TR/Utopia on my channel. Blue Orpheus in particular went thru several changes before the final version: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-MTKSx7281Rs.html

Todd could start a Frogapella group - he's familiar. "And I saw three unclean spirits that looked like frogs coming out of the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet."

I hate to admit that I always take his experimentation and imagination as normal. "Of course he's doing this". It's probably why it's hard for me to like any other artist nearly as much as Todd.

Todd says he doesn’t want my ilk at his shows. Don’t worry Todd. Not coming back.

The album kind of reminds me of the stuff that Godley and Creme were doing.

15:00 100cc been there, done that.

I prefer Healer, his last great concept album.🤔🤨🤯

Wow almost pro tools before pro tools showing u The Wave instead of hearing it u can see it

Todd’s resume’ is too fat His creativity is off the charts The artist formerly known as TRI Gotta laugh at that funky dingbat 😅

He used to be eye candy ...

Hey Todd, why live in nature if the frogs can't sing??

Love 💕 Todd , but he needs to be silent about his political opinions in his old age

It was a great idea for an album but imo all the songs on it are utterly forgettable which is a shame

He doesn't look good at all.