Todd Rundgren revisits his psychedelic masterpiece: A Wizard, A True Star

It was inevitable. Brian Wilson started the trend a few years ago when he performed the album "Smile" for the very first time. Recently, Van Morrison performed the entirety of "Astral Weeks" to rave reviews, as did Lou Reed with the "Berlin" album last year and the year before that.

So it was only a matter of time until the enigmatic pop raconteur, Todd Rundgren, re-visited his 1973 psychedelic masterpiece "A Wizard, A True Star", and decided to perform its British Premiere at the London HMV Hammersmith Apollo on 6th February 2010.

This is the album that literally defied the law of gravity when it was initially released on an unsuspecting public. The album clocked in almost an hour's worth of running time, and back in those days, vinyl albums, on average, lasted 35 minutes.

But forget about the running time shenanigans, think about the music.

It was insane but melodic, pretty but subversive, poptastic but bombastic, sexy but banal, exciting and futuristic, progressive and intuitive.

At the time, Rundgren encapsulated everything glam rock and prog rock, pop and soul couldn't fathom - a reason to live, and a reason to believe.

From the Technicolor "Zen Archer" to "You Need Your Head", "You Don't Have to Camp Around", "Just One Victory", "Just Another Onionhead", "Never, Never Land" to the essential "International Feel" ("I only want to see if you'll give up on me"), this was the album that made David Bowie do a re-think, and also made every half decent rock star throw the rulebook out the window.

So with great applause, I congratulate the Philly Soul boy for having the sheer guts to dust off the sonic extravaganza and let the new generation of fans get a taste of what they missed out the first time around.

If Empire of the Sun and MGMT really want to trip the light fantastic, this will be the concert that will help them trip the day-glo light fantastique.

Interstellar appeal just got more appealing.

New York Dolls Should Get A Grammy For 'Cause I Sez So

The new album from the New York Dolls - 'Cause I Sez So - continues to fascinate and entertain. The band have release what potentially could be their finest album of their career.

After 36 years since their 1973 debut album, the band have roped in their original producer, Todd Rundgren, to helm the new album. The results are incredible; with some of the best blues and R&B embellished rock and roll songs of their rollercoaster career.

Stand out tracks include 'Cause I Sez So, Ridiculous, My World, Exorcism of Despair, Muddy Bones and a slow bluesy rendition of Trash. So far, this year, there is no other album that comes close to the new Dolls album.

if you love albums like Raw Power by Iggy and the Stooges, Television, the Heartbreakers and Suicide, this album is right up your rock and roll street.

If the Dolls don't get a Grammy nomination for this album, there is no justice.

Oh, and bring back Creem magazine - all is forgiven!!!

With raw photographs of rock's greatest stars and insightful prose by the legendary rock journalists who were stars in their own right, CREEM magazine stood at the forefront of youth counterculture from 1969 to 1988 as "America's Only Rock 'n' Roll Magazine."

A product of Detroit's revolutionary counterculture, CREEM cultivated an incredibly gifted staff of iconoclastic scribes, editors, photographers, and graphic artists whose work continues to resonate today, including: Lester Bangs, Dave Marsh, Richard Meltzer, Nick Tosches, and a not-so-famous Cameron Crowe.

They invented a raucous new form of journalism, where the writing and photographs were as much an expression of rock 'n' roll as the music itself. CREEM embraced and abused the best and the worst of the era: MC5, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, the Faces, Lou Reed, the Stooges, T.Rex, Kiss, Mott the Hoople, the Who, the New York Dolls, Bob Seger, Ted Nugent, Aerosmith, the Ramones, Cheap Trick, the Clash, and Van Halen, among many others.

Now the Mouth of the Motor City presents a retrospective of the beautiful haze that was rock's golden age—from the end of the hippie days through glam and punk and into '80s metal.

New York Dolls sell out London's 100 Club in 4 minutes

The legendary New York Dolls recently announced a rare, intimate concert at London's celebrated punk rock venue "The 100 Club" on May 14th. The concert coincides with the release of the band's fourth studio album in 36 years - 'Cause I Sez So'.

Tickets went on sale on Tuesday April 4th at 9am, but by 9:04, the show was completely sold out. Apparently UK Dolls fans are not happy. Could this be their only UK show or will there be a full-blown UK tour planned for later in the year?

And what of the new album that reunites the band with their first producer, Todd Rundgren? Make no mistake, the Dolls have not lost their rock and roll bluesy edge on this album. If anything, the new album could very well be their best "sounding" album of their career. What's notable is David Johansen's impeccable vocals and lyrics, but the real highlight is Steve Conte's guitar playing. This guy is really amazing and has been kicking around the circuit for years.

So far, this year, there is no other album that comes close to the new Dolls album. It commands a wild energy, a looseness and a swagger that no other album released this year can ever hope to compete with. What's more, it sounds like a collaborative effort, not just a trademark Rundgren produced album. One wonders if Syl and David locked Todd in a cage, twiddled the knobs on the mixing desk, to get it just like they wanted to.

Somewhere in the tracks you can see the Runt trying to put his all into the overall production. So they meet halfway and come up with the best album of their career. From the title track to 'Muddy Bones', 'Ridiculous', 'Nobody Got No Bizness' and the half-assed slowed down re-hash of 'Trash' - this is an addictive collection of nicotine stained gems that just won't let go.

The Dolls are back with a vengeance.

New York Dolls To Release 'Cause I Sez So (And It Could Be The Album of the Year)

The New York Dolls' fourth album, 'Cause I Sez So, could be the 36-year career break they've been looking for. Stranger things have been known to happen.

One thing remains, and its the undeniable power and charm of David Johansen and Syl Sylvain - that undeniable Dolls edge is still potent, resilient and surprisingly honed and polished.

A long way from the rock'n'roll garage sound of their eponymous debut album "New York Dolls" (1973), the new album sees David Jo and Syl reunited with a producer who initially got a lot of flack for producing their first album. Enter Todd Rundgren, who many had thought he sold out after he produced Meatloaf's multi-million selling "Bat out of Hell" album.

I admit there was a lot of speculation when the initial news about the Dolls/Rundgren reunion burst on to the Internet last October. The odds were against this project taking legs.

Some critics got wet their panties, while others felt the news was nothing more then a desperate attempt of cashing in on cash money nostalgia. Sure, there were doubters who not only gave up on the Dolls when bassist Arthur Kane died a few years ago, but then again, Syl and David Jo are still very much alive.

Over the years there's been continued discussion about Todd Rundgren being one of the most talented and innovative record producers on the planet. Times changed, and the super producers became extinct to the point where the bands thought they could do it all by themselves, and in their bedrooms. Major studios closed down to lack of business, and suddenly producers like Rundgren were not on the main menu.

There was still that certain something about the Dolls/Todd reunion that had an element of promise and possibility. They had to be doing it for a reason.

The new album sees the Dolls a pop band without losing their Dolls edge. It doesn't even sound like a trademark Rundgren produced album. The only thing hits you in the back of your head is what a fantastic rock'n'roll band the Dolls really are.

The songs are addictive, full of pop hooks and they are non-stop. The title track blasts out, followed by another hit "Muddy Bones", and then it's just hit after hit after hit.

The new songs are much catchier than anything on the Dolls debut album. Classics like Personality Crisis, Private World and Jet Boy are pretty hard to beat, but somehow the Dolls take it to a completely new level on this outing.

Perhaps the oddest track on the album is slow bluesy version of "Trash" which originally appeared on the first album as a souped up rock ditty. Only the Dolls could get away with sending themselves up. It makes for hilarious listening.

This is an exciting, sexy, provocative, dirty, compelling and innovative rock and roll record from a band who has taken 36 years to find their groove.

I'll leave you with the Dolls performing "Personality Crisis" on Burt Sugarman's "Midnight Special" television show (1973).

Who Put The Chicken Into Chickenfoot?

The news of the imminent debut album from the rock supergroup Chickenfoot leaves no room for metal trash talk debate or speculation.

The Chilli Peppers' "Chad Smith" (drums), ex-Van Halen "Sammy Hagar" (vocals, guitar) and newly departed Van Halen "Michael Anthony" (bass), plus the shredding guitar wizard "Joe Satriani" (guitar) = a shit hot Led Zeppelin personified electric rock and roll band. What else could you kill for?

The phone lines are closed, the votes have been counted...

Somebody Once Told Me Lux Interior Was Crazy, But I'm Not Too Sure About That

The news of Lux Interior's recent passing is unfortunate, but the great thing is that his contribution to rock music will live on.

The man who first gave us the buzz, buzz, buzz in "Human Fly" was always an oddball, but an enigmatic oddball who was a great entertainer.

A video tape on YouTube documents the time when The Cramps gave a free concert for mental patients at the California State Mental Hospital in Napa, California on June 13, 1978.

"We drove 3,000 miles to play for you people," said Lux to the mental patients.

Continued Lux, "Somebody told me you people were crazy, but I'm not so sure about that."

Only The Cramps would take it to the extreme in a mental institution. It's kind of like when Johnny Cash took his music to Folsom Prison.

Does this mean Poison Ivy might be going solo?

We hope so.

Butchering 'This Charming Man' Is Hard To Do (But Morrissey's Gotta Do It)

It pains me to say it but, I've had enough of Morrissey. He's past his sell-by date. I'm sincerely sorry to have to admit this, but I can only handle so many of his solo albums.

His recent performance on Friday Night With Jonathan Ross TV show was evident that the sun has long stopped shining on his solo works. Once treated and hailed as a god, the Mancunian has been running on empty for the last 5 years. The first few solo albums were okay, but none of his solo work has ever been up to scratch with the songs he co-wrote with the great Johnny Marr of The Smiths.

Morrissey's new album sees him holding a baby. How controversial!

The singer now looks like a middle aged bloke performing in the local pub. On the Jonathan Ross Show he butchered a live version of "This Charming Man" with a band that we on par with a local bar band.

One can't help but compare Morrissey's ill-fated solo works with that of John Lydon, when the latter continued with a bastardised version of PiL. Lydon's Live in Tokyo PiL album saw our opinionated glove-puppet performing with a really dreary rock and roll bar band.

Can't Lydon and Morrissey understand that they were NEVER the only ingredient to their original success?

It's like Mick Jagger going solo without Keith Richards (or vice versa).

How soon is now?

Oh, just about when The Smiths called it a day.

And on that note, here's the magic that made The Smiths that special something in their heyday (Les Miserables). . .