and just singing the stuff that I’ve already
written.
Todd Rundgren circa 1976
IE: Why has it always been so important
for you to keep creating rather than coast
on nostalgia?
TR: (Laughter) The process of aging is the
process of essentially stopping doing
things. You stop running, you stop climb-
ing ladders (laughter), you stop throwing
baseballs, you stop eating foods that upset
your stomach. It’s essentially [wrapping
Todd
12•2017
IE: Going back to music, how have you
managed to stay so prolific after all these
years?
TR: 'Cause I keep absorbing influences
from other musicians. When it’s time to do
a record, I go out and start researching
what it is that people are listening to,
what’s popular and even what’s on the
fringes. I ask my youngest kids what
they’re listening to and they give me
names of obscure artists that only the
young, underground know about. So I
find that there’s still challenge in it, there
are still things that I can say and different
ways to say it, so I enjoy doing it. I guess
life as an entertainer is kind of what peo-
ple think is the life of a musician and
they’re two different things. You can stop
entertaining, but you don’t stop being a
musician. It’s not that I plan to stop tour-
ing or anything like that, but I’ve never
toyed with the idea of never writing again
up your life] one thing at a time and I kind
of like resisting that.
IE: Do you ever wish you didn’t have such
huge hits and the expectations of casual
fans to play certain ones or do you find
audiences are coming along for the jour-
ney no matter where you decide to take
them on a certain night?
TR: I think for a significant segment of my
fan base, that’s part of what binds them to
me. It’s that constant [state of creating
where] you’re never sitting on your lau-
rels. You’re never satisfied with what has
been accomplished. There’s always so
much more to be accomplished and I
think most of the people that are in my
audience have some idea of that sensibili-
ty. After years and years of me not playing
“Hello It’s Me” in the show, it’s surprising
every once in a while [when] someone
will show up who thinks that after [1972’s
gold-selling] Something/Anything? I
stopped making music, and if they hap-
pen to go to a show, that they’re just
gonna hear “Hello It’s Me,” “I Saw The
Light” and everything that they remem-
ber. But I’ve been making music ever since
and I’m gonna play that music.
Todd Rundgren appears at the Park West
www.parkwestchicago.com Saturday,
December 16 and Sunday, December 17.
Andy Argyrakis
545 Penny Road • South Barrington IL • (847) 428-0562 • corner of Old Sutton & Penny Rd • www.pennyroadpub.com • Open until 4AM
DEC 9
Bad Motor Scooter, Hellion,
Brother Tim, Decibel Junkies,
Recently Paroled, Deadman's
Hand, A Silent Truth, Effigy,
Evil Engine.
SPECIALS
SUNDAY THRU WED
FRI DEC 8 SAT DEC 9 THUR DEC 14
Tribute Band Rock Rock, Foo Fighters Trib Hard Rock An Evening with
Actor/Writer
Way Off Topic Stosh with with Retroactive Ignascent
Tribute
Festival
Unconstitutional
and
Smells Like
Dave Grohl
WICKED
SOUL
plus
Slick
and
PRESTON
LACY
of Jackass
Profits of
Metal
FRI-SAT-SUN
DEC 15-16-17
Halfway to
Main Level Bookings
Contact Kelly Boldt
847-754-6003
[email protected]
WINTER SPOTLIGHT
SUN DEC 3 TUESDAYS, WEDNESDAYS
$3 Pabst Blue Ribbon 16 oz cans
$4 Beck Cans
JAN 19
Hard Rock 3 Days of Rock
SLAMMIN' SATURDAYS
HALFWAY TO AMB
SAT DEC 2 $2 Domestic Drafts
$2 Domestic Bottles
DEC 15-17
Rock
FRI DEC 1
Coming Soon:
WICKED SOUL
A.M.B.
FEST
See website for schedule
FRI DEC 22 SAT DEC 23 FRI DEC 29 SAT DEC 30 SUN DEC 31
Rush Tribute Rock Hard Rock Local Rock Rock - NYE Party!
Project
Atlantis
with
Rocket
Surgery
Kingdom
Zero
Atlanta Burning
with
What Lies Ahead
with plus
Burned Bury Your Past
Live Music
Showcase
Wrecked
with
Three Left
and
A Silent Truth
ALL AGES & 21+ SHOWS available every Friday & Saturday on our Underground Stage - Please contact [email protected] for booking info.
12 illinoisentertainer.com december 2017