Search - Utopia :: Adventures in Utopia & Deface the Music/Swing to T

Famed producer extraordinaire (Meatloaf's "Bat Out Of Hell", XTC, Psychedelic Furs, New York Dolls, Patti Smith, The Tubes, Hall & Oates, Steve Hillage etc) Todd Rundgren has always maintained his own highly successful parallel recording career, encompassing a wide range of musical styles. Rundgren started the band Utopia in 1974 to run concurrently with his solo career. Whilst using many of the same musicians, the band was a more democratic set-up. These three albums were the third, fourth and fifth by the quartet of Todd (guitar), Roger Powell (keyboards), Kasim Sulton (bass) and John Wilcox (drums). "Adventures In Utopia" (January 1980) became the band's biggest US album, and features the hit single "Set Me Free". Its b-side, bonus track "Umbrella Man", features alongside its parent album for the first time. The three bonus live tracks were taped between the album's recording and release and include Utopia's covers of The Who and ? And The Mysterians. Deface The Music (December 1980) is a homage to The Beatles, features thirteen songs written in the style of Lennon & McCartney, arranged chronologically. Unfortunately its release coincided with John Lennon's murder. "Swing To The Right" (1982), almost a concept album about money, war and greed (including a cover of Gamble & Huff's "For The Love Of Money"), was the band's last for the Bearsville label.