We're Going To Todd Rungren's Birthday Party

You can't be around me for long without knowing that I'm a major Todd Rundgren fan. I don't usually go for the "fan" label or get all excited over celebrities. But Todd has been one of the few musicians that has held my interest over the years. His "No World Order" CD is one my desert island list, so is in my top 4 all time favorites. There were some periods where I listened to it daily, just to pick up all the meaning, layers and musical nuances. It is a brilliant work. He has written some of my favorite all-time songs - among them "Hello, It's Me", "Just One Victory", "Love Is The Answer". And he has constantly pushed the technology envelope - interactive concerts, interactive CDs, computer graphics, direct connection with his audience via the Internet (Patronet). Perhaps one reason he isn't more widely known is that he's been far ahead of his time in terms of technology and presentation. I admire the heck out of the guy.

So imagine my surprise last Thursday when my trusty RSS reader pulled this heading from Roger Lindner's most excellent Todd Rundgren fan site:

Celebrate Todd's 60th

The link led to a bona fide invitation for friends and fans to join Todd and Michele for a birthday week celebration at their home on the island of Kauai, Hawaii. Never in a million years would I have imagined my favorite musician would do such a wild, crazy thing. How could we not go?? So Deb and I will be heading back to Kauai in mid-June to celebrate Hawaiian style. We'll be camping at their newly constructed (still under construction apparently) home on the North Shore area. Apparently they have had smaller scale camping parties previously - having owned this property for 15 years. And the invitation assures us camping Rundgren style is more like summer camp than rustic camping - real showers and bathrooms, 24 hour kitchens, keg service, etc. The week will culminate with a concert to introduce his latest CD release - an "arena rock" flavored recording.

So am I excited? This video clip says it all - "I'm too excited to sleep..."