Todd Rundgren Reflects on Rock Legends: Lennon, Starr, and Producing the New York Dolls

Todd Rundgren has been a creative powerhouse since he first burst onto the scene in 1968 with the psychedelic rock act the Nazz. Over a career spanning more than half a century, he has established himself as a prolific solo artist and as a member of the bands Nazz and Utopia and built a reputation as a producer, working with several iconic acts, including Meat Loaf, XTC, and Cheap Trick. Rundgren's high-profile status in music has also seen him brush shoulders with rock royalty, most notably the Beatles. The star, who was fortunate enough to meet all band members separately, forged a friendship with drummer Ringo Starr, who he described as "the most approachable of all the Beatles." In an interview originally published in Classic Rock Magazine issue 139, Rundgren spoke highly of Starr's pleasant demeanor, adding, "He did the music for fun. He didn't feel that there was some burden to it, he just liked to play… I never saw him having any pretense that he was building some giant musical legacy." Years later, Ringo invited Rundgren to join his All Starr Band. In contrast to Starr's down-to-earth demeanor, Rundgren's initial impression of Paul McCartney was that he was "unusually dour," which the latter admits to have found disappointing. He also seems to have thought the same way about George Harrison, whom he met briefly while producing a Badfinger album. However, it was his chance encounter with John Lennon at the Rainbow Bar in Los Angeles, California, that really stood out from all the experiences with the "The Fab Four." The two got into a heated altercation, with Rundgren criticizing Lennon for not living up to his self-professed revolutionary ideals. Lennon, in turn, attributed Rundgren's opinion to his problems with his father. Interestingly, police found a copy of one of Rundgren's albums among the belongings of Lennon's killer, Mark Chapman, after the assassination. Rundgren also reflected on working with the pioneering punk rock act, the New York Dolls. The star recalls how challenging it was to push through the recording sessions, noting that Sylvain Sylvain (guitarist) and David Johansen (singer) always shouldered most of the burden, with the rest of the members often too intoxicated.