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Initiation (Todd Rundgren album)

December 18, 2023

Initiation is the sixth album by American musician Todd Rundgren, released May 23, 1975 on Bearsville Records. With this album, Rundgren fully embraced the synthesized prog sound he had begun exploring in more depth in his work with his band Utopia. However, unlike Utopia, in which Rundgren had limited himself to playing guitar, most of the synthesizers on Initiation were played and programmed by Rundgren himself.[not verified in body]

Initiation
Studio album by
Todd Rundgren
ReleasedMay 23, 1975
Studio
  • Secret Sound (New York)
  • Mediasound (New York)
  • Bearsville (New York)
GenreProgressive rock,[1] electronica
Length68:11
LabelBearsville
ProducerTodd Rundgren
Todd Rundgren chronology
Todd
(1974) 		Initiation
(1975) 		Faithful
(1976)
Singles from Initiation
  1. "Real Man"
    Released: April 1975
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Rolling Stone(Not rated)[2]

Content edit

At over sixty-seven minutes, Initiation is one of the longest commercially-released LPs. Due to a plastic shortage, in order to keep the album on one vinyl LP, Rundgren had to limit and EQ the master so the bass response was rolled off to keep the grooves small enough to cut onto a single disc; he also had to speed up the first half of Side One (Real Man-Eastern Intrigue) and speed up the entirety of Side Two to eliminate 2-3 minutes from each side (5). The album's original inner sleeve included a note which stated: "Technical note: Due to the amount of music on this disc (over one hour), two points must be emphasized. Firstly, if your needle is worn or damaged, it will ruin the disc immediately. Secondly, if the sound does seem not loud enough on your system, try re-recording the music onto tape. By the way, thanks for buying the album."

The titles and concept are taken directly from Alice A. Bailey's book A Treatise on Cosmic Fire.

Critical reception edit

In The Illustrated New Musical Express Encyclopedia of Rock, Nick Logan and Bob Woffinden wrote, "Initiation (1975), despite the pretentious flirtations with half-baked versions of Zen Buddhism and Alice A. Bailey's "A Treatise On Cosmic Fire" that influenced his lyrics and Eastern mystic scores, contained a perceptible undercurrent of his former melodic invention while one could ascertain traces of self-parody and wry humorous debunking of what Rundgren appeared on the other hand to be holding up as valid. At a shade over one hour Initiation is also amongst the longest albums ever made, evidence of his engineering abilities, if not his sense of self-control".[3]

Influence edit

When asked if Rundgren had influenced his music, with perceived influences of Initiation on Queen Elizabeth and Rite², Julian Cope responded that he and Thighpaulsandra loved "A Treatise on Cosmic Fire", "but we both bemoaned the fact that it was recorded so long before ambient music had been defined that Todd treated it as an ever-evolving, almost prog-rock piece. We both loved huge elements of that piece but found that we never listened to it. So we tried to build that Todd-like transcendence into our own piece of music [with Queen Elizabeth]."[4]

Track listing edit

All tracks are written by Todd Rundgren.

Side one

  1. "Real Man" – 4:25
  2. "Born to Synthesize" – 3:40
  3. "The Death of Rock and Roll" – 3:48
  4. "Eastern Intrigue" – 5:06
  5. "Initiation" – 7:05
  6. "Fair Warning" – 8:07

Side two

  1. "A Treatise on Cosmic Fire" (Instrumental) – 36:00
    • "Intro - Prana" – 4:27
    • "II. The Fire of Mind - or: Solar Fire" – 3:43
    • "III. The Fire of Spirit - or: Electric Fire" – 7:34
    • "I. The Internal Fire - or: Fire by Friction" – 20:16
      1. "Mûlâdhâra: The Dance of Kundalini"
      2. "Svâdhishthâna: Bam, Bham, Mam, Yam, Ram, Lam, Thank You, Mahm"
      3. "Manipûra: Seat of Fire"
      4. "Anâhata: The Halls of Air"
      5. "Vishudda: Sounds Beyond Ears"
      6. "Ajnâ: Sights Beyond Eyes"
      7. "Brahmarandhra: Nirvana Shakri"
      8. "Outro - Prana"

Personnel edit

"Real Man” (Recorded at Secret Sound Studio)

"Born to Synthesize” (Recorded at Bearsville Sound Studio)

  • Todd Rundgren – vocals
  • Roger Powell – synthesizer treatments

"The Death of Rock and Roll" (Recorded at Mediasound Studio)

"Eastern Intrigue” (Recorded at Secret Sound Studio)

"Initiation” (Recorded at Mediasound Studio)

  • Todd Rundgren – vocals, lead guitar, clavinet, synthesizer, RMI Keyboard Computer, ARP String Ensemble
  • Bob Rose – rhythm guitar
  • John Siegler – bass
  • Rick Marotta, Bernard Purdie – drums
  • Lee Pastora – congas
  • David Sanborn – saxophone solo
  • Roger Powell – synthesizer solo

"Fair Warning” (Recorded at Mediasound Studio)

  • Todd Rundgren – vocals, piano, electric sitar, RMI Keyboard Computer, ARP String Ensemble
  • Moogy Klingman – organ
  • Rick Derringer – guitar
  • Dan Hartman – bass
  • Chris Parker, Barry Lazarowitz – drums
  • Edgar Winter – saxophone

"A Treatise on Cosmic Fire" (Recorded at Secret Sound and Bearsville Sound Studios)

  • Todd Rundgren – all instruments
  • Roger Powell – synthesizer programming, "creative assistance"

Production

Charts edit

Album

Chart (1975) Position
Billboard Pop Albums[5] 86

"Real Man"

Chart (1975) Position
Billboard Hot 100[6] 83

References edit

  1. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2011). "Initiation - Todd Rundgren | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  2. ^ Miller, Jim (2011). . Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 16, 2009. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  3. ^ Logan, Nick; Woffinden, Bob (1979). The Illustrated New Musical Express Encyclopedia of Rock (3rd impression ed.). Salamander Books Ltd. p. 202. ISBN 0-600-33147-4.
  4. ^ Cope, Julian (2000). "Q&A 2000CE - Queen Elizabeth". Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  5. ^ "Todd Rundgren > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-04-27.
  6. ^ "Todd Rundgren > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-12-17. 
 5. Richard Robinson - Crawdaddy Magazine - July 1975 "Todd was born to synthesize"

December 18, 2023
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Initiation is the sixth album by American musician Todd Rundgren released May 23 1975 on Bearsville Records With this album Rundgren fully embraced the synthesized prog sound he had begun exploring in more depth in his work with his band Utopia However unlike Utopia in which Rundgren had limited himself to playing guitar most of the synthesizers on Initiation were played and programmed by Rundgren himself not verified in body InitiationStudio album by Todd RundgrenReleasedMay 23 1975StudioSecret Sound New York Mediasound New York Bearsville New York GenreProgressive rock 1 electronicaLength68 11LabelBearsvilleProducerTodd RundgrenTodd Rundgren chronologyTodd 1974 Initiation 1975 Faithful 1976 Singles from Initiation Real Man Released April 1975Professional ratingsReview scoresSourceRatingAllMusic 1 Rolling Stone Not rated 2 Contents 1 Content 2 Critical reception 3 Influence 4 Track listing 5 Personnel 6 Charts 7 ReferencesContent editAt over sixty seven minutes Initiation is one of the longest commercially released LPs Due to a plastic shortage in order to keep the album on one vinyl LP Rundgren had to limit and EQ the master so the bass response was rolled off to keep the grooves small enough to cut onto a single disc he also had to speed up the first half of Side One Real Man Eastern Intrigue and speed up the entirety of Side Two to eliminate 2 3 minutes from each side 5 The album s original inner sleeve included a note which stated Technical note Due to the amount of music on this disc over one hour two points must be emphasized Firstly if your needle is worn or damaged it will ruin the disc immediately Secondly if the sound does seem not loud enough on your system try re recording the music onto tape By the way thanks for buying the album The titles and concept are taken directly from Alice A Bailey s book A Treatise on Cosmic Fire Critical reception editIn The Illustrated New Musical Express Encyclopedia of Rock Nick Logan and Bob Woffinden wrote Initiation 1975 despite the pretentious flirtations with half baked versions of Zen Buddhism and Alice A Bailey s A Treatise On Cosmic Fire that influenced his lyrics and Eastern mystic scores contained a perceptible undercurrent of his former melodic invention while one could ascertain traces of self parody and wry humorous debunking of what Rundgren appeared on the other hand to be holding up as valid At a shade over one hour Initiation is also amongst the longest albums ever made evidence of his engineering abilities if not his sense of self control 3 Influence editWhen asked if Rundgren had influenced his music with perceived influences of Initiation on Queen Elizabeth and Rite Julian Cope responded that he and Thighpaulsandra loved A Treatise on Cosmic Fire but we both bemoaned the fact that it was recorded so long before ambient music had been defined that Todd treated it as an ever evolving almost prog rock piece We both loved huge elements of that piece but found that we never listened to it So we tried to build that Todd like transcendence into our own piece of music with Queen Elizabeth 4 Track listing editAll tracks are written by Todd Rundgren Side one Real Man 4 25 Born to Synthesize 3 40 The Death of Rock and Roll 3 48 Eastern Intrigue 5 06 Initiation 7 05 Fair Warning 8 07Side two A Treatise on Cosmic Fire Instrumental 36 00 Intro Prana 4 27 II The Fire of Mind or Solar Fire 3 43 III The Fire of Spirit or Electric Fire 7 34 I The Internal Fire or Fire by Friction 20 16 Muladhara The Dance of Kundalini Svadhishthana Bam Bham Mam Yam Ram Lam Thank You Mahm Manipura Seat of Fire Anahata The Halls of Air Vishudda Sounds Beyond Ears Ajna Sights Beyond Eyes Brahmarandhra Nirvana Shakri Outro Prana Personnel edit Real Man Recorded at Secret Sound Studio Todd Rundgren vocals guitar piano synthesizer RMI Keyboard Computer ARP String Ensemble percussion Moogy Klingman RMI Keyboard Computer Ralph Schuckett clavinet John Siegler bass Kevin Ellman drums Born to Synthesize Recorded at Bearsville Sound Studio Todd Rundgren vocals Roger Powell synthesizer treatments The Death of Rock and Roll Recorded at Mediasound Studio Todd Rundgren vocals guitars Ralph Schuckett clavinet Rick Derringer bass Kevin Ellman John Wilcox drums Eastern Intrigue Recorded at Secret Sound Studio Todd Rundgren vocals electric sitar electric piano RMI Keyboard Computer ARP String Ensemble additional percussion John Miller bass Roy Markowitz drums Lee Pastora congas bongos Barbara Burton percussion Roger Powell nose flute Initiation Recorded at Mediasound Studio Todd Rundgren vocals lead guitar clavinet synthesizer RMI Keyboard Computer ARP String Ensemble Bob Rose rhythm guitar John Siegler bass Rick Marotta Bernard Purdie drums Lee Pastora congas David Sanborn saxophone solo Roger Powell synthesizer solo Fair Warning Recorded at Mediasound Studio Todd Rundgren vocals piano electric sitar RMI Keyboard Computer ARP String Ensemble Moogy Klingman organ Rick Derringer guitar Dan Hartman bass Chris Parker Barry Lazarowitz drums Edgar Winter saxophone A Treatise on Cosmic Fire Recorded at Secret Sound and Bearsville Sound Studios Todd Rundgren all instruments Roger Powell synthesizer programming creative assistance Production Todd Rundgren writing production arrangement mixing and engineering Real Man Born to Synthesize A Treatise on Cosmic Fire Jack Malken engineering all other tracks Charts editAlbum Chart 1975 PositionBillboard Pop Albums 5 86 Real Man Chart 1975 PositionBillboard Hot 100 6 83References edit a b Erlewine Stephen Thomas 2011 Initiation Todd Rundgren AllMusic allmusic com Retrieved 9 July 2011 Miller Jim 2011 Todd Rundgren Initiation Music Reviews Rolling Stone Rolling Stone Archived from the original on January 16 2009 Retrieved 9 July 2011 Logan Nick Woffinden Bob 1979 The Illustrated New Musical Express Encyclopedia of Rock 3rd impression ed Salamander Books Ltd p 202 ISBN 0 600 33147 4 Cope Julian 2000 Q amp A 2000CE Queen Elizabeth Retrieved June 15 2021 Todd Rundgren gt Charts amp Awards gt Billboard Albums AllMusic Retrieved 2012 04 27 Todd Rundgren gt Charts amp Awards gt Billboard Singles AllMusic Retrieved 2011 12 17 5 Richard Robinson Crawdaddy Magazine July 1975 Todd was born to synthesize Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Initiation Todd Rundgren album amp oldid 1178159238, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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