Utopia (rock band)
Encyclopedia
Utopia was an American
progressive rock
band, led by Todd Rundgren
that toured and recorded from 1973 to 1986.
The first Utopia album, credited as "Todd Rundgren's Utopia," featured a six-piece ensemble featuring Todd Rundgren (guitar and vocals), Kevin Ellman (drums and percussion), Mark "Moogy" Klingman
(keyboards), Jean Yves "M. Frog" Labat (synthesizers), Ralph Schuckett (keyboards), and John Siegler (bass and cello). Shortly after this album was completed, Labat left the band and was replaced by former Moog
programmer Roger Powell.
The live-in-concert LP Another Live (1975) featured new members Powell and John "Willie" Wilcox (drums). It showcased several extended progressive tracks which were not released in studio versions and also displayed Rundgren's continuing interest in the Broadway musical
a version of "Something's Coming" from West Side Story and the music of his rock heroes, including a cover of "Do Ya", written by Jeff Lynne
and originally recorded by The Move
. The liner notes characterized the recording of "Do Ya" as a return gesture for The Move having covered "Open My Eyes", a song recorded by Rundgren's earlier band Nazz and written by him.
On 9 October 1975 Utopia played their first UK concert at the Hammersmith Odeon in London with the trimmed-down lineup of Rundgren, John Siegler, Roger Powell and Willie Wilcox, with backing vocals by future soul star Luther Vandross
and Anthony Hinton (a former member of Vandross' early 1970s vocal quintet Luther). This concert was recorded by the BBC for broadcast and has since been widely bootlegged.
By the third album, the group became known simply as 'Utopia' and settled into a four-person lineup of Rundgren (guitar, vocals), Kasim Sulton (bass, vocals), Roger Powell (keyboards, synthesizers, trumpet, vocals) and Willie Wilcox (drums, vocals), which remained stable until the group's demise.
The third album Ra (1977) continued the progressive trend, opening with an electronic arrangement of the "Overture: Mountaintop and Sunrise" theme (from Bernard Herrmann
's score for the film Journey to the Center of the Earth
), but it also contained several shorter, more accessible songs, and the group's subsequent albums increasingly featured more concise and 'pop-oriented' material that showed the influence of the prevailing New Wave
trend.
Though the band had satirical political songs, showcased on Swing to the Right
(1982) and plenty of bitter heartbreak songs, it was best known for its hopeful, uplifting spirit, which is why the main set or first encore of its live shows typically ended with "Love Is the Answer" from their 1977 album, Oops! Wrong Planet
. "Love is the Answer" later became a big hit for England Dan & John Ford Coley
charting #1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary list in 1979.
During that era, one knew a Utopia show was not over until the band played "Just One Victory" (which Rundgren himself referred to as "the national anthem of Utopia") from Rundgren's 1973 release A Wizard, A True Star
.
Despite its breadth of styles and strong talents, Utopia had only one Billboard
top 40 hit. "Set Me Free", from their best selling album Adventures in Utopia
, peaked at #27 in 1980. Poised on the verge of mainstream success, the band sidetracked for the next two LPs before returning to the head-on pop format by which time the momentum from Adventures had been lost.
They managed to hold cult status throughout the 1980s with their albums, concert performances and videos that were shown on MTV in its early years. Further, the band had a number of Album-oriented rock
hits including "Caravan
", "Feet Don't Fail Me Now" (co-written by bassist Doug Howard
who replaced Sulton during his brief hiatus from the group), and "Love In Action". "Feet Don't Fail Me Now
" was one of the original videos aired by MTV, in heavy rotation by default, when the channel debuted in 1981 and featured the band dressed in insect costumes.
Rundgren had a successful solo career before, during, and after Utopia, as did his bandmates, although to more modest levels. Roger Powell toured with David Bowie
for the live album Stage, and previously worked as protege for Robert Moog
. Powell's solo album Air Pocket as voted #1 in 1980 by Keyboard Magazine
magazine but after the demise of Utopia he had to give up performing for some time due to Repetitive Strain Injury
(RSI). Prior to Utopia Willie recorded the Rundgren produced "War Babies" album and continued to tour with Daryl Hall & John Oates. Willie Wilcox was the senior composer and sound designer for NBC Universal Television from 1999–2005, and wrote and programmed "We Connect", the #1 dance hit for artist Stacy Q. He continues to write and produce for television, film and artists with his company Willie Wilcox Music. Wilcox composed the ringwalk music used by the current #1 ranked boxer in the world Manny Pacquiao. Bassist Kasim Sulton
has toured as a band leader for Meat Loaf
, and performed with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Scandal, Hall and Oates, and others.
Though Utopia officially broke up in 1986, they reunited briefly in 1992, yielding the album, Redux '92: Live in Japan
, but they were unable to secure a new label arrangement so they disbanded permanently. Various members have continued to work with Rundgren in the intervening years. In 2005, Rundgren and Sulton began working together again in a new lineup of The Cars
using the name The New Cars. After Elliot Easton broke his left clavicle
following a tour bus accident, The New Cars took a hiatus. During this hiatus, Kasim took on some work with Meat Loaf and Rundgren to support Bat out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose
.
Rundgren, Powell, and Sulton were reunited on stage during the debut live presentation of Rundgren's A Wizard, A True Star
presented by RundgrenRadio.com in 2009. In subsequent shows on the tour, Ralph Schuckett replaced Powell, continuing the trend of former Utopia members to remain connected musically.
On January 29–30, 2011, a reunion of most of the members of the 1974 Utopia Mark II band (Rundgren, Moogy Klingman, Ralph Shuckett, John Siegler, and Kevin Ellman) was held for two nights at the Highline Ballroom in New York City. Proceeds from the shows went to defray medical treatment for Klingman's bout with cancer. Material was drawn from the 1972-1975 catalogs of Rundgren and Todd Rundgren's Utopia. This marked the first time this classic lineup performed together in over 35 years. Fellow musicians Jesse Gress and longtime Utopia (1977-1986) member Kasim Sulton joined them during select moments of the show.
During November 2011, the band will be touring live as 'Todd Rundgren's Utopia' for the first time since 1975. This will be a brief 12-city US tour starting on November 2 in Hollywood, FL, and ending in Upper Darby, PA on November 19. Just as with the Highline NYC shows earlier in January, this will be the same lineup of Rundgren, Klingman, Schuckett, Siegler, Ellman, Gress, and Sulton.
Utopia 1974
Utopia 1975
Utopia late 1975
Utopia 1976-1986, 1992
NOTE: In 1982, bassist Doug Howard briefly replaced Kasim Sulton and co-wrote three of Utopia's songs.
Utopia 2011
progressive rock
band Utopia includes ten studio albums, four live albums, four compilations, and three singles that charted on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band, led by Todd Rundgren
Todd Rundgren
Todd Harry Rundgren is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and record producer. Hailed in the early stage of his career as a new pop-wunderkind, supported by the certified gold solo double LP Something/Anything? in 1972, Todd Rundgren's career has produced a diverse range of recordings...
that toured and recorded from 1973 to 1986.
History
The first two albums, Todd Rundgren's Utopia and Another Live featured lengthy, complex and highly arranged progressive rock pieces, performed by a six-piece multi-instrumentalist ensemble. The debut album in fact contained only four tracks and ran for almost sixty minutes in total, opening with "Utopia Theme" — recorded live in concert — and closing with the extended concept piece "The Ikon", which ran more than thirty minutes and took up all of Side 2 of the album.The first Utopia album, credited as "Todd Rundgren's Utopia," featured a six-piece ensemble featuring Todd Rundgren (guitar and vocals), Kevin Ellman (drums and percussion), Mark "Moogy" Klingman
Moogy Klingman
Mark "Moogy" Klingman was an American musician and songwriter. He was a founding member of Todd Rundgren's musical team Utopia, and later became a solo recording artist, bandleader and songwriter...
(keyboards), Jean Yves "M. Frog" Labat (synthesizers), Ralph Schuckett (keyboards), and John Siegler (bass and cello). Shortly after this album was completed, Labat left the band and was replaced by former Moog
Moog synthesizer
Moog synthesizer may refer to any number of analog synthesizers designed by Dr. Robert Moog or manufactured by Moog Music, and is commonly used as a generic term for older-generation analog music synthesizers. The Moog company pioneered the commercial manufacture of modular voltage-controlled...
programmer Roger Powell.
The live-in-concert LP Another Live (1975) featured new members Powell and John "Willie" Wilcox (drums). It showcased several extended progressive tracks which were not released in studio versions and also displayed Rundgren's continuing interest in the Broadway musical
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
a version of "Something's Coming" from West Side Story and the music of his rock heroes, including a cover of "Do Ya", written by Jeff Lynne
Jeff Lynne
Jeffrey "Jeff" Lynne is an English songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer who gained fame as the leader and sole constant member of Electric Light Orchestra and was a co-founder and member of The Traveling Wilburys together with George Harrison, Bob...
and originally recorded by The Move
The Move
The Move, from Birmingham, England, were one of the leading British rock bands of the 1960s. They scored nine Top 20 UK singles in five years, but were among the most popular British bands not to find any success in the United States....
. The liner notes characterized the recording of "Do Ya" as a return gesture for The Move having covered "Open My Eyes", a song recorded by Rundgren's earlier band Nazz and written by him.
On 9 October 1975 Utopia played their first UK concert at the Hammersmith Odeon in London with the trimmed-down lineup of Rundgren, John Siegler, Roger Powell and Willie Wilcox, with backing vocals by future soul star Luther Vandross
Luther Vandross
Luther Ronzoni Vandross was an American singer-songwriter and record producer. During his career, Vandross sold over twenty-five million albums and won eight Grammy Awards including Best Male R&B Vocal Performance four times...
and Anthony Hinton (a former member of Vandross' early 1970s vocal quintet Luther). This concert was recorded by the BBC for broadcast and has since been widely bootlegged.
By the third album, the group became known simply as 'Utopia' and settled into a four-person lineup of Rundgren (guitar, vocals), Kasim Sulton (bass, vocals), Roger Powell (keyboards, synthesizers, trumpet, vocals) and Willie Wilcox (drums, vocals), which remained stable until the group's demise.
The third album Ra (1977) continued the progressive trend, opening with an electronic arrangement of the "Overture: Mountaintop and Sunrise" theme (from Bernard Herrmann
Bernard Herrmann
Bernard Herrmann was an American composer noted for his work in motion pictures.An Academy Award-winner , Herrmann is particularly known for his collaborations with director Alfred Hitchcock, most famously Psycho, North by Northwest, The Man Who Knew Too Much, and Vertigo...
's score for the film Journey to the Center of the Earth
Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959 film)
Journey to the Center of the Earth is a 1959 adventure film adapted by Charles Brackett from the novel by Jules Verne. It stars Pat Boone, James Mason, Arlene Dahl, Peter Ronson, Diane Baker, Thayer David and Alan Napier...
), but it also contained several shorter, more accessible songs, and the group's subsequent albums increasingly featured more concise and 'pop-oriented' material that showed the influence of the prevailing New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
trend.
Though the band had satirical political songs, showcased on Swing to the Right
Swing To The Right
Swing to the Right is a Utopia album from 1982. It followed the well-intentioned Beatles parody/homage Deface the Music. Swing to the Right swings into hard-edged commentary on corporate raiders, warmongers, political villains, and despicable music industry moguls...
(1982) and plenty of bitter heartbreak songs, it was best known for its hopeful, uplifting spirit, which is why the main set or first encore of its live shows typically ended with "Love Is the Answer" from their 1977 album, Oops! Wrong Planet
Oops! Wrong Planet
-Side two:-Personnel:*Roger Powell: Vocals, Keyboards, Trumpet, Powell Probe*Todd Rundgren: Vocals, Guitar, Saxophone, Production and Engineering*Kasim Sulton: Vocals, Bass Guitar*John "Willie" Wilcox: Vocals, Drums-Charts:Album - Billboard...
. "Love is the Answer" later became a big hit for England Dan & John Ford Coley
England Dan & John Ford Coley
England Dan & John Ford Coley was an American pop rock duo composed of Danny Wayland "England Dan" Seals and John Edward "John Ford" Coley. Native Texans, the duo released eleven albums and nine singles in their career and are best known for their 1976 single, "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight"....
charting #1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary list in 1979.
During that era, one knew a Utopia show was not over until the band played "Just One Victory" (which Rundgren himself referred to as "the national anthem of Utopia") from Rundgren's 1973 release A Wizard, A True Star
A Wizard, a True Star
A Wizard, a True Star is a progressive rock recording by Todd Rundgren, released in 1973.The album, and especially the first side of the vinyl recording, is an extended medley after the fashion of the Beatles' late recordings; brief songs segue into one another, and the lyrics are frequently...
.
Despite its breadth of styles and strong talents, Utopia had only one Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
top 40 hit. "Set Me Free", from their best selling album Adventures in Utopia
Adventures in Utopia
Adventures in Utopia is an album released in 1980 by Todd Rundgren's band, Utopia.-Genre:Mixing rock, pop, disco and progressive rock music styles, Adventures In Utopia achieved predicted success with the band's established fan base and some wider commercial success with the track Set Me Free,...
, peaked at #27 in 1980. Poised on the verge of mainstream success, the band sidetracked for the next two LPs before returning to the head-on pop format by which time the momentum from Adventures had been lost.
They managed to hold cult status throughout the 1980s with their albums, concert performances and videos that were shown on MTV in its early years. Further, the band had a number of Album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock is an American FM radio format focusing on album tracks by rock artists.-Music played:Most radio formats are based on a select, tight rotation of hit singles...
hits including "Caravan
Caravan
-Specific automobile models:*Dodge Caravan*Nissan Caravan*Opel Omega Caravan*Opel Astra Caravan*Chevrolet Caravan -Airplane models:*Cessna Caravan, a utility airplane*C-76 Caravan, an American 1940s medium military transport aircraft-Other:...
", "Feet Don't Fail Me Now" (co-written by bassist Doug Howard
Doug Howard (musician)
Doug Howard is an American bassist, vocalist and songwriter. He is best known for his work as a performing/recording musician and occasional co-writer with groups, and artists such as Touch, Stun Leer, Todd Rundgren, Utopia and The Edgar Winter Group...
who replaced Sulton during his brief hiatus from the group), and "Love In Action". "Feet Don't Fail Me Now
Feet Don't Fail Me Now
Feet Don't Fail Me Now is a DVD produced and distributed exclusively by Switchfoot. It was available briefly on the band's online store and at concerts and other performance venues....
" was one of the original videos aired by MTV, in heavy rotation by default, when the channel debuted in 1981 and featured the band dressed in insect costumes.
Rundgren had a successful solo career before, during, and after Utopia, as did his bandmates, although to more modest levels. Roger Powell toured with David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
for the live album Stage, and previously worked as protege for Robert Moog
Robert Moog
Robert Arthur Moog , commonly called Bob Moog was an American pioneer of electronic music, best known as the inventor of the Moog synthesizer.-Life:...
. Powell's solo album Air Pocket as voted #1 in 1980 by Keyboard Magazine
Keyboard Magazine
Keyboard Magazine is a magazine that originally covered electronic keyboard instruments and keyboardists, though with the advent of computer based recording and audio technology, they have added digital music technology to their regular coverage, including those not strictly pertaining to the...
magazine but after the demise of Utopia he had to give up performing for some time due to Repetitive Strain Injury
Repetitive strain injury
Repetitive strain injury is an injury of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems that may be caused by...
(RSI). Prior to Utopia Willie recorded the Rundgren produced "War Babies" album and continued to tour with Daryl Hall & John Oates. Willie Wilcox was the senior composer and sound designer for NBC Universal Television from 1999–2005, and wrote and programmed "We Connect", the #1 dance hit for artist Stacy Q. He continues to write and produce for television, film and artists with his company Willie Wilcox Music. Wilcox composed the ringwalk music used by the current #1 ranked boxer in the world Manny Pacquiao. Bassist Kasim Sulton
Kasim Sulton
Kasim Sulton is an American bass guitarist, keyboardist, and vocalist. Best known for his work with Utopia, Sulton sang lead on 1980's "Set Me Free," Utopia's only top 40 hit in the United States...
has toured as a band leader for Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf
Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor...
, and performed with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Scandal, Hall and Oates, and others.
Though Utopia officially broke up in 1986, they reunited briefly in 1992, yielding the album, Redux '92: Live in Japan
Redux '92: Live in Japan
-Personnel:*Roger Powell: Vocals, Keyboards, Composer*Todd Rundgren: Vocals, Guitar, Composer, Production and Engineering*Kasim Sulton: Vocals, Bass Guitar, Composer*John "Willie" Wilcox: Vocals, Drums, Composer- External links :* Official Todd Rundgren Site...
, but they were unable to secure a new label arrangement so they disbanded permanently. Various members have continued to work with Rundgren in the intervening years. In 2005, Rundgren and Sulton began working together again in a new lineup of The Cars
The Cars
The Cars are an American rock band that emerged from the early New Wave music scene in the late 1970s. The band consisted of lead singer and rhythm guitarist Ric Ocasek, lead singer and bassist Benjamin Orr, guitarist Elliot Easton, keyboardist Greg Hawkes and drummer David Robinson...
using the name The New Cars. After Elliot Easton broke his left clavicle
Clavicle fracture
A clavicle fracture is a bone fracture in the clavicle, or collarbone. It is often caused by a fall onto an outstretched upper extremity, a fall onto a shoulder, or a direct blow to the clavicle...
following a tour bus accident, The New Cars took a hiatus. During this hiatus, Kasim took on some work with Meat Loaf and Rundgren to support Bat out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose
Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose
Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster is Loose is an album by Meat Loaf, the third and last in the Bat Out of Hell series. It was released in October 2006, 29 years after Bat Out of Hell , and 13 years after Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell .Produced by Desmond Child, it is the only Bat album not...
.
Rundgren, Powell, and Sulton were reunited on stage during the debut live presentation of Rundgren's A Wizard, A True Star
A Wizard, a True Star
A Wizard, a True Star is a progressive rock recording by Todd Rundgren, released in 1973.The album, and especially the first side of the vinyl recording, is an extended medley after the fashion of the Beatles' late recordings; brief songs segue into one another, and the lyrics are frequently...
presented by RundgrenRadio.com in 2009. In subsequent shows on the tour, Ralph Schuckett replaced Powell, continuing the trend of former Utopia members to remain connected musically.
On January 29–30, 2011, a reunion of most of the members of the 1974 Utopia Mark II band (Rundgren, Moogy Klingman, Ralph Shuckett, John Siegler, and Kevin Ellman) was held for two nights at the Highline Ballroom in New York City. Proceeds from the shows went to defray medical treatment for Klingman's bout with cancer. Material was drawn from the 1972-1975 catalogs of Rundgren and Todd Rundgren's Utopia. This marked the first time this classic lineup performed together in over 35 years. Fellow musicians Jesse Gress and longtime Utopia (1977-1986) member Kasim Sulton joined them during select moments of the show.
During November 2011, the band will be touring live as 'Todd Rundgren's Utopia' for the first time since 1975. This will be a brief 12-city US tour starting on November 2 in Hollywood, FL, and ending in Upper Darby, PA on November 19. Just as with the Highline NYC shows earlier in January, this will be the same lineup of Rundgren, Klingman, Schuckett, Siegler, Ellman, Gress, and Sulton.
Members
Utopia 1973- Todd RundgrenTodd RundgrenTodd Harry Rundgren is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and record producer. Hailed in the early stage of his career as a new pop-wunderkind, supported by the certified gold solo double LP Something/Anything? in 1972, Todd Rundgren's career has produced a diverse range of recordings...
: Lead GuitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
and Lead Vocals - Tony SalesTony Sales|Tony Fox Sales is an American rock musician. A bass guitarist, Sales and his brother, Hunt Sales, played with Todd Rundgren, Iggy Pop and Tin Machine with David Bowie.-Early life and career:...
: Bass GuitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and Backing Vocals - Hunt SalesHunt SalesHunt Sales is an American rock and roll drummer who has played with Todd Rundgren, his brother Tony Sales, Iggy Pop and Tin Machine.- Personal life : Hunt Sales is the son of 1950s/60s television comedian Soupy Sales...
: Drum KitDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
and Percussion - Dave Mason (Keyboardist): Keyboards
- Jean-Yves Labat "M Frog": Rhythm GuitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
Utopia 1974
- Todd Rundgren
- Kevin Ellman
- Moogy KlingmanMoogy KlingmanMark "Moogy" Klingman was an American musician and songwriter. He was a founding member of Todd Rundgren's musical team Utopia, and later became a solo recording artist, bandleader and songwriter...
- M. Frog Labat:
- Ralph SchuckettRalph SchuckettRalph Schuckett is an American keyboardist, songwriter, record producer and TV/film composer. He played with Clear Light 1966-68, The Peanut Butter Conspiracy 1968 to 1970, Jo Mama 1969-72, Carole King 1969-1972, Lou Reed 1972-73, Todd Rundgren and Utopia 1972-75, and, as a studio musician in...
- John Siegler
Utopia 1975
- Todd Rundgren
- Willie Wilcox
- Moogy Klingman
- Roger Powell
- Ralph Schuckett
- John Siegler
Utopia late 1975
- Todd Rundgren
- Willie Wilcox
- Roger Powell
- John Siegler
Utopia 1976-1986, 1992
- Todd Rundgren
- Roger Powell
- Kasim SultonKasim SultonKasim Sulton is an American bass guitarist, keyboardist, and vocalist. Best known for his work with Utopia, Sulton sang lead on 1980's "Set Me Free," Utopia's only top 40 hit in the United States...
- Willie Wilcox
NOTE: In 1982, bassist Doug Howard briefly replaced Kasim Sulton and co-wrote three of Utopia's songs.
Utopia 2011
- Todd Rundgren
- Kevin Ellman
- Moogy KlingmanMoogy KlingmanMark "Moogy" Klingman was an American musician and songwriter. He was a founding member of Todd Rundgren's musical team Utopia, and later became a solo recording artist, bandleader and songwriter...
- Ralph SchuckettRalph SchuckettRalph Schuckett is an American keyboardist, songwriter, record producer and TV/film composer. He played with Clear Light 1966-68, The Peanut Butter Conspiracy 1968 to 1970, Jo Mama 1969-72, Carole King 1969-1972, Lou Reed 1972-73, Todd Rundgren and Utopia 1972-75, and, as a studio musician in...
- John Siegler
- Kasim SultonKasim SultonKasim Sulton is an American bass guitarist, keyboardist, and vocalist. Best known for his work with Utopia, Sulton sang lead on 1980's "Set Me Free," Utopia's only top 40 hit in the United States...
- Jesse Gress
Discography
The discography of AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band Utopia includes ten studio albums, four live albums, four compilations, and three singles that charted on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
Studio albums
| Year | Album information | Chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
U.K. UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
||
| 1974 | Todd Rundgren's Utopia Todd Rundgren's Utopia (album) -Side One:-Side Two:-Personnel:* Todd Rundgren – guitar* Moogy Klingman – keyboards* Ralph Schuckett – keyboards* M. Frog Labat – synthesizers* John Siegler – bass and cello* Kevin Ellman – percussion-Extra Personnel:...
|
34 | – |
| 1976 | Disco Jets
|
– | – |
| 1977 | Ra
|
79 | 27 |
| Oops! Wrong Planet Oops! Wrong Planet -Side two:-Personnel:*Roger Powell: Vocals, Keyboards, Trumpet, Powell Probe*Todd Rundgren: Vocals, Guitar, Saxophone, Production and Engineering*Kasim Sulton: Vocals, Bass Guitar*John "Willie" Wilcox: Vocals, Drums-Charts:Album - Billboard... |
77 | 59 | |
| 1980 | Adventures in Utopia Adventures in Utopia Adventures in Utopia is an album released in 1980 by Todd Rundgren's band, Utopia.-Genre:Mixing rock, pop, disco and progressive rock music styles, Adventures In Utopia achieved predicted success with the band's established fan base and some wider commercial success with the track Set Me Free,... |
32 | 57 |
| Deface the Music Deface the Music Deface the Music is a 1980 album by the band Utopia featuring Todd Rundgren, Roger Powell, Kasim Sulton, and Willie Wilcox. The concept of the album was to pay homage to The Beatles and create songs which sounded very similar to the Fab Four's tunes throughout the various stages of their career... |
65 | – | |
| 1982 | Swing to the Right Swing To The Right Swing to the Right is a Utopia album from 1982. It followed the well-intentioned Beatles parody/homage Deface the Music. Swing to the Right swings into hard-edged commentary on corporate raiders, warmongers, political villains, and despicable music industry moguls... |
102 | – |
| Utopia Utopia (Utopia album) Utopia is the second of two self-titled albums by the rock group Utopia. It was released in 1982 . It was also their only album for Network Records.... Network Records Network Records was a rave music independent record label, based in Birmingham, England, during the late 1980s and mid 1990s.The label concentrated on bringing Garage music to Britain & taking UK House music to a new level as well as playing a massive role in the development of Early Hardcore and... |
84 | – | |
| 1984 | Oblivion Oblivion (Utopia album) Oblivion is an album by the rock group Utopia, released in 1984.-Track listing:#"Itch in My Brain" – 4:30#"Love with a Thinker" – 3:15#"Bring Me My Longbow" – 3:18#"If I Didn't Try" – 4:10#"Too Much Water" – 4:47#"Maybe I Could Change" – 4:08... |
74 | – |
| 1985 | P.O.V.
|
161 | – |
Live albums
- Another LiveAnother Live-Side Two:-Personnel:*Mark "Moogy" Klingman - Harmonica, Glockenspiel, Keyboards, vocals, Korg Synthesizer*Roger Powell - Synthesizer, Trumpet, Keyboards, Vocals, Moog synthesizer*Todd Rundgren - Guitar, Vocals, Producer...
(Bearsville, Warner Bros., 1975) US #66 - Redux '92: Live in JapanRedux '92: Live in Japan-Personnel:*Roger Powell: Vocals, Keyboards, Composer*Todd Rundgren: Vocals, Guitar, Composer, Production and Engineering*Kasim Sulton: Vocals, Bass Guitar, Composer*John "Willie" Wilcox: Vocals, Drums, Composer- External links :* Official Todd Rundgren Site...
(BMG, 1992) - Official Bootleg, Vol. 9: Oblivion Tour (Nippon Crown, 2001)
- Bootleg Series, Vol. 2: KSAN 95FM, Live '79 (Sanctuary, 2002)
Compilation albums
- TriviaTrivia (Utopia album)-Personnel:* Todd Rundgren - vocals, guitar* Kasim Sulton - vocals, bass guitar* Roger Powell - vocals, keyboards* Willie Wilcox - vocals, drums...
(Passport, 1986) - The Collection (Castle, 1988)
- Oblivion, POV & Some TriviaOblivion, POV & Some TriviaOblivion, POV & Some Trivia is a Rhino Records compilation album by Utopia that includes all of the tracks from the original Utopia albums Oblivion and P.O.V., and the song "Man of Action," which was originally the b-side to the U.K. single "Mated" and a bonus track on the cassette and CD versions...
(Rhino, 1996) - City in My Head (Essential Records, 1999)
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US MSR Mainstream Rock Tracks Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue... |
CAN Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
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| 1977 | "Communion with the Sun" | – | – | – | Ra |
| "Love Is the Answer" | – | – | – | Oops! Wrong Planet | |
| 1980 | "Set Me Free" | 27 | – | 55 | Adventures in Utopia |
| "The Very Last Time" | 76 | – | – | ||
| "Second Nature" | – | – | – | ||
| "I Just Want to Touch You" | – | – | – | Deface the Music | |
| 1982 | "One World" | – | – | 34 | Swing to the Right |
| "Lysistrata" | – | – | – | ||
| "Hammer in My Heart" | – | 31 | – | Utopia | |
| 1983 | "Feet Don't Fail Me Now" | 82 | – | – | |
| 1984 | "Crybaby" | – | – | – | Oblivion |
| "Love With a Thinker" | – | – | – | ||
| 1985 | "Mated" | – | – | – | P.O.V. |