Editing Todd Rundgren (section)

===As a producer===

{{Quote box
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|quote=If it weren't for my musical career, I probably would have ended up attending college to become a computer programmer.
| source=—Todd Rundgren{{sfn|Myers|2010|pp=35, 295}}
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}}

Comparisons are sometimes drawn between Rundgren and producer/artists Brian Wilson and [[Brian Eno]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lester |first1=Paul |author2=Hot Chip |author-link1=Paul Lester |author-link2=Hot Chip |title=That's one potent hot toddy |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/jul/25/popandrock.toddrundgren |website=[[The Guardian]] |date=July 24, 2008}}</ref> Biographer [[Paul Myers (musician)|Paul Myers]] attributes the recording studio to be Rundgren's "[[recording studio as an instrument|ultimate instrument]]".{{sfn|Myers|2010|p=17}} Rundgren acknowledged that, in the case of his own records, he does not think "as a producer", but uses the studio to "assist in creating a performance".{{sfn|Myers|2010|p=47}} His recording processes continued in the same tradition as multitrack recording innovator [[Les Paul]] as well as the studio experiments of the Beatles and the Beach Boys.{{Sfn|Myers|2010|pp=17–18}}

According to biographer Myers, Rundgren himself came to inspire "a generation of self-contained geniuses like [[Prince (musician)|Prince]] ... Ironically, some of his innovations would come to liberate the recording artist in such a way as to lessen the perceived value, or need, for a record producer at all."{{Sfn|Myers|2010|p=18}}{{refn|group=nb|A popular rumor is that Prince, before achieving fame, would attend Rundgren's concerts and attempt to meet him backstage.<ref name="UCR18"/><ref name="lesterTR">{{cite news |last1=Lester |first1=Paul |author-link1=Paul Lester |title=Todd Rundgren: 'Every once in a while I took a trip and never came back' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2013/may/01/todd-rundgren-interview |access-date=December 16, 2018 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=May 1, 2013}}</ref>}} Rundgren's influence is also cited to [[Hall & Oates]], [[Björk]] and [[Daft Punk]].<ref name="UCR18"/><ref name="HoF2018">{{cite web|url=https://www.rockhall.com/nominee/todd-rundgren|year=2018|title=Todd Rundgren|website=[[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]]}}</ref> ''Slate'' writer Marc Weingarten identified ''A Cappella'' as the precedent for Björk's "all vocals, all the time" experiment ''[[Medúlla]]'' (2004) and said that, overall, "The two [artists] share more common ground than their fans might think."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Weingarten |first1=Marc |title=Bjork, Meet Todd Rundgren |url=https://slate.com/culture/2004/09/bjork-meet-todd-rundgren.html |website=Slate |date=September 14, 2004}}</ref>

Rundgren's production work for other artists were largely one-off affairs. Exceptions were [[Grand Funk Railroad]], [[the New York Dolls]], [[the Tubes]], [[Hello People]], and [[the Pursuit of Happiness (band)|the Pursuit of Happiness]].{{sfn|Myers|2010|p=18}} He described his typical function as being a "'songcraft' agitator". In cases where the act's songs were unfinished, he would complete them and decline a writer's credit.{{sfn|Myers|2010|pp=47, 257}} Some of his collaborators frequently characterize him as a "genius", but also "sarcastic" and "aloof".{{sfn|Myers|2010|pp=18–19}}{{refn|group=nb|For example, [[Greg Graffin]] of [[Bad Religion]] recalled for the sessions of ''[[The New America]]'' (2000): "Most producers suck your dick. ... That's why most records suck: You're not challenged. But we were legitimately challenged. He would be very honest. We got along great. He had a sharp tongue, and so do I."{{sfn|Myers|2010|pp=18–19}} Conversely, Ev Olcutt of [[12 Rods]] remembered that on ''[[Separation Anxieties]]'' from the same year, "All he would do was press the 'record' button and go back to doing crossword puzzles. Some of those songs are good, but Todd Rundgren did the absolute worst job possible with that record."<ref>{{cite web|date=January 11, 2015|title=10 years later, 12 Rods is back|website=[[Star Tribune]]|url=http://www.startribune.com/10-years-later-12-rods-is-back/287990711/}}</ref> Waymon Boone, frontman of the band Splender, recounted the time when Todd produced their album "Halfway Down the Sky" in 1999 on the Rundgren Radio Show in a 2010 interview. Boone went on to say that working with Rundgren was a nightmare, and that he would constantly leave early, not give any feedback during recordings, and once they'd run through a song, he'd tell them it was "fine" and would want them to move onto the next song. Boone even recounted at one point having to restrain himself from punching Rundgren in the face.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rundgren Radio with Waymon Boone by Todd Rundgren Talk Radio • A podcast on Anchor|url=https://anchor.fm/rundgrenradio/episodes/Rundgren-Radio-with-Waymon-Boone-ejfnd4|access-date=October 15, 2020|website=Anchor|language=en}}</ref>
}} His most notorious production was for [[XTC]]'s 1986 album ''[[Skylarking]]'', known for the creative tensions and disagreements that arose during its sessions.{{sfn|Myers|2010|p=19}} The album is sometimes regarded as both the pinnacle of Rundgren's production career and of the career of XTC.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Mendehlson|first1=Jason|last2=Klinger|first2=Eric|title=XTC's 'Skylarking'|url=http://www.popmatters.com/post/192717-counterbalance-xtcs-skylarking/|website=[[PopMatters]]|date=April 24, 2015}}</ref> He commented that, in spite of the turmoil surrounding its making, the record "ultimately ... sounds like we were having a great time doing it. And at times we ''were'' having a good time."<ref name="Parker2016">{{cite news|last1=Parker|first1=Adam|title=Rundgren still bangs the drum all day Rock and roll titan to play at Music Hall|url=http://www.postandcourier.com/features/arts_and_travel/rundgren-still-bangs-the-drum-all-day-rock-and-roll/article_7b358388-63b5-5e1d-bdbc-02afdcdee8a2.html|newspaper=[[The Post and Courier]]|date=February 6, 2016}}</ref> All three members expressed admiration for the end product.{{sfn|Myers|2010|p=19}}