Rocker Todd Rundgren's dream of a fan-based patronage system lives

His Web site PATRON.net is going up -- bugs and all -- before the eyes of his (paying) fans. For $25 a year, they'll be able hear Rundgren's latest album as he records it; as songs are created, modified or finished, they'll be posted through streaming audio technology. Subscribers can comment on the songs, but Rundgren said he's under no obligation to take anyone's advice.

PATRON.net is "a whole new economic model," Rundgren said. "Nobody has ever characterized the (musical) product in a way that's unique to the (Internet) medium. As a creator, you can bring your work to people pretty much with minimal overhead."

Although Rundgren is the only artist on PATRON.net, other bands have expressed interest, and Rundgren said labels could also use the technology as a marketing tool. The concept can be previewed at www.tr-i.com/.

MUSIC NOTES (Hollywood Reporter - 665 words -Fri.-Sun., July 25-27, 1997)