You know I'm for sure that some people care about how many years some of you have seen Todd. And some people might care how many shows you've seen in those years. And some people might care what songs you've heard over those shows. But I would hope over all this time that some people aren't you and some people aren't me and some people are something I don't ever want to be!
Lose the weak ones so the family might survive. I remember my first show that was in 1974 some 120 shows ago, as if any of that means anything, and as I was going down the stairs at the Masonic Temple, in Detroit that cold March night, some couple coming down the stairs who weren't sure about all that make up and what about those costumes and why did he not save " Hello it's me" for the end of the show and he could have did more off "S/A?". Well OH had moved on and I for one grabbed hold of a multi-colored chap and was along for the ride.
And thru the years this has become common place to hear the disgruntle ones after each show rather if it's the set list, the performance, the whatever, and you know I can respect an alternate point of view but to put it in words you know it has always, how should I say, really PISSED ME OFF!
I remember reading an essay in " the Ikon" years ago called "Why/why not?" That was credited to the wizard where one thing I took away from was a point OH made about how sometimes on stage or recording that he didn't care if he came off like an asshole because no one should ever be afraid to try something new for fear of being an asshole because it's OK to be an asshole. This must be why the man still comes around cause he doesn't hold it against you when you make assholes of yourselves by screaming out request from the audience that you know he's not going play, and if he does you get what you deserve. Once during the summer of '87 at the Park West TR was adjusting a video camera and the crowd started screaming out request, as they usually do and actual had a conversation going on ."Play Hello it's me!" " He won't play it " "He never does!" at this point Todd stopped what he was doing turned to the audience and said in a fatherly way, " Now am I gonna have to stop the car?" I ask you do you know any other artist who would interact with his fans like this!
The point I'm trying to make is that Todd shows are like those tied-dyed or multi print shirts you see at the head shops, back in the day , or Spenser's that say " the defects in this garment are unique and make it one of a kind." That what each and every TR performance is about. And if you didn't hear your song, or your friends were bummed, or you drove too far, as Godd would say " just get over yourselves" Go to the next show, the next tour. Go home get your old records out, rewind your boots, and play that and catch what you think you missed.
I caught a show in St. Paul that TR-i opened for Hall & Oates before he went out on tour with them that summer. And I was thinking well maybe "War Babies" never seen H & O do any of that. But no just OH opening and he had a rare night going from piano to guitar having all kind of trials. Starting and stopping numbers saying " you know what? screw that", jumping back and forth between instruments knocking over his mike stand at one point saying to the crowd " I'm sorry I don't know how much of your money you can get back at this point." And you know what? the people around me loved it. Hell, I thought at that point he was going to become the "Victor Borge" of rock!
Friends and family wonder what's all the fuss? "are we some kind of lovers?" and fans ask would you go see every tour? My response is that if Todd wanted to come out and bang on a "tinker toy" piano for three hours I'd be there. ( So if that's the next tour you know who to thank.) So cut the man some slack if you haven't figured out the program by now you never will. You know love owns us all, time owns us all, life owns us all, but "we" don't own Todd.
Enjoy the shows while they're here and take away from them the Sweeter Memories, even if you didn't hear it played.
Tony Burdgick
P.S. Oh, bye the way, it's Black MARIA!
