TRANSCRIPT OF TODD'S VISIT TO "MACPLANET" LAUNCH ON C'SERVE (1/30/96)

Good evening and welcome to "launch week" for CompuServe's MacPlanet 
facility.
My name is Ron Luks and I will be your moderator for tonight's live 
conference with our special guest, Mr. Todd Rundgren.  Also participating 
tonight will be Mike Blackwell, CompuServe's senior manager for 
Mac/MacPlanet products.

I'm honored to introduce tonight's very special guest, Mr. Todd Rundgren.  
I'll start by uploading a short excerpt from his very illustrious 
biography!   Songwriter, video pioneer, producer, recording artist, 
computer software developer, conceptualist, interactive artist, and Music 
In(TR)Action Forum (GO IMUSIC) founder and host.  Mr. Rundgren has made a 
lasting impact on both the form and content of popular music.  It was 
1972's seminal Something/Anything?, on which he played all the 
instruments, sang all the vocal  parts and acted as his own producer, 
that catapulted Rundgren into the superstar limelight.  This was followed 
by such landmark LPs as The Hermit of Mink Hollow, A Wizard, A True Star 
and such hit singles as I Saw The Light, Hello It's Me, Can We Still Be 
Friends? and Bang The Drum.

In 1974 Rundgren formed Utopia, and In 1980, Rundgren directed and 
produced Time Heals, the first music video to utilize compositing of live 
action and computer graphics.  In June 1981, he created the first digital 
paint program for PC's, which was subsequently licensed to Apple 
Computer.  In 1982 he performed the first live national cablecast of a 
rock concert via USA Network.  In November 1995, Rundgren capped his long 
history of multi-media "firsts" by releasing The Individualist, described 
by Rundgren as a "multimedia album."

The Music In(TR)action Forum on CompuServe (hosted by Todd) is designed 
to serve as a central repository for people to explore and engage in the  
genre known as "interactive music" -- and serves as a one-stop-shopping 
resource for consumers, artists, and music industry professionals alike.  
GO IMUSIC.

Todd.... Would you like to make any opening statement or jump right into 
questions? ga

TR-i: That flat tax will solve everything. Next question.

COOL JERK asks: Todd, Are you strictly from Hawaii now?

TR-i: Not yet from Hawaii, but yes I'm engaging in a grand experiment in 
remote connectivity.  

COOL JERK asks: Are you comihg out with a new  cd shortly or what's up? 

TR-i: The next'CD' project will probably involve interactive music 
versions of the current CD and some old albums combined into an 
extravaganza of recontextualization.

Ron Luks: Todd-- You are a disk jockey as well as all the other endeavors 
listed in the intro.  We hear you are planning to take your show on the 
internet.  What technology will it use?

TR-i: Im' not the ultimate arbiter of when and how The Difference will 
make it's cyberspace debut. There is the issue of how the current 
ether-style broadcasters will respond to the concept.  Me, I'm up for 
anything.

THORIFSGIN asks: any thoughts on producing an interactive cd with some of 
the old stuff (i.e. Something/Anything or Todd)?

TR-i: Yep.  In fact, I'm in the process of remixing all my old albums for 
interactive purposes.

COOL JERK asks: Todd,are you the founder of the Residents?

TR-i: A blood oath prevents me from revealing anything about the 
Residents.

COOL JERK: Gingerbread man you tell me!!!!!

Kelly Norris:   With interaction happening daily in the Imusic forum, are 
there any plans to interact with the forum contributions via midi files? 
Specifically the Interactive music projects?

Ron Luks-2: Go ahead kelly.

Kelly Norris: ok..here we go again...with the imusic forum getting alot 
of involvement in interactive midi projects..is there a chance you may 
join in either as a sounding board or contributor?

Chef Norm: Unmask The Residents. TR-i!!!

TR-i: I think I'd like to be a contributor...being a sounding board is a 
job.

Kelly Norris: cool..we would welcome that!

TR-i: I found someMIDI fragments that didn't get used.  All I have to do 
is clean them up and they are ripe for the plundering.

MikesPOV: What operating system do see as the most viable for future use, 
I know people running Windows NT on Power Macs and say it's great!

TR-i: It would be great to go back and forth between OS's.

Randy Hall: it will change the face of the microprocessor industry.  What 
types
of interactive options will be available, and does it require hooking 
your computer to your cable box?

TR-i: We're starting to cultivate a 'unified feild theory' of content so 
that sources from different locations and of different formats can be 
integrated into a seamless presentation.  The world is our oyster.

Larry E. Brooks: 1st, I agree with Kell, 2nd any new video projects in 
the works?

TR-i: There is a tape of the interactive live show recorded in England 
and to be released in the spring in Japan.   Beyond that, no big plans.  
(Ed. note -- I will confirm details on this for everyone separately -- 
Kelli).

Marrinan:  Todd any suggestions for Apple?

TR-i: Get out of the hardware business.

Ron Luks-2: ouch!

Randy Brown asks: Any news on your book with David Levine "Music For the 
Eye"?

TR-i: If ApoIt's being printed in Singapore as we speak.   In stores 
around April.
(Ed. note -- I will also have more specifics to share on this very soon 
-- Kelli).

THORIFSGIN asks: having a ten year investment in ibm hardware and 
software, should I continue to upgrade, or do you see a central cpu 
server with millions of terminals in the future ?

TR-i: That's a very good question.  Anyone who isn't developing content 
(just consuming content) won't need the continual influx of upgrades and 
cycle hypes, unless of course, everyone wants HDTV and THX sound.  Then 
you may still need a few upgrades

Ron (Moderator) asks: Could you comment on the very debated question 
regarding "converting or porting" content to cyberspace vs creating new 
content strictly for cyberspace?

TR-i: Three words: new, newer, newest.

Chef Norm asks: Why do you release new projects in Japan first? 

TR-i: It's the only place I still have a recording contract...(one album 
to go).

Chef Norm: Asmall problem with your distribution...

Marrinan:  Todd, Any suggestions for Apple?

TR-i: Get out of the software business.

WSPanic: What Web sites do you recommend?

TR-i: I'm not a web addict, but I hear tribal.com and the Church of the 
Subgenius site
hold great promise.

Chef Norm: When is your new website going to be up and running?

TR-i: We're plotting the Web revolution at this very moment.  Although we 
will take our usual oblique approach.  Look for something new in about a 
month.  I mean REALLY new.

Cathy Lee B: Do you see the Imusic Forum evolving into what you'd hoped 
for (repository, etc.) or getting stuck in the TR-i fan mode?

TR-i: Re IMUSIC, whatever designs I or C'serve have about the forum, it 
has to take on the character of the people who actually spend time there.  
I'm not interested in institutions, more interested in revolutions.

Ron Luks-2: In other words, the users will shape Imusic not the host?

Chef Norm: And there are some real characters in Imusic.

TR-i: Consider me a loss-leader.

Kelly Norris:  Todd, since I understand you can't read music....where did 
you pick up the style you have? The cool chord progressions and 
all...That just doesn't happen..what influences got you there? Did you 
just hack away or what? Who showed you the ropes?

TR-i: I think my first big pop music influence (from a compositional 
standpoint) was Burt Bacharach.  That must be the source of the tonality.  
I picked up piano dicking around in the auditorium after school.

THORIFSGIN asks: what do you consider to be your greatest achievement ?

TR-i: My mystery achievement.

Ron Luks-2: one last question before we start to wrap this up:?

Kelly Norris:  When will you have time to contribute to the interactive 
music experiment?

TR-i: Kelly, you're getting very personal.

Kelly Norris: putting you on the spot..sorry

TR-i: No prob with Bob (Dobbs).

Kelly Norris: thanks TR..The Imusic section is open tonight! Drop in!!

Mike Blackwell [CIS]: Thanks for coming and special thanks to Todd for 
agreeing to be our special guest tonight!

Kelli:  Thanks Ron & Mike -- well done!

TR-i:  Party on! In the Rubber Room in the IMUSIC forum!

Chef Norm:  I'm bouncing off the walls already.

TR-i: Bubyeee!

END