FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contacts: Henry Eshelman/Ken Schramm 310.277.6200/fax: 310.277.8260; e-mail henryvic@ix.netcom.com TODD RUNDGREN AND HOUSE OF BLUES NEW MEDIA CO-HOST TR-i MULTIMEDIA EXPO AT HOUSE OF BLUES SUNSET STRIP JUNE 12 Expo Precedes Todd's 2-Day Stand at House of Blues June 12-13 Coincides with CD+-Only Release of New Album The Individualist Apple Computer, ION, CompuServe, Electronic Arts, Philips Interactive, and Time Warner Full Service Network Among Companies Represented Los Angeles (June 2, 1995) --Multimedia pioneer and legendary rock & roll artist Todd Rundgren (a.k.a. TR-i), announced that he and House of Blues New Media would co-host his multimedia press conference, the TR-i Expo, at the House of Blues in West Hollyw ood on Monday, June 12. Taking place from 11:00AM to 4:00PM PDT at the Sunset Strip venue, the event will precede Rundgren's two-day concert stint at House of Blues the evenings of June 12 and 13. The House of Blues is located at 8430 Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood. Rundgren recently announced the release of his new album The Individualist on the CD+ format only via an exclusive licensing arrangement with ION, a Navarre-distributed interactive CD label. So far, six companies, all of whom have multimedia relationships with TR-i, will be discussing and demonstrating their work with Todd Rundgren at the Expo at House of Blues. Apple Computer. Rundgren has been an Apple Computer developer for over sixteen years; the company's Powerbook remains one of his very few hardware endorsements. At the Expo, Apple Computer will demonstrate its QuickTime VR technology for the video conten t of Todd's CD+, as well as the QuickTime VR movie of the walk-through of the House of Blues. Apple Computer will also show last year's MTV/VH-1 television commercial featuring Todd, and will distribute reprints of Todd's award-winning print ad for the Po werbook. CompuServe. Todd has just signed an agreement to become CompuServe's official interactive music consultant. His own CompuServe forum debuts June 1; the service will carry the day's proceedings online. Electronic Arts and Phillips Interactive. Electronic Arts and Phillips Interactive distributed the audio-only interactive versions of Todd Rundgren's last album, 1993's award-winning No World Order, for the Mac, Windows, and CD-i platforms. They will be demonstrating the new architecture TR-i has designed for the next generation of interactive audio albums. The companies will simultaneously release audio only, CD-ROM versions of The Individualist in Fall 1995. ION. ION will distribute The Individualist in the CD+ format only (audio CD players can access the redbook audio, while CD-ROM drives will be able to access the disc's "enhanced content" of video, images and text). The Individualist will be released June12. Time Warner Full-Service Network. TR-i is developing an interactive music-on- demand channel, which will debut in late Fall 1995 on the Time Warner Full Service Network, which launched its test-market in the Orlando, Florida area last December. TR-i will be demonstrating a prototype application which will utilize both Todd's music and the music of other artists being licensed to participate in the FSN/TR-i Channel. "There was so much going on, it just made sense to organize it all for the media under one roof," said Rundgren. "We are delighted to be working with the House of Blues on the Expo, as we feel it is the model multimedia venue." HOB Entertainment, Inc. formed House of Blues New Media in June 1994 to spearhead the company's entree into interactive entertainment and electronic publishing driven by the new technologies. The division reinforces the company's commitment to foster rac ial harmony and preserve the influence of the blues in American culture. In advance of the TR-i Expo, anyone can visit the temporary TR-i World Wide Web site, which will be in operation the week of May 15. The Web site was produced by Todd Rundgren, Charles Como of underground.net and Marc Schiller, Vice President of House of Blues New Media. The address: http://www.underground.net/TR-i. House of Blues New Media's work on the Internet is dedicated to highlighting the creative talented musicians and affiliated artists worldwide, and has quickly set a standard in what the artistic community can achieve on the Net. Starting June 1, CompuServe subscribers can access the TR-i Forum. During the Expo, Todd will make himself available to journalists all over the world. All accredited media worldwide are invited to take part. There will be one-on-one's available, where Todd will personally escort selected members of the press through each area for a demonstration of his involvement with each corporate participant. In addition, the event will be available online through CompuServe, which media can access using software available by ordering the complimentary TR-i CD+ presskit, which also contains a free trial 30-day subscription to CompuServe. In addition, a television crew will follow Todd through the Expo. At pre-arranged times during the day, he will host brief, impromptu virtual press conferences, uplinking a live video signal as well as text-based data to the Internet via the House of Blues' hardwired ISDN and T1 lines. CU-see-me capable media with 28.8 speed modems or ISDN lines can access the visual portion of this material. The TR-i Web site will contain a pointer that will link users to a Cornell University site where they can download CU see-me software for free. Late in the afternoon, following his sound check, Todd and HOB New Media will conduct an open forum with CompuServe on-stage at the House of Blues, available to anyone online. The audio portion of Rundgren's entire concert that evening--a straight-ahead musical affair with a four-piece band--will be available online as well. As a songwriter, recording artist, video pioneer, producer, and computer software developer, Todd Rundgren has made a lasting impact on both the form and content of popular music. Beginning his musical career with the 60's cult band the Nazz, in 1969 he l aunched a solo career which yielded such albums as Runt, Something/Anything? and A Wizard, A True Star, as well as such hit singles as I Saw The Light, Hello It's Me, Can We Still Be Friends? and Bang The Drum. Rundgren began producing bands such as Meat Loaf, XTC, Psychedelic Furs and Cheap Trick before entering the nascent world of music videos in the late 1970's. On May 5, Todd was presented the 1995 Berkeley Lifetime Achievement Award along with fellow recipients Robert Altman, Maya Angelou, Aretha Fr anklin, David Hockney, Liza Minelli and Brian Wilson. Rundgren hosts a weekly radio show, "The Difference With Todd Rundgren," syndicated nationally to more than 35 major US markets by United Stations. As a groundbreaking multimedia artist, in 1978 Rundgren performed the first live interactive television concert, later creating the first digital paint program for PC's, which was licensed to Apple Computer. In 1982, he performed the first live national cablecast of a rock concert. In 1993, TR-i created and produced the world's first interactive audio-only CD-ROM project No World Order, which was licensed to Philips Interactive Media and Electronic Arts and released simultaneously with a traditional lin ear version of the album. No World Order won 1994's "Best Interactive Disc of the Year" Award from Video Magazine. Media Note: while the supply of TR-i electronic press kits with the complimentary 30-day trial membership in CompuServe is fairly bountiful, the times for in-person one-on-one's is very limited. For these or a personal on-line appointment, please contact this office (TR-i Expo takes place 11:00AM-4:00PM PDT on Monday, June 12): Baker/Winokur/Ryder Public Relations contact: Henry Eshelman or Ken Schramm; voice: 310.277.6200; fax:310.277.8260; e- mail:henryvic@ix.netcom.com.