The MARK’S VINTAGE VINYL page features something from Mark’s collection of recordings from over the years. Most of it is on vinyl – hence the name – though there will be a few entries from his CDs (remember those?).
Ra, by Utopia
- Second studio album by Utopia, released in 1977.
- Utopia is a progressive rock band with Todd Rundgren as its frontman. Rundgren had established himself with a solo career in the early 70s, particularly with the classic rock standards Hello It’s Me and I Saw the Light. He produced and engineered his own recordings, sometimes producing albums where he played all of the instruments.
- Rundgren’s work evolved into a bigger art rock sound, and he needed accomplished musicians to make it happen. Hence, Utopia was formed. Their second album, Ra, named after the Egyptian god, was supported with a stage show complete with a 22 foot tall pyramid and a golden sphinx.
- The album was moderately successful at best – it peaked at #79 on the Billboard 200 album chart. But I was getting hooked on progressive rock, I was impressed by how “big” this album sounded.
- Here’s my favorite track from the album – Hiroshima. It’s a haunting song about the horror of the atom bomb – “Hiroshima, no one could imagine, not the victors nor the victims, pitiful survivors, nor the pawn of a man who had the button under his hand.”
One of the all-time greats for this old guy! Singring and the Glass Guitar (An Electrified Fairytale)! Sitting in my basement listening with headphones! Them were the days my friends…
Can’t say it made me a diehard Rundgren fan, but a home run for that one for certain!