Runt

Runt is the first solo album by Todd Rundgren. It peaked at #185 on the Billboard USA charts, and lone single “We Gotta Get You a Woman” was a top 20 hit. The recording has served as somewhat of a template for much of Rundgren’s career, with its variety of musical styles along with Rundgren’s multiple instrument versatility and layered vocals.

After Nazz broke up in 1969, Rundgren signed with Albert Grossman, moved to New York, and began working on production and engineering projects (including The Band’s Stage Fright). For his solo debut as a performer, he began recording in Los Angeles' I.D. Sound, which he had used with his previous band the Nazz. Accompanying Todd were the teenage sons of comedian Soupy Sales, Tony Sales on bass and Hunt Sales (only 14 years old) on drums.

Engineer James Lowe, who had worked with Rundgren in recording the Nazz, shared these observations on the now solo Todd working with the Sales brothers in the LA sessions:

He didn’t seem to have to work Hunt and Tony so much; all you’d have to do was light the fuse and they were gone. Of course, sometimes they would go into the wrong area, but you could always bring ’em back. Thing is, if somebody doesn’t light the fuse in the first place, you can never get it going. I think what I saw in those sessions was Todd being more able to really lead a group. If you go back and listen to it, it’s very sophisticated material, especially for a guy so young.

After the LA sessions, Rundgren returned to New York and recorded three more songs that would appear on the album, including “Once Burned” with Rick Danko and Levon Helm of The Band accompanying on bass and drums, respectively.