''Utopia'' is the second of two self-titled albums by the rock group

Utopia A utopia ( ) typically describes an imaginary community or society that possesses highly desirable or nearly perfect qualities for its members. It was coined by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book ''Utopia (book), Utopia'', describing a fictional ...

(the other being ''

Todd Rundgren's Utopia Utopia was an American rock band formed in 1973 by Todd Rundgren. During its first three years, the group was a progressive rock band with a somewhat fluid membership known as Todd Rundgren's Utopia. Most of the members in this early incarnat ...

''). It was released in 1982 (see 1982 in music). It was also their only album for

Network Records Network Records (formed out of Kool Kat Records) was an independent record label founded in Birmingham, England, in 1988 by Neil Rushton and Dave Barker. It was instrumental in first introducing Detroit techno to a British audience, through it ...

. During the composing phase of this album,

Kasim Sulton Kasim Sulton (born December 8, 1955) is an American bass guitarist, keyboardist and vocalist. Best known for his work with Utopia, Sulton sang lead on 1980's "Set Me Free," Utopia's only top 40 hit in the United States. As a solo artist, Sulton ...

had left to pursue a solo career, and

Doug Howard Douglas Lynn Howard (born February 6, 1948) is a former professional baseball player who played both infield and outfield positions. Howard played college baseball for the BYU Cougars. Ernest L. Wilkinson and Leonard J. Arrington, ed., ''Bri ...

from the band

Touch In physiology, the somatosensory system is the network of neural structures in the brain and body that produce the perception of touch ( haptic perception), as well as temperature ( thermoception), body position (proprioception), and pain. It ...

was brought in on bass. Howard co-wrote two songs on the album, "Feet Don’t Fail Me Now" and "I’m Looking at You But I’m Talking to Myself". These songs are credited to "Utopia and Doug Howard" on the finished album. Howard stepped aside when Sulton decided to return, had no further involvement with the group, and was not featured in the album's cover photo. Videos and singles were released for "Feet Don't Fail Me Now" and "Hammer in My Heart". Footage for "Hammer in My Heart" was recorded live on August 18, 1982, at MTV's official first-birthday celebration hosted by VeeJay

Nina Blackwood Nina Blackwood is an American disc jockey and music journalist, who was the first of the original five MTV VJs (along with Mark Goodman, J. J. Jackson, Alan Hunter, and Martha Quinn). She has been an actress and model. Early life and career Bl ...

. The song peaked at #31 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart. Both were featured on the VHS video release "The Utopia Sampler" nominated in 1983 for a Grammy for Best Short Form Video. The original vinyl LP was released as a three-sided set of two 12" discs - the third side including five additional songs. It was then released as a single LP with the five additional songs on the included two-sided EP. Then as a single LP with an included five-song 45. The later CD releases simply include the five bonus tracks as part of the complete album (raising the song total from 10 to 15) with no mention of their origin on the bonus EP. In Europe, the EP was pressed as a 7" with the five songs split between the two sides; elsewhere, the EP was pressed as a 12" with all five songs repeated on both sides of the EP.

Track listing (Vinyl)

BMI credits all songs to Powell/Rundgren/Sulton/Wilcox except: *"Feet Don’t Fail Me Now" and "I’m Looking at You But I’m Talking to Myself": Howard/Powell/Rundgren/Wilcox *"Libertine", "Bad Little Actress", "Princess of the Universe" and "Infrared and Ultraviolet": Powell/Rundgren/Wilcox

Side 1

#"Libertine" (lead vocal: Sulton) #"Bad Little Actress" (lead vocal: Rundgren/Sulton) #"Feet Don’t Fail Me Now" (lead vocal on verses: Powell) #"Neck On Up" (lead vocal: Wilcox; bridge vocal Powell) #"Say Yeah" (lead vocals: Rundgren/Sulton)

Side 2

#"Call It What You Will" (lead vocal: Sulton) #"I’m Looking at You But I’m Talking to Myself" (lead vocal: Rundgren) #"Hammer in My Heart" (lead vocal: Rundgren) #"Burn Three Times" (lead vocal: Powell) #"There Goes My Inspiration" (lead vocal: Rundgren/Sulton)

Side 3 (and later a Bonus EP (unlisted on album sleeve))

#"Princess of the Universe" (lead vocal: Wilcox) #"Infrared and Ultraviolet" (lead vocals: Rundgren/Sulton) #"Forgotten But Not Gone" (lead vocals: Rundgren/Sulton) #"Private Heaven" (lead vocal: Sulton) #"Chapter and Verse" (lead vocal: Rundgren)

CD Track listing

#"Libertine" #"Bad Little Actress" #"Feet Don’t Fail Me Now" #"Neck On Up" #"Say Yeah" #"Call It What You Will" #"I’m Looking at You But I’m Talking to Myself" #"Hammer In My Heart" #"Burn Three Times" #"There Goes My Inspiration" #"Princess of the Universe" #"Infrared and Ultraviolet" #"Forgotten But Not Gone" #"Private Heaven" #"Chapter and Verse" #"Hammer In My Heart (Dance Mix) (only available on 2000 CD reissue by

Unidisc Music Unidisc Music is a Canadian independent record label. The label is known for releasing rare music, that was made between the mid-1960s and late 1980s. Genres include rock, electronic, funk, soul, hip hop, jazz, reggae, Latin, disco and a cappel ...

)

Personnel

Todd Rundgren Todd Harry Rundgren (born June 22, 1948) is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, multimedia artist, sound engineer and record producer who has performed a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of the band Ut ...

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...

and

vocals Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...

* Roger Powell -

keyboards Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Musi ...

and vocals *

- bass and vocals * John "Willie" Wilcox -

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...

and vocals *

- bass and vocals

Charts

Album -

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

References

{{Authority control 1982 albums Todd Rundgren albums Albums produced by Todd Rundgren Utopia (band) albums Epic Records albums Rhino Records albums