Back to the Bars

Back to the Bars is a live album by American rock musician Todd Rundgren, which was released as a double LP in 1978.

The album was recorded during week-long stints in New York City (The Bottom Line), Los Angeles (The Roxy), and Cleveland (The Agora). The music featured the best of Rundgren's most commercial work spanning seven of the eight solo albums released in the 1970s up to, but not including, his most recent at the time. This effort was in place of rumors of a re-release of his out-of-print first two LPs, Runt, and Runt. The Ballad of Todd Rundgren. The only offering from those were "The Range War", and the bulk of the material came from Something/Anything?, A Wizard, a True Star, Todd, Initiation, and Faithful. The finale included past and present members of Rundgren's Utopia: Roger Powell, Kasim Sulton, Willie Wilcox, John Siegler, Ralph Schuckett and Moogy Klingman. Also joining in were the Hello People: Norman Smart, Greg Geddes, Bobby Sedita, and Larry Tasse. Special guest stars were Rick Derringer, Spencer Davis, Daryl Hall, John Oates, and Stevie Nicks.

Despite a hard push to replicate the success of Frampton Comes Alive!, Back to the Bars did not generate any significant singles or lift for Rundgren.

Track listing

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic

All tracks written by Todd Rundgren; except where indicated.

Side 1
No.	Title	Original release	Length
1.	"Real Man"	Initiation	4:47
2.	"Love of the Common Man"	Faithful	4:25
3.	"The Verb 'To Love'"	Faithful	8:00
4.	"Love in Action"	Oops! Wrong Planet	3:44
5.	"A Dream Goes on Forever"	Todd	2:42

Side 2
No.	Title	Original release	Length
6.	"Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel"	A Wizard, a True Star	4:13
7.	"The Range War"	Runt. The Ballad of Todd Rundgren	2:56
8.	"Black and White"	Faithful	5:34
9.	"The Last Ride"	Todd	6:03
10.	"Cliché"	Faithful	4:12
11.	"Don't You Ever Learn?"	Todd	5:53

Side 3
No.	Title	Original release	Length
12.	"Never Never Land" (Adolph Green, Betty Comden, Jule Styne)	A Wizard, a True Star	2:50
13.	"Black Maria"	Something/Anything?	5:41
14.	"Zen Archer"	A Wizard, a True Star	5:43
15.	"Medley: I'm So Proud (Curtis Mayfield) Ooh Baby Baby (Al Cleveland, Renaldo Benson, Smokey Robinson) La la Means I Love You (Thom Bell, William Hart) I Saw the Light"	A Wizard, a True Star & Something/Anything?	11:09

Side 4
No.	Title	Original release	Length
16.	"It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference"	Something/Anything?	4:27
17.	"Eastern Intrigue"	Initiation	5:43
18.	"Initiation"	Initiation	6:49
19.	"Couldn't I Just Tell You"	Something/Anything?	4:05
20.	"Hello It's Me"	Something/Anything?	4:27

Charts

Chart (1978/79)	Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)	99
Canada RPM Album Chart	64
Billboard Pop Albums	75

Personnel

Sides 1 and 4 (except "Hello It's Me")

Todd Rundgren – lead vocals, guitar, piano on "A Dream Goes on Forever"
Utopia: Roger Powell – keyboards, synthesizers, vocals Kasim Sulton – bass, vocals John Wilcox – drums, vocals

Sides 2 and 3

Todd Rundgren – lead vocals, guitar
Moogy Klingman – piano
John Siegler – bass
John Wilcox – drums, vocals
The Hello People: Greg Geddes – lead, backing vocals Bobby Sedita – rhythm guitar, saxophone, vocals N. D. Smart – drums on "The Range War", vocals Larry Tasse – synthesizer, vocals

Guest artists

Spencer Davis – harmonica on "The Range War"
Ralph Schuckett – organ on "I Saw the Light" Medley
Rick Derringer – guitar on "Hello It's Me"
Stevie Nicks, Daryl Hall, John Oates, Kasim Sulton, Spencer Davis – vocals on "Hello It's Me"

Technical notes

Hipgnosis – sleeve design and photography
Richard Creamer, Chuck Pulin, Kevin and Michael Ricker – live photography
Rob Davis – guitar technician
Paul Lester – liner notes
Tom Edmonds – mixing
Todd Rundgren – production, mixing