This is reminiscent to me of my interest in Yes. It was after Trevor Rabin
joined that I tended to tune in more. Similarly, I loved and was introduced
to Styx (probably at the same time most people outside of Chicago were) when
Tommy Shaw came on board. I went back in the archive to purchase their
earlier material and it didn't work at all for me. Early Yes has a certain
appeal, but not as much as with Rabin on guitar. His later contributions to
Manfred Mann proved the source of my liking.

I don't think there can be any doubt what Kasim brought to the table for
Utopia. They were looking for a bassist (which he wasn't until he auditioned
BTW), and ended up with a talented vocalist, Multi-instrumentalist, and
strong pop-song writer. His SET ME FREE was the biggest hit the band had and
topped some of Todd's solo sales achievements.

It's no wonder after the frustration with Bearsville that he sought out on
his own. But Electra didn't have the muscle (or backing for him as a solo
act) that he needed to break out. Also, I would conjecture that virtually
all of his fans being Utopia fans as well, there was a magnetism back to
fold. People loved Kasim, but as a part of Utopia. No one can say for sure.

In person I have found Kasim to be a little hot or cold depending on the
day. Sometimes he was so aloof I wondered if he gave a sh!t about anything.
Other times (and from other accounts) he's so warm and open and friendly
it's like be welcomed as a member of the family. (I don't know, maybe he
just didn't like me the first time I saw him because I was looking for Todd
and I didn't have a picture of Kasim for him to sign. After that, I always
carried renderings of the whole band.)

One thing that has struck me is if someone as talented, as appealing to the
girls, and active as he is can't make it solo, then it's pretty obvious
having success in the music biz is one of the greatest flukes of all time. I
don't mean to infer that Kaz is not successful--years of tours for everyone
from Meat Loaf, to Joan Jett, to Hall & Oates is proof he is no slouch! But
he never broke out as a solo act despite all he had going for him.

I guess the question is in order to make it, do you have to have a sugar
daddy like an Albert Grossman, Tommy Mottola, or Clive Davis in the
background? Sales and promotion may suck, but I don't think there is any
case to be made against its importance in the scheme of things.

W!B
-----Original Message-----
From: MISRAEL@... [mailto:MISRAEL@...]
Sent: Thursday, April 10, 2003 2:25 PM
To: ToddRundgren-GroknRollUtopia@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [ToddRundgren-GroknRollUtopia] Re: Seal Of Approval from
Kasim!


Some folks are just of the Todd variety, but it was what developed w/
Kasim on bass and vocals that helped me catch the Todd/Utopia bug. When I
look at my history in this area from 1981 on forward, late by Fits
judgement, but still over 2 decades, it is blatant that Kasim was the true
catalyst for my entertainment dollar.

After all that time I got to meet the guy and he was so terriffic as a
performer and as a person that I wanted to contuinue in that Utopian ideal
on his site and simply re-register. I'm really frustrated by getting
bounced, and it's been a very sick week for me. To be honest i should
admit I'm getting frustrated by my job, and that it's dragging me
down.......

I try to be positive, if not sarcastic, and it's genuine, but I'm really
feeling blah this week.......

I've got great things going on but, I want to simply be able to log in
again!!!!

Is that so stinkin' wrong? geez!!

Marc
----- Forwarded by Marc Israel/HNS on 04/10/2003 02:15 PM -----


Marc Israel
04/10/2003 01:54 PM


To: ToddRundgren-GroknRollUtopia@yahoogroups.com
cc:
Subject: Re: [ToddRundgren-GroknRollUtopia] Re: Seal Of
Approval from Kasim!

Frustrated Idiot here still can not find such a button!!




EEEEEJ <no_reply@yahoogroups.com>
04/10/2003 01:48 PM
Please respond to ToddRundgren-GroknRollUtopia


To: ToddRundgren-GroknRollUtopia@yahoogroups.com
cc:
Subject: [ToddRundgren-GroknRollUtopia] Re: Seal Of
Approval from Kasim!


OH Yea, ya gotta sign the user agreement and promise you'll behave
yourself. Click on the "I Agree" to the blah blah blah terms button.
They'll let you in.
EJ

--- In ToddRundgren-GroknRollUtopia@yahoogroups.com, MISRAEL@H...
wrote:
> THAT, I FOUND, BUT THEN I GET THE FOLLOWING:
>
> The Official Kasim Sulton Discussion Forum
> You have elected to not accept our acceptable use policy.
> Please click here to go to the main forum page.
> I SWEAR I DID NOTHINGTO DESERVE THAT REPLY!!!
> Marc
>
>
>
>
>
> EEEEEJ <no_reply@yahoogroups.com>
> 04/10/2003 01:34 PM
> Please respond to ToddRundgren-GroknRollUtopia
>
>
> To: ToddRundgren-GroknRollUtopia@yahoogroups.com
> cc:
> Subject: [ToddRundgren-GroknRollUtopia] Re: Seal Of
Approval from Kasim!
>
>
> Sure Marc, while I'm sitting here thinking of the number for 911
for
> Tom, I can help ya with that.
> Click on the message board link at Kas's main page menu up top and
> when the page opens, lok on the top right corner; in tiny size 1
> arial font it says on the link:
> "First time visitor? Please Register"
>
> So there it is...
> EJ
> --- In ToddRundgren-GroknRollUtopia@yahoogroups.com, MISRAEL@H...
> wrote:
> > EEEEJ,
> >
> > I'm not able to get back in to kasim discussion borad, any clue
on
> how to
> > re-register?
> >
> > Marc
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> ToddRundgren-GroknRollUtopia-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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