Rocker Todd Rundgren teases new star-studded album ahead of Burnsville concert

In his long career, rocker Todd Rundgren has been a hit singer ("Hello It's Me," "I Saw the Light"), hip producer (New York Dolls, Patti Smith, XTC), hit producer (Grand Funk Railroad, Meat Loaf), all-star (Ringo Starr & the All-Starr Band) and replacement (the New Cars).

He also proved himself an innovator, pioneering quadraphonic sound in concert, experimenting with music videos early on, and offering subscribers exclusive music via the internet.

This month, Rundgren will try something new: commencement speaker.

And at Boston's Berklee College of Music, no less, where he will receive an honorary doctorate alongside Lionel Richie. Rundgren also will receive a similar honor this month from Indiana's DePauw University, where he has lectured previously.

"I have to dress up and speak to both graduating classes," said Rundgren, 68, who will perform Tuesday at Ames Center in Burnsville. "At this moment, I don't know which speech I'm giving at either. These things are usually about elderly advice tainted by my own personal experience. I have no problem going off the cuff but I want to do something that's germane. It's pretty ironic that I'm lecturing at colleges and I've never been to college myself."

In concert, the soon-to-be-doctor's main milieu, he knows exactly what he'll be doing: new and old material in "a spectacular high-tech setting. It's a big show."

He'll preview his new album, "White Knight," due May 12. It features collaborations with Trent Reznor, Robyn, Joe Walsh, Donald Fagen, Bettye LaVette and Daryl Hall, among others.

"I've been making my records solo because I live so remotely in Kaua'i island that it was hard to just get people to drop in," he said. "So I decided to call collaborators to work with. These things were remote collaborations."

In other words, Rundgren wasn't in the same studio with the other artists.

Reznor had asked Rundgren to do a remix of a Nine Inch Nails record a few years ago. "This time I called Trent and explained what I was trying to do," Rundgren explained. "In a couple of days, he sent me about an album's worth of ideas. He does as much soundtrack work as anything these days so he keeps a library of ideas that could turn into elements of a soundtrack. So he gave me a choice."

Rundgren said Hall was the easiest to work with because they've done so much together, dating back to his producing Hall & Oates' "War Babies" album in 1974 and most recently with Rundgren appearing twice on Hall's web show "Live From Daryl's House."

Rundgren has known guitarist Walsh since they toured together in Starr's All-Starr Band in 1993. In December, Walsh received an award from the EMP museum in Seattle and Rundgren was asked to participate in the ceremony. They also talked music.

"He had this track that he'd never been able to finish," Rundgren said. "He sent it to me and fresh ears gave him an idea of what to do with it."

This fall, Rundgren will hit the road again with ex-Beatle Starr and the latest incarnation of his All-Starr Band, Rundgren's sixth consecutive outing with this ensemble.

"It's become everybody's second home," Rundgren said. "It used to be he'd put a different lineup every time. Back in 2011, he put this lineup together and it was the first time the musicians clicked with each other. He doesn't audition for the All-Starrs. Only thing required is that you've had three hit records sometime in your career and are prepared to play those. The problem is sometimes those musicians can only play their songs. And there was never a psychological evaluation involved so sometimes you end up with people who have some social issues."

Now Starr is super-organized. Said Rundgren: "By the time we get to one tour, Ringo is already starting to plan another one."

Other projects in Rundgren's life are less certain. For instance, the theatrical musical of Meat Loaf's "Bat Out of Hell." Rundgren produced the original album.

"I've heard that may be in rehearsal," he said with uncertainty. "It's been such chaos for years and years and years. They said they wanted me to be the choirmaster and attend rehearsals. It was supposed to premiere in Toronto. It was supposed to premiere in London. There were announcements in the paper with my name attached to them. I heard they're actually in production and nobody's called me. I had agreed to do it at one point but at this point I don't know that I have any time to do it."

Rundgren has started a project with fellow Philadelphia-launched musicians, hip-hop band the Roots, best known as the house band on "The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon."

"We got about one-third of the record recorded," Rundgren explained. "Everybody's gotten busy with other projects. It's not under any timetable. It's the least priority. It's old-school R&B-ish direction with some weird lyrics. Not your typical 'Hey, baby I love you,' 'you broke my heart.' "

What's certain is that Rundgren will not reconvene anytime soon with Utopia, his on-again, off-again prog-rock group, for an album or a tour.

"It's not going to happen," he said with a sigh in his voice. "We can't even get through the talks without somebody not getting on the page for whatever reason. Sometimes it's for good reason. At this point, there is nothing in the future for Utopia."

Twitter: @Jon Bream • 612-673-1719