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NAZZ

Inspired by a variety of British Invasion groups, from the omnipresent Beatles to cult favorites the Move, Todd Rundgren and his Woody's Truck Stop colleague Carson Van Osten formed the Nazz in 1967. Taking their name from an obscure Yardbirds song, the Nazz were arguably the first Anglophiles in rock history. There had been many groups that drew inspiration from the Beatles and the Stones, but none had been so self-consciously reverent as the Nazz. One of their first singles, "Open My Eyes," twisted the riff from the Who's "I Can't Explain," and much of their music felt like homages to Brit rock from the Kinks to Cream, thereby setting a precedent that was followed by scores of North American guitar pop bands from the Raspberries to Sloan.  Playing lead guitar and bass, respectively, Rundgren and Van Osten were joined by drummer Thom Mooney (formerly of the Munchkins) and lead vocalist/keyboardist Stewkey (born Robert Antoni). The Nazz had their first gig in July 1967, landing an opening slot at a Doors concert.  "NAZZ III"

<reissue, originally published in 1971>

LP     RHINO RECORDS     RNLP 111

PRINTED IN U.S.A.    1984 REPRESSING

SINGLE SLEEVE

HEAVY CARDBOARD COVER

Barcode and Other Identifiers

Barcode: none

LABEL: RHINO  - YELLOW LABEL - BLACK TEXT

Catalog on cover: (front & spine) RNLP 111 

Catalog on labels: RNLP 111 (S-10638) / RNLP 111 (S-10639)

Matrix / Runout (Side A, Etched): RNL-111- SIDE ONE S-10638-  Precision

Matrix / Runout (Side B, Etched): RNLP-111-  SIDE TWO  S-10639-  Precision

On labels: Under license from Arista Records

On Back Cover: Tracklist & Credits

tracklisting

Side A: SOME PEOPLE - ONLY ONE WINNER - KICKS

RESOLUTION - IT'S NOT THAT EASY - OLD TIME LOVEMAKING - MAGIC ME

Side B: LOOSEN UP - TAKE THE HAND - HOW CAN YOU CALL THAT BEAUTIFUL?

PLENTY OF LOVIN' - CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS - YOU ARE MY WINDOW

grading

RECORD NEAR MINT but (please, read above description)

SLEEVE VG+ but (please, see pictures and read above description)

Fungo Bat was scrapped for a variety of reasons, among them Todd Rundgren's insistence on singing lead vocals on his newer songs. Nazz Nazz was released instead, leaving the second half of the proposed LP temporarily in the vaults. Rundgren left the group before it was released. Taking hold of uncontested leadership of the group, lead vocalist Robert "Stewkey" Antoni erased Rundgren's lead vocals, replacing them with his own and releasing the entire project as Nazz III. This is, at the very least, sour grapes, but the situation is made all the more peculiar since much of the material finds Rundgren's songwriting moving toward the signature pop style that dominated his first solo records. Stewkey has publicly stated his distaste for Rundgren's Laura Nyro infatuation, so it's a little odd to hear him sing such finely crafted songs as "Only One Winner" and "Some People." That aside, Nazz III is an impressive effort that, if taken in conjunction, would have resulted in a very good double record. Sure, there's some clutter, but such detours as "Loosen Up," a po-faced parody of Archie Bell & the Drells' "Tighten Up," reveal the snotty side of Rundgren's humor. More importantly, the bulk of the record indicates how rapidly he was developing as a songwriter and a producer. Where he proved himself as a gifted mimic on Nazz, the group's second two albums found him assimilating those influences and developing a signature style. If anything, Nazz III demonstrates that better than its predecessor, which often seemed a little disjointed. There still isn't anything as immediate and indelible as "Open My Eyes," yet the best moments easily provide the road map for Rundgren's solo career. Even if he doesn't sing on it...(AllMusic)