Nazz (album)

Nazz
Studio album by Nazz
Released	October 1968
Recorded	April 1968
Genre	Psychedelic rock Garage rock
Length	38:13 (Original LP) 1:17:19 (Sanctuary reissue)
Label	SGC Records SD 5001 Rhino Records
Producer	Michael Friedman
Nazz chronology
Nazz (1968) Nazz Nazz (1969)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Nazz is the debut album by psychedelic rock group the Nazz. Released in 1968, the album influenced glam rock and power pop artists such as David Bowie and Big Star.

The track "Open My Eyes" has been said to be the inspiration behind one of the earliest songs written by KISS, "Love Her All I Can", a song originally intended for the pre-KISS band Wicked Lester. The song would appear on the 1975 KISS album Dressed to Kill. "Open My Eyes" was accompanied by a promo video, directed by Ray Dennis Steckler. The Nazz album cover is also rumored to have inspired that of KISS' debut as well as Queen's Queen II.

The album also featured the original version of what would become frontman Todd Rundgren's signature song, "Hello It's Me", which Rundgren himself would re-record several years later as a solo single for his concept album, Something/Anything?.

Nazz peaked at #118 on Billboard's Pop Albums chart, while the original "Hello It's Me" single peaked at #66 on the Pop Singles chart.

The album was remastered and rereleased in 2006 with bonus tracks by Sanctuary Records Group.

Track listing

Side 1

1. "Open My Eyes" (Rundgren) – 2:48
2. "Back of Your Mind" (Rundgren) – 3:48
3. "See What You Can Be" (Rundgren) – 3:00
4. "Hello It's Me" (Rundgren) – 3:57
5. "Wildwood Blues" (Mooney/Rundgren/Stewkey/Van Osten) – 4:39

Side 2

1. "If That's the Way You Feel" (Rundgren) – 4:49
2. "When I Get My Plane" (Rundgren) – 3:08
3. "Lemming Song" (Rundgren) – 4:26
4. "Crowded" (Mooney/Stewkey) – 2:20
5. "She's Goin' Down" (Rundgren) – 4:58

2006 Reissue CD Bonus Track (Sanctuary Records)

11. "Nazz Radio Commercials" - 3:02
12. "Train Kept A-Rollin'" (album outtake) (Tiny Bradshaw, Howard Kay, Lois Mann) - 3:22
13. "Magic Me" (pre-LP audition tape) - 2:47
14. "See What You Can Be" (pre-LP audition tape) - 2:52
15. "Hello It's Me" (demo) - 3:51
16. "Crowded" (demo) - 2:48
17. "Open My Eyes" (non-phased demo) - 2:40
18. "Lemming Song" (demo) - 4:04
19. "The Nazz Are Blue" (live) (Jeff Beck, Keith Relf, Paul Samwell-Smith, Chris Dreja, Jim McCarty) - 3:47
20. "Why Is It Me?" (early version of "Lemming Song" by Woody's Truck Stop) - 3:09
21. "Hello It's Me" (mono single mix) - 4:06
22. "Open My Eyes" (mono single mix) - 2:05

Personnel

Nazz

• Robert "Stewkey" Antoni - Keyboards, Vocals
• Thom Mooney - Drums
• Todd Rundgren - Guitar, Vocals, String Arrangements, Mixing
• Carson Van Osten - Bass, Vocals

Production

• Joel Brodsky - Photography
• Michael Friedman - Producer, Photography
• Chris Huston - Associate Producer
• Bill Inglot - Remastering, Digital Remastering
• Jon Landau - Liner Notes
• Ken Perry - Remastering, Digital Remastering
• Bill Traut - Producer

Cover versions

Todd Rundgren later recorded a solo version of "Hello It's Me". The song was also covered by The Isley Brothers later in the 1970s. It was later covered by Groove Theory for their eponymous album in 1995. It was also covered by neo-soul artist John Legend in the mid 2000s. Australian rock group You Am I covered Open My Eyes at selected gigs in late 2009 with Davey Lane taking the lead vocal.

References

1. ^ Allmusic review