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 | ||||
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| Singles from Nazz | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
Nazz is the self-titled debut album by psychedelic rock group Nazz. Released in 1968, the album heavily 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 famous double 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
All songs written by Todd Rundgren, except where noted.
Side one
- "Open My Eyes" – 2:48
- "Back of Your Mind" – 3:48
- "See What You Can Be" – 3:00
- "Hello It's Me" – 3:57
- "Wildwood Blues" (Rundgren, Thom Mooney, Robert "Stewkey" Antoni, Carson Van Osten) – 4:39
Side two
- "If That's the Way You Feel" – 4:49
- "When I Get My Plane" – 3:08
- "Lemming Song" – 4:26
- "Crowded" (Mooney, Stewkey) – 2:20
- "She's Goin' Down" – 4:58
2006 Reissue CD Bonus Track (Sanctuary Records)
- "Nazz Radio Commercials" - 3:02
- "Train Kept A-Rollin'" (album outtake) (Tiny Bradshaw, Howard Kay, Lois Mann) - 3:22
- "Magic Me" (pre-LP audition tape) - 2:47
- "See What You Can Be" (pre-LP audition tape) - 2:52
- "Hello It's Me" (demo) - 3:51
- "Crowded" (demo) - 2:48
- "Open My Eyes" (non-phased demo) - 2:40
- "Lemming Song" (demo) - 4:04
- "The Nazz Are Blue" (live) (Jeff Beck, Keith Relf, Paul Samwell-Smith, Chris Dreja, Jim McCarty) - 3:47
- "Why Is It Me?" (early version of "Lemming Song" by Woody's Truck Stop) - 3:09
- "Hello It's Me" (mono single mix) - 4:06
- "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
Charts
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | US Billboard Pop Albums | 118 |
Single
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | "Open My Eyes" | Billboard Pop Singles | 112 |
| 1969 | "Hello It's Me" | Canada RPM Singles Chart | 41 |
| 1969 | "Hello It's Me" | Billboard Pop Singles | 66 |
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. The British band The Move recorded a live cover of "Open My Eyes" in 1969 at The Fillmore West.[2]