Nazz (album)

Nazz
Studio album by
Nazz
ReleasedOctober 1968
RecordedApril 1968
StudiosI. D. Sound Studios, Hollywood
Genres
Length38:13
LabelSGC
ProducersBill Traut
Michael Friedman
Nazz
Nazz chronology
Nazz
(1968)		 Nazz Nazz
(1969)
Singles from Nazz
  1. "Open My Eyes" / "Hello It's Me"
    Released: July 1968
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStar[2]

Nazz is the debut album by American rock group Nazz. It was released in 1968. The album spawned one single, "Open My Eyes", with "Hello It's Me" as the B-side, the latter reaching number 66 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart.[3] "Open My Eyes" failed to chart but came to be regarded as a psychedelic rock classic, appearing on several compilations of the genre. "Hello It's Me" became a hit when Nazz guitarist Todd Rundgren re-recorded it for his 1972 solo album Something/Anything?.

The track "Open My Eyes" was accompanied by a promo video, directed by Ray Dennis Steckler. Nazz peaked at number 118 on Billboard's Pop Albums chart.[4]

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

Background and recording

Following a showcase at the Boston Tea Party in January 1968, The Nazz were signed by Screen Gems-Columbia.[5] In April 1968 the band entered the eight-track recording studio I. D. Sound Studios in Hollywood, California. By this time the band had all the songs they needed for their first album written, most of which favored a guitar-oriented sound, since lead vocalist/keyboardist Stewkey enjoyed being front man much more than being a keyboardist.[5]

The song "If That's the Way you Feel" was heavily inspired by the work of Jimmy Webb.[5] Guitarist Todd Rundgren said writing the song was "Really laborious for me, I didn't really know how to write music. Shorty Rogers did the arrangement and had to do a lot of corrections."[5]

After considering and then discarding the idea of having Felix Pappalardi produce the album, the Nazz picked Bill Traut instead. According to Rundgren, "[Bill Traut] didn't really do anything except read the trade papers. He didn't have any music suggestions. We should have got someone like Glyn Johns."[5] Rundgren was dissatisfied with Traut's final mix of the album, so the Nazz went to a studio in New York to do overdubs and remixing for two tracks, "Open My Eyes" and "Hello It's Me".[5] The Nazz wanted a flanging effect for "Open My Eyes" but the studio engineers did not know how to create it; Rundgren discovered how to do it accidentally while playing with a two-track tape machine.[5]

Track listing

All songs written by Todd Rundgren, except where noted.

Side one

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

Side two

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

2006 Castle Music reissue bonus tracks

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

Personnel

Nazz

Technical

Charts

Album

Year Chart Position
1968 US Billboard Pop Albums 118[4]

Single

Year Single Chart Position
1968 "Open My Eyes" Billboard Pop Singles 112
1969 "Hello It's Me" Canada RPM Singles Chart 39[6]
1969 "Hello It's Me" Billboard Pop Singles 66[3]

References

  1. 1 2 Segretto, Mike (2022). "1968". 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Minute - A Critical Trip Through the Rock LP Era, 1955–1999. Backbeat. pp. 188–189. ISBN 9781493064601.
  2. ↑ Allmusic review
  3. 1 2 "Billboard Hot 100 - Nazz". Retrieved December 4, 2017.
  4. 1 2 "Billboard 200 - Nazz". Retrieved December 4, 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Tyler, Kieron (2019). Open Our Eyes: The Anthology (Booklet). Nazz. Purple Pyramid Records.
  6. ↑ "RPM Charts - January 20, 1969". Retrieved December 4, 2017.
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