The Nazz 1968 - Nazz

The American group, founded in Philadelphia in the summer of 1967. The band members wanted to play "British" music, focusing on The Beatles, The Who, The Kinks, The Yardbirds ... even took the name "English": "The Nazz Are Blue" - a composition with one-out singles Yardbirds. The debut concert was held on 7 July 1967, by the way, while the band played the opening act for The Doors, is rapidly gaining popularity. Soon, the band signed with Screen Gems Columbia (SGC) and moved to New York. In April 1968, in Los Angeles recorded their first album, titled simply "Nazz", he went out, but only in October. Album hit the USA top 200.
This modest success of the album was due to the fact that America while listening to other music, times, "British Invasion" took place. But that offered listeners The Nazz, was a very curious kind of sound - in English restrained flavored psychedelic guitar Todd Rangrena, vocal polyphony, catchy melodies ... This symbiosis of the British and American cultures gave an unexpected result: The Nazz music sometimes very similar on ... modern Britpop. Such compositions as "See What You Can Be", "Lemming Song", "If That's the Way You Feel" and still sound quite modern (adjusted for recording technique 60th, of course). There is an album and a true masterpiece - the ballad "Hello It's Me" Rangrena. There were, however, curiosities: the composition of "Open My Eyes" begins with some already very familiar chord ... yes it's "Can not Explain" The Who! Probably, it is very great desire was to be like the "big brother" with Albion.
The next album was planned as a double (the working title of "Fungo Bat") and was recorded in England. But that did not happen, according to rumors, intervened some British trade unions that protect the rights of British musicians. The resulting album was recorded once again in the United States. In addition, at the request of SGC, instead of the double album had to produce a normal LP. Called it simple and unsophisticated "Nazz Nazz". The album was produced by Todd Rangren (so that's the beginning of the career of a famous and successful producer). The music on it was close to the "modern" (1969) standards: there keyboards and horns, complicated arrangements, sound processing ... but missing some subtle charm ... But this is a subjective opinion of the author. But there was another very good, "the average American group." The album is an American hard and late 60 -s (such as Cactus and Blue Cheer): "Featherbedding Lover" and "Under the Ice", and pop-rock "Hang on Paul", and Blues "Kiddy Boy", and psychedelia "Meridian Leeward "and the 11-minute" A Beautiful Song ", even former" anglofilstvo "have not quite left the musicians:" Gonna Cry Today "," Letters Do not Count "... This stylistic diversity indicated that the tastes of the musicians are very diverse and, alas, often just the opposite. And this is bound to affect: the group went Rangren and Van Osten.
Despite this, The Nazz is not broke. The remaining musicians prepared and released the composition of the remaining "Fungo Bat" and not included in "Nazz Nazz" separate album. Traditionally called it simply: "Nazz III". In retaliation Rangenu his vocal tracks were erased and re-written by Anthony. The album turned out very similar to the previous one, which was expected - still the second part of "Fungo Bat". Equally eclectic, with even more "standard American" and ... boring.
Having played (I do not know in what part of) the remaining contract concerts, the group broke up yet. Anthony Mooney and continued for some time to make music, but without much success. Van Osten became an animator. Rangren ... yes, he achieved success as a producer and as a performer. But that's another story ...

:

01 - Open My Eyes 00:02:48
02 - Back Of Your Mind 00:03:48
03 - See What You Can Be 00:03:00
04 - Hello It's Me 00:03:57
05 - Wildwood Blues 00:04:39
06 - If That's The Way You Feel 00:04:49
07 - When I Get My Plane 00:03:08
08 - Lemming Song 00:04:26
09 - Crowded 00:02:20
10 - She's Goin' Down 00:04:59

Robert "Stewkey" Antoni - vocals, piano, organ
Todd Rundgren - guitar
Carson Van Osten - bass
Thom Mooney - drums

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